Chapter 11
Claire raced across the field, wind blowing her hair and the sun shone down on her face. Alex trailed behind her, trying to catch up. He knew Claire gave him the slow horse, just to annoy him, but he was determined to beat her. Alex rode faster and faster. He was a metre in front of her when she suddenly pulled on the reigns. "Whoa Brave J!" Claire slowed, stopped, and got off the horse and walked towards the shade. Alex followed. "I beat ya!" He announced.
"I feel sick, Alex."
"What? Sick, as in your feel like throwing up?"
"No, just sick in the stomach."
"Not again. Maybe it's the 'birthing exercises'?" He laughed. "Stomach straining?"
"No this is different."
"I told you not to ride"
"Its not the ride"
"Then what is it – "
"Owww" Claire grabbed her stomach and groaned.
Alex put his arm around her. He suddenly realised that it had been 8 month. Surely it couldn't arrive now? That would make it premature. He could feel himself shaking. He was so nervous. "Alex, I think it's coming!" Alex was freaking out – He was going to deliver his own baby in the fields of Drovers! "Should I call the ambulance?"
"Yes! Do something! It really hurts!"
Alex told Claire to roll onto her back and lie down. He called the ambulance and they said they would be there in 10 minutes. "Its too long" thought Alex. The ambulance driver gave him advice over the phone. He was told to take Claire's jeans off. He hesitated, but did whatever the lady said. Claire was screaming now. "I can see something!" Alex yelled. "Push Claire! Push with everything you've got!"
"I cant! Its too hard!"
"No it's not. Just keep trying." He had never been so excited and scared in his life. Claire's face was bright red. After a few minutes of pushing, she tossed her head back, closed her eyes and passed out. "Shit!" Alex screamed. This wasn't supposed to happen! Now what was he going to do!? He could see half of the baby was out by now. It was up to its chest. For the first time, he saw his child's own face, but he didn't know if it was alive, or even of the mother was alive. Alex tried to wake Claire. She pressed her face. "Wake up Claire! Come on! You can do it!" Alex tried once more, and then decided to check on the baby. There was no change, so he instantly wrapped his hands around it's shoulders and pulled it gently, but firmly. Claire gave a quiet cry. There was blood on the grass around him, and blood on his shirt. He had stains on his face and tears rolling down his cheeks. "Claire look! It's our baby! Look Claire we have a miniature McLeod-Ryan! And…" He looked. "We have a little girl!!!"
Claire raced across the field, wind blowing her hair and the sun shone down on her face. Alex trailed behind her, trying to catch up. He knew Claire gave him the slow horse, just to annoy him, but he was determined to beat her. Alex rode faster and faster. He was a metre in front of her when she suddenly pulled on the reigns. "Whoa Brave J!" Claire slowed, stopped, and got off the horse and walked towards the shade. Alex followed. "I beat ya!" He announced.
"I feel sick, Alex."
"What? Sick, as in your feel like throwing up?"
"No, just sick in the stomach."
"Not again. Maybe it's the 'birthing exercises'?" He laughed. "Stomach straining?"
"No this is different."
"I told you not to ride"
"Its not the ride"
"Then what is it – "
"Owww" Claire grabbed her stomach and groaned.
Alex put his arm around her. He suddenly realised that it had been 8 month. Surely it couldn't arrive now? That would make it premature. He could feel himself shaking. He was so nervous. "Alex, I think it's coming!" Alex was freaking out – He was going to deliver his own baby in the fields of Drovers! "Should I call the ambulance?"
"Yes! Do something! It really hurts!"
Alex told Claire to roll onto her back and lie down. He called the ambulance and they said they would be there in 10 minutes. "Its too long" thought Alex. The ambulance driver gave him advice over the phone. He was told to take Claire's jeans off. He hesitated, but did whatever the lady said. Claire was screaming now. "I can see something!" Alex yelled. "Push Claire! Push with everything you've got!"
"I cant! Its too hard!"
"No it's not. Just keep trying." He had never been so excited and scared in his life. Claire's face was bright red. After a few minutes of pushing, she tossed her head back, closed her eyes and passed out. "Shit!" Alex screamed. This wasn't supposed to happen! Now what was he going to do!? He could see half of the baby was out by now. It was up to its chest. For the first time, he saw his child's own face, but he didn't know if it was alive, or even of the mother was alive. Alex tried to wake Claire. She pressed her face. "Wake up Claire! Come on! You can do it!" Alex tried once more, and then decided to check on the baby. There was no change, so he instantly wrapped his hands around it's shoulders and pulled it gently, but firmly. Claire gave a quiet cry. There was blood on the grass around him, and blood on his shirt. He had stains on his face and tears rolling down his cheeks. "Claire look! It's our baby! Look Claire we have a miniature McLeod-Ryan! And…" He looked. "We have a little girl!!!"