Breaking The Drought (20 page)

When she was satisfied she had carried out all of Maggie's instructions, Jenna headed back inside. As soon as she opened the door she heard a loud moaning coming from the direction of Maggie's bedroom. She ran there to find Maggie writhing in pain on her four-poster bed.

‘Jenna,' she panted. ‘The baby's coming now!' and another moan escaped her lips.

‘It's okay, Maggie. I'm here now,' Jenna said.

Bloody hell
.

What on earth did she know about childbirth? Why had she closed her eyes during every single birth scene in
Grey's Anatomy
?

She looked down at her hands. They were absolutely filthy again. That was one thing she did know — that delivering a baby with dirty hands was not a good idea. ‘I'm just going to wash my hands,' she called to Maggie. ‘Don't worry, I'll be right back.' She ran into her bathroom and discarded the grubby jumper she was wearing. She rolled up her shirtsleeves and scrubbed her hands and face. Finally she grabbed a scarf from her dresser and fashioned it into a bandana. She didn't need her hair falling in her face at a critical moment.

‘Jenna!' Maggie screamed. ‘Help me.'

Jenna ran back to the bedroom to find Maggie lying in a pool of blood-stained fluid. She did her best to keep the alarm she felt to herself. She grabbed some towels from Maggie's bathroom and placed them under Maggie, hoping they would absorb the blood and make her more comfortable.

‘I need to push,' Maggie panted. ‘Luke! I need Luke, now!'

Jenna shook her head. As much as she wanted to see Luke she doubted he would be much use in this situation. Not that she had a clue what to do or how to help. Didn't women in third world countries do this without assistance every day? Women had been having babies since the dawn of time without medical assistance. Surely Maggie's body knew what it was doing?

‘Luke isn't here, Maggie. You'll have to make do with me. So come on, push away. Let's get this baby out.'

There was a deafening roar outside the car and the heat inside was nearly unbearable. Luke crouched under his blanket silently, waiting for the front to pass. He prayed that Jenna and Maggie were at the homestead and not caught on the road like this. Maggie was sensible enough but surviving a bushfire in a vehicle was a lot less likely than if you took shelter in a building, especially a well-prepared residence like Tandarra. The thought of Jenna cowering on the floor of his car made Luke shudder. He knew she would be terrified. He desperately wanted to be with her, to hold her and tell her everything would be fine. Right now, though, the prospects of everything being okay were looking rather slim.

Suddenly he realised the roar had dulled. In fact it was relatively quiet outside. Luke poked his head out from under the blanket. It was still very smoky outside but the front appeared to have passed. ‘Rob, mate, are you OK?'

‘Right as rain, buddy.'

Luke began to laugh. ‘We made it. We're alive,' he said, slapping Rob on the back as he climbed into the front seat. ‘Now let's go home.'

Maggie had been pushing for almost an hour now and there was still no sign of the baby. Jenna had no idea whether this was normal, but her gut reaction was that something was wrong. She tried to stay calm, mopping Maggie's brow between pushes and forcing her to take little sips of water every now and then. She wished she at least had a phone so she could ask someone's advice, but the line remained dead. She was on her own.

Maggie propped herself up on her elbows and creased her brow in preparation for another push and Jenna sat beside her whispering words of encouragement. ‘Come on Maggie, make it a big one. Let's get this little one out.'

After a minute of pushing, Maggie groaned and slumped back onto the bed. ‘It's no use, Jenna. It's never coming out,' she said, tears streaming down her face.

‘You're just tired,' Jenna said. ‘Try to relax your body and take some deep breaths. I'm sure it will be over soon.'

The sound of a car horn made Jenna jump up from the bed. She ran to the window and threw back the curtain. Rob's truck was hurtling towards the house.

‘Someone's here, Maggie,' she cried. ‘Everything is going to be alright.' Jenna ran out onto the veranda to see Luke running towards her and Rob following behind.

Luke picked her up off her feet and swung her around joyously. ‘I'm so happy you're okay. I've been so worried about you.' He planted his mouth on hers and tried to kiss her but she pulled away.

‘Maggie is having the baby.'

