Kim grimaced as she gulped down the last of her stale diet coke. The lukewarm fluid slid down her throat like sweet, caffeinated dishwater. She glanced up at the clock and smiled. Only ten minutes left on her shift. A gut-wrenching cry echoed off the walls of room 121. It sounded like Nicole Taylor was making progress—either that or she had a really low threshold for pain.
“Drugs!” Nicole shrieked. “I need drugs!” Kim stepped under the muted lights of the plush room. Well, it was plush for a hospital anyway.
Nicole lay in a hospital bed, writhing in pain. Kim approached her, frowning. “Now Nicole, we talked about this. We are perfectly willing to provide an epidural. But it’ll cost you more.”
“I don’t care if I have to sell my soul!” she snarled. “I need drugs, now!” Sweat dripped down her forehead. Her face contorted and scowled so deeply that even a girl as pretty as this one had lost her girlish appeal in the throes of pain.
“Well,” Kim said, “before we call the anesthesiologist, let’s see where you’re at.” She snapped on a pair of sterile gloves and checked to see how far Nicole was dilated.
“Nicole, sweetie,” Kim gave a sympathetic smile. “I have good news and bad news. The good news is your pain will soon be over. The bad news is we don’t have time to give you an epidural. Your baby’s coming now.”
“What? But I…” Whatever she was about to say was lost in another groan that quickly turned to a roar of pain.
The nurse stepped into the hall, picked up the phone receiver, and punched a series of numbers.
“Hello,” a warm male voice answered. “This is Dr. Bloomberg.”
“Doctor, this is Kim in maternity. I have a patient that’s fully dilated and ready to start pushing.”
“And you couldn’t have told me sooner?”
“I’m sorry, she progressed faster than we expected.”
He sighed heavily. “I’ve almost forgotten what hot food tastes like.”
“You and me both.”
His chuckle filled the phone. “Comes with the job, I suppose. I’ll be right there.”
Kim was about to walk back to the room when Amanda stepped off the elevator. “Anything interesting happen tonight?” she asked in way of a greeting.
Kim shrugged. “Oh, you know. The usual. Room 121 is where the action is right now. A nineteen-year-old patient is fully dilated and ready to push. Dr. Bloomberg is on his way and I was just about to go in, but if you don’t mind….”
“No problem.” Amanda smiled and hurried to assist the patient, who was once again screaming.
Kim stepped behind the nurse’s station and snatched her purse.
“Kim!”
Kim dropped her purse. “I’m coming.”
When Kim stepped through the door, she could see immediately what the issue was. The baby’s head bulged out—slick, shiny, and ready to pop into the world.
The patient growled, her face crimson red.
“No, no, don’t push yet,” Amanda screeched and then looked desperately toward Kim.
Kim sighed. “Relax, Amanda,”
“Where’s Dr. Bloomberg?” she whispered.
“He’s on his way, but until he gets here, we are it.”
