Taylin took a seat at the small table and read over the notes. She’d gone over it two times when the couples started trickling in.
“Hey, y’all, I’m Taylin, and I’ll be filling in for Anne tonight.” She pointed to the food cart. “Y’all can grab a drink and a snack before we get started if you want.”
The pregnant women didn’t need to be told twice and made a beeline for the snacks. There were five couples in all. After they were all seated, Taylin asked if any of them planned on getting an epidural. Three out of the five women raised their hands.
Taylin nodded her head. “Since all of you will more than likely experience labor pains before you receive an epidural, let’s talk about different ways to manage the pain.” She looked at the two women who hadn’t raised their hands. “Anne will be talking about natural birth more extensively next week, but it’s good to know all of your options.”
She discussed the advantage of having a birth plan written up and stressed the importance of being flexible since the safety of the baby and mother may require changes. The women, and some of the men, asked a lot of questions, and Taylin was glad she could answer them.
By the time they’d discussed all the techniques to help manage pain without medication, it was time for Zach to come and talk to them about the difference between an epidural and a spinal block.
“While we wait for the anesthetist to come, y’all are welcome to get more snacks. There are restrooms just outside the classroom for those of you who need a bathroom break.”
Not surprisingly, the pregnant women filed out of the classroom to find the restroom. Taylin answered a few more questions a couple of the men had. She could tell they were pretty stressed out about the whole thing.
Zach still hadn’t arrived when the women returned, so Taylin decided to call upstairs to see if he was there. Just as she tapped in the number to the labor and delivery nurse’s station, someone walked in.
“Sorry I’m late,” the male voice said.
She knew that voice and it didn’t belong to Zach. It was Luke McKay, and he looked just as surprised to see her as she was to see him.
Chapter 12
For a second, Luke thought he’d come to the wrong place. Zach said a nurse named Anne was the teacher, not Taylin Nichols. Frozen in place, the two of them stood with their eyes locked on one another.
She tilted her head slightly, like she was still trying to process his presence.
“Hey,” he finally said. “Sorry I’m late.”
“No problem.” She tucked a long strand of hair behind her ear and turned toward the class. “Uh, this is Luke McKay, another one of our anesthetists.”
“Hi.” Luke lifted a hand and waved. “Again, I apologize for being late. Zach called me about thirty minutes ago and asked me to fill in.”
Carrying a flipchart of the spinal cord, he moved next to Taylin and sat on the edge of the table. “Many of you have already decided whether or not to receive an epidural, so the information I’m giving you isn’t meant to change your mind one way or the other.” He grinned. “Now, actually being in labor might make you change your mind pretty quickly.”
That got him a few chuckles. He knew that going natural or receiving an epidural was a touchy subject with some women, so he wanted to present the information without bias. Personally, he’d go with the pain medication. He’d never consider himself to be a real man if he decided to have a “natural” root canal at the dentist.
Using the flipchart, he explained how an epidural and spinal worked and the difference between them. He fielded a few questions that he often got, mainly if it was safe for the baby and if the mom could still effectively push and not end up in a cesarean section.
When nobody else had any more questions, he turned to Taylin. “Did I cover everything?”
She gave him a soft smile. “Yes, thank you.” Her gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before she turned toward the class. “That’s all for tonight. If y’all have any questions before next week’s class, you can email Anne.”
The classroom emptied quickly, leaving Luke alone with Taylin. He watched her as she gathered up piles of handouts and placed them back inside a designated folder. After she stacked the file folders into a basket, she lifted her face and met his eyes.
“Do you need any help?” he asked
“No, I’ve got it, but thanks.”
An awkward silence filled the room. It was entirely his fault. If he hadn’t kissed her, they would simply be colleagues, and possibly friends.
“Since I have to return this to the closet upstairs, you may as well let me take the flipchart with me.” She lifted the basket and held it out. “Just go ahead and set it in here.”
Luke hesitated a moment before placing the chart on top of her files. “Okay, but I can take the basket if you want.”
“I’ve got it, Mr. McKay.”
He narrowed his eyes. “It’s Luke, remember?”
“I remember.” She took a step backward. “See ya around, Luke.”
Turning, she started out the door. “Hey, Taylin,” he said, making her stop and look back at him over her shoulder. “You’re still planning to go to the resort, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” He smiled when her eyes widened with his positive response. “I guess I’ll see you there.”
The corners of her mouth twitched before a smile creased her lips. “I guess you will.” Then she disappeared out the door.
He stood there for a moment, not sure why he’d just told her that. He’d had every intention of finding a way to get out of the weekend trip to Harmony Springs, but only a few minutes in her presence and he’d changed his mind.
Slowly, he crossed the floor and caught the lingering scent of Taylin’s perfume. It reminded him of the night on his deck and how soft her mouth was. Merely thinking about the kiss they’d shared sent his pulse tripping.
He stepped out into the hallway and glanced toward the elevators. Taylin wasn’t there and he felt regret for not insisting on walking with her to the second floor.
He moved toward the exit and was surprised when a young woman stepped out in front of him. The girl, who couldn’t be more than sixteen, clutched a bundle of blankets close to her chest.
