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“How far are we from your home?” Dania studied her patient. Her last contraction had been longer than the others. Dania needed to check Hayley to see how far along she was but wanted to do it at her home. It would be awkward in the car.
Hayley gasped. “Take a right at the next turn. My place is about two miles from there. I live in a trailer that sits off the road a ways.”
Brett inclined his head.
Hayley grabbed Dania’s hand. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Dania loathed being manipulated, and truth be told, she was having a hard time keeping all the possibilities of what could go wrong during delivery from drowning her. But better she be with Hayley than to leave her to deliver her child on her own.
Another contraction caught Hayley, and she squeezed Dania’s fingers together. Dania empathized with her even though her hand was being crushed.
Finally, as the pain seemed to subside for Hayley, Dania said, “Hurry, Brett.”
“I’m pushing the speed limit.” Brett drove more than a mile before coming to the turn and taking it.
Hayley let go of her hand and glanced out the window. Dania couldn’t help but wonder what her story was. Who was the father of her baby? Did she have financial help? “What do you do for a living?”
“I clean houses in Bear Claw. I don’t have a lot of extras, but I get by.” Her forehead wrinkled as another contraction caught her.
“Is that your place?” Brett asked, pointing to an old trailer that had cinder blocks as steps to a deck leading to the front door.
“Yes,” Hayley said in between breaths.
Brett pulled up, leaving the headlights shining on the stairs.
As soon as he put the vehicle in park, Dania grabbed the first-aid kit and got out, rushing to the other side. She jerked open the door and was about to call for Brett only to find he stood next to her. He unlocked the handcuffs.
“Can you carry her in?” Dania asked as she helped Hayley ease out of the car.
“Sure. Go open the door.” He scooped the young woman into his strong, capable arms.
She looked at Hayley and held out her hand. “Keys?”
Hayley pulled them from her jacket pocket. The key chain had a pink pompom on it. Dania hustled up the wobbly cinder-block stairs and hurried to the door, where she stuck the key in and gave it a twist to open it.
She swung around, ready to assist Brett. But again, he surprised Dania and already stood behind her.
Forging into the trailer, Dania flipped on the lights. The small living room was immaculately clean, pillows fluffed, tables dusted. Dania didn’t know what she’d expected, but Hayley did say she cleaned houses for a living. A shotgun hung on the wall, which was good. A woman living alone should have protection.
“Hurry, Brett. I need to check her.” Dania ignored other doors in the hallway as she rushed to the end to what she supposed was Hayley’s room. The bed was made, so she threw the blankets back.
As Brett lay Hayley on the sheets, Dania set the first-aid kit on the dresser and got to work taking off Hayley’s boots. “Get some clean towels, tissues, soap, some string, and a large bucket-like container,” she said to Brett.
“Don’t you need boiled water too?”
Surprised, Dania said, “Sure, but bring me the other things first. Just a minute.” She turned to Hayley. “Do you have huge garbage bags or, better yet, a clean shower curtain somewhere?”
“There are leaf bags under the kitchen sink. Will that do?” She winced as another cramp caught her.
“Sure will. Brett, please bring me a leaf bag first thing.”
He left without saying a word.
Dania helped Hayley take off her clothes below the waist. Throwing a blanket over Hayley, Dania said, “I want to save your bedding if I can. I’ll put the plastic under you.” She folded the blanket back, pulled the only pair of gloves out of the kit, and tugged them on. She checked Hayley. “I’m guessing, but you’re about eight centimeters.”
Dania peeled off the gloves and placed them on the dresser, then she covered Hayley once again. That done, she started to assemble what she was going to need. She pulled the medical scissors and antiseptic wash out of the kit and put them where they’d be close at hand.
Brett returned and handed a huge black leaf bag to her. “Now I’ll get the towels, tissues, soap, and...”
