The Prince And The Midwife. Robin Gianna

need. I’m here,” a deep voice said, and Gabby glanced up to see Rafael looking relaxed yet wired, obviously ready to get to work. “I had a feeling your little bebé had finally made up her mind.”

      “That’s because you and I are simpatico, don’t you think? How much longer?”

      “Time to be the strong woman you are and get pushing with the next contraction, sí?”

      Cameron nodded, and Gabby was surprised at how quickly her next contraction came. Rafael was calmly encouraging as long minutes passed, stretching into a half hour, with their patient becoming more frustrated and impatient with each push.

      “My friend had her baby sucked out with something. Can’t you just do that?” she gasped.

      “Ah, ‘sucked out.’ That’s a funny way to put it, though accurate, I suppose.” Across their patient, his amused eyes met Gabby’s and she felt her lips curving. “But it is not a good idea to use the vacuum on a premature infant, and you’re doing well. Isn’t she, Gabriella?”

      “Wonderful. Just remember to breathe with the next push, okay?” She reached for Cameron’s hand, stroking it. “Puff, puff, puff. In and out. Tuck down your chin when you push to give it some extra oomph, okay?”

      “Extra oomph.” Rafael’s laughing eyes met hers again. “You Americans use amusing words. I must take notes.”

      “Well, do it some other time,” Cameron said tartly. “I’m more interested in getting this baby out than helping you write a thesaurus of American words.”

      “Just trying to distract you from your hard work, Cameron. Another push now, please.”

      He turned those green eyes back to their patient and Gabby realized she’d been briefly mesmerized—again—by that gaze. She glanced at the monitor wrapped around Cameron’s belly as she pushed again, and the reading jerked her mind back to work. “Fetal monitor is showing a decreased variability, Dr. Moreno.”

      He glanced at it, too, and his expression turned serious. “Keep an eye on it during the next contractions.”

      “What? What does that mean? Is something wrong?” Cameron nearly moaned the questions as she pushed again.

      “Baby’s heartbeat is a little flat. But that may just mean she’s sleeping.”

      “Sleeping? How could she possibly be sleeping when she’s about to be born?”

      “She’s warm and cozy inside her mama, and also tiny because she is early. So sleeping is a possibility, though I agree it seems odd that babies sometimes are sleep before being born, doesn’t it?”

      His eyes met Gabby’s, and she read the message in their serious depths. He wanted her to pay close attention to the monitor, and she gave him a small nod. She pressed the intercom around her neck as she watched the baby’s heartbeat. “I’ll give Neonatal a quick call to get them here and ready.”

      As Gabby spoke soothingly and encouragingly, Rafael interrupted. “Baby’s head is crowning, Cameron! Not too much longer now. You are doing such a good job.”

      “Yes, a few more good pushes and hopefully she’ll be here! Tuck that chin in again and give us another push, okay?” Gabby wiped Cameron’s forehead at the same time she glanced again at the monitor and froze for an instant. “Heart rate’s flat on the monitor, Dr. Moreno.”

      “Stop pushing, Cameron,” he said in a sharp tone.

      “Stop?” The woman looked at him, her tired eyes wide. “What do you mean? I thought you said her head was crowning!”

      “The cord is around her neck. I need to get it off before she can arrive.”