Surprise Delivery

by Susan Mallery

  Heather tried to raise her head enough to see, but she was too weak. “Is she okay?”

  “Ten fingers and ten toes,” he said as he stared at the messy, naked, incredible creature squirming and squawking with life. “And she’s just as beautiful as her mother.”

  The doctor gave him a few final instructions and said that she would be standing by when they finally got the elevator working. As Jim hung up the phone, Heather started to cry. For once, the sight of a woman’s tears didn’t bother him. He understood completely, and if he hadn’t been so tired and excited at the same time, he might have shed one or two himself. This wasn’t a moment either of them could have described to someone else. They’d done something extraordinary together and there weren’t any words to explain it. So instead of speaking, he moved next to Heather and pulled her into his arms, shifting her so that she could gaze down at her baby. As she tightened her hold on her child, he tightened his hold on her.

  “Thank you for not leaving me,” she said as she cradled her infant. The baby girl quieted, safe in her mother’s embrace.

  He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Is this where I point out that I had nowhere else I could go?”

  “You know what I mean. You weren’t just in the room, you were helping. That means a lot to me.” She sniffed. “I’m a mess and I can’t believe I cried. I never cry.”

  “I think you’ll be forgiven this one time. There was a lot going on.”

  “I know, but still…” She shook her head. “Look at this poor elevator car. It looks like we shot a scene from a horror film here. They’ll have to replace the carpet.”

  “Quit worrying about stuff like that. You have a brand-new, beautiful baby.”

  “I know. Isn’t she wonderful?”

  She was. Jim didn’t let himself think about kids too much, but when he did, he admitted that the longing to have a few of his own was still there. “Everybody says birth is a miracle,” he said, “but I didn’t get what that meant until today.”

  “Me neither.”

  The baby in her arms opened her tiny eyes. He knew it wasn’t possible, but he would have sworn that the child could see clear down to his empty soul. Suddenly, the elevator lurched slightly.

  Heather stiffened. “Is that what I think it is?”

  “I sure hope so.”

  Sure enough, a second later they heard the sound of the motor, and the car began gently moving down to the ground floor. The doors opened and two medics and Dr. Moreno stepped into the car. Jim started to stand up. Heather grabbed his arm.

  “I know this is asking a lot,” she said, “but would you mind coming with me to the hospital? I’m just…” She bit her lower lip.

  “I know,” he said as he rose to his feet. “I’d like to come with you. I want to make sure you and the little one are okay.” He glanced down at his slacks and grinned. The khaki fabric was covered in blood. “Besides, the hospital is the only place I can think of where they’ll let me in dressed like this.”

  *

  By three o’clock that afternoon, Heather and her daughter had been examined and pronounced none the worse for their adventure.

  “Next time, you might want to think about getting to the hospital a little earlier,” a nurse whispered as she finished taking Heather’s blood pressure.

  Heather laughed. “I’ll do my best.”

  “At least your husband was with you,” the nurse continued as Jim entered the room. “I’m sure that was a big help.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without him,” Heather said honestly, figuring there was no point in explaining the fact that a complete stranger had come to her aid.

  The nurse gave her a quick smile, then left. Jim moved close to the bed and looked down at her.

  “I’ve only got a couple of minutes,” he said. “I need to get home, shower and change, then head back to the office, but I wanted to make sure you were feeling all right.”

  “We’re both fine. They checked her out—” she nodded at the infant she cradled in her arms “—and she’s doing great. Strong heart, clear lungs, responsive. Dr. Moreno said it was a textbook delivery and she couldn’t have done better herself.”

  “Yeah, like I believe that.” Jim shoved his hands into his slacks pockets. “She stopped me in the hall and congratulated me. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d been terrified the whole time.”

  “You didn’t show it,” Heather said.

  “That was the point. If anyone had the right to be scared, it was you. I didn’t want to add to your stress.”

  “Thank you for everything.”

  She’d already said the words a dozen times, but it still wasn’t enough. She didn’t know how she’d be able to thank this man for all he’d done for her. She stared up at him and was suddenly struck again by his good looks. He had the kind of body that belonged in an underwear ad. Shaggy dark hair hung to his shirt collar and fell across his forehead. Right now, though, he looked a little worse for wear. His clothes were wrinkled and stained, and he had the stunned expression of someone who had lived through a natural disaster or a plane crash.

  They were both silent. Heather noticed Jim fidgeting slightly, shifting from foot to foot.

  “Me, too,” she murmured.

  “You, too, what?”

  She shrugged, then brushed her finger gently across the soft cheek of her newborn child. The child she’d fallen in love with the moment she’d seen her. “I’m confused. I don’t know what to say or how to say it. We’ve just shared possibly the most intimate experience of my life. I can’t say about yours.” She smiled up at him. “For all I know, you do this sort of thing regularly.”

  “I promise this was my first time.” He paused. “I’m glad I was there for you.”

  “Not as glad as I am. I want…” She felt her throat tightening. It was just the emotional aftermath of all that had happened. At least that’s what she told herself. “I want to thank you.”

  “You have. About twenty-five times. You’re welcome.”

