Chapter 3 42 страница

"Kylie Mackenzie?" the woman asked.

"Yes." Kylie rolled her eyes, thinking that Werner's prediction might prove to be true. "Is this the surgical nurses station?"

"No. This is the obstetrics station. Blair Spencer asked us to page you."

"Blair's at the hospital? Why?" Her heart started to race, and she felt Werner's hand grip her arm.

"Uhm … she's having a baby, right? Am I talking to the right person?"

"Yes, damn it! Is she in labor?"

"Of course she is. Are you sure you're a doctor?"

"I'll be right there," Kylie said, hanging up while muttering a curse. She turned to Werner and said, "Either someone has screwed up royally, or Blair's in a labor room."

"Why wouldn't she call you herself?" he asked.

"That's why I'm so confused," Kylie said. "This doesn't make sense."

"I'm sure you don't want another false alarm," Werner said. "You're gonna get a reputation."

Kylie started to shoot him a look, but then her expression softened, and she tapped her forehead against the steering wheel. "Many, many people think they're in labor before they really are. I don't know what's going on in her uterus! If she says she's in labor, I take her to the hospital. I'm blameless!"

"You're a good partner," Werner said, patting her on the back. "Why don't you call her cell phone to make sure this isn't a false alarm?"

"Good idea." Kylie called the number, grumbling when it went to voice mail. "Hi. Call me if you get this message — if you're not in the hospital, that is. If you are in the hospital, I'll see you soon." She looked at Werner and said, "Let's go. We might be having a baby!"

„G

"One benefit of being on staff here," Kylie said, winking at Werner. "I can park close." They got out and walked into the hospital, going directly to the obstetrics floor. Kylie was a complete unknown on this floor, and she didn't particularly like the feeling. She and Werner walked up to the nurses station, and she asked, "Has Blair Spencer been admitted?"

The woman at the desk gave her a thin smile. "You didn't have to hang up on me. I was just trying to make sure you were the right person."

Kylie held back the retort she really wanted to use; she took a breath and said, "I apologize. I'm on staff here, and I don't have any patients in the hospital right now. I assumed the page was a mistake."

"When your … friend is nine months pregnant?"

Leaning over the desk, Kylie fixed the woman with a steely stare and said, "Look. I'm sure you don't like working on Christmas Eve, but quit fucking with me. I apologized once, and that's all you're gonna get. Now, has my spouse been admitted or not?"

"Delivery room six," the woman sniffed, turning her back on the doctor.

Kylie went barreling down the hall, leaving Werner in her wake. She noticed his absence, then slowed down and said, "I'm sorry, but I'm really worried about her."

"Go ahead, Kylie. I'll be there … eventually."

She smiled at him and started to run, bursting into the room rather wild-eyed. "What are you doing here?" she asked her partner.

Blair looked up from the magazine she was reading. She was lying in bed, dressed in a blue hospital gown, an IV in her arm and the wires from a fetal heartbeat monitor sticking out from under the covers. "Oh, Mom and I were bored, so we thought we'd check in. She's in the next room. Thought she'd have an appendectomy."

Kylie didn't blink, and Blair could see that her partner wasn't processing information at her usual rate. Werner walked in, and Blair gave him a beaming smile. "Dad! Give me a hug!"

He went to her and wrapped her in his arms, holding on tight. "How's my girl?"

"Fine," she said. "I guess you'd both like some details?"

"That'd be good," Kylie said. "Real good."

"We went to the doctor, and my mucus plug came out while Monique was examining me." She looked at her father and saw that he had blanched noticeably. "Sorry, Dad, but this is kinda gross."

"Oh, I'm fine," he said, looking anything but.

"What happened then?" Kylie asked. "Losing your mucus plug isn't that big a deal. You can go for days without going into labor."

Blair shot her father a deadpan look and said, "Easy to say when you've never lost one." She turned back to her partner. "I know that's not a big deal, honey, but when I was leaving the office, I had to pee. I went back in and started to pee, but when I started thinking the toilet would overflow, I began to worry."

"Ooo … your water broke, huh?"

"Yeah. It took me a while to calm down and remind myself that I've only been peeing a couple of ounces at a time. This was more like a gallon!"

"That sounds a little high," Kylie said, giving her partner an indulgent smile, "but I can imagine it felt like a gallon."

