“Oh, no,” she groaned, when she felt a gush of warm water running down her legs. She was in big trouble now. Sinking down onto the wooden bench, she managed to ride out the contraction.
“God, please help me,” she whispered as she tried to catch her breath.
“Guess you’re stuck with me instead.”
She jerked around to find a tall man with shoulders so wide they blocked the doorway. His long legs were encased in jeans and brown leather chaps. A black cowboy hat sat low on his head, nearly covering a pair of piercing gray eyes.
“Who are you?” she gasped.
He came further into the room. “Name’s Chance Randell. A neighbor. By the looks of things, you could use some help.” He knelt down beside her.
She nodded. “It’s my baby. It’s early. Please, can you get me to the hospital?”
“Only if you have a car,” he said. “I rode over here on a horse.”
“My keys are in my purse—” she groaned as another pain raced through her. Joy gripped the man’s shirt and cried out. This was all happening too fast.
“Okay, ma’am, try to take a slow easy breath,” he coaxed.
Joy did as he directed, and finally the pain faded. He helped her to the cot in the corner of the room where she collapsed and closed her eyes.
“I’ll be right back.” The stranger started to get up and she grabbed him again.
“No, don’t leave me.”
“I’m not going anywhere, ma’am. Just need to get my cellular phone from the saddle bags. I’ll call an ambulance.”
Joy was too exhausted to do anything but nod and whisper, “Just hurry.”
Chance ran outside and tore his saddle bags off Ace. His hands were trembling as he took out his phone and punched in the emergency numbers. When someone answered, he nearly yelled in the dispatcher’s ear. “I need an ambulance at the Kirby place out off Highway 56. A woman is about to have a baby.”
Several moments later, they had patched him into the hospital. A doctor came on the line. “Hello, I’m Dr. Hager. Are you the husband?”
“No, I’m a neighbor, Chance Randell. I just found the woman…” Damn. Wasn’t this his lucky day?
“Well, it looks like you’re all she has for the moment. How far apart are her pains?”
“Not far. A few minutes at the most.”
“Okay, Chance, I’ll stay on the line with you until help arrives.”
“Thanks. My only experience with birthing is with the four-legged variety.” Chance hurried into the tack room just as another pain gripped the tiny blond woman. He went to her and let her grasp his hand until the pain finally subsided.
She looked at him, fear etched on her face. “They’re not going to get here in time, are they?”
Chance forced a smile. “Hey, I’ve got it under control, blue eyes. I’ve got Dr. Hager right here on the line.” He handed the phone to her. She talked with the doctor and answered his questions.
She gave Chance back the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”
“Look, Chance,” the doctor began. “I want you to make sure she stays calm. Just in case things speed up and she gives birth before the paramedics get there, you’ve got to help her breathe through the pains.”
And just how was he supposed to do that? Cows didn’t need this kind of help. “Sure, Doc,” he said, more confidently than he really felt.
The woman grabbed his arm again and groaned as another contraction began.
“Breathe, breathe.” He puffed out his cheeks and started panting rapidly. Finally she got the picture and followed his lead as the pain faded out.
Three minutes later another pain struck. They repeated the same breathing technique until she collapsed exhausted on the cot.
Chance took out his bandanna and wiped the moisture from her face. “You’re doing just great,” he said.
She looked at him skeptically, clearly not convinced. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. The baby’s early.”
“That happens. Is there anyone else I can call? Your mother, husband…?”
She shook her head. “No, my husband is dead. It’s just me…and the baby.” He didn’t question her when she closed her eyes. But not for long, he thought as another pain began.
“Oohh, I need to push.”
“Breathe,” he pleaded with her.
Chance hung in there, coaxing her, wondering why the hell a pregnant woman was out here all alone. If he hadn’t come by she’d have really been in trouble.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Ssh. Save your strength,” he said and got her some water from a bottle in his bag. While she rested, he raised the phone to his ear. “Look, doc, where the hell is the ambulance?”
“It’s en route. Chance, just concentrate on your patient. I have to know if she’s crowning.”
Chance swallowed. He knew there was only one way to find that out.
He put down the phone and turned around. “Look, ma’am, the doctor says I need to examine you. I’m sorry. I’ll try and make it quick.”
Her eyes got big and wide, then she nodded. “Go ahead.” She looked so tiny, so fragile with her oversized shirt and long skirt, her belly rounded. After pulling off her panties, she bent her knees and draped her skirt over her legs. Another contraction hit her. “I’ve got to push again,” she cried.
“Don’t. Not yet. Breathe,” Chance ordered, then he gave a quick glance under her skirt and saw the baby’s head. He grabbed the phone. “Okay, doc. We have a head showing.”
“All right. You’ll need a clean knife and something to wrap the baby in.”
“Hold on.” Chance searched through his bag and found a towel and washcloth. In the small first aid kit there was some disinfectant and small bandages. Then he dug into his jeans pocket to find his knife.
“Yeah, I have a small towel and some disinfectant.” He glanced around the room. “But nothing to wrap the baby in.”
“Then take off your shirt and use that. Wash your hands in the disinfectant and hurry, because on the next contraction, she’s going to have to push again. And you need to help guide the baby’s head….”
Chance dropped the phone and did as the doctor directed. He finished just as she cried out again. “All right, blue eyes, let’s get this baby born. Push.”
The blonde bore down hard with a groan, her face red from the exertion.
“Hey, you’re doing just fine,” a surprised Chance said as he cradled the baby’s tiny head in his hands. “Give one more big push. Come on, your baby needs you,” he coaxed.
Tears rolled from her eyes as she panted. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can,” he argued. “Your baby needs you.”
That did it. With the next pain, she gave it all she had. And Chance could only gasp as the tiny infant slid out into his shaking hands. Already the baby girl was crying. “Hey, you got yourself a daughter,” he whispered.
All at once the woman began to cry in earnest. Chance was busy cutting and tying the cord with his disinfected pocketknife. Once done, he wrapped the baby in his chambray shirt. “Wish it could be pink, little one.” He held her for a moment, watching as the tiny bundle looked up at him, her eyes open and trusting,