Page 23 of Ravaged From Fate

I rush out the door of the clinic, dashing off a sharp explanation to the waiting patients and old Mr. Winterbottom – currently half-dressed, waiting for my examination on the clinic’s bed - and I speed out of town in my car towards Simone.

I don’t give a damn about speeding laws.

Liam has their property unlocked when I arrive in preparation for me. I sprint through the door and find Simone in the bedroom, lying on her back, trying to breathe through the pain. Her husband is by her side, gripping her hand with an expression on his face akin to the kind that drowning sailors make when they know all hope is lost. The poor man.

He’s really out of his depth.

“Hey, Simone, it’s me.”

The woman in labor looks up at me with fearful eyes. So does her husband. Truth be told, deep down, I’m probably more scared than she is, but I can’t let that fear take hold of me. I’ve got to be strong and confident for my patient.

“Elsa, thank God you’re here…”

“Don’t worry,” I reply, trying my best to put on a reassuring tone. “We’re going to get through this together with Liam, okay? Simone, you’re going to be a mother. You can do this; I know you can. You’re going to have a child, and I am going to be here every step and every breath along the way.”

I have never helped deliver a baby before. I don’t think this is the best information to divulge to the couple right now, considering the circumstances.

Simone exhales through her nose and stares at me. She’s going to put all her trust in my inexperienced hands.

And then she nods.

And then she proceeds to actually push out an actual live baby.

The labor lasts for three hours. Three long hours of continuous pain, deep contractions, and a hell of a lot of screaming. The entire time, I feel like I have no clue at all about what I’m doing. Correction: I have no freaking clue at all about what I’m doing. You can read all the books you like about pregnancy and go to as many lectures and courses as you can on the subject, but you truly realize you know shit all when you’re faced with a mother and father in the flesh wholly reliant on you to bring their baby out alive.

But despite all my panic and fears, the birth is successful.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

I’m wrapping the baby in a clean towel when the doctor finally shows up. He comes in, breathless from rushing across the state to get here, and stares at the both of us. Simone and me.

And the baby in my arms.

And the husband, near-fainting, sitting on the floor.

“She did it,” I tell the doctor, still in as much a state of shock as the mother lying next to me. “She did it. Simone’s had the baby. Everything’s… good.”

“Yeah, I did it with Elsa’s help,” Simone stresses from the bed, completely exhausted, as should be expected. “I couldn’t do it without her. She was there for me every step of the way.”

* * *

An hour later, and we’re all gathered around Simone’s bed. Things are a lot… calmer now. The mother is cradling the newborn in her arms, both on the verge of falling asleep. I don’t blame her. Liam can’t stop staring at his brave, strong wife with a wide smile on his face that makes my heart leap.

The doctor’s done all his checks. All fine. Everyone is given the all-clear. No medical problems.

It’s so good to see everyone safe and happy. Today has been the biggest achievement in my whole professional nursing career, for sure. My first pregnancy. Helping bring a baby into the world.

And everything is fine with the world.

And I breathe a much-overdue sigh of relief.

“You’re a good woman,” Simone says to me dreamily as her eyelids flutter towards sleep. “So selfless and caring. Your husband must be a very lucky man.”

I smile softly and shake my head in the negative. “Thank you, but I don’t have a husband. No time for men when I’m way too busy delivering babies. I’ve sworn off them.”

“Well, any man would be lucky to have you.”

I chuckle. “Thank you, Simone.”