"It felt like two," Blair said, sticking out her tongue. "I was under-exaggerating."

Eleanor walked into the room, carrying a cup of ice chips. "Werner!" she said. She shoved the cup in Kylie's direction and embraced her husband. "It feels like months since I've seen you."

"Longer," he replied, giving her a kiss and holding her in his arms for a long while.

"Have you told Kylie and your father about our adventure?" Eleanor asked her daughter.

"I was just at the point where my water broke," Blair said.

"Oh, the best part's coming," Eleanor said. She took Werner by the hand and led him over to a sofa, sitting right next to him while he put his arm around her shoulders to wait for the rest of the story.

Blair continued, "I grabbed some paper towels and stuffed them into my underwear, then I went out and found a nurse. I told her what had happened, and she had me go back into an examining room. I'd been seventy percent effaced and two centimeters dilated when Monique examined me, and now I was three centimeters — and only about twenty minutes had passed."

"Damn!" Kylie sat down on the edge of her partner's bed, her eyes wide with amazement. "Where are you now?"

"The last time a complete stranger stuck her hand up me, I was four centimeters."

Her eyes closed, and she grabbed Kylie's hand and groaned softly, her whole body shaking with pain. Her face started to turn red, and Kylie stroked her arm and said, "Breathe, baby. Breathe through the pain."

One eye shot open and gave Kylie a murderous look. The doctor shut her mouth and grimaced in pain as Blair's grip nearly broke her hand. After what seemed like a very long time, the blonde collapsed onto her pillow, beads of sweat covering her face. "If you value your life, you'll find the guy with the epidural and drag his ass in here," she moaned.

Kylie hopped up and did as directed, determined to find the anesthesiologist or do it herself. Werner and Eleanor got up and tended to Blair, with Werner wiping her face with a cool cloth and Eleanor feeding her some ice chips. "I'd kill for a glass of water," Blair said. "Any chance of your sneaking me a bottle when no one's looking?"

"No, not me," Eleanor said. "The nurses were very clear that I should only give you a few ice chips at a time."

"Sadists," Blair decided. "They're all sadists."

Kylie came back a few minutes later, looking a little harried. "I hate not being able to tell people what to do!" She sat down on the bed and let out a frustrated breath. "The nurse said she'd page the anesthesiologist." She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted a little. "This sucks."

"Ooo, my girl's not top gun here, is she?" Blair soothed, giving her partner a tickle.

"No," Kylie said, her lower lip sticking out. "I don't like being a civilian."

The nurse came in and said to Eleanor and Werner, "I need to examine Blair again. It'll just take a moment."

Werner was out of the room before the nurse reached the bed, with Eleanor following behind after blowing her daughter a kiss. "Let's see how you're doing," the nurse said, pulling the sheet down.

"She needs an epidural," Kylie said, her voice low and firm.

"She'll have it as soon as she needs it," the woman said, giving Kylie a smile. "Are you Blair's partner?"

"Yeah. And she needs it now. There's no reason for her to be in pain."

"I know it's hard to watch her suffer, but it'll all be over soon." She started to perform a quick examination, but before she finished, another strong contraction hit Blair. She tried to pant her way through it, but wasn't able to. She held her breath for a few seconds, her face turning purple, then cried out loudly, her anguish hitting Kylie like a blow.

When the contraction was over, Kylie took the nurse by the arm and led her out of the room. She'd obviously moved away from the door because the only word Blair could hear was a loud, firm, "Now!" A few seconds later, Kylie came back in. She took out her phone and dialed a number, waiting just a moment before she said, "Where are you?" Blair watched her partner talk, amazed at how tense and irritable she was. "Where's the fucking anesthesiologist, Monique? You know that no one's gonna bring him in here if you don't okay it." Her lips were pursed while she listened to Monique's reply, then she said, "I know you're busy, but we've been friends for fifteen years. I thought you cared about me enough to go out of your way to make sure Blair gets the best care possible." She nodded, then said, "Fine. See you when you get here." She slapped her phone closed, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving three people staring at her in surprise.

Blair was in the middle of another contraction when Kylie walked back into the room, and Eleanor started to move away from the bed so the doctor could hold Blair's hand, but Kylie patted the older woman on the back and stood at the foot of the bed, rubbing Blair's feet while she watched her body contort with pain.

