“Oh.” She’d forgotten about that. She had a vague recollection of other women’s stories about their water breaking.
“That’s good, isn’t it?” she asked. What she hoped was that it meant her baby was almost ready to be born and this agony would come to an end.
“It’s good,” he told her.
“It’ll be better now, right?”
Mack hesitated.
“What’s wrong?” she demanded. “Tell me.”
“Your labor may intensify.”
This had to be a cruel joke. “Intensify.” She couldn’t imagine how the pains could get any stronger than they were now. “What do you mean…intensify?”
“The contractions will probably last longer….”
“Oh, no,” she moaned.
Although she’d discovered this was Mack’s first birth, he knew so much more than she did. He’d at least studied it and obviously paid attention during class. Mack had joked that he was getting on-the-job training—and so was she, but that part didn’t seem so amusing anymore.
“The baby’s fully in the birth canal. It won’t be long now, Mary Jo. Just a few more pains and you’ll have your baby.”
“Thank God.” Mary Jo didn’t know how much more of this she could take.
“Rest between contractions,” Mack advised.
Brandon Hutton returned with a damp washcloth. Mack took it from him and wiped her face. The cool cloth against her heated skin felt wonderfully refreshing.
At the approach of another pain, she screamed, “Mack! Mack!”
Instantly he was at her side, his hand holding hers. Her fingers tightened around his.
“Count,” she begged.
“One, two, three…”
The numbers droned on and she concentrated on listening to the even cadence of Mack’s voice, knowing that by the time he reached fifty, the contraction would ease.
Halfway through, she started to pant. And then felt the instinctive urge to bear down. Arching her back, Mary Jo pushed with every ounce of her strength.
When the pain passed, she was too exhausted to speak.
Mack wiped her forehead again and brushed the damp hair from her face.
“Water,” she mumbled.
“Got it!” Brandon Hutton tore out of the room, like a man on a quest.
Recovering from the pain, she breathed deeply, her chest heaving. She opened her eyes and looked up at Mack. His gaze was tender.
“How much longer?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Soon.”
“I can’t stand much more of this…I just can’t.” Tears welled in her eyes and rolled down the sides of her face.
Mack dabbed at her cheeks. As their eyes met, he gave her an encouraging smile. “You can do it,” he said. “You’re almost there.”
“I’m glad you’re with me.”
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” he told her. They continued to hold hands.
Brandon came back with the water. “Here,” he said.
Mack took the glass and held it for Mary Jo, supporting her head. “Just a sip or two,” he cautioned.
She nodded and savored each tiny sip.
The sound of a car door slamming echoed in the distance.
“Grace,” Mary Jo said, grateful the other woman had finally arrived.
“I’ll bring her up.” Brandon quickly disappeared from the room.
Another pain approached. “No…no…” she whimpered, gathering her resolve to get through this next contraction. She closed her eyes and clung to Mack, thanking God once more that she wasn’t alone. That Mack was with her…
Mack automatically began to count. Again she felt the urge to push. Gritting her teeth, she bore down, grunting loudly for the first time, straining her entire body.
“Mary Jo.” Grace’s serene voice broke through the haze of pain. “I came as soon as I heard.”
The contraction eased and Mary Jo collapsed onto the mattress, sweat blinding her eyes.
