around to the front of the truck.”
He stood there in the cold, staring out at the night, waiting for her to call him. When she finally did, he came around the truck and helped her back in. “Okay, let’s shed our coats and huddle up again.”
This time he didn’t have to urge her to get close or to relax. She went naturally back into his arms and he spread the comforter over both of them.
Gradually they both warmed up and she relaxed against his chest.
“John?”
“Yeah?” he asked, on the verge of falling asleep again.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For taking care of me.”
“No problem,” he told her. Together they’d managed very well, better than he would’ve done alone. He settled her more comfortably against his chest.
He checked his watch. It was almost two o’clock. They still had a good portion of the night to get through.
They both went back to sleep.
Just as dawn broke, they both awakened because of sudden moisture. John assumed Lucy had had an accident. Lucy, however, thought something else had happened.
“I think my water broke.”
“What?” he asked groggily.
“I think my water broke. That means I’ll be going into labor soon.”
His eyes flew open. “You’re what? But we can’t—I mean, how soon will you—How much time do we have?”
“I don’t know!” She sounded frightened.
He felt the same way, but he realized he had to be the calm one. “It’s all right. Daylight is breaking. Someone will come along soon enough.”
“Are—are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure, and if not, then we’ll manage.”
“Have you ever delivered a baby before?”
“Nope. But I’ve delivered calves and foals. It’s almost the same, I’m sure.”
“I’m sorry you—I mean, I’m sorry this is happening. I’m so embarrassed!”
“Don’t be, Lucy. Having a child is a natural thing.”
“You’re so comforting, John. I don’t think I would’ve made it if you hadn’t stopped.”
He considered how he’d stopped his truck and decided not to mention it again. Lucy couldn’t help what had happened and she’d had a pretty rough time of it.
Lucy grabbed his shirt and gasped.
“What is it?” he asked.
“I think I’m in labor now!”
“What did you feel?”
“A tightening along the bottom of my stomach.”
He cleared his throat. Calmly he said, “That sounds about right, but it will probably be a while before anything happens.”
He hoped to God he was right. He lifted his wrist so he could read his watch. It was ten until six.
When Lucy woke him again, he checked his watch. It was almost six-thirty. He felt sure that was good. A weak sun was providing a little more warmth, and he realized he’d need to get out of the truck to see if he could flag down a car so they could get help.
“Okay, Lucy, I’m going to get near the road so I can flag down a car. You’ll be all right here under the blanket. Okay?”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“How else will we get help?” He laughed slightly. “Believe me, I’d rather stay here with you.”
“Can’t you wait a little while?”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll wait until seven.”
“Thank you. I know I’m being too clingy, but—but you’re so comforting.”
“You’re not clingy. I just want to take care of you, Lucy. It’s important to get you to the hospital before anything happens.”
“First babies are supposed to take a long time.”
“Okay. We’ll just stay where we are for a little bit longer.”
To John’s surprise, he went to sleep again, as did Lucy. He awoke at eight o’clock, long after his normal time. Lucy was still sleeping against him. He smiled down at her. He guessed her labor wasn’t as imminent as it had sounded at six.
He tried to open the glove box without disturbing her, knowing he had several packets of peanut butter crackers in there. He was hungry. Of course he would save a packet for Lucy. Unfortunately, she woke up.
Her eyes flew open and she looked around frantically for a moment. Then she settled down as she realized where she was.
“Are you hungry?” he asked her. “I think I have a couple of packets of peanut butter crackers.”
“Where?”
“In the glove box. Can you reach them?”
“Yes.” She opened the glove box and found the packets. She handed them both to John.
“Don’t you want one?”
“I’ve heard that you shouldn’t eat if you’re in labor.”
“I don’t think that would hurt anything. Take a packet.”
“All right.”
They unwrapped the crackers and ate them slowly.
Lucy had only eaten one when she tensed again. “It’s another pain.”
“All right.” He checked his watch. It was eight-twenty.
“I’ll wait until you feel another one. Then I’ll go up on the road and try to flag someone down.”
“Okay.”
“Eat the rest of your crackers. You’ll need them.”
She ate slowly, trying to make them last.
John brought out the Gatorade again for them each to have a drink.
When the next pain came so soon, it surprised them both. John checked his watch again. It wasn’t eight-thirty yet. The pains were coming faster.
“Don’t go, John. Please.”
“I have to. We’ve got to get you to a hospital.”
“But you said we’d be all right.”
“We will be, if we have to deliver your baby here, but I’d prefer a hospital. Now, be strong. I’m going to cover you back up and I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“You aren’t going to leave, are you? I mean, walk somewhere?”
“No. That would take too long.”
“Okay.”
He tucked her in and got out of the truck. After climbing up to the road, he paced back and forth in front of her car, hoping someone would come by.
He almost gave up and decided to go back down to his truck to see how Lucy was doing, but at the last minute, he heard a vehicle approaching.
Stepping farther out into the road, he waved his arms as the pickup came into sight.
“You break down?” the man asked, after lowering his window.
“Yeah, and I’ve got a woman in labor down there.”
“All right. I’m going as far as Rawhide. Will that help?”