“That’s what I was thinking. I wish Bridger was here. I don’t think I stand a chance in hell of dragging her to the hospital.”
“Labor is a tricky phenomenon. I never have two deliveries go the same. Want me to go get him?”
“I don’t know what to do. He’s in the thick of things at the picnic, and if this is a false alarm and the whole town pays even more attention to her than people already are, Scarlett will have my head.”
“Better to be safe,” his mother said. “She’ll forgive you if you’re wrong, but if you’re right…” She glanced over. “Want me to lure her upstairs on the pretext of seeing the nursery? It wouldn’t be a lie that I’d like to see it, and maybe I could persuade her to lie down, or at least see if she’d talk to me.”
His first instinct was to say no, to tell her he could handle his own family.
But Scarlett resisted his efforts because he watched over her too closely.
How could he not? She was everything. “Thank you. That would be a big help. But I—” He halted. “I wish she’d let me carry her upstairs.”
“It’s up to you.”
“She thinks I’m overprotective. I hover.”
His mother smiled. “You do, but why wouldn’t you? You love her. She’s precious to you, as is that child.”
“She knows that, but…”
“We’ll take it slow. I’ll tell her I have a bad knee.”
“Do you?”
His mother winked. “She doesn’t have to know that.” She turned away, then hesitated, turned back. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For letting me help.” Her eyes were suspiciously bright, and his heart twisted.
“Thank you for asking.”
As she walked away, Michael spoke. “I know that was hard, but I thank you, too. She’s suffering over the past even worse than I realized.”
For once, what his mother had done back then receded in importance. He was far too worried about Scarlett right now. “I don’t know how to handle seeing her again.”
“Neither does she. But you’re both trying, and that’s something.”
“Don’t defend her to me, all right?”
“I won’t. Now about Scarlett: want me to call Bridger and alert him? See if he can drop by when he’s done?”
Ian glanced over at the man he was turning out to like a lot more than he’d wanted to. “Yeah, I would. Thank you.”
“I’ll keep an extra set of eyes on her, too. Most of my patients don’t deliver early, but I know it’s a problem for humans. I did deliver a baby once—a human one—but if she’s this early, a home birth isn’t what we want.”
“No,” Ian said grimly. “The doctor has emphasized how important reaching 37 weeks is, and even then the baby still needs time for lungs to mature and stuff. Damn it. Why won’t that woman take it easy?”
“I haven’t known Scarlett that long, but it’s not hard to see the sense of responsibility she has and how seriously she takes her commitments. She loves Ruby so much, and she doesn’t want to let her down. Or the town.”
Ian’s shoulders sagged. “I know. And I love how she’s taken this town to her heart, but—”
Michael laid his hand on Ian’s shoulder. “But she is your heart.”
“Yeah.” Ian looked over at a his brother. “Speaking of hearts, how are you doing at capturing Laken’s?”
Michael blew out a breath. “Beats me. Have you seen her face when she’s watching everyone? She looks like a kid with her nose pressed to the candy store window. All that longing, that yearning to belong, yet a move in her direction…”
“She doesn’t think it can work.”
Michael shook his head. “And I want to set up my practice here in the worst way, but her career ties her to Austin, so it makes more sense for me to go there.”
“Has Jackson talked to her yet?”
“Jackson? I don’t know—why?”
“I’m probably speaking out of turn if he hasn’t said anything. He just mentioned that he’d been wondering if Laken might like to go to work with him. He’s got it in his head that he needs new in-house counsel.”
“But Penny’s a lawyer.”
“Penny’s got her hands full, and she’s pregnant—don’t you dare tell anyone. She thinks she’s keeping it a secret.”
“Not so easy to do in Sweetgrass.” Michael grinned.
“It’s sure not.”
Michael frowned. “I saw Jackson talking to Laken at the picnic. They seemed fairly intense. So why wouldn’t she mention—” He shook his head and cast a sideways glance at Ian. “Because she’s not ready to commit, damn it. And I can’t seem to figure out what it takes to get her past her fears.”
