Wayward Hearts (11 page)

He smiled at that. “No. We'll need lots of towels. Some sterilized scissors and a clamp. And something clean to wrap the baby in.”

A wave of dizziness struck as the stark reality of the situation became evident. Could the two of them actually bring a baby into this world?

She and Jason? Alone?

For the first time in years, Maxi began to pray.

 

 

 

 

11

 

Darkness was falling when Jason finally heard from dispatch. The ambulance was now en route. Estimated time of arrival half an hour. Jason pressed his lips together as he pocketed his phone. They didn't have half an hour.

“Jason.” Maxi's frantic voice reached him in the hallway where he'd taken the call in order to hear better. Lily's screams during the contractions told him the pain had become almost intolerable.

He rushed into the room, where Maxi sat by Lily's side, one hand holding hers, the other wiping her perspiring brow.

“I think she's getting weak.”

The fear in Maxi's eyes steadied him. These women needed him to be calm, to guide them through this. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. “Everything's going to be fine,” he said in his most soothing voice. “It shouldn't be much longer now.”

He took his place at the foot of the bed where Lily lay draped in a sheet. He approached the situation as he would a victim in a fire.

Be impersonal and professional, kind but firm
.

He could do this. He
had
to do this.

Jason lifted the sheet to check on her progress. Adrenaline kicked in at the sight of the top of the baby's head. Suddenly this emergency became very real. “I can see the head. Lily, you need to push down on the next contraction.”

He looked up to make sure both women had heard him. Lily's hair lay plastered against her head, soaked with sweat. But she nodded her understanding. Jason's heart thumped loudly in his chest as he recalled the next steps in the training manual.

“Maxi, when the contraction starts, help her lean forward and support her from behind. She'll have to push for as much of the contraction as she can. And rest in between.”

“Easy for you to say.” Maxi scowled and took her place.

In the distance, a phone rang, but no one was in a position to answer it. The next contraction had begun. As instructed, Maxi helped Lily move forward, urging her to push. Lily grunted with exertion, her face crimson. The minute and a half contraction seemed to last forever.

“OK, let her rest,” Jason told Maxi when it subsided.

Lily fell back, panting, while Maxi wiped her face with the damp cloth. A cold bead of perspiration slid between Jason's shoulder blades as he waited.

Two more contractions followed. He couldn't tell if they were getting anywhere. The baby hadn't budged. Jason's tightly held control began to slip as doubts crept in. Was he doing the right thing? What if the baby got stuck? They had no way to monitor the baby's heart rate. No way to tell if it was in danger.

He shook his head as if to shake loose the negative thoughts. He had to be strong for these women. They were depending on him to get them through this crisis. He bowed his head and prayed for strength and guidance. If anything happened to Lily or the child, he could never live with himself.

Lord, bless Lily and her baby. Cover them with your grace and protection. Guide me with the right steps to deliver this child safely.

He opened his eyes when Lily groaned, signaling the next contraction.

“Come on, Lily. You can do this. Help her, Maxi.”

With Maxi's support, Lily pushed until she was worn out and then fell back on the pillows almost unconscious. What would they do if she actually passed out? Jason stood to pace the room until the next contraction. He looked at his watch. Nick should be home soon. What kind of scene would he arrive to? Miracle or disaster?

He felt Maxi's hand on his arm. “Why don't we switch this time? You can help Lily better up there.”

Maxi's face was so pale her freckles stood out in stark contrast. Her eyes met his, and he nodded. “Say a prayer, Max,” he whispered. “This isn't looking good.”

“I've been praying all along.”

Lily's scream mobilized them both into action. Jason took Maxi's place beside Lily. He used his strength to raise her ravaged body. “Come on, Lily. Your baby needs you to push. You can do this.”

With tears and sweat running down her face, Lily pushed until Jason heard Maxi's cry. “The baby's coming. One more time should do it.”

Thank You, God.

Again, instructions swirled in his head. “Once the head's out, we have to stop and clear its mouth. Make sure the cord's not wrapped around the neck. Then wait for the next contraction before any more pushing.”

