Page 25 of Big Catch
The head comes out, and I quickly clear the mouth and airways of fluid. After another big push, the baby’s shoulders slide through. I capture the little body in my hands, and my heart squeezes as she lets out a loud cry. I set her on the towels for a quick examination.
“It’s a girl,” I announce and reach for my scissors to cut the cord. Both Becca and Thomas start crying and speaking to each other in Creole. I glance at Bray, who is hovering in the doorway, watching me carefully. “We share the same birthday.”
Bray blinks, and for a second, I think I see water in his eyes. It turns my heart inside out. “Give me ten minutes, then the boys can come meet their sister.”
Bray heads out, and I quickly clean the baby up and place her on Becca’s chest as I tend to the placenta. Once I have her cleaned up. I remove my gloves and stand back, totally spent. Bray returns and wraps his arms around me, holding me to him, as we watch mother, father, and baby bond. My knees wobble slightly because at that moment, it hits me. I want this. I want this kind of love and happiness. My entire body quivers, and Bray must take it as exhaustion. He holds me tight, and I accept his support.
“You did great,” he whispers into my ear.
“How far is the hospital?” I ask.
“Thirty minutes. I’ll take her.” His big arms go around my waist, and I press my hands to his.
“I’d like to stay with her, just to make sure she’s okay.”
Bray nods as the boys all come running in to see their mother. With them is another woman, who introduces herself as Cheri, Becca’s sister. She looks frantic, and I quickly calm her down. As the house buzzes with the birth of the little girl, we load mom, dad, and baby into the van, while Cheri stays to take care of the boys.
An hour later, while seated in the front of the van between Ty and Bray, a wave of exhaustion comes over me. I let loose a yawn, and Tyler pulls me to him. “You okay?”
“Yeah, just coming down from the adrenaline rush. Plus, I didn’t get all that much sleep,” I add, grinning. I go quiet and think about these two men, the way they are with Becca’s boys. Playing with them, protecting them, teaching them. I want to ask why they don’t have their own families, but really, it’s none of my business. This is just a two-week affair, and I’m not supposed to get close.
Too late for that, Alyssa.
“You were incredible back there, Aly,” Bray says. “Just like you were with Cecil last night.”
“I love what I do, Bray. I love being able to help like that.”
“I’m sorry you had to work on your birthday,” Ty says.
I grin. “It’s not work if you love what you do.”
“True,” he says. “Every day here is like a vacation, too.”
“I’m just really glad I was here for her.” I fold my hands on my lap, and think about the doctor shortage in this community. “What would she have done?”
“Probably deliver in the backseat on the way to the hospital,” Ty says.
I shiver at that. “That would have been horrible for her.”
Bray’s hand slides across the seat and captures mine. He gives a little squeeze, and when I glance at him, his expression goes so soft. My heart misses a beat when I take in the warmth and tenderness in his eyes as his gaze slides over my face.
“How come you guys aren’t married?” I blurt out without thinking. When I realize what I’ve done, I try to get the words back. Heck, it’s none of my business. But Bray turns it around and asks the same of me.
“I guess I’ve just been so busy with school, work, trying to please my parents.” I don’t bother telling them that men see me as a white coat and stethoscope, not a woman—and if they do, it’s as nothing more than a hit it and quit it kind of girl.
He slides me a look when I bring up my parents again. “They put a lot of pressure on me.” I shrug like it’s nothing, but clearly he can see right through that.
“What kind of pressure?” Ty asks.
“I love what I do, but it’s not good enough for them. They want me to specialize.” I let loose an exaggerated sigh. “They think they know what is best for me.”
“Do they?” Ty asks.
“No.”
“Sounds to me like they care deeply about you and only want what is best,” Bray says. “All I ever wanted was a family who love me, Aly.”
“My family is your family, Bray,” Ty says. “What’s mine is yours, you know that.”
