eyes, alight with laughter, belied his serious expression.
He was laughing at her again. Margaret's temper blazed. "Why you male chauvinistic..."
"Paging Ms. Browning. Paging Margaret Browning. Please return to Maternity."
The well-modulated voice cut through the red fog of her anger. Margaret reached the door before she realized he was at her elbow.
"You don't have to come," she flung at him. "Finish your meal."
"I can eat later," he said, matching her pace. "I told you, I've had training in Lamaze. I can help."
"Gina's water broke, and she's getting nervous," said the nurse, meeting them at the door of the room. "We have two women about to deliver at any time, and the nursing shortage means I can't spare anyone to stay with her all the time. That's why I paged you...."
"Thanks," said Margaret.
"Nurse, I went to Lamaze classes with my sister last year. If I could..." The voices faded as Margaret entered the room and shut the door behind her.
Joe stood up, his face awash with relief, "Margaret's here."
Another scared soul? Margaret wondered.
Gina turned frightened eyes to her. "My water broke, but the nurse says it's still going to be about two hours from now."
"You're lucky," said Margaret, picking up a damp washcloth and smoothing it over Gina's face and neck, with a hand that shook slightly. "An article I read recently stated most first time mothers are in labor for longer periods."
"I'll see you later, girls. Don't have too much fun. If it wasn't for the call of duty, I would love to stay." Joe retreated hurriedly.
Margaret fluffed up Gina's pillows and smiled, "You're doing fine."
"Gina, did I ever tell you about the time my sister, Susan, found out she was pregnant?" Matthew Magnum positioned himself on the other side of Gina's bed. He picked up the girl's hand, and Margaret had to admit touching came as naturally to the man as breathing. Admit too that some of the tension left her because he was there.
"No."
He smiled, and nothing could disguise the male vitality he oozed. The cleft in his chin should be cited a hazard. Margaret shook her head slightly to throw off the ridiculous impressions her mind registered.
"Pete, my brother-in-law, was stationed abroad when Susan found out she was pregnant. She called Pete up right away, and told him he had to come home at once. There was no way she could have this baby on her own. When Pete told her he couldn't because he was on active duty, Susan sat down and wrote a five page letter to his commanding officer, telling him what she thought of rules that kept couples apart at times like this. If he couldn't send Pete home on paternity leave, she concluded, she was coming there to have this baby."
Gina burst out laughing. Matthew Magnum smiled, and Margaret had to force her gaze away from the deep cleft in his chin again. "She finally got used to being pregnant," he said solemnly, "but it took her the complete nine months. Luckily for Susan, Patricia my other sister, and myself, Pete arrived a month before the baby was born."
"Ooh!" Gina doubled over, and before Margaret could move, Matthew had an arm around her shoulders. "Easy now. Little breaths. One, two, three, four. That's it. Now again. One, two, three, four. You're doing great."
His gaze was fixed on her, and Margaret had the strangest sensation the last words were meant for her as well.
Feeling as limp as the washcloth in her hand she wiped the sweat from Gina's face. The last contraction had been a big one. How much more of this was there?
A bustle at the door proved to be the arrival of the nurse. "I need to be alone with Gina for a few minutes," she said.
"We'll be right outside."
Margaret stalked to the door ahead of Matthew. When she heard it close, she turned on him. "Jack would have been here if he wasn't a trucker."
"Hey!" Two hands came down to cup her shoulders. "I know this is rough and
He was laughing at her again. Margaret's temper blazed. "Why you male chauvinistic..."
"Paging Ms. Browning. Paging Margaret Browning. Please return to Maternity."
The well-modulated voice cut through the red fog of her anger. Margaret reached the door before she realized he was at her elbow.
"You don't have to come," she flung at him. "Finish your meal."
"I can eat later," he said, matching her pace. "I told you, I've had training in Lamaze. I can help."
"Gina's water broke, and she's getting nervous," said the nurse, meeting them at the door of the room. "We have two women about to deliver at any time, and the nursing shortage means I can't spare anyone to stay with her all the time. That's why I paged you...."
"Thanks," said Margaret.
"Nurse, I went to Lamaze classes with my sister last year. If I could..." The voices faded as Margaret entered the room and shut the door behind her.
Joe stood up, his face awash with relief, "Margaret's here."
Another scared soul? Margaret wondered.
Gina turned frightened eyes to her. "My water broke, but the nurse says it's still going to be about two hours from now."
"You're lucky," said Margaret, picking up a damp washcloth and smoothing it over Gina's face and neck, with a hand that shook slightly. "An article I read recently stated most first time mothers are in labor for longer periods."
"I'll see you later, girls. Don't have too much fun. If it wasn't for the call of duty, I would love to stay." Joe retreated hurriedly.
Margaret fluffed up Gina's pillows and smiled, "You're doing fine."
"Gina, did I ever tell you about the time my sister, Susan, found out she was pregnant?" Matthew Magnum positioned himself on the other side of Gina's bed. He picked up the girl's hand, and Margaret had to admit touching came as naturally to the man as breathing. Admit too that some of the tension left her because he was there.
"No."
He smiled, and nothing could disguise the male vitality he oozed. The cleft in his chin should be cited a hazard. Margaret shook her head slightly to throw off the ridiculous impressions her mind registered.
"Pete, my brother-in-law, was stationed abroad when Susan found out she was pregnant. She called Pete up right away, and told him he had to come home at once. There was no way she could have this baby on her own. When Pete told her he couldn't because he was on active duty, Susan sat down and wrote a five page letter to his commanding officer, telling him what she thought of rules that kept couples apart at times like this. If he couldn't send Pete home on paternity leave, she concluded, she was coming there to have this baby."
Gina burst out laughing. Matthew Magnum smiled, and Margaret had to force her gaze away from the deep cleft in his chin again. "She finally got used to being pregnant," he said solemnly, "but it took her the complete nine months. Luckily for Susan, Patricia my other sister, and myself, Pete arrived a month before the baby was born."
"Ooh!" Gina doubled over, and before Margaret could move, Matthew had an arm around her shoulders. "Easy now. Little breaths. One, two, three, four. That's it. Now again. One, two, three, four. You're doing great."
His gaze was fixed on her, and Margaret had the strangest sensation the last words were meant for her as well.
Feeling as limp as the washcloth in her hand she wiped the sweat from Gina's face. The last contraction had been a big one. How much more of this was there?
A bustle at the door proved to be the arrival of the nurse. "I need to be alone with Gina for a few minutes," she said.
"We'll be right outside."
Margaret stalked to the door ahead of Matthew. When she heard it close, she turned on him. "Jack would have been here if he wasn't a trucker."
"Hey!" Two hands came down to cup her shoulders. "I know this is rough and
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