Another wave of pain came crashing over her, and Libby gripped tightly to something. When she looked down, she saw it was Dylan’s hand, the skin white from where she was digging in so hard.
“I’m sorry,” she said, releasing him, but he grabbed her hand back.
“Squeeze as hard as you like.”
Libby looked round at him, tears stinging her eyes. “I’m scared, Dylan.”
“You don’t need to be. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“Will you stay with me when we get to the hospital? I don’t want to be on my own.”
Dylan lifted his spare hand and brushed a hair from her face. “I’m not going anywhere, Libby. You never have to be on your own.”
“Right, I’ve called ahead to UCH and warned them to be ready for us,” Nikki said, reappearing next to Libby. “Driver, how much longer do you reckon we’ll be?”
“The traffic’s quite clear, so hopefully ten minutes max,” Patience said.
“As fast as you can, please,” Nikki said. “Libby, how are you feeling? Any pressure to push yet?”
“Not yet, no.”
“Great. Has anybody got water?”
“I’ve got a bottle up here,” Patience said.
Libby saw the nurse move to the front of the bus. She returned carrying a two-liter bottle of water.
“And I’ve got this,” Frank said, tugging off his suit jacket.
“What’s going on?” Libby said, looking between them. “Oh my god, you think I’m going to have the baby on the bus!”
“Hey, calm down. It’s okay,” Dylan said, but Libby knew it was anything but okay. They were getting ready to deliver her baby and something was going to go wrong.
“No, I’m not doing it,” she exclaimed, pushing Dylan’s arm from around her and trying to pull herself up. “I’m not having my baby on the 88. I—”
But she didn’t get any further as she felt another rip of heat through her torso. This time, with it, she felt a new sensation in her pelvis, as though she suddenly really needed the loo. She looked up at Nikki, who was watching her intently.
“You need to push, don’t you?”
“I can’t,” Libby said, feeling the panic rising in her throat. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.” Nikki leaned forward, bringing her face close to Libby’s. “Listen to me. Women have been doing this for millions of years. We’ve given birth in fields and up mountains, in far harder conditions than this. So believe me, you can do this on a London bus.”
“Damn, there’s a holdup on Tottenham Court Road,” Patience shouted. “I’m going to have to take us the long way round to avoid it.”
“Whatever you have to do. Just get us there as quick as you can,” Nikki said. She turned to Dylan. “Okay, Dad, I’m going to need you to support Libby so she can move into a more comfortable position.”
Libby opened her mouth to say Dylan wasn’t the father, but she could already feel him adjusting his position behind her.
“Libby, do you think you can take your underwear off?” Nikki said.
Libby looked at her in dismay. “Here? Really?”
“Well, it’s a while since I did my training, but I seem toremember it’s easier to do this without your knickers on,” she said, smiling. “Your dress is long enough, so you’ll still be modest.”
Frank looked away and Libby wriggled out of her knickers. Thank god Dylan was behind her, so she couldn’t see his face.
“Now, when your next contraction comes, if you feel the need to push, don’t fight it,” Nikki said. “And remember to breathe, okay?”
