Roger Linus stopped and craned his neck, surveying the trail ahead of him in concern.
"We should turn around. This is far enough."
The blond woman by his side swatted his arm. "That is the fifth time you have said that. I will know when it's far enough."
"But Emily, the baby...."
"...has two more months to go, according to Doctor Ibrahim, who, by the way, did clear me for this vacation, mild hiking and all."
"I know," her husband said begrudgingly. "It's just...we drove out miles from anywhere to get here, and we're getting miles out from the car."
"There will be plenty of time for me to sit around doing nothing when the baby comes."
He laughed. "Nothing. Yeah, I hear that's what most new moms do."
"Most new moms don't have you to spoil them," she retorted, nudging him playfully.
He slung an arm around her shoulder and they continued down the trail. "How about we make it to that boulder up there shaped liked a frog, then turn around?"
"Roger...."
"Okay, how about we ask this guy how far it is to the end of the trail, and if it's more than a mile, then we turn around."
"All right, all right," she agreed.
"Hello," hailed the approaching hiker. "And how are you enjoying this beautiful day?"
"Some better than others," Emily said. "Did you make it to the end of the trail?"
"Sure did. Well worth it." He raked a hand through his blond hair and nodded back in the direction he'd come from. "It's only about half a mile on from here."
"Thanks," grinned Emily. "That should convince my husband it's safe for us to keep going."
The man's blue eyes twinkled. "First baby, huh?"
Roger grinned sheepishly. "That obvious?"
"Oh, yeah." He held a hand out halfway towards Emily's belly. "May I?"
Taken aback, she threw a glance at her husband, who shrugged. "All right," she answered.
The stranger placed his right hand, then his left, on Emily's belly. She gasped. "It's never kicked so hard."
"He's very strong," the man said.
"Or she," said Emily.
Roger and the stranger made eye contact, and a moment of solidarity passed between them. Both shook their heads.
"Take good care of him," said the other hiker, eyes still on Roger alone.
"We will," Roger said. "Thank you."
The man smiled rather sadly. "You're welcome."
The Linuses moved along, Emily with an unsettled air. "That was strange," she murmured after a few minutes.
"I kinda liked him," said Roger. "I wonder if he's from around here?"
His wife didn't answer. He glanced over and saw a grimace cross her face, which was suddenly draining of color.
"Something's wrong," she hissed through clenched teeth.
"Hey!" he yelled after the stranger. "Hey, help!"
"He can't hear...."
"We've gotta go back."
"It's three miles. I don't think we have time...."
Roger looked around frantically. Through the leaves above, he caught a glimpse of high-tension wires. He strained his ears and heard the rumble of a truck somewhere not far off.
"We must be near a road," he said. "Come on, we'll cut through the woods."
They didn't make it. But the stranger was right...the baby was born strong.