right back.”
The doc stood in front of Eric with his back to Abby when he said, “By the time Todd and I got here, we heard her screaming, pleading, and crying. She was having a hell of a nightmare. This is something I’ve seen from soldiers with PTSD, and I’m talking pretty bad cases. When I woke her, her blood pressure was through the roof. She was trembling, and her eyes were wild with fear, something I can honestly say I’ve never seen before. She was so scared that I’m pretty sure it took her a minute to remember where she was. She was soaking wet, she was perspiring so much. This is the kind of stress that put her in early labor. I don’t know if we can get the contractions to stop.”
Eric ran his hands over his face. “When will you know?”
Shaking his head, the doctor let out a deep breath. “We’re going to have to play that by ear. Her water hasn’t broken, so that’s a good sign. We need to get her blood pressure down, keep her feet elevated, keep her calm, and I want to get some fluids into her. I will hook her up to an IV.”
Eric glanced over his shoulder at Abby, meeting her eyes as the lieutenant moved aside to document the vitals in the chart at the counter beside the bed.
“I’ll be staying here to keep an eye on her, so I’ll be sure to let you know of any change or if she progresses further.”
“Actually, doc, if you don’t mind, I’ll stay,” Eric said.
“All right. It could be a long night.”
“I’m up, so what can I do?” the captain asked.
“Help her relax from whatever that nightmare was that scared her so much. Help get her mind off it. I need to examine her again, see if she’s dilated any further.”
Eric nodded and followed the doc back over to Abby.
“Her blood pressure is down. Her last contraction was eight minutes ago,” said the lieutenant when they approached.
Abby was propped up with several pillows on her side, drinking some apple juice. She finished and held up the empty cup, handing it back to the lieutenant.
Eric noticed how Abby’s hand immediately flew to her belly when a contraction started. But this time she didn’t fight it. She reached for Eric’s hand as he helped her ride it out.
“Just relax. Almost over, Abby.”
“It wasn’t as bad this time,” she said wearily.
“I need to examine you again and see if your cervix has dilated any more. Try and make yourself as comfortable as possible.” The doctor pulled back the blanket again.
“Okay,” she mumbled.
“Over on your back, Abby.” The doctor pulled out the pillows and helped her lie flat. This time, she blushed deep crimson as he lifted her gown and once again propped up her knees. She turned her head to the side, and Eric could almost feel her acute embarrassment, so he touched her face, the side of her head, with his long work-roughened hands.
“Okay, so far so good. You haven’t dilated any further. As long as your contractions continue fading, I’m hopeful this little guy won’t be making an appearance tonight.” He pulled her gown back down and covered her once again with the blanket, ripping off the latex gloves and disposing of them. “Check her vitals again in thirty minutes,” he said to the lieutenant.
“Yes, sir,” Todd responded.
Chapter T welve
The bright yellow and orange of the sun was just skimming the horizon when Eric finally returned to his cabin. He was tired, probably because he’d tossed and turned for hours before finally drifting off right before Petey pounded on the door, waking him. He had stayed with Abby and talked to her, telling her stories of when he had enlisted and first met Joe, what it was like during his first deployment on an aircraft carrier as a lowly sailor. That was when he had fallen in love with the sea, visiting port after port and miles of open water. Abby had watched him with joy reflecting in her eyes.
She had listened to him with her whole heart. As she relaxed, she had held his hand for hours as her
The doc stood in front of Eric with his back to Abby when he said, “By the time Todd and I got here, we heard her screaming, pleading, and crying. She was having a hell of a nightmare. This is something I’ve seen from soldiers with PTSD, and I’m talking pretty bad cases. When I woke her, her blood pressure was through the roof. She was trembling, and her eyes were wild with fear, something I can honestly say I’ve never seen before. She was so scared that I’m pretty sure it took her a minute to remember where she was. She was soaking wet, she was perspiring so much. This is the kind of stress that put her in early labor. I don’t know if we can get the contractions to stop.”
Eric ran his hands over his face. “When will you know?”
Shaking his head, the doctor let out a deep breath. “We’re going to have to play that by ear. Her water hasn’t broken, so that’s a good sign. We need to get her blood pressure down, keep her feet elevated, keep her calm, and I want to get some fluids into her. I will hook her up to an IV.”
Eric glanced over his shoulder at Abby, meeting her eyes as the lieutenant moved aside to document the vitals in the chart at the counter beside the bed.
“I’ll be staying here to keep an eye on her, so I’ll be sure to let you know of any change or if she progresses further.”
“Actually, doc, if you don’t mind, I’ll stay,” Eric said.
“All right. It could be a long night.”
“I’m up, so what can I do?” the captain asked.
“Help her relax from whatever that nightmare was that scared her so much. Help get her mind off it. I need to examine her again, see if she’s dilated any further.”
Eric nodded and followed the doc back over to Abby.
“Her blood pressure is down. Her last contraction was eight minutes ago,” said the lieutenant when they approached.
Abby was propped up with several pillows on her side, drinking some apple juice. She finished and held up the empty cup, handing it back to the lieutenant.
Eric noticed how Abby’s hand immediately flew to her belly when a contraction started. But this time she didn’t fight it. She reached for Eric’s hand as he helped her ride it out.
“Just relax. Almost over, Abby.”
“It wasn’t as bad this time,” she said wearily.
“I need to examine you again and see if your cervix has dilated any more. Try and make yourself as comfortable as possible.” The doctor pulled back the blanket again.
“Okay,” she mumbled.
“Over on your back, Abby.” The doctor pulled out the pillows and helped her lie flat. This time, she blushed deep crimson as he lifted her gown and once again propped up her knees. She turned her head to the side, and Eric could almost feel her acute embarrassment, so he touched her face, the side of her head, with his long work-roughened hands.
“Okay, so far so good. You haven’t dilated any further. As long as your contractions continue fading, I’m hopeful this little guy won’t be making an appearance tonight.” He pulled her gown back down and covered her once again with the blanket, ripping off the latex gloves and disposing of them. “Check her vitals again in thirty minutes,” he said to the lieutenant.
“Yes, sir,” Todd responded.
Chapter T welve
The bright yellow and orange of the sun was just skimming the horizon when Eric finally returned to his cabin. He was tired, probably because he’d tossed and turned for hours before finally drifting off right before Petey pounded on the door, waking him. He had stayed with Abby and talked to her, telling her stories of when he had enlisted and first met Joe, what it was like during his first deployment on an aircraft carrier as a lowly sailor. That was when he had fallen in love with the sea, visiting port after port and miles of open water. Abby had watched him with joy reflecting in her eyes.
She had listened to him with her whole heart. As she relaxed, she had held his hand for hours as her
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