“Got it.” Maxi swiped an arm across her forehead.

Five minutes later, the lusty cry of Lily's baby filled the room. The sound was sweeter than anything Jason had ever heard. His breath whooshed out of his lungs as his spine turned to gelatin. Maxi held up the squalling red bundle, tears streaming down her face.

“It's a girl, Lily. You have a beautiful baby girl.”

A hundred pound weight lifted from Jason's shoulders. Tears stung his eyes as he looked at the miracle of life in Maxi's arms.

Thank You, Lord, for Your help. We couldn't have done it without You.

Lily lay back limply while Jason went to cut the cord and clamp it off. With a clean towel he wiped the infant's face. Maxi wrapped her in a fresh sheet, and then, as if holding a priceless work of art, carried her over to Lily. She laid the baby in her mother's arms, and the howling stopped immediately.

“See, she knows her mama,” Maxi whispered.

Despite her ordeal, Lily beamed at the bundle while tears dripped down her cheeks. “Hello, beautiful girl.”

Jason watched them for a minute, amazed at the transformation in Lily. How could she seem on her deathbed one minute, and Madonna-like the next? All part of the miracle of childbirth he supposed. He walked over to kiss Lily's cheek and then stepped outside to give the women some time alone. He'd leave the rest of the details to the paramedics.

Relief spread through his body replacing the adrenaline, and sudden exhaustion set in. He blew out a long breath as he descended the stairs on stiff legs.

They'd done it. The baby and Lily were alive.

He offered another prayer of thanks. Then he headed outside to wait for the ambulance.

 

****

 

Maxi's high-strung nerves gave way to immense relief when the paramedics arrived mere minutes after Annabelle Maxine Logan made her grand entrance into the world.

Nick showed up five minutes later. He'd been frantic when he arrived. He'd lost his cell phone at the conference, had a flat tire on the highway, and when he tried to call from a payphone, no one had answered. Then, greeted by the sight of an ambulance pulling into his driveway, sheer panic had set in.

Maxi had done her best to reassure him, but her words fell on deaf ears. He'd rushed right past her into the room where the paramedics had started to examine Lily.

The tears streaming down Nick's face as he looked at his daughter for the first time brought a lump to Maxi's throat. With a quiet click, she closed the door to give the family some privacy and let the paramedics handle the aftermath.

She leaned against a wall in the hallway and took in a few deep breaths to steady herself. The band of tension across her shoulders released and sagged like over-stretched elastic. Her head floated somewhere up near the ceiling as if detached from her body. Helping that tiny body emerge from its safe cocoon, hearing the first breath enter her lungs, followed by a loud wail—the whole thing had seemed like a miracle.

Maxi pushed away from the wall and headed down the stairs to the main level, wondering where Jason had gone. She and Lily owed him a huge debt of gratitude. Without his presence, things may not have turned out so well for the Logans. Maxi would definitely want him around whenever she gave birth.

The thought gave her a jolt so hard that she stopped dead at the end of the stairs and gripped the ornate newel post. She'd never given much consideration to having children. She assumed that once she found the right man, the decision would become self-evident.

But now Maxi's throat felt like sandpaper as a sudden realization broke through her consciousness like rays of sun breaking through the clouds. Sharing this ordeal together, right on the heels of almost dying in the fire, had brought things into sharp focus for her. She knew with absolute certainty that her long-standing crush on Jason had morphed into something a lot more serious.

Something that bordered on real love.

She pushed the idea away as soon as it formed. She could not deal with her feelings for Jason now. First things first. She needed a cold drink, and she needed to find Jason.

Armed with a glass of iced tea, she found him a few minutes later on the front porch, sitting alone on the top stair, staring out at the night. For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if she should leave him be. But instinct told her to go to him, that he felt as overwhelmed as she did by the birth.

Quietly, she pushed through the screen door and onto the porch. Without a word, she sat down on the step beside him, their shoulders almost touching. He didn't move or acknowledge her in any way. In the dim light of the moon, she saw traces of moisture on his cheeks.

