Until Autumn

With that, the phone is slammed down, and Patricia meets my curious gaze once again. “Your presence is being requested in room 215.”

My eyes widen. “But that’s one of the birthing suites,” I comment. “The woman with the twins.”

“Yes, it is,” Patricia confirms, her gaze still narrowed and filled with suspicion. “So, I suggest that you hurry before you miss witnessing a natural birth of twins.”

Well, shit.

I take off like a fucking rocket.

My feet race through the halls as I try to remember everything there is to know about natural births. I’ve seen every medical video there is to see, and of course, delivered November’s baby girl. But it’s not going to be the same as seeing it done in person by a doctor who will hopefully answer all my questions as we go. Hell, right now, I can’t even remember which doctor this patient was assigned to. Hopefully it’s not Dr. Harding. I don’t think I’m ready to stand by his side, assisting him while knowing what a douche he is.

My eyes scan over the numbers on the passing doors, searching for room 215. In the last hospital I worked in, I had every single one of them memorized on every damn floor, but I’m not quite there yet. This hospital is all twisty, and the room numbers don’t go in the natural direction that one would assume, which only makes moments like this so much harder.

I admitted this patient early this morning, but since then, I’ve had nothing to do with her and haven’t had a chance to familiarize myself with her case. I’m sure there is another midwifery student who’s been slaving over this woman all day and is going to have the shits that I get to step in but screw it. I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to learn and be the best that I can be. I’m not going to skip up on this opportunity.

If only I’d done a little more homework during the day. I could have skipped lunch and become familiar with every patient on the ward. At least that way I’d have felt a little more confident going into this, but in the end, there will be other midwives around and a doctor overlooking everything. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

I’ve got this. Though, that’s probably overthinking things. If anything, I’ll be standing in the back and struggling to get a good view.

Room 215 finally sneaks up on me, and I go skidding into the birthing suite, having to grab hold of the door frame to fling me around the corner. The room is a mess of people, more than I had expected, but this is twins we’re talking about. It only makes sense to have twice the amount of staff. A handful to watch over baby number one, some for baby number two, and the rest left to take care of the mom once she’s done pushing.

“That was quick,” a familiar voice says from across the room.

My gaze snaps across to the man who has done nothing but live rent-free in my mind for the past three days. “What can I say?” I laugh, instantly sanitizing my hands and pulling on my gown. I grab a pair of gloves before walking deeper into the room. “I’m nothing if not prompt.”

“Good,” Dr. Mayson says as I pull on my gloves. “Now, come and stand in here. I need you to assist so I can show you how to do this properly.”

I bite down on my lip to keep myself from screaming in happiness, and as I move toward him, the other nurses and midwives make a path for me. I move in beside Dr. Mayson and get an upfront view of the crowning baby.

“Alright, how are you doing, Rebecca?” Dr. Mayson asks, looking up at the mom.

I follow his gaze and take in the exhausted woman and instantly feel like a bitch for having looked at her lady bits before even looking at her face, though around here, I guess that’s kind of normal.

The woman quickly glances at me before focusing back on the extraordinary man standing between her legs, though despite the pain she must be in, I can’t bring myself to feel sorry for her. Right now, she’s the luckiest woman on the planet to have a man like this between her legs.

“I just want these things out of me,” she says, her eyes filling with tears of pain.

Okay, maybe now I feel a little sorry for her, but she’s about to get two sweet, loving babies to call her own. What could be better than that?

“You’re nearly there,” he tells her. “Baby number one is crowning, and on your next contraction, you’ll be able to push.”

The nurses and midwives start moving in as a couple who were standing far out of the way move into Rebecca’s side to lend her their support. Feeling good about this, I look to Dr. Mayson and wait for his instructions.