Radclyffe - Crossroads

“Hi,” Donna said slightly breathlessly. “It’s good to see you. Thanks for coming.”

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss it.” Annie sat gently on the bottom of the lounger and rested her hand on Donna’s belly, lightly palpating the uterus as she talked. “How long have you been having contractions?”

“A little over an hour. My water broke right before that, but we waited to be sure before calling.” Donna’s face tightened and she took a long, slow deep breath. “I’m sure.”

Annie took the BP cuff from her bag and checked Donna’s pulse and pressure, then her temperature. “Everything looks just fine. The baby’s in good position, so there’s no need to hurry. Take your time and breathe through the contractions. If you want to get up and walk around, go ahead.”

“I feel like I have to pee every two minutes.”

Annie nodded. “That’s from pressure on your bladder. Don’t worry if you can’t. The urgency will go away once you deliver. Are you thirsty?”

“I had some juice a little while ago. I’m okay.”

“What about you, Mark? Have you eaten tonight?”

He frowned. “I was about to make supper when Donna felt the first contractions.”

“Where’s Lizzie?”

“My mother picked her up a while ago,” he said. “We thought she was a little too young to be here for the birth.”

Donna laughed. “Next time.”

He grinned. “That sounds good to me.”

Annie stood. “Okay. You two just relax and enjoy this. Mark, I’ll hunt around the kitchen and make you something to eat. If you need me, just come and get me.”

She left them to enjoy the process in private. They were both well versed in the stages of labor and knew what to expect. Her role was to monitor the labor and birth and anticipate any problems. She was also there to take care of the small things so they wouldn’t be distracted during this incredibly important event. She found her supportive role every bit as satisfying as her medical one—for the midwife, it was all the same. She put together a sandwich for Mark from cold cuts she found in the refrigerator and made a cup of tea. She carried both back to the porch. “Here. Tea probably isn’t your usual, but I find it relaxing.”

“It looks great, thanks.” Mark took the food and moved to an adjacent chair, and Annie sat beside Donna again. She rechecked her blood pressure, examined her abdomen, and after donning a sterile glove, did an vaginal exam. “The baby’s coming down nicely. You’re doing a great job. How do you feel?”

“Good.” Donna leaned back and looked out over the yard. The moon had risen above the treetops and glittered brightly in a cloudless sky. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“It is. It’s a beautiful time to be having a baby.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Donna said.

“I’m exactly where I want to be.” Annie smiled and squeezed Donna’s hand. “You’re going to have a beautiful baby, and I’m so happy to be part of that.”

Annie knew without a single doubt she was doing exactly what she was meant to do. She glanced at Mark, who’d set his dishes aside and was watching his wife with an expression midway between wonder and pride. Annie stood and gestured to the place by Donna’s side. “Go ahead and sit with her, Mark. I’ll be right here. Don’t worry about a thing.”

*

Zachary Allen Drake emerged into his father’s waiting hands at 4:32 a.m., just as the sun came up. He had a full head of dark hair and weighed in at seven pounds. When Mark placed him on Donna’s breast, he drew his first breath and began to suckle. Annie helped Mark cut the cord and did a rapid assessment of the baby. His lungs were clear, his color good, his suck reflex strong.

“He’s perfect.” Annie eased toward the foot of the lounger so the two of them could enjoy their new son while she waited for the placenta to be delivered. Once it had been, she put a clean sheet under Donna and cleared away the soaked linens from the birth. That was part of her job too, and she went about it quietly and efficiently so as not to disturb the bonding between the parents and their baby. When everything was squared away, she double-checked Donna’s pressure, examined her to be sure there was no excessive bleeding, and packed up her equipment.

“Call me if you have any concerns at all. I’ll be back later today to check you both.”

“You should get some sleep,” Donna said, holding Zachary.

“Don’t worry about me,” Annie said. “We just had the most wonderful night.”

Donna laughed. “We did, didn’t we.”

“I’ll see you later.” Annie let herself out and carried her bag to her car. She packed everything away and started for home. On impulse, she detoured to the park and walked to the bench where she had sat yesterday with Hollis. She was tired but not fatigued, and she wanted to enjoy the excitement of the night a little longer.

The park was deserted except for an early-morning runner on the far side of the park. The moon had not yet set and the sun was rising. Mist rose from the tranquil surface of the pond and drifted away in lacy fingers. She loved these moments when day and night intersected, and this morning, with the wonder of birth still filling her, she couldn’t help think of the timelessness of life and new beginnings. She thought of Callie, who wouldn’t wake for several more hours, and all the possibilities her life would hold. She traced the worn wood along the top of the bench where Hollis had rested her head and wondered if she’d let herself rest. She’d see Hollis that afternoon, and the thought made her heart skitter in a way that was foreign and confounding. Possibility had not been something she’d had growing up, and she’d learned to distrust it as an adult. Normally Callie and her work absorbed all her energy, but Hollis had somehow opened the door to new sensations, and she found she enjoyed not knowing what the day would bring. She’d learned to be cautious, and she would be, especially since Hollis’s professional philosophy was so at odds with her own. But she’d only had to spend a few hours with Hollis to see she cared deeply about her patients and took her responsibilities seriously. If they could come to terms with their professional differences, she could imagine having Hollis as a friend. After all, that was simple enough.

*

Following the murmur of voices and the pealing laughter of children, Hollis tucked the bottle of wine she’d pulled from her pantry under her arm and walked down the driveway next to a sky-blue Victorian with cream detailing. She’d slept twelve hours, cycled around River Drive at dawn, and worked on her porch all morning. She’d considered not going to the barbecue half a dozen times but decided that would be rude. Besides being rude, she wouldn’t see Annie. She should see her—they were going to have to find a way to work together, or at least to discuss issues without triggering each other’s defenses. A little social interaction on neutral ground wouldn’t be a bad thing.

She hadn’t looked forward to spending time with a woman since her one long-term relationship had disintegrated. Sonja had left her when she was at her most vulnerable, and the breakup just reinforced her determination to remain unattached. Once in a while she acquiesced to pressure from family or friends and went on a date, but those occasions had dwindled in the last few years too. She’d finally said no to enough people that they’d stopped asking.

Not that she had any thoughts about Annie beyond the professional, but she did like talking to her. She liked seeing her smile. She liked the way she interacted with her daughter. It just felt good to be around her. That was simple enough.

Chapter Nine

“Arly, can you check to make sure we packed Jack’s truck?” Honor tore off a strip of cling wrap and covered the large orange Fiesta bowl filled with her signature salad. She paused, the air in the room suddenly shifting, warming, carrying the scent of piney woods and spring showers. A tingle of anticipation shot through her. She waited, looking out through the window above the big cast-iron kitchen sink at the huge elm in their backyard, at her children’s toys scattered over the lawn, at the small garden she’d planted with Phyllis a few weeks ago. Her life unfolded around her and solidified with the embrace that came when Quinn’s arms slid around her middle. Honor settled against Quinn, her butt nestling against the front of Quinn’s thighs. “Hi. I thought you were catching up on your reading.”