“Call 911 now!”
Her cell phone was lying on the counter top, and I grabbed it. She screamed again. My hands shook so badly it was hard to dial. Something was terribly wrong.
“911, what is your emergency?”
“My mother, she’s bleeding and in a lot of pain, she is screaming. She’s eight months pregnant.” My words were so rushed I hoped they made sense.
“Help is on the way now. Tell me what your mother is doing.” The voice sounded so calm.
“She is breathing hard and sitting in a chair.”
“Ask her how she feels.”
I looked at her and all color had vanished. Her eyes were big and scared. Seeing my mother worried and in pain made me want to panic.
“How do you feel?” I asked shakily
“It’s okay right now, but that doesn’t mean anything. It will come back.” She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes.
“She’s fine now, but she said it would come back.”
“She’s correct, it will come back. Your mother is in labor. Now I need you to remain calm and get her a cold wet washcloth and wipe her face. It will help soothe her.”
I did as the voice told me. Jessica sat silently while I washed her face.
“How is she?” the voice asked
“She’s okay. I washed her face, and she is breathing easier.”
“That’s good. The baby isn’t coming too quickly. Now, if you will get her some ice chips, or crushed ice in a cup to suck on, this will also help.”
I started to go get some ice cubes and crush them when I heard the ambulance sirens outside.
“The ambulance is here,” I told the voice on the phone.
“Good. Then everything is going to be fine, and you did really well. I will let you go and talk to them.”
“Thank you,” I said hastily and hung up the phone. I ran to the door and threw it open wide, just as a guy was about to knock. “She is right here.”
I motioned, and he came in quickly with a lady behind him. They talked to her and checked her pulse and temperature. When they finished with their examination and questions, they got a stretcher, laid her on it, and slid her into the back of the ambulance. I stood frozen and unsure. Jessica wasn’t the best mother in the world, but I loved her, and tears ran down my face. I didn’t want to think about anything happening to her.
The lady said to me, “Oh, honey, everything is just fine. Your mom is just in labor. Come on now, wipe those tears before she sees you. The last thing she needs is to see you upset.”
I did as she said. Suddenly, I realized if I didn’t drive, we would be without transportation when we needed to come home. And then the fact that I needed to get the car seat and all the other things she needed for the hospital occurred to me.
“I…we will need our car, and the stuff for the baby.”
The male paramedic walked up, an easy smile on his face. “You go ahead, then, and get the things your mom and the baby will need and bring the car. When you get to the hospital, go to information and they will direct you to her room.”
I stared at the lady as she climbed into the back with Jessica.
“Don’t forget her things too. She will need toiletries and nightgowns, and then of course something to wear home.”
I nodded, and the doors were closed. I couldn’t believe this was happening already. I watched them drive away, and then rushed back inside to pack up everything they would need. First things first, I mopped up the blood and water on the floor and the seat she had been sitting in. Having a baby really was gross stuff. After the kitchen was clean, I went to Jessica’s room and found the infant car seat she had bought from a second hand store before we left Tennessee.
Ms. Mary sent bags of baby girl and boy clothing to my work place last week. She had kept almost everything she had bought for her grandchildren as they outgrew them. I sifted through the baby scented clothing and found the smallest item in there. It was a soft yellow outfit with feet, and snaps up the front. This should be safe for a boy or a girl. I grabbed it and quickly snatched up a diaper bag for the items Jessica had bought for the baby. With no idea what all of it was used for, I figured if I took it all, we should be good. After I had the baby stuff ready, I packed Jessica a nice, stretchy sundress and under things, as well as a few nightgowns. She had very little in the way of modest sleeping attire, so I stuffed in a few t-shirts for her to slip on over her nightgowns. Once everything was packed, I headed out to the car and loaded it up. I wanted to be there when the baby was born. I wanted to experience its entrance into the world. It had been a stranger to me for nine months. Up until now, all I had was Jessica. Now I would have a sibling.
* * * *