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“Why the fuck can’t you be skinnier, Lincoln?” I shouted.
I swore I heard the asshole laughing. Before I could respond, another puppy arrived. There was no sac, but the puppy was wet with all kinds of nasty goo that I didn’t want to think too much about.
“Four!” I called.
I managed to carefully move the first three puppies against Puddles’ body as she cleaned the fourth. I did the same thing as the next two puppies were born.
“Almost done, sweetie,” I said to Puddles who was lying on her side. The poor dog seemed completely exhausted.
I looked at Nacho who was whining and licking Puddles’ muzzle. “Don’t think you’re getting out of daddy duty, buddy,” I warned.
Puddles whined as she seemed to strain. I could see the last puppy but as the seconds passed and she struggled to get up even though the puppy was still partially inside her, I called out, “Lincoln, something’s wrong! The last one isn’t coming out.”
“Theo, I’ve got Sawyer on speaker. I’m going to throw my phone as close to you as I can,” Lincoln responded.
I heard a thud behind me. “Sawyer? Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, I’m on my way. I’ll be there in five minutes,” he said.
“I don’t think she can get the last puppy out. It’s hanging half inside of her still. And I think the sac is still around this one!”
I urged Puddles to lie back down even as I listened for Sawyer’s response.
“Okay, Theo, she’s going to need a little help with the last one. Gently grab the puppy and when Puddles has a contraction, pull the puppy slowly downward and at an angle.”
“Um, okay,” I yelled. I did as Sawyer said. I was terrified of putting too much pressure on the little body that I still couldn’t see because of the sac.
“Talk to me, Theo,” Sawyer reminded me, his voice even and calm.
“I think it moved a little,” I called. Even as I said the words, Puddles pushed again. I added a little more pressure and let out a cry of relief when the rest of the puppy was out.
“It’s out,” I said. “Should I break the sac? Puddles isn’t trying to do it herself.”
“Yes, break it. Firm but gentle pressure to tear the skin of the sac.”
I fumbled to get a good grip on the slippery sac. It was so fucking tiny that I was freaked out that I was going to hurt the puppy in the process. I breathed in relief when the sac broke with little force but the second I saw the puppy, I knew there was a problem.
“The puppy isn’t breathing, Sawyer! It’s blue!”
I automatically began trying to clear out the puppy’s mouth even before Sawyer told me to do it.
“Rub the puppy with your hands to help stimulate it. Make sure not to tear the umbilical cord. Puddles will take care of that part. We just need to get the puppy breathing, okay?”
I could feel tears stinging the backs of my eyes as I rubbed the puppy back and forth, but it didn’t respond.
“Lincoln!” I cried. I wiped at my face as tears began streaming unchecked down my cheeks.
“I’m right here, Theo. You can do this. Just keep listening to Sawyer’s instructions.”
I sucked in several deep breaths in an attempt to get control of myself. “Sawyer, it’s not working. Should I breathe into its mouth or something?” I asked desperately.
Puddles managed to sit up enough to nuzzle the puppy, but I knew there was nothing she could do at that point. It was entirely on me.
You can do this.
They were Lincoln’s words but my voice this time.
I focused one hundred percent on Sawyer’s instructions as he explained how to perform CPR on the tiny puppy. I pushed the self-doubt and fear away and focused on the life that had literally been put in my hands.
