How to Save a Life: A Novel by Eva Carter

Author:Eva Carter [Carter, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Women, Family Life, General
ISBN: 9780593158876
Google: EkcqEAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2021-05-15T07:00:00+00:00

* * *

—

There are times over the next nineteen hours when I regret making that promise to Zoë, but mostly I am focused on her and her pain.

She needs somebody. It could be anybody. But today it just happens to be me.

I get sworn at, and her fingers leave bruises on my arm. I reassure her she can do it, even when I have my doubts. I ask her every few hours whether she’s certain there’s no one I can call—a friend, a family member, her baby’s father.

She swears some more.

Sometimes, when the door opens, we hear carols and Christmas songs coming from patients’ TVs. The contrast between the sentimentality of “When a Child Is Born” and the messy reality of Zoë’s labor makes me feel uncharacteristically feminist. Women are much stronger than men.

In the downtimes between contractions, we walk up and down outside the delivery suite, and I honor my other promise—to answer every question honestly. She uses it against me for her own amusement, as though we’re playing a one-sided spin the bottle.

How many people have you had sex with?

Two.

Wow. How many times a week do you do it with your girlfriend now?

Once (this is not strictly true, not since Kerry found out about my exam screwup, but I justify it by telling myself I am averaging it out over our three and a bit years together).

Is she the love of your life?

Yes.

Are you the love of hers?

I hesitate. “You’d have to ask her that question.”

Zoë nods. “Is she a doctor too?”

“No. Well, not yet. She works for the ambulance service but—”

“Arrrgh! Fucking hell. It’s back again.”

The midwife examines Zoë, but when she asks me if I’d like a look, it feels odd, as though I’ve crossed an invisible barrier from student observer to birth partner.

“Go on,” Zoë says. “You might as well get something out of the beating you’re taking from me.”

“I’m no expert, but I think you’re not far off,” I say, looking to the midwife for confirmation.

She nods in agreement. “Yup. Now, Zoë, because Baby is coming a bit early, it might get quite crowded in here. Would you rather not have a student in the room?”

“Tim’s not going anywhere. But now I need him up at my end.”

The room does start to fill up, till I’m the only one still focused on Zoë’s face. It’s almost more frightening because I can’t see how the delivery is advancing.

“We’re very close to the baby arriving, Zoë, hold on to all your energy so you can give a great big push when I say so. All right?”

I hold Zoë’s hand and I smile at her, not letting her look away, as she puts everything she has into pushing.

“You’re amazing, Zoë,” I whisper, and I mean it.

She screams, once, and the midwife says, “I can see Baby’s head, so wait….One last push, now, my love, come on…And that’s it, Baby is here…It’s a boy, Zoë, your little baby boy is here and he’s a beauty.”

We wait

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