“Women.” Ian clapped Michael on the back. “Can’t live with ’em—”
“Can’t live without ’em,” Michael chimed in.
The brothers shared a companionable grin, then Michael pulled out his phone. “I’ll go outside to call Bridger—”
Their mother appeared at the top of the stairs, ashen. “Ian—Michael—I think Scarlett’s water may be breaking and—” She drew a deep breath. “She’s bleeding.”
Ian’s heart seized. Calling an ambulance out here could take far too long. He charged for the stairs, shouting over his shoulder. “Dad, call Bridger. And call Jackson. See if his chopper is here.”
“Got it, son.”
Michael took the stairs two at a time beside him.
When they burst into the nursery, Sophia was holding Scarlett in her arms.
Scarlett was pale as water, her face stark with terror. “Ian, it’s too soon. The baby—he’s too small. I can’t—this can’t—”
He reached her in an instant and swept her in his arms. “It’s all right. Bridger’s on his way, and I think Jackson’s helicopter is in town, so Dad is calling him to get it fired up.” He strode to their room.
His mother moved quickly around him and pulled back the covers. “Let me get some towels, all right?”
Ian saw the streaks of blood on Scarlett’s legs and fought to stay steady past the fear. “Thank you.”
She was back in seconds and spread them over the sheets.
Ian laid Scarlett on the mattress. “Sweetheart, Michael has done one human delivery. Let’s let him check you while we’re waiting for Bridger.” He stepped back.
She clung to his hand. “Don’t go.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He held on tightly. “I’m just giving him some room. I know it’s not easy, but try to relax, okay?”
Michael grabbed pillows. “We need to elevate your legs, Scarlett, because of the bleeding.” He turned to his mother. “Would you please ask Laken to go to my truck and get my medical bag? I need gloves and my stethoscope. And we’ll need an extra sheet to cover her. Ian, I’m going to step out, so you can take off her clothes below the waist.” His tone was absolutely calm, his manner unhurried.
Ian wanted everyone in high speed, even as he appreciated his brother’s composure.
He clamped down on stark terror and focused on Michael’s instructions.
Hearing Bridger’s heavy tread on the stairs what felt like an eternity later helped Ian take a deep breath for the first time.
“Hey there, Miss Scarlett,” Bridger greeted calmly. “Trying to add a little excitement to the celebration?” He glanced at Michael. “Vitals?”
Michael recited the numbers, but all Ian could focus on was the fear in Scarlett’s eyes. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. You know you’re in good hands.”
“Magic hands,” Bridger said, wiggling his long fingers as he pulled on gloves. “Just ask my wife.” He winked.
But Scarlett couldn’t smile back. “How bad is it that the baby’s not quite 36 weeks?”
“I won’t kid you that it’s ideal. The baby won’t be fully matured and may have to spend a little time in the hospital being monitored, but you know how quickly Maddie’s baby girl made up the difference. She’s absolutely fine
now.”
“The doctor said this baby is a big one—that helps, right?” Ian asked.
“It does.”
“But Maddie was nearly 38 weeks,” Scarlett said. “I’m only 36 on Monday.”
“Yeah, what is it with you Gallagher women? Trying to make me old before my time?” He squeezed her hand. “It’s going to be okay, Scarlett. Lots of reasons to feel positive. Now let me check the baby’s heartbeat, all right?” He opened a case, got out a tube and applied some jelly on her abdomen, then extracted a probe and ran it over her belly.
“What is that?”
“A Doppler ultrasound. After Maddie topped off Jackson and Veronica’s wedding with such a dramatic finish, I decided it might be a good investment.” He kept his voice light, but Ian watched him closely as they all listened to the baby’s heartbeat. A faint narrowing of his eyes turned Ian’s insides to water.
“How is he?” Scarlett asked.
“The heartbeat is a little slower than I’d like, but it’s strong. Anyone been timing contractions?”
“About nine minutes apart, lasting thirty seconds,” Michael offered.
