He was called up to the labour ward later that afternoon to see Paula Webb, a woman who had been on the ward for two days following premature rupture of membranes.
‘I started having contractions an hour ago. You said you thought that would happen. But I’m only thirty-five weeks, Mr Blackwell,’ she muttered, and Jake gave her shoulder a squeeze.
‘It’s going to be fine, Paula. The baby’s heart rate is doing exactly what we like it to do. Try not to worry. I’ve told you before, that’s my job.’
‘But it’s too early.’ Paula screwed up her face as another contraction took hold. ‘Is he going to end up in an incubator?’
‘I can’t promise that he won’t,’ Jake said honestly, ‘but in all likelihood he’ll be fine.’
‘I really want to have a normal delivery.’
‘And that’s exactly what we want.’ Jake glanced at Miranda, who was looking after Paula. ‘She’s six centimetres now. There’s no reason why she should have any problems but I’m around if you need me.’
Paula looked at him anxiously. ‘What time are you going off duty?’
Jake smiled at her. ‘When you’ve had your baby. I’ll see you later.’
He walked out of the room and Paula gazed after him. ‘He is such a lovely man. One of my friends had Mr Hardwick and she didn’t see him once, not once in her entire pregnancy, but I’ve seen Mr Blackwell almost every time and now he says he won’t even go home until I’ve had the baby.’
‘He’s an excellent obstetrician.’ Miranda sat with Paula and monitored her contractions for the rest of the afternoon, and by five o’clock she was fully dilated and pushing.
Miranda hit the buzzer to ask for some help and then opened a delivery pack just as Ruth and Jake walked into the room.
‘Everything all right here?’ Jake glanced at the foetal heart rate and gave a satisfied nod. ‘That looks good. How are you doing, Paula? Tired?’
‘Determined.’ Paula screwed up her face and pushed again. ‘You’re not going to use those forceps on me or do a Caesarean section.’
‘Glad to hear it,’ Jake’s tone was mild. ‘I’m essentially lazy by nature, so I have no intention of doing any of those things unless strictly necessary.’
‘I can see the head, Paula,’ Miranda said. ‘One more push and I think we’re there.’
Jake looked at Ruth. ‘Call the paediatrician. Just in case.’ He spoke softly so that Paula couldn’t hear, and Miranda knew that he was still slightly concerned about the baby. He was a man who didn’t take any chances and she liked that.
The paediatrician arrived just as the shoulder was delivered and the baby slithered into Miranda’s waiting hands.
Immediately the baby howled with indignation and Miranda placed him gently in Paula’s waiting arms.
‘Your son, Paula,’ she said huskily, and Paula’s eyes filled with tears.
‘Oh, he’s so beautiful…’ She turned her head against her husband’s shoulder and he held her as she started to sob.
‘I love you, Mike.’
‘I love you, too, babe. We’re a proper family now.’ Her husband’s voice was choked and Miranda swallowed down the lump in her throat.
What was the matter with her? She wasn’t usually so emotional. It was impossible to watch Paula and her husband and not wonder what it must be like to have that sort of love and support from someone.
Fortunately the delivery was far from over and she concentrated on the placenta and then on making Paula comfortable, blocking out the emotional scenes in the delivery room.
She was still holding herself firmly in check when she walked to the car with Jake.
‘That was such a nice delivery. I’m so glad it went smoothly for Paula.’
‘Me, too.’
‘They’re a lovely family.’
‘Yes.’