When the contraction passed, she moved up to the head of the bed, surprised to see Werner and Eleanor depart without a word. She sat on the edge of the bed and fed her partner some ice chips. "Guess I scared 'em off, huh?"

Blair looked up at her and shook her head. "They know you're worried about me."

Kylie nodded. "I am. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"Just what I was thinking," Blair said, giving her partner a pointed look.

The doctor stroked her partner's face. "Oh, baby, I'm not minimizing what you're going through. I'm so frustrated! They're treating you like everyone else!"

"I am like everyone else, honey. It's all right." Blair held her partner's hand, then brought it to her mouth and kissed it. "They're treating me fine, Kylie. Don't be so stressed."

"But you shouldn't have to be in pain at this point. Monique should have her ass here so she can give some orders!"

"It's hard for you to give orders and have the nurses ignore 'em, isn't it?"

The doctor nodded, looking a little embarrassed. "Guess I didn't realize how much I enjoy being in charge. I think my favorite words are 'Yes, Doctor,' or 'Right away, Doctor.' It's driving me nuts to have the nurses pat me on the head and send me packing."

Monique walked in while Kylie was still talking, and she gave Blair a knowing smile. She approached Kylie from the back and put her hand on her shoulder. "Sorry I wasn't able to get away until now," she said.

Kylie stood up and gave her old friend a hug. "Sorry I was an asshole to you on the phone."

"Oh, I'm used to the fact that you're an asshole, Shakes. That's why I love you."

Gently jabbing her friend in the kidney, Kylie kissed Monique on the cheek and said, "Take a look at Blair right now, or I'm gonna have a tantrum."

The obstetrician still had her coat on, but she dutifully dropped her bag and her coat on a chair, then washed her hands and put on a pair of gloves. She examined Blair, with Kylie leaning over her shoulder like a vulture. "Wow, you're opening up awfully fast," she said. "You're almost six centimeters."

"Ten's the magic number, right?" Blair asked.

"Yep," Monique said. "Most babies need ten centimeters to make an exit." She covered Blair up and squeezed her knee. "Ready for a nice epidural?"

"Way past ready," the blonde said. "Hook me up."

"I'll send the anesthesiologist in as quickly as possible," Monique said. She picked up her things and looked at Kylie. "Come with me while I put my scrubs on. Maybe the nurses will treat you better if they see me talking to you. They all love me," she added with a superior grin.

"Funny," Kylie said. She’d assumed her friend was kidding, but Monique twitched her head in the direction of the door, and Kylie patted Blair on the leg and followed her out. Werner and Eleanor were just a few feet away from the door, and Kylie motioned to them. "Werner and Eleanor Schneidhorst, this is Monique Jackson, Blair's obstetrician." The threesome shook hands, and Kylie added, "I've already apologized for being a jerk, and Monique's forgiven me." She put her arm around her friend's shoulders and said, "She's used to me."

"I need to get changed. We'll be back in a few minutes," Monique said to the older couple.

"Keep Blair company for a few minutes, will you?"

"Sure, honey," Eleanor said. "Is everything all right?"

"Oh, yeah. Monique's gonna try to increase my status by letting the nurses know I'm a real doctor."

"You're not a real doctor," her friend teased. "You're a surgeon."

"Whatever." Kylie took her by the arm and led her down the hall. As soon as Werner and Eleanor went into Blair's room, she stopped and grabbed Monique's shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Monique made a face and said, "I think the baby's too big for a vaginal delivery. Sorry, buddy, but I think we should do a C-section."

"What?" Kylie's voice was a little loud, and Monique held a finger over her own lips to shush her. She quieted and asked, "How can that be? Today's just her due date."

"You know it's hard to tell exactly how big a baby will be. I knew it was large, but I couldn't tell how large until I got my hand in there. She's six centimeters, and the head is nowhere near crowning. I'll let you two make the call if you want to wait and see what develops, but I think we're wasting our time."

Kylie fixed her with a penetrating gaze and asked, "Are you sure? I don't want her to have to have major surgery if it isn't absolutely necessary."

"Neither do I, Kylie. And, no, I'm not absolutely sure. She's opening up faster than I want her to. That wouldn't be a problem with a small baby, but with a big baby …"

"What? You're worried that she might have some internal tearing?"

