Jean Gordon - Small-Town Midwife

Autumn turned to Jon. “It might be one of our mothers, although we don’t have anyone due for a couple of weeks.” She hurried ahead to the lodge.

Jamie handed her the lodge phone. “Kelly said to call her back on her cell phone.”

Autumn dialed the number and listened while Kelly explained the situation. “Okay, I’ll need to stop by my house. See you in a bit. Bye.”

She placed the phone on the table. “Sorry, Gram, Aunt Jinx. I have to go. Oh, Jon, did you get your key?”

“Yes. Is there a problem with one of your mothers?”

“No, come outside.”

They stepped out onto the porch. “Kelly got a call from one of her friends. The woman’s daughter is in labor and she’s afraid something isn’t right. The couple is free-birth. They were determined to have their baby with no interference from anyone. But the woman has talked them into letting Kelly come.”

“Free-birthers. The mother-to-be hasn’t had any prenatal care?”

“Not that I know of.”

“I’ll go ahead to the birthing center and make sure one of the rooms is ready.”

“Jon, we’re not sure the couple will even let us help with the birth. I doubt we can talk them into coming to the center.”

“Insist. You said the mother thought something was wrong.” Jon crossed his arms.

Autumn mirrored his stance. “We can’t make them go to the center.” She dropped her arms. There was no need to turn this into a standoff. Besides, this wasn’t her birth. It was Kelly’s. Kelly was in charge. Autumn swallowed the guilt that waved over her and didn’t try to distinguish whether it came from her not holding up her end of the practice work or the relief she’d felt because Kelly was in charge. How long would Kelly agree to go on managing all of the deliveries?

He placed his hand on her forearm. “You have to try to get them to the center.”

Kelly’s van rolled into the camp parking lot. Autumn gently pulled away. “No, I have to go help catch a baby.”

“I’ll expect a report on Monday.”

Autumn strode to the vehicle.

“And I’ll pray for an uncomplicated delivery,” Jon said in a less strident voice.

She nodded and climbed into the van.

“Who is that?” Kelly asked.

“Jon Hanlon, the new director of the birthing center.”

“Oh. What does he want you to report?”

“Our business.”

Kelly creased her forehead in question.

“I don’t know why, either. But whatever his reason, I don’t think I’m going to like it.”

Like she didn’t like the way he’d said they had to get the mother to the birthing center, didn’t like him expecting her to report in to him on Monday and didn’t like the way he seemed to think all he had to do was smile and he’d get his way.

Chapter Four

Jon tested the doorknob to the midwifery practice. It had been locked when he’d tried it on his way to his office earlier. This time the knob turned. He hesitated. He’d exercised great restraint yesterday morning by not going over to Autumn’s place to ask about her unexpected delivery on Saturday. Her car hadn’t been in the driveway when he’d left for church, but it had been when he’d returned. After giving her a few hours to catch up on her sleep, he’d glanced out and she’d been gone again.

Today, he had the good excuse of wanting to introduce himself to Kelly, along with finding out how the delivery had gone. He pushed the door open and looked around the empty waiting area. Two warm brown leather couches in the corner framed an oval coffee table, forming an inviting sitting area. Matching leather chairs were positioned a couple of feet away along the wall, one on each side of a combination table-magazine rack. A desk sat on the opposite side of the room, and paintings of a mountain scene and the monthly stages of pregnancy hung on the wall in between. He walked over and checked them out. They were both done by the same artist, probably a local.

“Can I help you?”

Jon turned.

“Dr. Hanlon?”

He nodded.

“It’s good to finally meet you,” the attractive, middle-aged woman with auburn hair said. “I saw you briefly at the lake on Saturday.”

He glanced behind her down the short hall. “You must be Kelly.”

“Yes.” She extended her hand. “Kelly Philips. Good to meet you. I would have introduced myself when I picked up Autumn, but I was kind of in a hurry.”

“Understandable.” He shook her hand. “And call me Jon.”

The office door opened, and Autumn’s voice rang out. “I’ve got coffee.”

Jon tightened his grip on Kelly’s hand, prompting a raised eyebrow from her. He quickly released it.

Autumn backed into the room. “I have your latte, a large regular for Jamie and my mocha.” She turned around, and the cardboard tray dipped dangerously to one side. “Jon.”

“Good morning.”

“Hi.” She righted the tray and handed Kelly her coffee.

“I stopped in to introduce myself to Kelly and see how your delivery went on Saturday.”

“It was really Kelly’s delivery.” Autumn looked to the other midwife. “Is Jamie getting the exam room ready? I’ll take her coffee to her.”

“I’ll take it, although I don’t know if either of us will be able to enjoy the coffee. Our nine-thirty appointment called and asked if she could come at nine.” Kelly checked her watch. “I heard the door open and close and came out to see if she was here and found Jon.”

Autumn lifted her mocha and handed the tray with Jamie’s coffee to Kelly.

“Why don’t you take Jon to your office and fill him in on the birth while I get ready for my appointment?” Kelly said.

Autumn pressed her lips into a pink-tinged slash.

Jon set his jaw. Evidently, talking with him was that distasteful.

“Maybe he’d like to go with you on your home visit with the new mother this morning,” Kelly said.

“Was there a problem?” he asked. Autumn had said Saturday that she didn’t know whether the mother had had any prenatal care.

“No.” Autumn drew out the O. “Why?”

“The home visit. Or do you do that with all of your home births?”

The office door opened, and a visibly pregnant young woman in a calf-length navy blue skirt and three-quarter-length-sleeved white cotton maternity T-shirt walked in, followed by two little girls. Jon guessed they were about two and three. The little girls wore matching sundresses with white T-shirts underneath.

“Hi,” the woman said. “Am I seeing you, Kelly or Autumn today?” She dropped her gaze as soon as she noticed him.

He’d have to ask Autumn if this was a family from the traditional religious sect his delivery nurse had told him about. Apparently, Dr. Ostertag had experienced problems with a couple of the families because they insisted on using only female midwives or doctors. He’d had concerns about an emergency arising when he was the only doctor available. Fortunately for Dr. Ostertag, none had.

“You’ll be seeing me,” Kelly said. “Let’s make sure your information is up to date.” She and the mother-to-be stepped over to the desk.

“Getting back to your question,” Autumn said as she turned on her heel and led Jon down the short hall to her office, “we make a home visit after all of our births, even the ones here at the center.” She halted at the door.

He didn’t know what he’d said to prompt the irritation in her voice. He was interested in the extra degree of care. “That must involve a lot of time. Have you found it cost-effective in the long run?”

She pushed the door open and motioned him to a couch that matched the ones in the waiting room. A coffee table was positioned in front of it. He sat at the far side. She placed her mocha on the table, opened the messenger bag slung over her shoulder to remove her iPad and sat at the opposite end.