"Can you hold that position, Cass?" Nick wiped his hair out of his eyes and looked at me.
"I'm good," I said.
"Are you ready to push, Ariel?"
"Don't let my baby fall!" she said.
"We won't. We've got you covered, sweetheart. We're going to help you. Rob, when should she push?"
"When she feels the next contraction coming on," Dad said, holding Ariel's hand.
"That's now," Ariel gasped.
"Then push," Nick said.
"I can't," she said. "I can't have a baby. Not here. Not by myself."
"You're not by yourself," I said, pulling her hair away from her face. "You were by yourself, but then I came. And Dad and Principal Conner. We're not going to leave your side. There are four of us, and soon there'll be five. Please try to push."
"I can't."
"Okay, how about just try to breathe slowly, then? Guys, she's holding her breath, I can feel it. Isn't there some kind of breathing thing?"
"I think I heard that the recommendations are just for deep, slow breaths," Nick said.
My father nodded. "In through the nose and out through the mouth."
"Let's do that together, okay Ariel? Breathe in for one, two, three, four," I said. "Now out for one, two, three, four." We did that a few more times, and then she cried out again.
"I feel another one."
"Push," Nick ordered, and suddenly he was using his authoritarian voice. "Young lady, you need to push right now."
She cried out and grabbed my father's arm in what looked like a death grip. "That's good, Ariel," he said, wincing slightly.
Meanwhile, Nick stationed himself between her spread legs, a flashlight in one hand. My father aimed his light there, too.
"Oh god, I think it's coming," Nick said, his voice full of wonder. "Push, Ariel."
"Push hard," my father added.
"You can do this," I said in her ear. "And when you're done, we're going to get you clean and safe, and you'll see your mom. Please don't worry. She's going to be so happy that you're safe."
Nick whipped off his shirt and hastily balanced it on his thigh. "I think the head's coming. Keep pushing."
With a huge roar, Ariel bore down. I could feel her muscles straining.
And then Nick swore with amazement. "There's the head. You're doing it, Ariel!"
"Keep going," Dad coaxed. "You just have to push a little more for the shoulders. Then it gets easier."
She cried out again, and Nick positioned his shirt under her. A round shape emerged in the dark, and with the next push, the baby slid out. Nick caught the child in his outstretched arms and wrapped his shirt around the tiny form. No one spoke; the only sound was Ariel's rapid breathing.
I wanted to tell her how well she'd done, but I couldn't speak. The moment was so overwhelming. So miraculous. And I hoped with all my heart that one day, I'd be the one ushering a tiny new life into the world as Ariel had.
My father found his voice first. "Good job, Ariel, you did great." She slumped against him, rolling partway off me.
"Is it okay?" she said weakly.
But it was the baby that answered, letting out a strong cry.
"I think she is," Nick said, cradling the infant, wiping at her face with the edge of his shirt.
"She?" I asked, tears dripping off my cheeks.
"She," he confirmed, and even in the dim light, his hazel eyes seemed to beam straight into me, filling me with affection. Filling me with love. For him. For my dad. For this remarkably brave girl who'd just accomplished the most amazing feat of her life. And for that baby girl in Nick's arms. A tear traced down his face, too, and I know he was hoping the same thing I was. For that baby to have a long, happy, and healthy life.
Chapter Thirteen
"DINNER'S IN FIVE minutes, honey," Mom called up the stairs. "Please wear something nicer than your jean shorts."
I rolled my eyes but moved toward my closet anyway. Now that I knew what childbirth looked like up close and personal, now that I knew how much pain Ariel had gone through, I figured I owed my mom big time for going through that with me.
Digging into my closet, I found a pale pink dress that I hadn't worn in ages. I missed Nick like crazy, but I supposed I could try to act less morose for my mom's sake. Things still were still very tense between me and my dad, but at least the storm was over. The power was back on and the streets were clear.
And we'd heard that Ariel was back home with her mom and stepdad. As I'd predicted, they were thrilled she was safe. Last I'd heard, she wasn't sure if she was going to keep the baby or give it up for adoption, but whatever she chose, I knew she'd be okay if she had her family's support. I only wished that I did.
I padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, but no one was there. There was a light on in the dining room. Dad was there, but not mom, and the table had two place settings. That was strange.
"I wanted to talk to you, Cassie," Dad began, speaking stiffly. He gestured toward a chair, and nervously, I sat. He sat down across from me. "I … I've been thinking a lot since the storm. About what's really important. And that girl and her baby are important. And her mother and stepdad. Family. That's what's important."
He leaned forward, his forearms resting on his thigh as he looked at me. "You said it. You told her. That parents accept their children no matter what. And-and I didn't do that. Not when I found out about you and that-and Nick."
I let out a shaky breath that I hadn't been aware I'd been holding. My father, admitting he was wrong? Calling Nick by his first name? That was a far cry from "piece of shit" he'd called him before.
"He's too old for you, you know," Dad said. He didn't pause even as I opened my mouth to protest. "That's the way I feel, and I'll always feel that way. But what matters is how you feel. About him. And how he feels about you. I saw the way you two worked together that night. As a team. As competent people working together to solve a problem. As adults. Two adults, not one adult and one child."
"I love him, Dad."
"I know. And I don't know if I'll ever like him, but I was wrong about him. He may not be a teacher, but he's doing right by the school. By the students. I talked to his administrative assistant yesterday. She confirmed that he's taken several classes since he started, all things that he thinks will help him. First Aid. CPR. Fire Safety. He's trying to be a good principal. Hell, everyone else thinks he's already a good principal. Maybe they've been right all this time. But the question is, is he right for you? And that's something only you can answer."
"I have answered it, Dad. I'm sure."
He grunted, noncommittally. But he didn't disagree.
"Does this mean that you won't resign?"
"No, I'm not going to quit. I told him that today."
"You did?" Hope swelled inside me, ballooning up until I thought it would burst.
"He did," Mom said, appearing in the doorway, smiling at me.
I had to go see him. I had to talk to him. I had to know if he still wanted to be with me. But Mom had specifically asked me to have dinner with them tonight. I'd waited this long-I could wait another hour, right? Maybe?
"Can I text him really quickly before dinner?" I said. "And we need another place setting."
"No, we don't," Mom said, still grinning.
"Why not?"
"Because you're not eating with us. There's someone waiting to take you to dinner right outside."
In a flash, I was on my feet, sliding my feet into sandals and grabbing my purse. I gave Dad a kiss on the cheek and hugged my mom before flying out the door.
And there he was. Waiting for me. Leaning against his car and looking as handsome as the devil himself.
He moved forward and scooped me into his arms as I all but crashed into him, running at full force.
"Slow down," he murmured into my hair as he spun me around and set me back on my feet. "We've got time. We've got all the time in the world-if you want us to."
"I do," I said.
"Me too," he said, and our lips met. It felt like the world was still spinning as his mouth pressed against mine, his body connected with mine, and our hands entwined. I never wanted it to end.
* * *
We went back to Nick's place. "If your parents ask, tell them I took you to dinner," he'd said with a wink.
Now he was hovering over me, supporting his weight on his arms. I reached up and stroked the side of his face, feeling the short, bristly white hairs near his temples as well as the longer dark brown hair on the rest of his head.
"There's something I probably should have asked you before I got you naked in my bed," Nick said, and I laughed.
"Ask me now."
"Okay," he said, and he did a partial pushup, lowering himself to kiss my lips. Then he pushed back up and smiled down at me. "Are you sure about … us?"