Valentine Babies (Holiday Babies Series) (10 page)

Her heart pinched and Elias’ words echoed in her mind.

A child needs to have a father at his birth. A man who
will give him his surname and protect him.

“Leila,” Roxanne said, when the young woman returned with a
tray laden with two cups of Arabic coffee and cookies. “What will become of
Michael? Who will raise him?”

“Michael is mine.” Leila caressed the chubby boy’s hair. “I
promised Tarek that I will raise his son. Whoever wants to marry me will have
to love us both, Michael and me.”

“Did you tell Steve that?” She sat the toddler on the floor
in front of his train and sipped the local coffee she’d grown accustomed to.

“He hasn’t proposed yet. Too early. We met only four days
ago.”

“I know.” Roxanne chuckled. “But seeing the way you two
carried on.”

“He promised my parents he’ll protect me and Michael until
we leave. After that who knows... Life can change so quickly.” Her lips
tightened. Sadness shadowed her big brown eyes. “I have learned to live hour by
hour and appreciate what God gives me.” She raised a fatalistic hand. “
Rabbena
kebeer
, the Lord is great and has his way. His will be done,” she repeated
her mother’s favorite invocation.

“But,” she added with a bright smile, “Steve loves to play
with Michael. He carries him over his shoulders and runs around the apartment.
Michael adores him.”

Roxanne averted her eyes. Emotion overwhelmed her. Her pulse
raced and her heart drummed against her ribs.

Would Greg be able to love her baby as if he was his own?

Pain squeezed her inside like an iron band. The cup slipped
from her shaking fingers. Brown residue sloshed on the wooden floor as the cup
shattered.

“Roxanne, what’s going on?” Leila snapped.

Roxanne’s eyes widened in fear. Was this emotion or real
trouble in her belly?

Chapter Eight

“My baby,” Roxanne mumbled, her hands cradling her belly.
“Contractions.”

Remembering Greg’s instructions, she lay on the sofa and
remained perfectly immobile.

“You feel contractions? Oh my God. Should I call Dr. Homsy,
our neighbor? He’s a general practitioner, but he’s delivered many babies.”

Trying to control her breathing, Roxanne uttered, “No, call
Greg. My phone, pocket. Push 2.” She closed her eyes, hoping Greg would be out
of Delivery.

Leila withdrew the phone and called Greg. “Dr. Greg, it’s
Leila from Baghdad. Roxy has contractions and pain. Should I call our doctor?
Or take her to the nearest clinic? Okay, here she is.” Leila held the phone
against Roxanne’s ear.

“Listen to me, sweetheart.” His voice was firm but his
breathing loud. “Is the pain you’re feeling like strong, successive twitches of
pain that come every few minutes? Or is it more like the intermittent cramps
you had during menstruation?”

“Yes, painful cramps.”

“I want Leila to check your panties. See if you’re bleeding.
You should not move at all. Let her do it. Just lie down and relax.
Understand?”

She exhaled. “Yes.”

Leila resumed talking to Greg and followed his instructions.
She lowered Roxanne’s pants and examined her undies while Roxanne held her
breath.

“No blood. Not a drop.”

“Good.” Greg’s voice boomed across the line. “Now...”

“Yes,” Leila said. “I’ll do everything you say... Steve’s
number? Here it is.” In spite of her troubles, Roxanne smiled. Leila knew the
number by heart. She didn’t need to ask Roxanne.

“They left almost an hour ago. They should be at the airport
now. Thank you, Dr. Greg.”

Leila set the phone on the cocktail table and brought
pillows from her bedroom. “I will follow Dr. Greg’s instructions to make you as
comfortable as possible,” she said as she slid two pillows under Roxanne’s head
and one under her knees. “Now, keep your arms along your body. I will massage
them. Dr. Greg said your baby is fine. The important thing is for you not to
move and just relax. In two days we will be on the plane, flying to your
country. I know we will be happy there. I already visited New York years ago,
and...” Leila’s voice was monotonous and soothing and Roxanne drifted off.

****

“Dr. Hayes speaking.” Greg paced his office and waited for
Roxanne’s colleague to answer.

 “You must have dialed a wrong number, Doc. I’m here in
Iraq—”  

“Are you Steve Cooper who works with Roxanne Ramsay?”

“Yes, but—”

“I’m Greg Hayes calling from Florida.”

“Oh,
the
Greg.” A chuckle followed.

“Listen, man. I don’t have time to explain. Roxanne is sick
and she needs help. Right away.”

“Is that a bad joke? I just left her an hour ago and—”

“She’s having cramps and may lose her baby. Her friend Leila
called me. Here’s what I want you to do.” Greg barked his orders without
waiting for answer or comment. “Contact your boss, Lou. Tell him to expect my
call. I need to send some medicine to Roxanne
tonight
. Visit the nearest
drugstore to the Diabs’ place and see if they carry
Propanolol
, or magnesium
sulfate or even
Terbutaline
, although it’s a thing of the past.”

“Slow down. I’m writing these names.”

“Do you have an obstetrician at the base?”

“Are you kidding? They don’t send pregnant officers or
soldiers to Baghdad, period.”

“How about a portable ultrasound at the military hospital?”

“I’ve no idea, but I can ask.”

“Good. Can you leave the Diabs at the airport and go back to
Roxanne right away?”

