Chapter 42
…
Gabby looked up when she saw Dembe coming in to the room, worry etched on his face. Agnes was playing with some building blocks, keeping herself amused as Gabby got to her feet.
"How's she doing?"
"I've…I've never seen her like that before. Seeing Kate in so much pain and not being able to do anything for her, I…"
"Yeah I know, and I did it twice."
"How do you handle it?"
"One word…drugs…and lots of them." She smiled.
Dembe tried to smile back but was too concerned for the woman he looked to as a mother figure. Gabby without thinking, hugged him.
"Try not too worry, trust me. She's hurting right now but as soon as that baby's born, the pain will be forgotten about."
"You think so?"
"Trust me, I've had plenty of experience with this."
"No word from the doctor yet?"
"No, I did leave a message with that Terrence guy that Liz gave me, his receptionist said they'd send someone over as soon as."
They heard Kate yell, before Dembe spoke again.
"They better hurry."
…
Kate had Red's hand in a vice as she pushed through her current contraction, tears rolling down her face, not even caring how she came across now. Lizzie had helped her change in to something more comfortable while Andrea lay down some old sheeting on the bad.
"Okay Kate, let's get you on the bed now honey."
Kate grumbled as Red helped her lie against the headboard, taking a seat beside her before grabbing a wet cloth as wiping her face for her. Kate closed her eyes as the feel of the coolness on her face, a sigh escaping her lips.
"Thank you dearie." She said, offering a smile.
"You are you doing Kate?" he asked.
Looking over to see Andrea and Lizzie in a deep discussion, she turned her attentions back to Red, who looked genuinely scared for her.
"I've had better days."
"You're doing really well." He replied, as he ran out the cloth.
"I didn't imagine it would be this bad."
"You remember how Lizzie was?"
"Mmmmm, oh god…."
"Another?"
Kate could only nod as the pain returned with full force, quickly grabbing for Red's hand as he ran a warm hand up and down her arm.
"Breath Kate, that's it….steady breaths…"
Kate concentrated on the pain, Andrea looking over at the woman she loved as Lizzie squeezed her hand.
"She can do this, it's Mr Kaplan."
"I know it's just…none of this should have even happened to her in the first place. This isn't what she should be going through at her age."
"Well maybe not but, it's happening."
"Where the hell is that doctor, what's taking so long."
"Traffic?"
"I'll give him traffic."
"Arrrrrgh….dearie."
Andrea came over, Lizzie following as Kate's posture had changed, Red looking at her with worry.
"Andrea what's wrong?" Red asked.
Andrea ushered Red out of the way as she took his space on the bed, taking Kate's hand.
"Honey, talk to me…what are you feeling?"
"Pr…pressure?"
Andrea let go of her hand, Kate's head falling back against the headboard, her eyes tightly closed as she breathed in and out, her hands gripping the bed. Andrea lifted back the sheet that was covering Kate's modesty, immediately seeing the beginning of the baby's head as Kate begun to bare down again.
"Red get over here and take her hand, Lizzie you're gonna have to help me here?"
"What is it?" Red asked.
"Dearie?" Kate asked, concern in her voice.
"Kate, on your next contraction when you feel you need to push I need you not too?"
"What, but…"
"Kate listen to me, you need to breathe through it for me…can you do that for me?"
"Dearie I…"
"Honey, the doctors not going to make it here on time, so I'm going to have to do this."
"Well you know how right, you are a doctor yourself."
"Surgeon Red, I haven't delivered a baby since my rotation in medical school and that was….well, a long time ago."
"Dearie?"
"You're gonna be just fine Kate, I promise you I will get you through this, we've come this far, I'm not leaving you."
Red quickly looked back at Kate when he felt her tighten her hold on his hand, Andrea seeing her beginning to push on impulse.
"Kate no, don't push honey, breathe through it."
"I can't…I….I have to p…"
Lizzie quickly appeared at Kate's other side, getting on to the bed and taking hold of her hand, forcing the older woman to look at her.
"Kate, follow me okay, breath in and out, copy everything I do…breathe in, breathe out."
Kate watched Lizzie intently, copying what she was doing, feeling the pressure growing and growing. The tears were falling from her eyes, as she begged Andrea to let her push.
"Keep watching Lizzie honey, just a little more for me."
Andrea had her hand safely near the baby's head as she watched their child edging closer to her. She looked up when Kate let out a surprised noise when the baby's head was out, Andrea smiling as Red followed Andrea's gaze.
"Oh my." Was all he said, smiling back at Kate.
"Dearie please I…."
"Okay Kate, push for me now, come on."
Kate held on tightly to both Lizzie and Red's as she continued to push on Andrea command, the pain still there but not as bad as it had previously. She continued pushing through each contraction for a further fifteen minutes before the pain disappeared, feeling the baby leave her and in to Andrea's waiting hands, cries immediately filling the room. Lizzie let go of Kate's hand, going to help Andrea as Kate's head fell against Red's chest, tears escaping her eyes, not quite believing what was happening.
"You've done it Kate, you did it." He spoke softly to her.
…
To Be Continued…
