Part 10 (1/2)
”Not to drink. To scrub.”
”No, thank you.” Chaz tossed the bottle to Justin.
Justin lifted his hand and caught the bottle with a thwack against his palm. ”What are you trying to say, Bernie?”
”Just that you might want to have sterile hands. In case you have to deliver the baby.”
Selma was driving Elsa and Guadalupe back to her place when she spotted a young man walking down one of the back roads that was reasonably debris free. Slowing the Olds to a crawl, she peered at his face as he squinted over his shoulder and into her headlights. She rolled her window down and poked her head out. ”Bob Ray? Bob Ray Lathrop? It that you, honey?”
”Ms. Tully?” He held a hand up over his eyes to s.h.i.+eld them from the glare until he came around to her side of the car.
”Sure is, sweetheart. Do you need a ride home?”
Bob Ray sighed up at the sky. ”Ms. Tully, I'm not sure I even have a home anymore.”
”Get in and we'll go see. If you don't have a place to stay, I'll take you and your family home with me.”
Weary to the bone, Bob Ray didn't argue. He came around the other side of the car and got into the front seat. ”Hi.” He turned around and gave a little wave to Guadalupe and Elsa who were snuggled together in the back seat.
”Hi, Bob Ray,” Guadalupe said.
”How are you doing, sweetheart?” Selma asked. ”And where is that wife and baby of yours?”
He choked back a spate of tears. ”I-I don't have any idea. I was at work. I think they were at home when the tornado hit.”
”Oh, honey.” Selma reached out and gave his thigh a thumping with her free hand. ”That's gotta be scary.”
For the first time in his life, Bob Ray Lathrop felt the need to get real. His father and Ms. Tully's son, Paul, had been close friends, and Bob Ray had grown up knowing he was special to Selma. ”I'm terrified. I have just been to h.e.l.l and back and am not sure what is-or is not-waiting at home. And, because of that, I have probably never been better.”
Selma's brows disappeared under her short bangs. ”Now that is not what I expected to hear tonight, of all nights.”
”Not how I expected to answer, ma'am. But tonight I think I finally learned a terrible but invaluable lesson at the School of Hard Knocks. I finally figured out exactly what is important to me. And I'm just praying that my wake-up call didn't come too late.”
”Sometimes, it takes everything turning upside down to show you what is right-side up. I have had similar epiphanies in my day.”
”I know, ma'am. I remember.”
13.
Atta girl. That's right,” Bernie said, as he coached Jen from over Justin and Abigail's shoulders. ”One more and you're done. Justin, get ready.”
Try as she might to wait for the professionals, after midnight, Jen finally had to give in to her urges to push. And scream. They'd all scrambled to a.s.semble a bed of sorts from the PetSmart pile and Chaz had run back to the cleaners for another load of battered, but still usable, dry cleaning. Abigail was holding the flashlight, and Justin was supporting her baby's head.
Jen tensed, her entire body bunching. Then, with one amazing shriek, she pushed her son into Justin's hands.
”I got him! I got him!” Justin was laughing and his smile was huge. ”He's a slippery cuss. What should I do now, Bernie?” Arms waving in the sudden lack of confinement, the baby was squirming and bleating like a lamb.
”Put him up on mama's tummy and let's get his nose and mouth cleared out and get him covered up. Chaz? Get that blouse you got from the cleaners?” Bernie pointed to the plastic-wrapped garments Chaz had brought over earlier. ”That cotton blouse oughta do the trick. Zuzu? Wipe him down real good with that. Do his nose, like I showed you. Chaz, let's get something we can wrap him in when she's done. Abigail, hold the light up a little higher, that's right. Good.”
”Oh my goodness!” Abigail stared at the baby, suddenly overcome with emotion. ”Oh, Jen!” she breathed. ”He's so . . . beautiful!” She laughed and cried and tried not to drop the flashlight as she moved the beam to the baby's face. Abigail glanced around and could see that everyone was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with happy relief, just as she was. Mother and baby were alive! It was a miracle. ”Do we need to cut the cord?” Abigail asked Bernie.
”No hurry on that. Let him get used to breathing on his own first.”
”How is he?” Jen asked, peering down at the top of her baby's head. She was exhausted, but smiling.
