“Like my baby isn’t human.”
“Ha!” Dr. Brown laughs then pulls up a chair. “I need you to put your feet in the stirrups and drop your knees to the sides for me.”
Sweet Jesus.Mark’s stomach sinks. He turns and holds on to the chair and counts to ten. Slow, even breaths. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Keith calmly holding a cool cloth to her forehead.Who is this man?
“You’re dilated to eight, so not much longer now.” The doctor’s voice lowers when Savannah starts to cry. “We’ll try to hold off for as long as possible. Any idea how much longer the father will be?”
“At most, another hour or two,” Keith says but keeps his tone optimistic.
“That should be doable.” The doctor’s chair squeaks as she leans forward. “Just let me feel around and make sure…” That’s all Mark hears before he breaks out in a sweat and everything goes black.
The fog clears, and Mark is finally able to bring himself back from the bizarre nightmare. His stomach rolls as he comes to. He has to blink a few times to clear the blurriness. Keith is in a chair across the way, and his smirk tells Mark something happened.
“Nice of you to join us.” He laughs but stops when Savannah stirs in her sleep. “You have a little boo-boo on your head, so the OB wants you to take it slow.”
“Huh?” His skin feels funny on the side. He reaches up and feels a Band-Aid.Oh! Fuck me.Everything comes rushing back.
“So, tell me something.” Keith leans back in his chair. He clearly loves this moment. “How is it you can stitch a guy’s stomach back together, but you can’t handle a woman’s cervix being examined?”
His mouth goes dry as he flops his head back. “Don’t.” He was going to lose his stomach.
He laughs again but drops the topic, thankfully.
“Cole landed. He should be arriving any time now.”
“Thank fuck!” That helps his head. He clears his throat and manages to lean forward and get himself in check. “How is it you’re so calm through all of this? Did you read that book she kept trying to get Cole to read?”
He shrugs. “Savannah isn’t the only woman in my life.”
This piques his interest. “I’ve never seen you date.”
He rises from his seat to check the contraction that just began. Savannah’s eyes flutter. “I didn’t say they were people I’ve dated.”
Mark knows Keith well enough not to push, but he can’t help himself. “How many girlfriends have you had?”
“A few.”
“You love any of them?”
A strange look flickers over his face, but he continues to read the chart as if he doesn’t hear. “I wish Logan would get here.”
“Me too.” Mark stands and looks out the window, happy his stomach decided to settle.
Thirty minutes later, Savannah is in tears from the pain and the realization Cole might not make it.
Keith is right there by her side while Mark tries to keep her entertained with his impressions of Scoot. She loves that cat as much as Mike hates him. Scoot does pick on him a lot, but Mark thinks it’s because he always keeps his room locked and won’t let anyone in, including that cat. Mike has a closet obsession with something he won’t share with them. All Mark knows is that once in a while there is a package from his mother he will only open alone.
Suddenly, the door flies open and a frantic Cole races inside. As soon as he touches Savi, she sobs in his arms.
“I’m here now, baby. It’s okay.” He kisses her head over and over. “I’m here.”
“I didn’t think you were going to make it.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.”
Keith smiles at Mark, and they both leave quietly.
To say he is relieved he’s off duty is an understatement. He sags into a chair by the nurses’ desk and tries to shake off the idea that a baby is about to be squeezed out of her. Keith leaves to give everyone an update. Mark joins him after a few moments.