Her heart squeezed with some untold emotion. She wanted to reach out and hug him, yet something held her back. “You were amazing in there, Jace. I couldn't have handled it without you.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Ditto.”

She stretched out a hand, longing to touch him, to feel the strength of a physical connection. At the last second, she pulled it back. “You're going to make a terrific fireman. If you ever need any testimonials, I'd be happy to give one.” She wanted to tease him out of this grave mood, lighten him up. After all, they should be celebrating. They'd just been part of a miracle, bringing a new life into the world.

“You know, I've seen a lot of things,” he said at last, his voice quiet. “Been involved in a few serious fires. Seen some horrific accidents. But that was the scariest thing I've ever been through. How do women do that?”

Maxi shook her head. “I don't know. I only hope I'll be as brave as Lily one day when it's my turn.”

Jason rocketed up from the stairs as if someone had poked him with a giant needle. He leapt onto the grass below and ran his fingers through his already messy hair. When he looked over at her, raw fear shone in his eyes. Her mouth gaped open. What had spooked him so badly?

“If everyone's OK in there, I have to get going.” He slapped his pants pocket and then pulled out his keys.

She set her glass on the step and rose. “Are you sure you're OK to drive, because I can give you a ride—”

“No, thanks. I'm fine.” He was already halfway across the lawn. “Tell Lily and Nick I'll see them tomorrow.”

With a heavy heart, Maxi watched him leave, his truck pealing out of the driveway, realization dawning as to the source of his panic. The mere mention of her becoming a mother one day had been enough to send Jason packing. Had he maybe pictured the same thing she had? The two of them sharing the birth of their own child one day? It would explain how freaked out he might be—knowing how he felt about becoming a parent.

She sank onto the top step of the porch and blew her damp bangs off her forehead. She swallowed to contain the threat of tears that seemed so near the surface tonight.

Thank goodness she hadn't, in a rare moment of camaraderie, blurted out anything about her feelings. They would have to stay locked away for good. If she hadn't believed it before, Jason's reaction tonight had made his position crystal clear. He would never be ready for marriage or a family.

She straightened her spine against the porch post. This was exactly what she needed. One more reminder that her future awaited her in New York—far away from Rainbow Falls, white picket fences, and Jason Hanley.

 

 

 

 

12

 

A nagging feeling of worry shadowed Maxi the next day, dampening her usual good spirits. When she arrived at the Kingsville Hospital to pick up her mother and visit Lily and Annabelle, who'd been taken in by ambulance the night before, she was determined to keep an upbeat attitude.

Maxi hadn't seen Jason since he left Nick and Lily's in such a rush. When she got home, his truck hadn't been in the driveway, and though she'd barely slept all night, she never heard him come in. There had been no sign of him this morning. She left a couple of messages on his cell phone, but he hadn't returned her call. She left word with Peg to call her as soon as she heard from him.

Lily, Nick, and the baby were all huddled in the one tiny hospital bed when she arrived. Maxi hesitated in the doorway, feeling like an intruder, until their faces brightened when they saw her.

“Come on in, Aunt Maxi,” Lily said, beaming. “We were hoping you'd come by.”

Maxi brought in the gift bag and balloons and set them on the side table. Little Annabelle's pink face, topped with a mop of dark hair, peeked out from her blanket.

Nick got off the bed and came over to wrap Maxi in his arms. “How can I ever thank you and Jason for what you did last night?” Emotion roughened his voice.

“By being the best dad ever. Be kind and supportive, no matter what Annabelle does.” She cleared her throat and pulled away from him.

“Come and hold your honorary niece.” Lily held out the tiny bundle to her.

Nerves made Maxi's hands unsteady as she took the precious bundle in her arms. The smell of talcum powder and newborn baby drifted up to her. Little Annabelle squirmed once and then settled in with a sigh. Maxi thought she had never seen a more wondrous sight as that tiny face, with bow lips puckered to match the slight frown between her almost invisible eyebrows.