‘What? That's impossible, it's too early.'

‘She's been in labour for hours and I think there's something wrong. Come on, I need your help.'

Luke stood very still. ‘First labours are often prolonged. I'm sure she's fine.'

What the hell did he know about first labours? And why wasn't he moving? Did he not understand how serious this was? ‘Nevertheless, she's been asking for you.'

Luke still didn't move. ‘I can't help her, Jenna.'

‘Luke! Are you joking? Maggie needs your support.'

He stood his ground.

Jenna looked at Rob for an explanation but he just shook his head and pushed past Luke. ‘Do you still have your medical bag?' he asked.

Luke hung his head. ‘Under my bed,' he said.

‘You're a doctor?' Jenna cried incredulously.

‘No, I'm not,' he said.

‘I'll grab the bag and check on her,' Rob said. He looked at Luke. ‘Enough of this self-indulgent crap. Get a grip on yourself, man.'

Luke covered his face with his hands.

‘For God's sake, Luke, what's going on?' Jenna yelled. ‘Maggie has been asking for you. If you've got some type of medical training, great. If not, she still needs your support, so get over yourself and get in there.'

Abruptly, his demeanour changed. It was as if an electric shock had brought him back to life. ‘Yes, of course,' he said.

Together they ran to Maggie's bedroom. ‘I'm here, Maggie,' he said, kneeling down beside her.

Maggie moaned in reply.

‘I know this is probably awkward for you, but is it okay if I examine you?'

‘I don't care. Please just get. It. Out.' Maggie grunted out the final words as another contraction took hold.

Luke slipped to the other end of the bed so he could assess her progress.

‘Good news, sweetheart,' he said. ‘I saw your baby with that last push. Won't be long now.'

Jenna was standing beside him, looking calm but concerned. ‘Was that the baby's head just now?'

Luke shook his head. ‘No, unfortunately.' He didn't want to frighten Maggie but he knew there was no point in lying. ‘Maggie, the baby is breech,' he said.

‘No,' she started to sob. ‘Luke, please help me. Don't let my baby die.'

Jenna moved to Maggie's side and began to stroke her hair. ‘Shh,' she said. ‘Everything's going to be fine.'

Luke looked up and gave Jenna a smile. She was coping with all this far better than he ever would have imagined. ‘Jenna's right. We're going to look after you, I promise. Breech births are very common and there's no reason you can't deliver normally. You just need to listen to me and do what I say, okay?'

Maggie nodded.

Rob moved to the doorway. ‘If you don't need me, I'm going to head outside and start hosing embers. Just because the fire front has passed doesn't mean the property is out of danger.'

‘Good thinking, Rob. Mate, while you're out there, get Lottie on the radio and give her a heads up on what's going on here. Ask her to send an ambulance crew ASAP,' Luke said.

Rob nodded and set off to carry out Luke's instructions.

Luke turned his attention back to Maggie. ‘We need to move you to the edge of the bed. Jenna, get up on the bed behind her and support her.'

Jenna did as he said.

‘Now, Maggie, I'm going to support your baby as it's born. When I tell you, it's really important to give one long continuous push. Can you do that?'

‘I think so,' she said.

With Maggie's next contraction two buttocks appeared. ‘You're doing great, Maggie. Rest before the next contraction, because I need you to really push next time,' Luke said.

Another contraction and the body, up to the chest, came out. Luke knew now that the chest was free it was important to get the baby out before the head put pressure on the umbilical cord. Cord prolapse was potentially fatal. Adrenalin pumped through his body but he knew he had to stay calm for Maggie's sake. ‘Push, Maggie, push. Keep it going, a big long one.'

Jenna was talking quietly to Maggie. ‘You can do this, Maggie, I know you can.'

Maggie let out an enormous scream and with that her baby boy slid into Luke's steady hands.

Luke held him up for Maggie to see.

‘It's a boy,' she cried. ‘I have a baby boy.'

Jenna was laughing and crying all at once, but Luke knew his job wasn't done yet. ‘Jenna, bring me my bag,' he said as calmly as he could.

