Duchess

Chapter 24

"Lou, I've got a question."
I looked back from my place beside Adrienne, holding her hand to coach her through breathing during the contractions. She had been in labor for less than an hour, but was progressing quickly.
"What is it?"
He motioned for me to come closer, and I crawled down to where he was. "She's nine centimeters. Do you think that's close enough?"
"I'm not sure," I said quietly in English, hoping Adrienne wouldn't hear our tone of voice, "but I think we should wait. They say ten centimeters for a reason, right?"
"But is that only if the baby is full term? This baby is at least two weeks early, and she's been stuck at nine centimeters for a long time."
I bit my lip. "I still think we should wait."
"She's in agony."
"I know, but we've gotta get this right, Ben. Just wait a little longer."
"Thirty more minutes."
"Okay."
I returned to my spot and said, "You're doing great, Adrienne. Just a little longer."
"I can't do this."
"You can. Breathe with me."
     "I'm scared."
     "It's okay," I said, "Francis will be back soon with some—"
     She screamed in agony and put a shaking hand on my shoulder, pulling me down as she endured the pain of another contraction.
     When it was over, she gasped, "Tell them to bring me some water."
     I nodded.
     Francis and Colonel Armstrong had been running back and forth to get the supplies we needed, happy to be doing something useful that didn't involve actually witnessing the birth.
     "Lou?" Ben said softly.
     "What?"
     "We're at ten centimeters. Tell her to push."
     I smiled and took her hand in mine. "Alright, Adrienne. It's time to push; the baby is coming any minute now. I want you to push for ten seconds, okay? Don't stop until I tell you."
     She nodded, and I began counting. Her fingernails ripped into my pale skin as she tried not to scream, Benjamin and I babbling words of encouragement over each other.
     "Alright, relax," I said after I had counted to ten, "and breathe with me."
     "You're doing great, Adrienne," Benjamin said, "I can see the head. This baby has a lot of hair."
     "Take it out!" she gasped without making a sound, vomiting on the pillow beside her head.
     "Push again," I said, helping her count to ten again.
     In English, Benjamin said, "Am I supposed to pull it out, or just let it come out completely on its own?"
     I had no idea. "Let it come out on its own, I guess. Just make sure you catch it."
     He scoffed. "I'll try my best."
     "One more time," I told her, "one more time."
     She clawed at my hand as she pushed again, Benjamin's words suddenly being cut off by the cries of a baby.
     "She's here," Benjamin said, "Your daughter, Ma'am! It's a girl."
     He passed the baby to me, and I wiped her down with one of the rags brought by Colonel Armstrong before letting Adrienne hold her.
     I couldn't help but smile as she wept, holding her only connection to her husband to her breast. "She's beautiful," she cried, taking shaky breaths, "Oh, I love her already."
     Benjamin pulled his leather jacket from the corner of the tent and swaddled the baby in it, giving me a small smirk as he sat beside me against the wall of the tent.
     "A baby born wearing a leather jacket. She's destined for greatness now."
     Adrienne and I laughed. "You just delivered your first baby in an internment camp," I said in French so Adrienne could understand our conversation.
     "That'll be a story for her to tell her friends at school someday, won't it?"
     "Thank you," Adrienne said earnestly, "I don't think I could have done that out in that line for the medical tent."
     "Not in your condition," Ben said, "but I'm surprised with how well that went, considering your diet and treatment for the past few months."
"I'm going to name her Louisa," she said weakly, looking up at us, "After the woman who saved both our lives."
My heart melted. "Oh, Adrienne."
Benjamin took my hand and pulled me into his chest, his lungs swelling with pride.
"It would have been better if her name was Benjamin," he mumbled jokingly.
I playfully slapped him and Adrienne conceded, "You can call her that, if it'd make you feel better."
      We all laughed.