Shit. Really? “Hello. I’m the fa—uncle of one of Dr. Feinstein’s patients, Angelina Grayhawk. She’s gone into labor and we’re an hour away from Denver, outside Bakersville.”
“How far apart are her contractions, sir?”
“About two or three minutes.”
“And has her water broken?”
“Yes, it has.”
“We’ll page Dr. Feinstein. He’s on call. In the meantime, get her to Denver right away.”
Angie screamed from the other room. “I have to push.”
“I don’t have a car. But I’ll call her mother. She can… Shit, she’s in Denver already for the day. My nephew is out on the ranch, I’ll have to find him.”
“What about you, sir?”
“I don’t have a car.”
“Just get her to the hospital in Denver as soon as you can.”
“She’s saying she needs to push.”
“Push? Oh goodness, there may not be time to get her to the hospital.”
“What do you mean? This is her first baby, for God’s sake.”
“It’s a myth that first babies are always slow. Sometimes they come quickly. When that baby is ready to come, he’s going to come, and there’s nothing you or I can do about it. Call 9-1-1 and get an ambulance on the way. In the meantime, do what you can to keep her comfortable. Once I get hold of Dr. Feinstein, he’ll call you. May I give him the number you called on?”
“Of course. It’s Angie’s phone.”
“He’ll call as soon as he can. Now dial 9-1-1 and get that ambulance moving.”
“Yes, yes, of course.” Jeff had no idea what he was doing. But he had to be strong. His little girl needed him. Her husband wasn’t here. Her doctor wasn’t here. His brother—the only father she’d ever known—wasn’t here. He—Jeff—was all she had.
He would not fail her.
Quickly he dialed 9-1-1. “Hello? This is Jeff Bay. My daughter is in labor. Her water has broken and her contractions are two minutes apart.”
“Oh!” Angie screamed in the background.
Jeff’s nerves shattered. God, what was he going to do?
“Sir?” the operator on the line said.
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Where are you?”
“The Bay Ranch, Cha Cha, outside Bakersville. I don’t have a car or I’d drive her to Denver. Her doctor’s answering service said to call for an ambulance. Shit! I don’t know what to do.”
“Is this her first baby, sir?”
“Yes. I’m scared shitless here.”
“You’ll probably be fine. First babies usually come slowly.”
“That’s not what the doc’s office said.”