"It's a possibility," Monique said. "The baby might be able to make it out, but I think it's risky."

"So's a C-section!" Kylie said, looking terrified.

"Shakes, you're a surgeon. You know the risks of a C-section aren't that great, given Blair's health."

"I know, I know," she said, grumbling. She looked up quickly and said, "She wants to nurse him. Will she be lucid enough to do that tonight?"

"Yeah, yeah. I think we can get by with just an epidural if we crank it up. We shouldn't have to give her general anesthesia."

"Okay." Kylie hugged her again and said, "I'll tell her. Call the surgeon." When she pulled away she said, "This guy had better be great, 'cause I'm gonna watch."

"Kylie, stay at Blair's head and keep out of the way. No one likes to work with a family member watching. Behave!"

"Can't promise that," Kylie said as she walked away. "If the surgeon screws up, I'm taking over."

„G

She had to walk up and down the hall for a few minutes, but by the time she entered the room, Kylie thought she looked calm and collected. Her belief was shattered when Blair took one look at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong," Kylie said, emphasizing the word wrong, "but our little guy isn't so little." She stroked Blair's belly and said, "You were right, honey; he is a very big baby, and Monique thinks there's a good chance you won't be able to deliver vaginally."

"Oh, fuck," Blair said. She let her head drop back onto the remarkably uncomfortable pillows and said, "C-section, huh?"

"Yeah, that's what Monique thinks we should do." Kylie sat on the bed and chafed her partner's hand. "If we want to, she said we can wait and see, but she doesn't think the odds are good."

"What do you think, honey?"

"I think Monique's the expert. If she thinks this is the safest way, then I believe her."

"Do I havta be knocked out?"

"No. She wants to do an epidural and crank it up really high. You won't feel pain, but you'll feel some sensation. It's hard to describe, but I promise it won't hurt. Your recovery won't be as easy as it would be if you delivered vaginally."

"True, but I won't have stitches in my —" She looked at her father and said, "I won't say it, Dad; you don't have to put your fingers in your ears."

"That's true," Kylie said, laughing at the look on Werner's face. "Let's face it; either way sucks, but you could have a lot of tearing with a big baby."

"You know, there isn't a woman in the world who wants to think of tearing in that particular place."

"There isn't a man who wants to, either," Werner volunteered.

Monique came back in, attired in her green scrubs. "What's the verdict?"

"I never thought I'd say this with Kylie anywhere near me, but go ahead and cut me open."

"I think it's best, Blair, and believe me, I wouldn't advise it if I didn't think it was necessary."

"I know that, Monique. I'm not happy about it, but we might as well do it now while I still have some energy." She grimaced, another contraction hitting her. It wasn't as bad as the previous one, but Kylie still reached out and grabbed her hand, letting Blair squeeze as hard as she wanted to.

When the contraction passed, Monique said, "I think we should get moving."

A doctor poked his head in while she was talking and asked, "Is now a good time?"

"Oh, sure. Come in, Jake. Blair, Kylie, this is Doctor Marston. He's got a nice, numbing epidural for you."

He shook hands with Blair and Kylie, then said hello to Blair's parents. "Does everyone want to stay? These can be a little tricky."

"Another word no one wants to hear from a doctor," Blair said. "Mom, Dad, why don't you go get a snack? I don't want you to hear me cursing if this doesn't go well."

"We've been hearing your curse since you were fifteen," Eleanor said. But she kissed her daughter on the cheek and said, "We'll be down in the cafeteria. I love you, honey."

Werner kissed his daughter and gave her a hug, then the older couple departed, leaving Blair with three doctors. "Let's do it," she said.

Doctor Marston said, "Let me ask a nurse to assist me, and we'll be set."

"I'll do it," Kylie said, drawing a scowl from Monique and a startled look from Doctor Marston.

"I'm a surgeon," she explained to the man, "I really do know how to hold a prep tray."

"She was a resident long enough," Monique jibed. "If there's one thing she knows, it's how to hand an instrument to a doctor."

"Kylie," Blair said in a very calm voice. "You're my partner. Now come over here and hold my hand. Doctor Marston doesn't want you breathing down his neck."