  She shook her head. “No, I really want to thank you, but I can’t think of the right words, and when I try, I get all weepy.” She shuddered. “I never cry. Seriously, I break down in tears maybe once every four or five years. I cried on the elevator earlier today so that’s it for me for a while. The thing is, I can’t seem to get my self-control back.”

  “Hey, kid, you just gave birth. I think tears are allowed. Although I’ll admit I’m a normal guy and they’re not my favorite thing to see on a pretty face like yours.”

  She knew he meant the compliment in a friendly way. It didn’t mean anything. After all, she knew she was pale and that her hair was a mess, not to mention she was wearing an incredibly unflattering hospital gown. But that didn’t stop a very female flash of appreciation for his kind words.

  “You’re a good man, Jim Dyer,” she said.

  “Yeah, yeah, and you appreciate everything I did. But you did all the hard work. I only had to catch this pretty girl.” He stroked her daughter’s tiny hand. “I’m glad you’re both fine. Really.”

  He wasn’t going to let her say everything she was feeling. It was probably better for both of them because she wasn’t sure what she was feeling. Still, she had to try. “I’m being serious.”

  “So am I.” He leaned toward her. “Tell you what. If it will make you feel better, you can name her after me. Jimmy with an ‘i’ or something.”

  “What’s your middle name?”

  “Michael.”

  “That could work.” She laughed. “I’ll give it some thought.”

  “Don’t you dare.” His blue gaze settled on her child. “She’s too perfect to be saddled with a name like that. Give her a beautiful name, like yours.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “The two of you are going to be very happy,” he said, then stopped speaking, but she read the questions in his eyes. Questions about her past and why she was raising this child alone. Heather thought about answering th
em but wasn’t sure what to say. If Luke hadn’t been such a jerk, she wouldn’t be in this position. But he had been, and she was. She would make the best of it.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” she told him. “I’m nervous, but I’m not scared. My mom was a single parent and I think she did a great job.”

  “You will, too,” he said confidently. “You’re tough and you’re a fighter.”

  “You got all that from one elevator ride?”

  “It was the ride of my life.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I need to be going. I’ll check on you later.”

  “You don’t have to,” she said automatically. Even as the words came out, she wanted to call them back. She did want Jim to look in on her before she went home. It didn’t make any sense, but they’d shared something deeply personal and she wasn’t ready to let that go yet.

  “I want to,” he assured her. “Besides, you might change your mind about the ex-boyfriend. The offer still stands. I’ll beat him up for you.”

  It was a ridiculous thing for him to say and the sweetness of his misplaced gesture made her eyes burn with tears. Definitely hormones, she told herself even as she had to clear her throat before speaking.

  “I appreciate the offer, but I’m still refusing it. I’ll admit I’ve learned some valuable lessons in the past few months. I’m not a man hater, but I’m a little wary of the gender. I’ve been telling myself it was better to learn about Luke’s character before my child was born and I’ve reached the point where I actually believe that. I’m better off without him. The baby and I are going to be fine.”

  “I never doubted that for an instant.” Jim bent down and kissed her forehead. “Get some rest. I’ll see you this evening.” He pulled a card from his pocket and dropped it on the table next to her bed. “That’s my number. If you think of anything you need or you want me to bring, just call and let me know.”

  “Thank you. Bye.”

  She watched him walk away. For some reason, the spot where he’d kissed her forehead tingled a little. She told herself to ignore the sensation. Men like Jim were too good to be true. He was probably an angel or someone sent to her in her time of need and she would never see him again.

  The image of Jim in wings made her chuckle. Then a dull pain shot through her belly, reminding her that she’d been struggling to give birth not so very long ago.

  “You surprised everyone,” she told her perfect little girl. “Here I thought I had plenty of time to get to my car and drive home. But you fooled us all. Does that make you happy?”

  The tiny infant barely stirred.

  “I love you so much. You and I are going to have a wonderful life together.”

  Her daughter made a cooing sound in her sleep. Heather felt her heart fill with love and gratitude. Everything had turned out perfectly.

  Chapter Three

  That evening, Heather found herself watching the doorway to her room with a ridiculous impatience. Jim Dyer didn’t owe her anything, least of all a visit. He had just been kind earlier when he’d said he would drop by and check on her. No doubt he’d had a chance to think about all they’d been through together and he’d decided that the situation had been too stressful and embarrassing and not one he wanted to relive.

  Under the circumstances, she couldn’t blame him. He’d been a Good Samaritan, but now he’d returned to his regular life. She and her daughter would be fine on their own. Besides, it’s not as if he would have done anything but say hello, then leave.

  But all the cheerful, determined, logical words in the world weren’t making her feel any better. She wanted to pick up the business card he’d left her and call him. She wanted him to walk into her room and tell her…

  At this point, her imagination failed her. What exactly did she want him to say? Nothing romantic. She’d given birth that afternoon, and even if she was in a position to pursue a relationship, which she wasn’t, she’d sworn off men, at least for the next fifty years or so. Besides, Jim might be married or engaged or simply not interested. Not that she wanted him to be interested. She didn’t. She wanted…

  “Hormones,” she muttered to herself. All the books on pregnancy warned that after she gave birth, her body would be awash with lots of hormones, most of which had the unfortunate side effect of making her emotions run wild. She drew in a deep breath to calm herself. She was a strong, capable woman with a beautiful new baby and a bright future. The fact that she was feeling a little out of sorts was completely normal. She would give herself a break. It was perfectly fine to want to see the man who had helped her through a difficult time, but it wasn’t all right to do something about seeing him.