Bridger’s face was impassive. “Okay. I need to finish examining her. I hear Jackson’s got the chopper firing up. Laken contacted Starflight, and they’re tied up with a big wreck north of Austin right now, so she’s worked it out for Jackson’s chopper to land at the hospital.”
“Laken?” Michael asked.
“Yeah. Your lady’s pretty efficient, my man.”
“Do we need that?” Scarlett asked. “We can’t go to Fredericksburg as we’d planned?”
“Just setting up options,” Bridger reassured her. “Let me do my exam. Your doc is waiting to hear from me. You want me to clear the room?”
She gripped Ian’s hand. “Ian stays.” She glanced up at Michael. “You’ve done so much…”
He smiled at her. “It’s okay. I’m not offended. I’ll be right outside.”
“Thank you,” she said.
He bent to kiss her cheek. “Anything, Sis. Anytime.” He looked over at Ian, his eyes serious.
“Thank you,” Ian said hoarsely.
“Glad to help.” Michael left and closed the door behind him.
Ian took a deep breath and forced himself to be calmer than he felt. He stroked Scarlett’s cheek with the hand she wasn’t gripping for dear life.
“Ian, I’m sorry. I caused this. You tried to tell me, but I—oh, Ian, what if—” Tears rolled from her eyes.
“Shh, sweetheart. Take a deep breath. Let’s be calm for the baby. We’re going to take care of her and of you. She’s going to be okay and so are you.”
“You don’t know that,” she said in a small voice.
“We have a whole town behind us. We have love and bucketloads of prayers surrounding us this very minute. We just need to keep our heads and walk through this process together.”
Bridger pulled the sheet back down over her legs. “You’re dilated to five centimeters and effaced fifty per cent, which tells me you’ve been in labor longer than you realize. I can see a bit of the cord, so the bleeding is probably a case of placenta previa, meaning the placenta is partially covering the cervix. The pressure could cause it to detach.” When a small gasp escaped Scarlett, he pulled off one glove and took her hand. “I’ll talk to your doc, but things are going to speed up soon, and I’d recommend going on into Austin where there’s a NICU.”
“Oh, Bridger—” Scarlett bit her lip. “How bad is it?”
He smiled at her fondly. “It’s not ideal, but we have options, and thanks to Jackson, we can have you in the best of hands in a very short time. So please try not to worry. Ian’s right that the best thing you can do is to be calm and to rest as much as you can between contractions. We don’t want to speed them up, and stress and tension produce hormones that will accelerate things.”
“It is my fault, isn’t it? I wouldn’t listen and slow down.”
“Scarlett, honey, there are a million reasons for premature labor, and no one really knows for sure what triggers it a lot of times. You can’t know that, and anyway, that’s not helpful to focus on now. I need you to take deep, calming breaths and hold on to Ian. He’s the steadiest man I know, so let his calm be yours. We can do this, kiddo. I mean that. Just let me go call your doctor, and I’ll be right back to tell you what the plan is. Okay?”
“Okay.” But she sounded so small and defeated.
“Meanwhile, Dad,” Bridger said to Ian, “Why don’t you get her into something comfortable? I’ll talk to the crowd that’s filling up your house and put people to work to get everything in place once the doc makes the decision. You have her go-bag ready?”
Finally something Ian could smile about. “I think she packed it at about 18 weeks.”
“Then after you get her changed, you two check out the bag and see if anything’s got dust bunnies on it from being packed so long.” He winked again at Scarlett. “We’ve got this, Scarlett. You just sit back and take it easy. You’ll be busy enough soon.” He ducked out and left them alone.
“Ian—” Her voice was barely a whisper. “What have I done?”
He forced himself not to think about all he’d read last night about what could go wrong and focused on her. “Scarlett, look at me,” he demanded, battling to find his own calm. When she complied, he cupped her cheek. “You did the best you could. You always do. And you’ll handle all this, too—we will, together. Whatever is the next step, we’ll take it, and the next and the next. You and me? We’re unbeatable. And just think—at the end of this, we’ll have our baby.” He managed a grin for her. “I still think we should consider Ethel as a name.”