"All right," she said, "I just wanted to get going. You know, we might not see him for an hour if we let him out of here." She looked at the man and said, "No offense. I just know that you can get sidetracked."

"Especially on Christmas Eve when I'm the only anesthesiologist on the floor."

Kylie gave Monique a look, and her friend stood next to Doctor Marston. "I know how to hold a tray, too," she said, giving him a thin smile. "If Kylie gets her way, I'll be down in the cafeteria, flipping burgers."

"Blair doesn't eat burgers," Kylie sniffed. "Too greasy. A vegetable salad would be nice, though."

All of this semi-good-natured banter took Blair's mind off the procedure, and she hardly noticed when the doctor gave her a local anesthetic. "Is that it?" she asked. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, bent over as much as she could so her back was exposed.

"No, that was just to numb you up a bit," Doctor Marston said. He waited a few moments, then took an ice chip and put in on the spot. "Feel that?"

"No. Nothing."

"Okay, we're ready to go." He marked the spot and advised, "Don't move. I know it might be hard, especially if a contraction starts, but it's very important that you not move."

"Got it," Blair said, bracing herself for the worst. She held onto Kylie's arms, closed her eyes and tried to not even breathe.

The pain was bad, but she knew it would only last a moment. She was pleased when the doctor patted her back and said, "All finished. I added a little morphine to get you through the C-section, so you'll feel a little fuzzy. I've taped the catheter down, so you can lie on your side or your back. Your choice."

"Then —" She grasped her belly as a terrific contraction began, squeezing the air from her lungs. This was, by far, the worst one, and she let out a howl that made Kylie's skin crawl.

The brunette held onto her, barely noticing that Blair's fingernails were digging into her arm. "You're doing fine, sweetheart."

Suddenly, Blair let go, her voice full of surprise. "It's gone," she said. "It's kinda gone."

"Kinda?" Kylie asked.

"Yeah." Blair looked at her for a moment, struggling to explain the feeling. "It's still there, but it's dull … really dull."

Kylie let out a sigh, happy that her lover was getting some relief. She tenderly wiped her brow and neck, puzzled when Blair started to shake.

"I'm so cold," she said. "Especially my feet."

"Damn it," Kylie said. "We don't have your suitcase or your pillows or anything!"

"I know," Blair said. "All those nights of packing and repacking it — all wasted."

Kylie went down to her lover's feet and held them in her hands, then tucked them into her armpits to warm them faster. "Hey, where's Marston?"

"He left during the contraction," Monique said. "We're pretty busy tonight."

Kylie forced herself to widen her focus and ask Monique, "Are your kids home?"

She checked her watch. "Yeah. There's no school this week, so A.J. and Keith are both with Keith's nanny until Anthony gets home."

"Who's cooking Christmas Eve dinner? Your sister?"

"Yeah. My guys know to leave without me if I'm not home when they're hungry."

"Do you have any other patients in the hospital?"

"Unh-uh. I can finally focus all of my attention on you two."

"Why don't you go home," Kylie said, surprising both Monique and Blair.

"Home? Now?"

"Yeah," Kylie said. "I don't mean to diminish your role, but what do you do during a C-section?"

"Well, I used to perform the surgery, but since I've given that up, I stand around and assist if the surgeon needs me, and then I read the Apgar score and make sure everything's all right with the baby."

"But there's a pediatrician on call if there's a problem, right?"

"Of course. Alice Lipskind is on call tonight. She's one of the best."

"Then go home. It's Christmas Eve, Monique. Spend it with your family."

The obstetrician walked over the Kylie and put her arm around her. "I don't say this very often, but you're part of my family, too, Kylie."

Kylie gave her a watery smile and nodded. "I know." She looked at Blair and asked, "Would you feel better if Monique stayed?" She lowered her voice and said, "She won't have much to do."

Blair smiled at her partner and then held her hand out. Monique took it and gave her a squeeze. "Please go home, Monique. We'll be just fine. The only thing I'm worried about is Kylie giving the surgeon a hip check and taking over."

"I could tackle her if I'm there," Monique reminded Blair.

"I'm sure one of the nurses will do it if I ask nicely," Blair said. She let her head drop back onto the pillow and said, "At this point, I'm starting not to care what happens. I feel very, very good."

Дата добавления: 2015-09-04