Max stepped aside again for the nurses and Doctor Howard. The beeping sound was faster this time. “Let me try shifting the baby’s position.” I had no idea what he meant, but what he did next made me cry out in pain. This time I couldn’t hold it in.

I wasn’t sure what he was doing, but something pushed inside of me. I cried out with no control. “Look at me, babe,” Max directed, holding both of my hands. Focusing on Max’s loving face helped somewhat, but when my back arched in pain, I turned away. It took two turns, but whatever the doctor did, the beeping noise stopped.

Doctor Howard released a long sigh, looking relieved. “Sorry, Jenna. I know you didn’t like the idea of having a cesarean, but I’m afraid there’s going to be no choice. You haven’t progressed. You’re still at two and it’s been a couple of hours. The anesthesiologist will give you an epidural and get you ready. The baby’s heart rate dropped stronger this time. I don’t want to take any more chances. We need to deliver now.” He turned to Max. “Mr. Knight, you are welcome to join us in the delivery room, but you’ll have to put some protection on. The nurse will bring them to you.”

“Yes, please. I want to be in there with my wife.”

While Max was putting on the uniform, I was getting my epidural. I held my hands tightly in a ball, ready for the pain on my spine, but nothing came. “There, done. You did great,” the anesthesiologist said. “Pretty soon, you won’t feel a thing.”

I did great? He was awesome. “I didn’t feel a thing,” I praised him. “Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m good at, painless as possible. We want to make sure you’re comfortable. You’re all ready. Everything is going to be fine.”

“Thank you,” I smiled. There was peace and assurance in his tone. Whatever the worries I had before about things going wrong during birth, they vanished. His words were like an answer to my prayer.

Max stretched his arms and strutted to us. “How do I look?”

Delicious, I wanted to say, but instead, I offered a soft laugh. “You look like a doctor.”

When the anesthesiologist walked away, Max hovered over me. “You look so cheerful. I’m assuming the drugs are working?”

“Yes.” Some sensations wavered through me, and now it felt like having a baby was going to be a piece of cake.

Max’s gaze on me turned heated. “Now that you feel better, how do I really look? What did you want to say, Jenna? I could see in your eyes that you wanted to say something else.”

I tugged him closer so I could whisper in his ear. “I want to f**k you wearing one, Doctor Knight.”

Max’s lips pulled back in a huge grin. “Maybe I can buy one, but only if you’ll wear that gown.”

We started to laugh when we jerked back from the sudden sound. The nurses and doctor were already halfway in the room, but the sound started increasing, faster than the last time.

“Code blue,” I heard one of the nurses yell outside of the room.

Another bed was reeled in. It took two men to switch me over, one on each side. It happened so fast that I had no time to register what was happening to me. It was the strangest feeling to have my body being lifted like that. Having no sensation to my lower half, I felt as if half my body was missing.

“We need to get her in now,” Dr. Howard demanded. His tone shot up my adrenaline. Fear flushed through me. My baby was all I could think of. What if something terrible happened? Oh my God! “Max,” I cried out loud as they started to wheel me.

“I’m right here, babe. Don’t worry about a thing. Everything will be fine.” Max sounded calm, but I could also feel the fear in his tone.

“Everything is fine, Jenna,” I heard one of the nurses say, but all I could see was the white ceiling above me as they wheeled me into the room.

“You can’t come in, Max,” someone said.

“What do you mean?” Max sounded agitated. Then I heard the door close.

My heart pounded with no mercy, and I was scared out of my mind. I didn’t care what happened to me, I just wanted my baby safe and well. Please God, I prayed. Please don’t take my baby. Max and I will take good care of our baby. Please. Tears slid down the side of my face on both sides.

A warm hand touched my forehead. “Can you feel anything? I just gave you an extra dosage of epidural just to make sure.”

“I’m okay,” I replied, wiping my tears.

“Max is waiting outside. We don’t let the husband in during cold blue situations.” I gazed at the door. Max was just beyond there. I could see his face, but he couldn’t see that I was looking at him. I wanted him with me. He should be with me, I wanted to demand, but the baby came first.

Max

Damn it! The nurse blocked my way and just f**kin’ closed the door on me. How could she do that? Jenna needed me and I couldn’t be there for her. It was the most frustrating thing. Pacing back and forth helped me relieve some tension and frustration, but that only lasted for a few seconds.

When the nurse yelled out code blue, my heart dropped to the floor. Knowing what that meant had me scared for both of their lives. All I could do was tell Jenna that everything would be fine even though I wasn’t sure. Guilt consumed my heart at that moment. When Jenna told me she was pregnant, a huge part of me wished she wasn’t. I was even upset about it, but now the possibility of losing our baby was devastating. How could I have ever wished the baby wasn’t conceived at all? Tugging a fistful of my hair with both of my hands, I took deep breaths. Please don’t let anything happen to our baby or Jenna, I prayed.