Bernie leaned forward. ”Looks like he's pinking up real nice. Good job, team. You're all quick studies.” He slapped his thighs with the palms of his dirty hands. ”Looks like you got a healthy, strapping boy, far as I can tell. Hard to perform an Apgar out here, but I don't think you have anything to worry about with him being a preemie. He's gotta be a six- or seven-pounder, easy. Chaz, bunch up some of that laundry, will ya? Put it behind mama's head so she can get a look at her boy. Justin, grab that blanket and put it over mama and the baby now.”
As everyone quickly and efficiently did their job, long-awaited help finally emerged from the shadows. A policeman led two EMTs through the rubble and over to their group, his radio crackling with cross traffic. ”We got some reports of screams coming from this area and-” The officer stopped talking when he saw the baby and laughed. ”Well, if this isn't a pleasant surprise after everything else I've seen tonight. Come on, guys! Over here.”
All smiles, the EMTs got to work checking Jen and the baby and getting her ready to transport. Heavy equipment must have been clearing the area while they were all otherwise occupied, because Abigail was amazed to discover there was now a maneuverable path down the middle of Homestead Avenue for the ambulance.
When had that happened?
Behind the front loader tractor, a siren squawked and another EMT backed in as close as possible and parked. The back doors of the ambulance were thrown open and a gurney was pulled out and carried over to Jen.
”Besides mother and baby, it's just you four?” The police officer asked, indicating Justin, Abigail, Chaz, and Isuzu.
”Actually, it's-” Hands on his hips, Justin paused and glanced around for Bernie.
Puzzled, Abigail's gaze followed his gaze with her own. Funny. Bernie was here just a minute ago, but he seemed to have vanished. Squinting into the darkness, they both took several quick turns around the area where they'd delivered the baby, but Bernie-also known as Dr. Bernard Blumenfeld- was gone. Clearly, that's how he wanted it.
”Yes,” Justin said and cast a knowing glance at Abigail. ”Everyone else walked out earlier and as far as we know, the businesses were all closed and locked and there were no other people in the mall.”
”Good.” The officer radioed his findings in and then said, ”Right now, the Red Cross has set up an area in the hospital parking lot for people to go and sign a survivors' list to help everyone check on loved ones. They tried that out up in Dakota during a nasty flood, and it worked really well. Their voluntary sign-in list is really helpful and it's growing. If you'd like, I can give you all a ride to the hospital.”
”Yes, please,” Abigail said. Justin took her arm and they paused to talk to Jen for a moment before she was lifted into the ambulance. She reached out for Abigail's hand.
”Thank you, all,” Jen said. ”So much.”
”I don't think any of us will ever forget your baby's birthday, huh?” Abigail said with a smile.
”Where are you taking her?” Justin asked the paramedic.
”Rawston Legacy is southwest of the high school and- amazingly-it was just this side of the tornado's path. Even though she's not an emergency, they can take her in the maternity ward.” Turning to Jen, he asked, ”Ma'am, is there anyone you need to notify about the baby?”
”Yes! My husband. Please. If you can, have him meet me at the hospital. His name is Danny Strohacker and his cell phone isn't working.”
”We've been hearing a lot of that tonight. Cell phone reception is intermittent at best,” the policeman said. ”Could I get his name again?” The officer relayed a message to be on the lookout for Danny and to have him meet Jen and his son at the hospital.
”His son.” Jen lay back and smiled at the baby. ”He's gonna love that.”
After stopping a number of times to a.s.sist people in need and to help clear debris from the road, Selma, Bob Ray, Guadalupe and Elsa finally made it to Hollingsworth Boulevard, the four-lane thoroughfare that ran by Barnaby Estates. As they slowly wove down the street, they were all shocked at the horrendous wreckage over here in Bob Ray's neck of the woods. Upended and tossed on their tops and sides, single- and double-wide mobile homes were strewn about like the cars of a hobbyist's Lionel model train wreck.
”How am I even going to find my place?” Bob Ray stared in disbelief, his nose pressed up against the gla.s.s. Aside from the full moon, there was only a little diffused light coming from his neighbors' Coleman lanterns and auto headlights as they worked through their rubble.