  That plan of action—or inaction—decided, she turned her attention to the sleeping child in her arms. The nurse had told her it was acceptable to let her daughter sleep in the bassinet pulled up to the side of the bed, but Heather liked the feel of the slight weight of her baby pressed against her. When her arms got tired, she would put the child down, but for now, this was perfect.

  Her eyes drifted closed and she might have slept. The next thing she heard was a faint knocking. She came to with a start and saw Jim standing just inside the door to her room.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you,” he said. “I can come back later.”

  Her mouth went dry. It wasn’t supposed to, of course. She told herself it must be the result of not having enough to drink or the air-conditioning in the large hospital. It certainly wasn’t because of the man standing in front of her. A tall, handsome man dressed in a shirt and jeans, which should have looked ordinary but instead made her think that he was too good-looking to be real.

  “I’m awake,” she managed. Not exactly the brilliant conversational opening she’d been practicing earlier, but her nap had apparently cleared her brain of all coherent thought. She felt herself smiling. “Thanks for coming to see me.”

  “No problem,” he said as he stepped into the room. “I’m visiting all my patients to see how they are. So how are you doing?”

  “We’re great.” She nodded at her daughter. “She had her first meal, and according to the nurse, it went well.” She grimaced, remembering the unexpected strength of the baby tugging on her breast. “Actually, it was easier for her than for me. Except for the excitement, she’s mostly slept. I’ve had a bracing walk around my room and I ate dinner. All in all, a full and exciting day.”

  “You look great,” he said, then swallowed as if he hadn’t meant to blurt that out.

  “Thanks.” She touched her freshly washed hair. “They let me take a shower. I feel a lot better.”

  “These are for you.” He set a large plant and an even bigger stuffed giraffe on the small table by the window.

  It took Heather a second to remember her advice in the elevator to pretend she was a giraffe about to give birth. The silly gesture touched her and she felt herself tearing.

  Jim held up his hands and took a step back. “Wait a minute. You promised you cried once every four or five years. I figured I was safe.”

  She waved toward the chair next to her bed. “You are. It’s all of my hormones out of whack, I guess. I’m completely not myself. But I will struggle to maintain control. Thank you for the gifts. They’re incredibly thoughtful and you really didn’t have to.”

  “I wanted to.” He settled in the chair and grinned. “You should’ve seen the look the dry cleaner gave me when I dropped off my slacks. I told him what happened, but I don’t think he believed me.” He stared at her. “And to answer the question I know you’re thinking, no, you may not pay for the dry cleaning.”

  “If I insist?” she asked.

  “I’ll ignore you.”

  She told herself his assumption that she would offer to pay was just a natural extension of their conversation, but she couldn’t shake the odd feeling that he’d somehow read her mind.

  He leaned back and rested one ankle on the opposite knee. The masculine pose reminded her that Jim was a stranger in her life. She didn’t know anything abou
t him, yet she felt oddly connected to him.

  “This is very strange,” she confessed. “I’m not sure what we should talk about or what I’m supposed to say. I want to keep thanking you for everything—”

  “Please don’t,” he said quickly. “I know you’re glad I was with you and I’m glad I was there, too. End of story.” He gave a slight shrug. “But I know what you mean about the situation being unusual. I’ve never walked up to a woman and said, ‘Hi, I’m Jim Dyer. Let me help you give birth.’”

  “You did a great job so I’m sure pregnant women will be lining up to have you there with them.”

  He shuddered. “Once was enough. If I ever get married and have kids, I want them to make their appearance in the hospital surrounded by plenty of doctors and nurses.”

  “Gee, that’s exactly what I want for my next baby, too.” She made sure her voice was calm and told herself the fact that he’d just told her he wasn’t married didn’t change anything. She wasn’t looking for a man. Not even one who’d been so sweet to her.

  Jim glanced around the room. There was a huge bouquet of balloons tied to the foot of her bed. “You’ve had visitors?” he asked.

  Heather shook her head. “Those are from my mom. I talked to her a couple of hours ago. She feels terrible about not being with me right now. I keep telling her everything is fine, but she worries.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Florida. Her husband, my stepfather, recently had heart surgery. He’s doing great, but she’s nervous about leaving him on his own. I keep telling her I understand. When I was growing up, she was always there for me, so I don’t mind doing this on my own.”

  He frowned. “You don’t have anyone to stay with you when you get out of here?”

  “It’s not a big deal.”

  Jim shifted, placing both feet flat on the floor and leaning toward her. “When do they release you?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  He straightened. “That soon?”

  “Yes. We’re both healthy and I’m ready to go home.” She wanted to get a start on spending time with her daughter, not to mention sleeping in her own bed.