"Dave- I can't do this!" Erin moaned, as another wave of pain cut through her abdomen. The hardwood floor pressed painfully against her back.
The light from the fireplace seemed to dull in the darkness, he needed to see. "Yes, you can!" he urged setting the lanterns on the coffee table.
"Let me check. I have to see if she's coming the right way."
"Oh, God!" she yelled, grabbing frantically for Dave's hand."I want to push!"
"No. Let me check..." Pulling off her sweatpants, he positioned himself so the light would shine bright enough for him to see.
Contraction subsiding Erin stared open mouthed in horror. "You want to what?"
Dave looked up. "Check the baby's progress. I need to make sure she's coming the right way."
"How the hell do you plan on doing that?" Dave flicked his eyes down toward her legs. "You are NOT getting down between my legs! No sir!"
"You've never had a problem before," he reminded her.
"Yeah, well, that was then, and this is now," she replied hotly. "Don't you dare!"
"Try to stop me," he threw back at her and started the exam.
"No! Didn't your mother ever teach you when a woman says 'no, she means it."
"Put a sock in it, Erin, and trust me for once."
"What do you know about childbirth?" she asked bluntly and tried to focus on the lantern. Breathing deeply, she went to a place where Dave Rossi wasn't down between her legs playing doctor.
"Plenty. Caroline wanted me to attend every natural childbirth class, and I was there when the baby was born. I have two nieces and a nephew, so I had to learn first aid to watch them," he replied matter of fact. Inserting his fingers, he checked the effacement and if the cord was wrapped around the infant's neck. He breathed a sigh of relief to find it wasn't.
"Well?" Erin asked impatiently.
"I would say on the next contraction, you can push."
"Thank you, Doogie Howser, but I could have told you that...OH! OH! This isn't good..." she panted. Her body bowed at the sharp pain that coursed through from head to toe.
"Push! Push!" Dave commanded.
"I...it...hurts...I...oh...I'm trying..."
"Don't try, dammit, push! One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Relax."
Closing her eyes, Erin tried to catch her breath. Pain was going to defeat her, she was sure of it. Neither of her other births hurt this much. Yeah, Erin, you had epidurals, remember?
"I want an epidural," she whined pathetically.
"I don't have one," Dave said and reached over to wipe the sweat from her forehead. What wouldn't he give to have one on hand?
"Well, I want one, dammit!" she swore, but her eyes were scared and panicked.
Dave took her hand and pressed it to his lips. "Sorry, sweetheart, but you're stuck with me. Here," he offered and reached under her armpits. "Let's see if using the couch can help." He pulled her up into a sitting position and rested her against the base of the couch. "Better?"
"I don't know," she replied honestly.
"Let me try something." Cupping his hands around one of her feet, he gently massaged it. He felt the tension slowly leave her body. "Concentrate on my hands, Erin. Focus on my voice."
"I can't." Tears were in her voice.
"Yes, you can," he encouraged. "Just relax."
She took a breath focusing on the feeling of his hands on her body, how the warm pressure moved from her foot to her ankle and up her calf.
Her words wrapped tightly around her throat, "David, if something—if something goes wrong-"
"It won't!" he cut in. He refused to entertain anything negative and contaminate the blessed environment Erin's baby was going to be born into.
"My kids-" She gasped as another contraction began to build, "are with my brother in Bethesda-"
He reached for her hand and entwined their fingers his dark eyes bore into her fearful ones, "You have to trust me."
She nodded, "Okay."
"Then push."
She pushed, her body clenched with the an overpowering force, "What's happening?" she gasped.
"Keep going!"
"God, it hurts!"
Dave's hands shook, his voice caught in his chest threatening to strangle him at what he saw. "Erin. I can see her. Keep pushing!"
A mighty scream began to build in Erin's throat, she lurched forward and yelled, "I AM!"
Dave was completely oblivious. Blood roared in his ears and his heart lumbered in his chest as he watched in fascination as the tiny baby begin to emerge from the woman he loved.
"She's crowning. Push hard!"
Tears stung her eyes, another ripple of fear passed through her. She couldn't take much more. All she wanted was to sleep. "David Rossi, I swear to God, If you let anything happen to her I will beat you with that fire poker within an inch of your life and leave the wildlife to fight over you!"
"I'd expect nothing less," he conceded. "Come on! You hate me, so use that! PUSH!"
She pushed, doubling over with an unrivaled force, as she screamed,"You failed out of childbirth class! Didn't they teach you not to demand the laboring woman? Whatever happened to positive encouragement!"
"That's right, baby!" Dave threw back, without any real heat in his tone. "What else ya got?"
"I hate when you call me by a nickname! All your conquests have an Italian nickname. I can hear you on the phone with those floozies. Newsflash, it's not flattering!" She panted between pushes.
"What nicknames?"
"Cara! I- fucking -HATE- Cara! And Bella- makes -me -want to vomit!"
"Her head is out! Stop pushing so I can guide her out. Erin, she has so much hair!" He turned the shoulders gently, "You're doing great! Just one more push!"
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" she roared as another crack of lightning flashed in the window. She gave a last push and fell weakly against the base of the couch.
Dave looked down at his hands in amazement at the small pair of dark eyes staring back at him. A tiny shriek filled the cabin as a brand-new life began. His hands trembled as he wrapped the baby in a blanket. "Hello, Princess," he cooed. With cautious hands, he measured six inches and tied a tight knot in the umbilical cord. Measuring another six, he tied a second knot, then cut in the middle of the two.
"Is she alright?" Erin gasped. "Let me see her!"
"I have to finish cleaning her up. Give me a minute." Quickly he used the warm soapy water to wash off the afterbirth and clean out the baby's eyes. "There you go. All cleaned up to see your Momma."
"Just tell me: Does she have all of her fingers and toes?"
"She's perfect. Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. Here," he handed the baby over, "see for yourself."
Then he realized, that he didn't think to count them. At least if he was lying, he had bought some time before she could kill him. He grabbed another blanket and draped it over her shoulders and delivered the placenta. It was then that he heard the beginnings of a sob, he stripped off the gloves and put them in a trash bag with the soiled linens. Before moving closer to Erin. Silently he pulled her into his embrace and her head rested on his chest,"I'm- so- tired-"
"I know..." His hand found her hair and massaged her scalp, "I'll get you out of here... Just rest."