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Tommy and Lila stood to follow him. On an instinct, Madison rose with them. “Maybe I can help you inside?”
Both of the Polanskis smiled gratefully. “You can take her other side,” Tommy said, clinging to his wife’s left arm.
Madison nodded and looped her left arm with Lila’s right. Once they were inside, she would suggest that Tommy call a cab to take them back to Dallas. It wouldn’t be cheap, but she’d tactfully offer to pitch in, if necessary, and she was sure others would, too. Lila needed to get off her feet as soon as possible and take it easy for the remainder of the weekend.
They didn’t even make it to the ranch house before Lila cried out and doubled over in pain. Tommy reacted in panic, clutching at his wife’s arm with a white-knuckled grip. “Honey? What’s wrong? What’s happening?”
Though Lila’s maternity jeans were a dark denim, Madison could still see the darker stain that was rapidly spreading down her legs. Her heart sank. It had been five years since her rotation in obstetrics and gynecology. She only hoped she remembered everything she had learned then.
She looked at Buck, trying to keep her voice calm for the sake of the anxious couple. “You should call for an ambulance now.”
Lila cried out again, sagging heavily between her husband and Madison. “I think my water broke. But it’s too soon. The baby’s not due for another month.”
People began chattering excitedly behind them, but Madison focused solely on Lila and Tommy, who had gone stark white with fear. “It’s okay,” she began.
“I’m a doctor. I can help.”
Jason and Madison had spoken almost in unison, coincidentally choosing the same words to reassure the couple. Skidding to a stop after rushing toward them, Jason looked at Madison in bemusement when her words registered. She’d known he was a doctor, but apparently, no one had mentioned her career to him.
“You’re a doctor?”
She nodded. “Psychiatry. Please tell me you’re ob-gyn.”
His lips twitched. “Internal medicine. No obstetrics, but I’m sure between the two of us we can remember the basics, if necessary.”
“Let’s just hope the ambulance gets here before that becomes necessary,” she murmured, turning back to her—their—patient.
Tommy, Jason and Allen carried Lila inside the roomy ranch house where bright lights and an open floor plan welcomed them into the main lounge area decorated in cowboy chic. Called in to assist, Gayla swiftly produced a stack of clean sheets and towels from the supplies for the cabins used for dude ranch guests staying longer than a day.
Once Lila was settled on top of several folded sheets covering a wide vinyl sofa, Allen swiftly excused himself.
“Don’t either of you try to leave,” Tommy ordered Madison and Jason. “I want both of you here in case the ambulance doesn’t arrive in time.”
“It usually takes several hours for a first baby to be born,” Madison assured him, mentally crossing her fingers. “I’m guessing there will be plenty of time.”
Lila wailed and clutched her middle, drawing her knees upward in pain.
Okay, maybe not, Madison thought, swallowing hard as she looked at Jason. “Should we, um…?”
He nodded somberly. “Buck said the nearest hospital is almost half an hour away. We should probably do a quick exam.”
Asking Buck to keep everyone else outside, they covered Lila with a sheet from the waist down. Tommy hel
ped her undress beneath the sheet while Madison and Jason scrubbed their hands in a small lavatory that opened off the lounge.
“I didn’t realize you’re a doctor,” Jason said as he lathered forcefully from the container of liquid soap provided for guests.
“Fourth-year resident. I’ll be starting a child and adolescent psych fellowship next year. I just found out this morning that you’re in practice when, um, someone mentioned your connection to the Lovato family.”
“About that connection—”
It was almost a relief when they were interrupted by another wail from Lila and a shout for help from Tommy. “Y’all need to hurry! She’s hurting bad.”
This was not the time to talk about themselves, Madison thought with a quick shake of her head. Holding her scrubbed-clean hands in front of her chest out of long-forged habit, she hurried back into the other room with Jason close behind her.
Jason made it clear he thought Madison should do the exam. “I’ll stand by if you need me.”
She gave him a “gee, thanks” look, but since Lila was tearily begging for help, she had no other choice.
