‘Charlie. Ring Charlie,’ she said.
‘I’ve already called him. He’s on his way.’
CJ glared at Bonnie. ‘Go and get him now.’
‘I’ll settle her in,’ Ethan remarked, noticing the surprised look on Bonnie’s face.
‘I don’t need anyone to settle me,’ CJ added. ‘I’m fine. Women have babies all the time and now it’s my turn and I’m fine!’
‘Yes, you are,’ Ethan pacified as he tossed the cushions off the bed onto a chair and pulled the bedspread back. CJ smirked in a self-satisfied way at the inanimate objects, glad of his rough treatment of them. He wound the bed down so it was easier for her to get on but she found she couldn’t.
‘Can’t lie down either.’ She looked at him, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. ‘I can’t sit down, I can’t lie down and my legs are aching and tired.’
‘I know. I know,’ he soothed. ‘Lean on me.’ He gathered her near so her head was resting on his shoulder.
‘I’m sorry if I’m being horrible.’
He laughed. ‘You’re not.’
‘Liar.’
He laughed again. ‘Probably.’
She pulled back to look at him, her terrified green eyes meeting his sympathetic blue ones. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
Ethan felt a knot of tension, need and anger churn in his gut. Tension because he was fighting as hard as he could against the attraction. Need because it was becoming impossible not to give in and kiss her, and anger against her husband for leaving her to cope with this experience all alone.
She was an amazing woman and his feelings for her were intensifying with every moment he spent in her company. It wasn’t right. He knew that, but he also knew the wrong thing could sometimes feel so right.
He swallowed over all his thoughts and emotions and bent down to kiss her forehead. ‘You’ll be fine.’ He felt her body tense and knew another contraction was on the way. He helped her through it, his eyes closed as they leaned against each other, both concentrating on what was happening. When he opened his eyes, it was to find Donna standing in the doorway, watching them.
‘Good evening. You look as though you’re having loads of fun.’ She came in and patted CJ lightly on the shoulder. ‘Right. Has anyone checked the baby yet?’
Ethan waited for CJ to answer but when she didn’t, he shook his head.
‘Can you get up on the bed?’
‘Too uncomfortable,’ she mumbled.
‘OK. Stay where you are, I’ll work around you.’ For the next ten minutes there were people in and out of the room, the baby’s heartbeat was checked and found to be perfect. CJ was given a once-over by Donna and pronounced to be almost nine centimetres dilated.
‘That’s very quick. Hang on, your sister had quick labours with her children, didn’t she?’
‘Four hours for the first and two hours for the second,’ CJ said softly between contractions. ‘Looks as though you might break her record.’ Donna chuckled. ‘I was in labour for over fifteen hours and that was with my last one.’
‘Where’s Charlie?’
‘I’ll go check.’ Donna headed out, leaving CJ leaning on Ethan, closing her eyes as she tried to rest between contractions. It was a good half an hour later before Charlie walked in the door and by that time CJ was fully dilated.
‘Where have you been?’ she growled at the anaesthetist when he gave her a cheery greeting.
‘It’s always nice to feel so appreciated,’ Charlie joked as he read CJ’s chart, checking that both mother and baby were doing well. ‘OK. You have no allergies so let me go get you some—’
Before Charlie could finish his sentence, CJ had another contraction but this one gripped her abdomen even tighter and, quite involuntarily, she gave a push.
‘Was that a push?’ Donna asked. They all waited and when CJ involuntarily pushed again, Charlie chuckled.
‘Well, you don’t need me any more,’ he joked.
‘Yes. Yes, I do.’ CJ grabbed him by the front of his shirt and dragged his face closer. ‘Give me something. Anything!’
‘I can’t, CJ. You know that.’
‘The window has closed?’
‘The window has closed,’ Charlie confirmed.
‘Open a door,’ she whimpered, and let go of his shirt.
‘CJ.’ Charlie smoothed a comforting hand over her forehead. ‘You’ll be fine. The baby’s fine. There seems to be an abundance of people in here, so I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me.’
CJ reached out a hand but he was gone. Her window was shut and so was the door. Why couldn’t he open it again? She stuck out her lower lip. ‘I don’t want to do this any more.’
Donna laughed. ‘You’re doing a great job and the fact that you’re saying you want to go home proves that everything is moving along nicely.’ When the next contraction gripped, CJ pushed again. She rested her head on Ethan’s shoulder between contractions and closed her eyes, conserving what energy she had.
It seemed to take for ever but three hours later Donna told her to give one more push and the head was finally out. The cord wasn’t around the neck and they waited while the shoulders rotated. CJ had managed to get comfortable on a beanbag as her legs had eventually given up supporting her.
Ethan held her hand tightly, dabbing her forehead with a damp cloth. She hadn’t wanted him to go and he’d made no move to leave. Now...they were almost finished and she could hardly believe the man she’d known for only a few weeks had stayed to help her through this.
CJ knew it was ridiculous but...she loved him. Whether it was the love of a lifetime or a love of utter gratitude, she had no way of knowing. Perhaps it was the hormones or the intimacy of their present situation but her feelings would not be repressed. The next contraction started to grip and she squeezed his hand once more.
‘That’s it. Good