‘Why isn't he crying?' Maggie asked. ‘Oh God, Luke, what's wrong with him?'

Luke didn't answer as he fished around in his medical bag. He found scissors and a clamp, to cut and secure the umbilical cord. That done, he laid the baby on the dresser and slid his little finger into its mouth, clearing the baby's airway of mucus. ‘Jenna, can you look in my bag to see if my resus mask is there? It's a mask with a bag attached.'

Jenna grabbed the bag and started emptying its contents while Luke put his mouth over the baby's mouth and nose and breathed gently.

‘Is this it?' Jenna asked, holding up a mask and bag.

Luke nodded as he took it from her.
Damn!
The mask was way too big. ‘There should be a smaller mask in there,' he said.

Jenna continued to look without success. ‘I can't see it,' she said.

He would just have to continue with mouth to mouth. He puffed gently again and after five breaths paused to rub the baby's chest.

Maggie was wailing hysterically on the bed. Jenna went to her and attempted to comfort her.

Come on little man. Breathe!

Another five gentle puffs and then, finally, Maggie and Joe's son decided to do the job himself. Not long after a tiny cry rang out.

‘Oh thank God,' Maggie cried.

Jenna handed Luke a clean towel. He wrapped his nephew up and passed the tiny bundle to Maggie.

Luke looked at Maggie holding her newborn son and a wave of relief washed over him. ‘Congratulations, Maggie. You're a mum.'

‘Thank you,' she said, her face shining with tears. ‘I couldn't have done it without you.'

Luke smiled at her. ‘You did all the hard work,' he said. As he watched her planting kisses on her tiny son's head, tears began to well in his eyes. ‘I'm just going to check how Rob's getting on. You'll be alright for a minute or two?'

Maggie nodded, not lifting her eyes from the baby, and he was able to escape the room without her noticing his emotional state. He made it onto the veranda before his shoulders heaved and shook with silent sobs he was unable to suppress. Amongst the smoke and burning embers he allowed himself to let out all the emotions he'd been holding onto for the past few months.

When he regained some of his composure, he looked to the sky, wondering if there was any possibility that the essence of his brother knew that his child had been born. It was at that moment he heard the first fat raindrop plopping onto the tin roof. He decided to choose hope over reason.

‘Congratulations, Joe,' he said. ‘You have a beautiful baby son. I want you to know I will always look out for him…and for Maggie.'

‘Luke.'

He turned to find Jenna standing behind him. ‘How long have you been there?'

‘I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude.' There was no warmth in her voice.

Luke smiled at her. ‘You're not,' he said. ‘Thanks to you I have a nephew. You did a great job, Jenna.'

She folded her arms across her body and shook her head. ‘I did nothing.'

‘Are you kidding? You kept Maggie calm through her whole labour. That's so important. And you made me realise what an idiot I've been. Without you I might never have had the courage to step into that room.'

‘About that…'

‘Yeah?'

‘Why didn't you tell me you were a doctor?'

He shrugged. ‘I'm not. Not anymore.'

Jenna sighed and began to walk away. ‘I guess you don't owe me any explanations.'

‘Jenna, wait. I think I probably do owe you an explanation after what you've been through. I tried to tell you this earlier but — '

She shook her head. ‘Right now I think Maggie would like to see you.'

He nodded. ‘Yes, she shouldn't be on her own in any case. We can talk later. We have a few things to get sorted first. Can you see if you can find Rob, see if he needs a hand with anything? Ask him if there's any update on an ambulance.'

‘Maggie and the baby are okay aren't they?'

‘Maggie's fine. I'll just need to check that the placenta is fully delivered and keep an eye on her until the ambos get here, but she looks pretty good considering what she's been through.'

‘And the baby?'

‘He's little but strong. Of course I'll be happier when he's had a full check up from a paediatrician but he looks perfect to me. Once you've found Rob you can come inside and help me clean him up if you like.'

‘Okay.'

He watched her walk away, wondering how he could bear to let her go, at the same time knowing that he had to. He would not make the same mistake twice.

No time to dwell on his losses now. He needed to get back to Maggie and the baby and make sure everything was fine.