Intruders?
Her mouth tight, Fliss grabbed a heavy iron skillet from the stove and nudged Hero away from the broken mug with her toe.
“Find Matilda. Go! Fetch. Seize. Whatever.”
The dog shot off without any more encouragement and Fliss followed, the skillet in one hand, her phone in the other.
She was about to dial 911 when Hero barked and she heard Matilda give a howl of pain.
She took the stairs two at a time, followed the noise and found Matilda on her hands and knees in the bedroom. “Did they hurt you? Where are they? Are they still in the house?”
Matilda looked at her, her eyes glazed with pain, unable to speak.
Fliss dropped to her knees in front of her. “What happened? Oh God, what did they do? Say something.”
Matilda shook her head, but no words emerged.
They must have attacked her. Winded her. “Did they push you? The doors were open downstairs. I saw the broken cup. And your phone. Are the intruders still in the house?” Fliss brandished the skillet like a weapon. “Because I’ll tear them limb from limb. They will be so damn sorry they—”
Matilda grabbed her wrist and gasped out one word. “Baby.”
“I know you’re worried about the baby, but I’m sure she’s going to be fine. We’re going to—” She yelped as Matilda gripped her arm more tightly.
“Now!”
Now?
Fliss froze, every muscle in her body paralyzed. Her arms and legs wouldn’t move. Neither would her mouth. With immense difficulty she forced the words past stiff lips. “You mean the baby is the reason you’re on the floor in agony? But it’s not due yet. It can’t come now.”
Matilda gave another moan of pain and Fliss moved, her need not to be left to deal with this galvanizing her into action. She put the skillet down.
“Who do I call? The hospital? Chase?” Someone. Anyone. The phone almost slipped from her shaky, sweaty hands, and she gave a hysterical laugh. At this rate the floor was going to be littered with broken phones.
Matilda tried to speak. “No time.”
No time? Fliss felt hot and then cold. “That can’t be right. Even if it is coming now, babies take ages to arrive.”
Please let it take ages to arrive.
She couldn’t do this.
She really couldn’t do this.
She was the wrong person in every single way.
If this baby really was coming, then Matilda needed someone skilled and responsible with her. Someone who would do all the right things.
Fliss knew she wasn’t that someone.
She did all the wrong things.
She felt a shocking pain in her arm and realized it was Matilda’s nails.
Holy crap.
She’d never doubted that childbirth was a painful experience, but she hadn’t realized the pain extended to bystanders.
“That’s right.” She gritted her teeth. “Hold on. Hit me. Anything. Whatever helps.” With her free arm she reached out, grabbed her phone and dialed 911. Maybe having a baby wasn’t an emergency, but it seemed like one to her. And no doubt they’d call whoever they needed to call. The best she could hope for was that reinforcements would arrive before the baby.