Lily cried out and rolled over, grasping for her husband. Pain ripped through her entire body, freezing her in place. Waves of hot and cold washed over her all at once.
“Hmmmm?” Her husband managed to respond through a snore as he rolled away from her, taking most of the quilt with him.
“Grant!” she ground out through clenched teeth. “Help me.” She latched onto his arm and clenched the solid muscle underneath the flannel nightshirt with as much force as she experienced across her midsection.
He sat up and turned towards her.
“The baby?”
She nodded, panic radiating from her. He paled.
“It’s not time.”
Leave it to him to state the obvious. “Ride for Mrs. Hughes.”
He rose and started to dress. “I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
“Jack...” She gasped. Her breaths were shallow and rapid.
“He’s a dog. What good will he be to you?” They both glanced to the foot of the bed where the black and white mutt raised his head to consider his humans as his long tail slapped the quilt.
“He will be a comfort and protection. Please hurry, Grant. Fetch the midwife.”
Grant finished dressing, leaned over his wife of two years, and kissed her on the forehead. “Anything else I can do for you before I leave?”
“No. Just go.”
He started for the door.
“And pray, Grant. Oh, please pray!”
He nodded as he shoved his feet into his boots. A jacket and hat followed, and he slapped his leather gloves into his hands as he headed out the door into the moonlit night.
