On Cherry Hill
Selena Kitt
My stomach lurched when I saw the red and blue flashing lights appear out of nowhere behind me. I pulled over onto the grass on the side of the dirt road. I hadn't seen one car since turning down this road, but that wasn't surprising-it was four in the morning and I'd been watching for a break in the farms and fields, looking for my next turn.
I rolled down my window, letting in the cool night air with just a hint of dampness. It was a relief after the heat of the day. I dug through my wallet for my license, hearing his boots crunching the gravel as he came up to my car, waving his flashlight in through my window. It was the only light out here-there were no streetlights at all.
'Ma'am.' He bent down to look into my window. I glanced over at him, my heart leaping as it always did whenever I faced someone in authority. 'License, registration and proof of insurance?'
I handed him my license, flipping my glove box open and digging through. The papers were buried under fast food napkins and packets of ketchup and taco sauce.
'Here you go.' I managed to keep my voice from quivering, but was unable to stop the way my hands trembled. 'Officer, I'm sorry, but I'm really in a hurry. I'm on my way to a birth.'
He dipped his head back down, frowning. 'A birth? Are you a doctor?'
'Midwife,' I corrected, adding softly, 'Apprentice midwife.'
His gaze was level and cool, disbelieving. 'There isn't a hospital around here for miles, ma'am.'
'It's a home birth,' I explained, pleading at him with my eyes. His face had that square, chiseled look I always associated with cops. 'I have the address. I swear I'm telling you the truth. There's a woman in labor about half a mile from here who's waiting for me to deliver her baby.
He fixed his eyes on me for a moment, assessing. It was close to the truth, but not quite, and I swear he could tell. Without a word, he took my paperwork, turned around and went back to his cruiser.
I grabbed my cell phone out of my purse, ducking down a little in the seat, hoping he couldn't see me. Charlotte's number was three on my speed dial, after 'home' and 'Charlie's cell.' I pushed the button and waited, but nothing happened.
'Fuck,' I swore, looking at the 'Searching for service' screen illuminated on my phone.
I was in the middle of nowhere. Of course there was no service. It was always iffy out here. Charlotte had called me at three-fifteen to tell me Katie's water had broken and told me to meet her there. This was only the fifth birth we'd done together, and I couldn't believe I might miss it because of some cop!
I heard his boots kicking gravel again and shoved my phone back into my purse, looking up at him as he leaned over to talk to me. 'Do you know why I pulled you over, ma'am?'
'No.' I shook my head, seeing him raise his eyebrows at me under his hat.
'You have a headlight out.' He pointed to the front of my husband's car. I always took his car when I went to a birth, because he had to take the kids to the sitter, and the car seats were in the minivan I usually drove.
I sighed, closing my eyes in frustration. I thought it had seemed darker down here than the last time I'd traveled this road. Charlie had sworn he was going to have it fixed.
'I didn't know, officer,' I insisted. 'This is my husband's car.'
He frowned again, his eyes narrowing just slightly. 'It's registered in your name.'
'Both of our cars are in my name,' I explained, leaning my arm on the window. 'Officer, there's a woman in labor, I really have to-'
He took off his hat, revealing dark, close-cropped hair. 'Ma'am, do you realize you're driving on a suspended license?'
I stopped, staring at him, blinking fast. 'No,' I replied, incredulous. 'That's not possible.'
'Can you get out of the car, please, ma'am?' he asked, taking a step back.
'Wh-What?' My heart was racing and my hands were really trembling now. 'I don't understand.'
'I'm afraid you'll have to come with me,' he said, indicating with his hand that he wanted me to get out of the car. 'Please roll up your windows and lock your vehicle.'
I sat motionless, stunned, my mouth working but nothing coming out.
'Ma'am.' This time his voice was more firm. 'Step out of the vehicle. Now.'
I felt tears welling up and choked them back, grabbing my keys and my purse and opening the door. He nodded toward my window, and I rolled it up, locking my door and shutting it.
I was still blinking back tears when I turned to face him. 'Officer, please… I really didn't know.'
'Did you get a ticket a few months ago in Newport?' he asked me. 'Put your purse on the ground, ma'am.'
I dropped my keys into my purse and set it down by my back tire, a slow, terrible realization dawning.
'For doing five over,' I agreed, nodding, a lump in my throat. I remembered it clearly. I was talking on my cell to Charlie and driving home from dropping the kids off at school when I got pulled over for doing thirty in a twenty- five.
'Did you pay that ticket, ma'am?' He took a step toward me. He was very tall and broad-shouldered, formidable in that uniform and I shrank against the car.
'My husband-' I started, and he touched my shoulder, his grip hard and firm.
'Turn around for me, ma'am.' He twisted his hand, his thumb digging into the flesh above my clavicle.
I did as he asked, feeling hot tears starting, and I couldn't stop them. Charlie was the one who handled paying all the bills. I’d told him about the ticket and had given it to him to pay.
I knew he'd had to do a lot of juggling lately and creative financing since I'd quit my job and started doing midwifery full time, but I couldn't imagine he hadn't paid a sixty dollar ticket. Even if that were the case, I couldn't believe someone's license could get suspended for an unpaid speeding ticket!
What I really couldn't imagine, though, was that the consequences were going to be my getting arrested and sent to jail. It was very real to me all of a sudden, standing there at the side of my car in the light of the flashers, and I felt weak with the realization.
'Put your hands on top of the vehicle,' he instructed and I cringed, not believing this could be happening. I pressed my hands to the cool surface, looking off through the field, seeing everything through prisms. I was glad for the support of the car against me, because I was feeling faint. 'Spread your feet apart, ma'am.'
I looked over my shoulder at him, incredulous. He couldn't be serious!
He raised his eyebrows and nodded once. 'Ma'am, spread your legs.'
Turning my face away, I slowly parted my thighs, my heart thundering in my chest, my cheeks flushed red. I decided to try one more time.
'You don't understand.' I heard the tremble in my own voice, and my feeble attempt to control it. 'There's a woman in labor and I have to be at her birth. Can't you please just let me go?'
I said the words to the trees rustling in the breeze, listening behind me for any response from him. It was quiet for a moment.
'Are you the only one who can deliver this baby?'
I sighed. 'No,' I admitted. 'I'm the apprentice. The primary midwife is on her way, but she has longer to drive, and I'm worried she won't get there in time.'
'But you aren't the only person responsible for this woman and her baby?'
I closed my eyes, shaking my head, whatever hope I'd been hanging onto fading. 'No, sir-but she's counting on me to be there. This is my job. I need to go. You don't understand!'
'I understand your position,' he said, not unkindly. I felt him moving behind me, not touching me, but the presence of his big body behind mine was nearly palpable. 'But I need you to understand mine. Your license has been suspended-you can't drive.'
I pressed my forehead to the window of the car, defeated.
Then I had a thought. 'You could drive me.'
He put his hands over mine, spreading them further apart on the roof. 'No, ma'am, I can't drive you…I have to arrest you.'
