A New Year’s Cowboy
Leather for Two: Wings of Steel MC
Fighting Flames
Double Dare
With Honor
Sin with Cuffs
Friends with Benefits
Dreaming Ivy
Castle’s Fortress
Delaney’s Sunrise
Diamond in a Rose
Have you read Bighearted Cowboy (Book 5, Tarnation, Texas)? Here is a bonus read…
CHAPTER ONE
“Don’t push!”
“What’s going on? What’s wrong with my daughter?” The frantic mother stood by the table in the emergency room where her seventeen-year-old daughter was curled up in pain.
Charlotte Sophia had worked as a nurse long enough to ably compartmentalize her emotions from professionalism. However, a part of her wanted to wrap her arms around the scared young patient and tell her, “everything will be all right” but the proficient nurse in her knew time was of the essence to save the lives of the mother and the unborn child. “Ms. Hampton, your daughter is pregnant, and she is in active labor.”
“Pre-g-nant?”.
“Yes. She’s having a baby. I know it’s a shock, but I need you to be strong for your daughter. Missy,” Charlotte directed her attention to the crying teenager. “Did you know you were pregnant?”
Out came two moans before she finally answered, “No. I didn’t know. Am I going to live?” Frenzied-filled dark eyes stared up at her. “I feel like I’m being attacked inside.”
“You’re going to be fine.” Charlotte wiped her face gently with a cool, damp cloth. “When did you first notice any cramping or pain?” Her intention was to get information while trying to calm Missy as much as possible. They were still waiting on an available doctor who could help deliver the baby.
“I left school early because I was sick. I went home and was playing a video game and winning too. You know, the one where the cyborg attacks California and—”
“Missy!” her mother reprimanded. “Stay on track, for God’s sake!”
“Fine! I thought I was starting my period, the worst one of my life, but this sucks. Can you get it out? Can you give me something for the pain?” More tears flowed to mix with the streaks of mascara on her cheeks. “I have practice tonight.”
“Listen to me carefully,” Charlotte said evenly. “I know this is painful and you’re scared. It’s important that you stay calm and whatever you do don’t push. So you play sports?”
“Soccer. I-I play soccer.” She was in between contractions, but they were close together, so she didn’t have much of a break.
“Ah, a soccer player. You’re determined and strong. Just like you do in the game when you’re ready to make a goal, you can do this, and you will do this, sweetheart. Just keep breathing and concentrate.” Charlotte looked up at the teen’s mother. “Stay with her and keep her relaxed as much as you can.”
“Yes. I will, but where’s the doctor? Shouldn’t there be a doctor here?” Ms. Hampton looked like she was a thread away from collapsing. Who could blame her? “How could you do this, Missy? Wait until I get my hands wrapped around that boy’s neck.”
Patting the mother’s shoulder, Charlotte gave her an encouraging smile. “It’ll be okay. We won’t let anything happen to your daughter or your grandchild. I know this is all a blow, but you can take care of the details of how this happened later.”
Ms. Hampton gave a shaky nod. “I love you.” She laid her hand on her daughter’s trembling fingers. “I’m here for you. Now listen to what the nurse tells you.”
Charlotte dropped her used gloves in the trash on her way into the hall where she said, “We need a doctor now!”
“They’re still with the victims of the five-car pileup. We’re trying to pull a doctor from somewhere. I’ll call labor and delivery again to see why they haven’t come and got her,” Bristol said from the nurse’s station.
That was how things tended to happen in the ER. Emergencies came in numbers.
“Nurse! Nurse!” Ms. Hampton yelled, “Come fast!”
Grabbing a pair of gloves from the box on her way into the room, Charlotte dragged them on as she stepped up to the table. Missy’s white-knuckled grasp on the pillow and her glazed over eyes told Charlotte the baby was coming, doctor or not.
“I’m going to give you a quick exam to see how dilated you are, Missy.” Charlotte’s adrenaline spiked once she felt the baby’s head. “Bristol! I need you in here now!”
“What’s happening?” Ms. Hampton wrung her hands.
“We’re preparing you daughter for delivery. The baby is coming. Bristol, we’ll have to do this. Listen, Missy, I need you to turn onto your back and place your feet into the stirrups. This is Nurse Bristol, and we’re going to help you through this. Just listen to everything we tell you.”
Feet in place and her bottom scooted to the edge of the bed, Missy was panting and whimpering. Charlotte paused a second to work through her mind what to do in an emergency delivery. She’d never performed one alone, but she’d assisted in several deliveries in nursing school.
“I’m here! What’s the status?” Dr. Noah swept in, tugging on gloves and covering his face with a mask.
“Patient’s name is Missy. She’s been in labor for approximately four hours. Baby’s head is in the canal. She’s ready to push.” Charlotte stepped aside so the doctor could take his place at the bottom of the exam table.
“Hi, I’m Dr. Noah. Missy, Nurse Charlotte is going to help you push.”
After twenty minutes of pushing, Missy delivered a boy who entered the world crying. They rushed him and Missy to labor and delivery where they would make sure mom and baby were okay.
“That was amazing, wasn’t it?” Charlotte said to Bristol hours later when they met at the vending machines.
“Amazing? Could you imagine finding out your teen is pregnant twenty minutes before she delivers? Whoa…I don’t