“Do ya work here, mister?” she asked in a raspy voice.
“Yes.” Luke noted her sickly pallor and stringy hair. “Can I help you?”
The girl bit at her bottom lip and nodded her head. “I don’t got no place to live.” She thrust out the bundle of blankets into Luke’s arms. “I can’t take care of my baby no more.”
A baby? Luke quickly peeled back the blankets to find a tiny infant, probably only a few days old. His head jerked back up just in time to see the young girl flee out the side door to the east parking lot.
The bundle in his arms squirmed and Luke felt a little panicked. He was comfortable around babies, but having a mother hand over her baby to him and then leave made him feel less than adequate to deal with the situation. He glanced at the elevator doors, wishing Taylin would magically appear. He bet she’d know what to do.
He started back toward the elevator, intent on enlisting Taylin’s help, but stopped when the baby started to whimper. He peered down, relieved to see the pink color of the infant’s face. That’s when he noticed the pink clothing. It was a good guess he held a baby girl.
The baby scrunched up her face and started to cry. “Hey there, sweetie. It’s okay,” he said, bouncing her gently and patting her on the back. She calmed down a little, and Luke reversed his course and made his way toward the emergency room.
Last month, the hospital had run a campaign for the Safe Haven law, which allowed anyone to drop off a newborn baby less than a week old without the risk of being arrested for abandonment. Technically, the mother was supposed to give her name and medical history before leaving the baby at the hospital.
In any case, he followed hospital protocol, which was to take the baby to the emergency room. Hopefully
they’d know what to do. He remembered how sickly the girl appeared and he hoped it wasn’t due to illegal substance abuse. If the baby suffered from withdrawals, she could start to seize.
The little girl began crying again, and he quickened his steps. The waiting area had several people scattered throughout. Luke strode toward the front desk, still trying to calm the baby down.
The clerk looked up and offered him a smile. “Sounds like someone isn’t happy. How can we help you, sir?”
Luke leaned forward and whispered, “I work upstairs in obstetrics, and I was on my way out the east exit when this young woman handed me her baby and said she can’t take care of her anymore.”
“Oh my goodness gracious.” The clerk jumped up out of her seat. “You bring that precious baby back here right now.” She pushed a button that opened the locked automatic doors.
Luke walked through the doors, feeling very protective of the tiny baby girl when he noted how crazy and busy the ER was at the moment. As the clerk explained the situation, several healthcare providers swarmed him.
A nurse named Kendra took charge and asked the clerk to call the pediatrician on call, as well as the police department and DCFS. Then she led Luke and the baby into a small, private room. “Let’s see what you’ve got, honey,” she said, holding her arms out.
For some reason Luke didn’t want to relinquish the baby. She’d calmed down and was sucking on her fist. Instead of handing her over, he moved to the exam table and gently laid her down. If Kendra was bothered, she didn’t say anything and went to the other side of the table.
“After the mother handed her to me, she ran outside and didn’t give me a chance to get any information or medical history,” he said.
“Well thank the good Lord she didn’t just discard the little one like a piece of trash.”
Luke was grateful for that too. He knew Kendra referred to an incident a couple of months earlier in Atlanta where a baby was found barely alive in a dumpster. He also thought about his little neighbors. At least their mother had given them to her parents, instead of just abandoning them.
As they pulled back the flannel blanket, Luke found a crumbled envelope at the bottom near the baby’s feet. “Maybe she left the needed information in here,” he said picking up the missive.
“Let’s hope so.” Kendra’s face was solemn as she plugged the tips of her stethoscope in her ears and listened to the baby’s heart and lungs.
“She looks healthy,” Kendra said, winding the stethoscope around her neck. “We’re pretty crazy out there, but I’ll see if we can get someone from the women’s department to come down and relieve you until our pediatric doc gets here.”
Again, he felt protective and shook his head. “My name is Luke McKay and I’m a CRNA for the women’s floor. I’m used to babies, and I don’t mind holding her until the pediatrician can examine her.”
Kendra’s eyes lit up. “I saw your pumpkin display in the lobby. Congratulations on taking first place.”
“Thanks, but I actually tied with a nursery nurse.” And he wanted that nurse with him right now. “Her name is Taylin Nichols and we just finished teaching a birthing class together. Would you mind paging her to come to the ER?”
“Not at all, honey.”
The baby started to whimper, sliding her mouth over her fist, obviously looking for food. “Maybe you could call up there and see about getting some formula and maybe a pacifier?”
“Good idea.” Kendra’s eyes crinkled at the corners when Luke swaddled the baby and picked her back up. “You are just about the sweetest man I’ve ever seen. Do you have any kids of your own?”
“No, ma’am.” He swallowed hard. He’d wanted a baby. Several, in fact. It still hurt knowing Vivian had given birth to another man’s baby. “I’m not married.”
“Well,” Kendra said with a wink. “Marriage doesn’t seem to be a factor in having children these days.” She pointed to the call light. “You already know this, but if you need help just push the button, and I’ll make the call for your friend.”
