Page 84 of Mercy
“Contraction. Push,” Liam says.
I resume my counting as Cheyanne stares in my face while she pushes.
“Oh, what a beautiful little face. You’re doing great Cheyanne, once the shoulders are out the rest is a piece of cake.”
“Easy for you to say,” she nearly yells.
Liam chuckles, “Yes, it is.”
Asher speaks to her in a low, gravelly voice, overcome with emotion, “You’re doing so great, baby. I love you.”
He kisses her on the forehead as she replies, “I love you too. But this really fucking hurts.”
“Contraction. Push. Let’s get this baby out.”
I count for her again, and she cries, “I can’t.”
“Come on Cheyanne, you’ve got this!” I say.
She screams and bears down with all of her might; I can see it in her scrunched up face.
“Shoulders out. Good job.”
“Mercy come hold this towel,” he says, he has his hands under the baby’s head and back.
I let go of her hand and walk to Liam and hold the towel open for Liam to put the baby in it.
“Support the neck and hand the baby to Mom.”
“Congratulations, it’s a girl!” I say as I place the baby on her stomach.
“Is she okay?”
Just then the baby cries and everyone smiles.
“I need you to push a few more times. We have to get this placenta out.”
Once the placenta is out, he wraps it in a towel. He takes the string and cuts off two pieces and ties them around the umbilical cord in two spots.
“Ok, Dad, do you want to cut the cord?”
Asher smiles as a tear runs down his face. With shaky hands he takes the scissors from Liam.
“Make a cut between where I’ve tied the string,” Liam says.
After he cuts the cord, he sets the scissors on the edge of the sink and goes back to Cheyanne, kissing the baby on the forehead and then her.
“Thank you,” he says, “You made me a father again. Thank you.”
She smiles with tears running down her face, it’s a beautiful thing to witness.
Paramedics run in and Liam glares at them, “Did you stop for dinner? What the hell took you so long?”
Cheyanne looks at us with tears flowing, “Thank you so much. Free tickets to any show for life. Asher, give him your card.” Asher hands me his card while Liam washes his hands.
“If you want tickets contact Asher,” She smiles.
The paramedics lift her and the baby onto a stretcher and Asher follows them out of the room.
