I reach for my desk phone to call Nate and ask him about Carly when my iPhone begins ringing on my desk. I frown at Luke’s name on the display.

“Hi, Luke.”

“My water’s wife broke!” he yells into the phone.

Ohmygod!

“You mean your wife’s water broke?”

“That’s what I said, Jules!  Her water broke!” He’s frantic.  Poor, poor Luke.  I grab my purse out of my desk and lock it up, gather my coat and make a beeline out of my office.  I’ll call Mrs. Glover from the car.

“I’m on my way.  I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

“Okay.  Okay.  Are you okay, baby?”  I can hear Natalie’s calm voice in the background.

“I’m fine.  Calm down.”

“I’m calm.  I’m calm.”  Christ, he keeps repeating everything.  He’s not calm.

“Luke,” I say in the most soothing voice I have.  “She’s fine.  I’ll meet you at the hospital.”

He takes a deep breath, and his voice is more normal when he says, “Okay, we’re on the way.”

I hang up, grab my jacket, purse, phone and briefcase and make a beeline for the elevator. Once in my car, I realize that I didn’t send that last report to Nate, and I forgot to shut my computer down. I call Mrs. Glover quickly, but get her voice mail.

“Mrs. Glover, this is Jules. I’ve had to leave abruptly due to a family emergency, but I forgot to send Nate the report he copied you in on in his email this morning. Would you please finish the email at my desk and then lock my computer and text me when you’re finished? I appreciate it.”

I hang up, throw my phone in my handbag, and concentrate on getting to my best friend.

***

“Just breathe.”  Natalie’s hand is gripping mine with a strength I didn’t know she had.  Jesus, is she a construction worker or something?  She’s going to tear my hand off at the wrist.  “Breathe, honey.”

I cringe as she breathes through the pain.  The contractions are coming harder and faster, finally.  We’ve been here for about seven hours, and her labor stopped progressing after about two hours.

Luke is in the waiting room updating his and my parents, and they’re calling all the siblings, keeping everyone up to date on Natalie’s status.

“Okay, it’s gone,” she whispers and takes a deep breath.

“You’re doing great.” I say as supportively as I can muster.  I’m scared to death.

“This fucking hurts, Jules.  Don’t ever do this to yourself.  Really.”

“It’ll be worth it when Olivia’s here.”  I smooth her dark hair off her face and wipe her forehead with a cool washcloth.  Her beautiful face transforms into a wide grin at the mention of her daughter’s name.

“We get to hold her today.”  We both turn our heads toward the monitor that is keeping track of Nat’s contractions.  The line starts to go up again and Natalie grips my hand again and begins to breathe.

“Oh, Jesus, Jules.”

“Breathe, sweetie.”  I start to breathe with her and she laughs.

“You’re going to hyperventilate.”

“No I’m not.  Breathe with me.”  Where the fuck is Luke?

“Hi, Mrs. Williams.  I’m Ashlynn, your evening nurse.  I’m taking over for the night.  Let’s check you real quick to see how you’re progressing, okay?”

Natalie’s contraction eases and she smiles and the pretty nurse.  “Okay.”

Ashlynn pushes her hand into a glove, then shoves her hand up Natalie’s crotch.  Jesus!

“I usually require someone to buy me dinner before they can do that to me,” I remark, trying to keep Natalie’s mood light.

She grins up at me.  “Right?”

“Well, you’re at about seven centimeters, and you’re completely effaced, so if you keep going at this pace, it shouldn’t be too much longer.  I think you’re ready for an epidural.”  Ashlynn smiles and pats Nat’s leg.  “I’ll let the doctor know and she will call the anesthesiologist.”

“Thank God,” Natalie leans her head back on the bed.  “I’m going with the drugs.  I’m sorry, Jules, I know we said all natural, but I can’t do it.”

“Honey, you do what’s best for you.  These contractions are strong, and my hand may not survive many more of them.  What does Luke say?”

“He said to go for the drugs if I needed them.”

“Sounds like a plan then.”  I wipe her forehead with the washcloth again as a man with a white coat strolls through the door.

“I hear you’re ready for some medication, Mrs. Williams.” He’s an older man with kind eyes.  And needles in his hand.

“This is where I leave.”  I stand, but Natalie pulls me back down.

“You can’t leave me here alone!”

“Um, Nat, he’s got needles.  I’ll find Luke.”

“This will only take a minute,” the doctor says and Natalie is looking at me with big, green pleading eyes.

Oh my God.

Okay.  I can do this.  For Natalie, I can do this.

“Sit at the edge of the bed, Mrs. Williams, and hug your pillow, curving your back for me.”