Once again, the baby stopped crying. Luke smiled when he saw she’d found her thumb and knew how to make good use of it. He continued to stare at the baby, noting her tiny features that were so perfectly formed. How could a mother actually abandon her baby? Of course if the mom truly had no place to live, at least the child might now have a chance at a good life.
The door creaked open, and Luke glanced over to see Taylin. “Boy, am I glad to see you.”
She gave him a soft smile and came to his side. “You look like you’re doin’ a pretty good job on your own.”
“Not if she loses her thumb.” He glanced up into Taylin’s blue eyes. “I think she’s hungry.”
“Are you sure it’s a she?”
“I haven’t checked her parts, but she is wearing pink.”
Taylin held up a gift bag with the hospital’s logo on the front. “Let’s change her diaper and then we can feed her.”
While Taylin rummaged around in the bag, Luke carefully placed the baby back on the exam table. “How old do you think she is?”
Taylin moved next to him, her arm brushing against his. “Not very old. Maybe two or three days?” She leaned down and began unfastening the snaps of the pink pajamas. “Did the mother say anything to you?”
Luke told her about the brief exchange and his worry about substance abuse while Taylin changed the baby’s wet diaper, easily confirming the baby was a girl.
“Usually the onset of withdrawal will occur twenty-four to seventy-two hours after birth.” She pointed to the umbilical cord that still looked a little fresh to Luke. “The cord is still pretty moist, so I’m guessin’ she’s not more than a day old.”
Without putting on a new diaper, Taylin proceeded to remove the infant’s clothing, disrupting the thumb. Before the baby cried, Taylin introduced a pacifier.
“Her motor functions seem normal, and her muscle tone is good. I also don’t see any signs of skin breakdown.”
It had been a while since Luke had done his newborn rotation in nursing school, but he vaguely remembered the symptoms of neonatal withdrawal.
An ER tech opened the door and rolled in a baby scale. “Here you are, Miss,” he said as he prepared the scale with a paper liner and zeroed it out. “Let me know if y’all need anything else.”
“Thank you.” Taylin picked up the unclothed baby. She plucked the pacifier out of her mouth and placed her on the scale. The baby’s arms and legs flailed, and she let out a cry showing how unhappy she was.
“Can you write down her weight for me, Luke?” Taylin asked, picking the baby back up and returning her to the exam table. “There you go, sugar.” Taylin offered the pacifier to the crying infant, which immediately soothed her.
Luke grabbed a paper towel and wrote down the numbers in grams and pounds. He turned and watched as Taylin expertly diapered the baby and then swaddled her in clean blankets she’d brought from upstairs.
Cradling the baby in her arms, Taylin turned toward Luke. “Would you like to feed her?”
Although he’d helped out with his nieces and nephews occasionally, he’d never cared for a newborn baby before. He started to shake his head, but then changed his mind. The doctor and authorities would be here soon, and Luke doubted he’d get to hold the baby again.
“Sure.” He took a seat and smiled at the look of surprise in Taylin’s eyes.
She gently placed the baby in his arms and then turned to get a bottle of premixed formula out of the gift bag.
“Thank you for coming down,” he said when she handed him the bottle.
“Of course.” She took the seat next to him. “That’s what friends are for, right?”
The tentative question caught him off-guard. He did want to be friends, but every encounter he’d had with her made him desire more than friendship. Their eyes met, and he sensed her uncertainty. She was probably as confused as he was.
“I hope we can be friends,” he said softly.
The baby started squirming, and Luke was glad for the distraction. He tugged on the pacifier, but the tiny girl wasn’t ready to give it up and sucked harder. Finally, he pried it out of her mouth. Instead of screaming, the baby pressed her lips together tightly. He brought the nipple of the bottle up to her little mouth, but the baby didn’t open up.
“Try this.” Taylin leaned against him, her hair brushing against his face. Her tantalizing scent and her nearness made it difficult to focus. Luke completely missed how she’d managed to get the baby to take the bottle.
He chuckled at the intensity of the baby as she sucked down the formula in big gulps. Taylin leaned in close again and they both watched the baby’s masterful coordination to suck, swallow and breathe.
It was awe-inspiring and Luke enjoyed the close proximity of the woman next to him. The whole scene was intimate and made him wish for a second chance at love. He tried not to let his imagination run wild, but with Taylin so close, he couldn’t help thinking about giving marriage another shot with her.
“Okay, sweet pea,” Taylin said, removing the bottle. “That’s enough until you give us a very proper burp.”
Luke had no idea how to burp a baby. He brought the baby up to his shoulder and gently patted her on the back. Nothing happened and he could tell Taylin wanted to take over.
“You want to do this, don’t you?” he asked wryly.
“Um, yes,” she said, taking the baby from him.
Instead of putting the baby to her shoulder, she positioned the baby to sit on her lap and placed her palm on the infant’s chest with her fingers gently supporting the chin and jaw. “The trick to getting a baby to burp takes a little more vigorous patting.” With her other hand, she patted the baby’s back, and it wasn’t just gentle little taps. She wasn’t forceful, but much more aggressive than Luke’s effort.
Just a Kiss in the Moonlight: Georgia Moon Romance Book 2 Page 11