Her worried face screwed up more, and tears leaked. “You’re trying to make me laugh.”
“Or at least smile.” He bent to her, pressed a kiss to her lips. “We’re going to get through this, and we’re going to bring our baby through safely.”
“You don’t know that.” Her eyes filled again.
“I do know that. She’s got the most stubborn mother in the world and a dad who never gives up on something he wants. Together we’re one hell of a team. I believe in us. I believe in you, Scarlett, and I won’t leave your side for a second.”
“I believe in you, Ian. I’m just so scared.”
He lowered his forehead to hers and fought back his own fears. “I know you are, sweetheart, but I also know you’re a fighter. You’re brave as hell, and I’ve got your back. And everyone in Sweetgrass is on our team—that’s not nothing.”
At last a small smile appeared. “No. That’s not nothing. I love you, Ian Michael McLaren.”
“And I love you, Scarlett Magnolia McLaren. I still want to call her Magnolia, you know.”
“Good thing it’s a boy, then.” At last there was a tiny twinkle in her eye.
“So you say.” He grinned, and wished he could feel it. “But Father Knows Best.”
When she snorted, he got to his feet and turned away before his composure broke and she could see how little he meant the humor. “Now I’d better get you changed before everyone bursts through that door. I bet Ruby’s chomping at the bit out there. Tell me what you want to wear.”
“The blue nightgown.” She went on, “Your mom was amazing. She didn’t panic at all. You have that in common.”
“She did all right,” he granted as he headed for her chest of drawers.
A small moan from her had him whirling to return to her side. She looked so tiny and terrified, and there was so much danger to her and their baby both. He couldn’t leave her, even this much.
He needed help, and he knew who he should ask. “Michael?” He lifted his voice.
The door opened a crack, and his brother looked inside. “Need something?”
“Yeah. Could you ask her to come in? Sophia?”
“Sure thing.”
In seconds, his mother was there at the door, hope swirling wildly in her eyes. “Can I help?”
“If you wouldn’t
mind, I was going to get a gown for Scarlett from that drawer that’s partly open, but—”
“Absolutely.” She hurried over and opened it. “Which one?”
“The blue one.”
“I see it.” She brought it over, rounding the bed and reaching for Scarlett’s hand. “Hold on, sweetheart. We’re all here for you, and you couldn’t have a better man at your side.”
Scarlett looked up at her. “He’s the best man I ever met. You should be proud of him.”
“Oh, I am, sweetheart. He’s amazing, and I—” Tears swam in his mother’s eyes, and her shoulders hunched. Then she surprised him by sniffing them back and raising her head high. “But this is about you three. It’s about the future. I’ll give you your privacy now, but anything at all that you need…”
Scarlett’s face tightened, and he knew she was having another contraction. “Thank you for your help.” He turned all his focus on her.
“Anytime,” his mother said and brushed one hand over his shoulder as she left the room.
Ian lifted the sheet off Scarlett to help her change—
And everything in him froze as he saw the new pool of blood.
Everything ramped into high speed. Laken watched the grim faces around her, fear tangible in the air.
Michael was an island of calm, and his mother and Gordon were remarkable, too.
The sound of chopper blades moved closer, and Laken went to Michael. “What can I do?”
He cast her a grateful glance. “Bridger wants me on the chopper with them. We need to get Ruby and Gordon and Mom to Austin as quickly as possible. Can you coordinate that?”
“I’m on it.” She started to turn away, but Michael grabbed her arm.
“You’ve been amazing. Thank you for sorting out the airlift situation.”
“Happy to help.” She hesitated. “How bad is it, Michael?”
He grimaced and spoke where only she could hear. “It’s not good. She’s bleeding more heavily, and that’s dangerous for both her and the baby. If the placenta detaches…” He glanced toward the chopper sound. “Thank God Jackson has expensive toys. Time is critical now, every second.”
Texas Hope: Sweetgrass Springs Stories (Texas Heroes Book 16) Page 20
