Patrick wondered if she knew she always played with her hair when she was nervous. ‘I don’t want her to deliver in the water either. I’m with Tom on that.’
Stella rolled her eyes. ‘Obstetricians unite. What do you think, Hayley?’
The door opened again and Tom stood there, panic on his face. ‘She wants to push, Hayley. And I can’t get her out of the water.’
Patrick noticed that his colleague immediately turned to Hayley. She’d gained his trust over the hours she’d been with them. And that didn’t surprise him. She’d gained his trust, too. There was no doubt in his mind that she was an exceptional midwife. Even now she didn’t panic. She kissed Alfie briefly, congratulated Daniel and Stella again and then walked briskly back along the corridor with Tom, talking quietly and calmly.
‘I’ve got to go.’ Patrick thrust slapped his brother on the shoulder and kissed Stella. ‘Thanks, guys.’
Having hugged his children, he followed Hayley and Tom along the corridor. When he opened the door he sensed the change in the atmosphere. Tom was beside himself and Sally was pushing. In the water.
‘Please, angel.’ Tom was white-faced. ‘Out of the water.’
‘If you move me now, I’ll kill you,’ Sally gritted, screwing up her face as another contraction hit her. ‘Oh, God, Tom, how could you do this to me? It’s agony!’
Tom looked stricken and Hayley touched his shoulder gently. ‘This is part of labour,’ she said softly. ‘Don’t take it to heart.’
Patrick had entered the room, prepared to find ways of persuading Sally out of the water, but, watching Hayley, he held back.
‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Nothing.’ She gave Sally another sip of water. ‘You can stay around and give Tom some support.’
Patrick caught his friend’s desperate look. ‘There’s no reason why she shouldn’t deliver in the water, Tom—’
‘We don’t do that.’
‘Not normally,’ Patrick agreed. ‘But Hayley has delivered babies in the water, and it’s what Sally wants. And to be honest, it’s too late to get her out. Let’s go with it. I’ll be right here all the time. If there’s a problem, I’ll intervene.’
‘Thanks for being so positive,’ Sally groaned, and Patrick grinned.
‘I’m an obstetrician. What do you expect?’
‘Oh, go and get a coffee or something.’ Sally grabbed Hayley’s hand. ‘I don’t want this to be unsafe and I’m not thinking clearly. What do I have to do? I want you to tell me everything. I don’t want you to assume I know anything.’
‘You’re doing fine.’ Hayley waited for another contraction to come and go and then checked the foetal heart. ‘The baby is fine, too. Don’t push, Sally, not unless you have the urge.’
‘Just get the baby out,’ Tom muttered, but Hayley ignored him, all her focus on Sally.
‘You’re doing so well. The head is nearly out, Sally. So now we’ve come this far, the baby needs to be born under the water. And I’m going to be as hands-off as possible because that’s best for both of you.’
Tom looked as though he was going to pass out, but Patrick was fascinated.
He watched as Hayley calmly soothed Sally, offering encouragement and guidance but in such a low-key way that it appeared that she wasn’t helping in any way. But Patrick saw the skill in what she was doing.
‘I want to push,’ Sally groaned, and Hayley nodded.
‘Push, then.’
Realising how rarely he saw calm, normal deliveries, Patrick felt a lump build in his throat as Sally and Tom’s baby was born into the water with a minimum of fuss.
Hayley brought her gently to the surface and into Sally’s arms.
‘Congratulations. You have a daughter.’ The baby gave a little wail and then Sally was crying and when Patrick looked at Tom he saw that his colleague’s face was wet.
‘Congratulations,’ he said huskily, and Tom pressed his fingers to his eyes and then bent to hug his wife.
‘You clever, clever girl.’