Finally a Mother by Dana Corbit

Author:Dana Corbit
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2014-03-03T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

“I’m here, Brooke,” Shannon announced as she charged through the door.

The girls were crowded around Brooke, their voices sharp and discordant, their pies lined up on the counter, forgotten. Shannon had to squeeze through them to get to the center of the circle.

“Oh, Brooke, honey.” She brushed back the girl’s hair.

“I knew there was something wrong. I knew it.”

Brooke just continued rocking in her curled position, her hands gripping the ball of her stomach. Shannon hadn’t heard him come in behind her, but Mark was suddenly in the room with them, working his way through the crowd.

“Girls, could you do us a favor and go handle the guests out there?” he asked. “Miss Shannon and I are going to help Brooke.”

They waited for Shannon’s nod and filed from the room.

“Is she in labor?” he asked as soon as the door closed. “How many weeks is she? How far apart are her contractions?”

Shannon was so focused on Brooke that his questions barely registered. “It’s too soon.” She continued stroking the girl’s arm. “I should have done something. I should have—”

“Listen to me, Shannon.” Mark rested a hand on her shoulder. “I need to know how far along she is in case I have to deliver the baby.”

It must have been the word deliver that broke through her haze. She blinked and then shook her head. Of course, Mark would have had training in case he had to attend an emergency delivery. “No, she shouldn’t deliver. She’s just thirty-four weeks.”

He kneeled and took Brooke’s wrist to get a pulse. Her hands were warm and red, and perspiration dotted her face. “Brooke, can you tell me what’s going on?”

“I hurt,” she whined.

“I know you do, kiddo. Do you know how far apart your contractions are?”

“Don’t know.” She winced as if the pain was taking hold again. “It’s not just my stomach. My head is killing me, and I feel nauseated.”

“Could be preeclampsia.” Shannon wasn’t even sure she’d spoken those words aloud until Mark straightened.

“I’ll call 9-1-l,” he said.

“No. I’ll take her. It will be faster than waiting for the ambulance.”

“Let me,” he insisted. “I can make it there faster than you can, and I can get a patrol-car escort if necessary.”

Her mouth opened, probably to say no again, but then she closed her lips and nodded. “I’m coming, too.”

“Fine. Now, Brooke, I’m going to be as careful as I can, but I need to lift you so we can get you to the hospital.” He slipped his hands behind her back and knees.

Immediately, tears started draining from Brooke’s eyes. “I want my mom.”

Shannon stood and wiped away some of the tears making trails down the girl’s face. “I know you do. I’ll call her so she can meet us at the hospital instead of coming here.”

“I didn’t mean to ruin your party,” Brooke said.

“You didn’t ruin anything, sweetie.” Again Shannon brushed the girl’s hair back from her face. “Let’s just focus on making sure that you and the baby are okay.

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