Girls in Pants - Ann Brashares [76]
David was shaking his head. “Win, this girl is a force of nature.”
Win cast a sideways look at Carmen. “I’m getting that impression.”
“We need some help here.” Lauren and Minerva, the labor and delivery nurse, had pulled Tibby aside. “I’m not getting through to her,” Lauren added. Like Tibby didn’t know that.
Aren’t you the professionals? Tibby felt like screaming at them. Aren’t you supposed to know how this goes? I’m seventeen! I’m not even supposed to be here!
Minerva cleared her throat. She was a stocky Filipina. “This isn’t a medical issue. It’s an emotional issue. Do you know what I’m saying?”
“You mean Christina is freaking because her husband isn’t here?” Tibby asked impatiently. She was tired. She was scared.
“Yes,” Lauren said. “And she doesn’t want to let the baby go. She’s gotta release it, she’s gotta make the leap. We need to help her so she feels safe.”
Tibby knew a thing or two about leaps. She turned and strode back to Christina. She felt like a soldier going back into battle. She’d already done the sensible thing of putting a pair of hospital scrubs over the Traveling Pants, which she still wore from the night before. She prayed they would bring Christina some of their magic by association, but she wasn’t crazy enough to leave unwashable Pants uncovered in such a circumstance.
Christina was fighting. And all in a rush, she reminded Tibby powerfully of her daughter. Like Carmen, Christina was a fighter, all right, and also like her daughter, she was fighting to total destruction.
Tibby got on the bed. She held Christina by her shoulders. Inside herself, Tibby made Christina a promise. If you leap, I will. We’ll do it together.
Tibby could be a fighter too. At least, she could try. She propped Christina up on her pillows. She held Christina’s face between her hands.
“Tina. I know it’s hard. You don’t want to let go. I know how it feels. I mean, not having a baby. Obviously I haven’t had a baby, but—” Okay, she was getting off track.
To her amazement, she saw a look of mirth flit through Christina’s eyes. Here and then gone. If Christina could even consider laughing at Tibby, then maybe they were in business.
“David and Carmen are coming. And they want to see this baby so bad. And the baby wants to come out, so you gotta do it.” Tibby figured she would just talk. Christina was listening to her now. Her body was shaking from head to toe, but she was listening.
Lauren and Minerva had their latex gloves on. They were positioning themselves at the foot of the bed for the main attraction. Christina allowed them to pull her onto her back. Her knees were bent. She was in position.
Christina let out a whimper. She was bearing down, crumpling up her face.
“Let go! You can do it! I know you can. You’re Carmen’s mom, right? You can do anything! Right?”
“Tell her to push,” Lauren muttered. “She needs to push or we’re all in trouble here.”
“Tina, push!” Tibby said it so loud she felt her eyeballs rattling. “You can do it! Get that baby out of there, would you?” Tibby didn’t even care what she was saying, because Christina was listening.
Christina was clinging to Tibby now, holding her tight around her neck, looking for strength. It made Tibby feel strong. “You know how much we love you! You know how happy David is going to be to see this baby! Just picture Carmen’s face!”
Tibby was just as hysterical as Christina, but Christina was pushing now, and both Lauren and Minerva looked nearly delirious with relief.
“Tibby, I’m pushing!” Christina whimpered.
“You are! You are unbelievable! You are a star! You are the hero! You are the bomb!” Tibby was shouting; she was beyond herself. Somewhere back there was self-consciousness, and here, right up here, was she.
“Tibby!” Christina cried. She was getting some control now.
Tibby kept right on yelling and screaming, the dumbest, silliest things. She wasn’t even listening to herself anymore.
Contractions came, and with each came a push. Minerva and Lauren were shouting their encouragement