“No problem. We’ve already recommended them to a hostess who
will take care of them. We’re on our way back. I’ll make a few phone calls from
the car.”

“Contact me as soon as you’re done.”

“Are you in the military? You sure know how to give orders.”

“No time for that.” Greg cut the connection and called Lou himself.
“This is Greg Hayes, Roxanne’s boyfriend,” he announced in one breath to avoid
futile questions.

“Hi Greg. You have a good story for me?”

“I have a bad one. Roxanne is having contractions and may
lose her baby. And she’s stuck in Baghdad without help.”

“Hell no!” The boss sounded stricken. “How can I help?”

“Do you have anyone leaving for Iraq in the next few hours?
Anyone who could take medicine and instructions?”

“No, but if you want to go, I can arrange for you to leave
tonight.”

“Me? Tonight?” Goosebumps popped on Greg’s arms. Fly...to
Iraq of all places. Not for anyone else, but for Roxy he’d do it.

“I know a pilot in Fort Lauderdale who can fly you here. And
then I’ll arrange a flight to Baghdad. Okay?”

“Huh... Yes. Yes, I’ll go.” Greg swallowed but the big lump
in his throat wouldn’t shift. “I mean I’ll come.”

“Calm down, man. We’ll pull her out of there. I’ll call you
in an hour. Be ready.”

Greg sat his phone on his desk and stared at it.
Be ready
to fly
? How? He couldn’t remember what he needed to take. Medicines for
Roxanne. And for himself, to cope with the flight.

He flattened his shaky hands on his desk. “Calm down.
Breathe. Calm. Damn, I can’t go on a plane.” Cold sweat moistened his forehead.
“Damn. I have to do it because...because I love her. Yes, I love her. In spite
of the baby. Another man’s child.”

Greg opened a drawer and pulled out a picture. Roxanne on
his arm at the wedding. Lovely and slim in her bridesmaid outfit. She was
already pregnant when he met her and was attracted to her.

Greg stared at the photo. The baby was a part of her.

Poor little thing struggling to remain alive in its mother’s
womb. It had no father now. No one to shield it from danger... Except Greg.

A fierce desire to protect Roxanne and the baby invaded
Greg. “She needs me. They both need me. I have to save her baby. I will go to
her. Damn it, I can do it.”

He sat in his chair, heaved a deep breath, and wrote on a
pad,
medicines for Roxanne; anti-anxiety for me
. This was not going
well. Too slow. He picked up his phone and punched a number. “Nick, I need you
here.” Another number. “Madelyn, please come to my office.” One more number.
“Sandra, meeting in my office.”

He reached for a bottle of water and guzzled. He felt
better, in control. At least for the moment.

His door burst open. “What’s going on, Greg?” Nick snapped.

“You look sick,” Madelyn added, following her husband.

“Can I get you something?” Sandra Morelli, their head nurse
asked.

“Just listen to me and don’t interrupt. We need your help.
Roxanne’s having contractions.” He looked at Madelyn. “Yes, she’s still in
Baghdad. I’m leaving in an hour for Atlanta or wherever her boss will fly me.
The man is omnipotent.”

“You will fly?” Nick said slowly. “I can go if you prefer.”

“No. I will do it, but I’m a bit nervous now and afraid to
forget something. Can you help me prepare all the medicines I may need to
prevent a miscarriage?” He rubbed his jaw. “And others, in case it happens.
Also something to take care of my phobia. Can I have all the instructions typed
legibly, in case I need a local medic to help?”

 “We’ll have it all ready and packed for you.” Nick
clapped him on the back. “Now you know why we can’t operate on relatives.”

“Thanks. Let me call her.”

Leila answered his call in a hushed voice. “She’s sleeping.
No cramps for the last three hours.”

“You’re doing well, Leila. If she wakes up, continue to talk
to her and massage her. I’m coming, but don’t tell her. We don’t want to
overexcite her.” Greg kept twirling a pencil between his fingers.

“I’m so glad you’re coming.” Leila sounded relieved. “Steve,
Brian and Joe are here. Steve wants to talk to you.”

“Dr. Greg, we called several local pharmacies. They don’t
have the drugs you want. Only one hospital has the magnesium sulfate, but they
keep their stock for their local patients. We talked to the medics at the
military base. They have a portable ultrasound. Should I tell them to come?”

“Not yet. Steve, write down the phone number of my boss, Dr.
Nick Preston.” Greg read the number Nick wrote for him. “Nick is Roxanne’s
brother-in-law. Keep in contact with him. I’ll be leaving for Baghdad in an
hour.”

“Lou told me he’s using his special connections and putting
you on a military plane. You’ll be here before you know it.”

The pencil snapped between Greg’s fingers. Good God, a
military plane, for his first flight after twenty years of acute plane phobia.
His heart plummeted to his toes. “Gr...great.” His own voice sounded so husky
he didn’t recognize it. “Steve, stay with the ladies. Don’t let Roxanne move.
Keep her comfortable. Bye.”

Nick smiled with understanding. “Greg, are you sure you want
to go? We can deliver the boxes of medicines to that military plane. The docs
at the base will know how to administer them. I’m sure they poke enough wounded
soldiers with IV lines.”

Greg shook his head. “I want to be there for Roxanne.” A
mixture of emotions churned inside him. He wouldn’t try to sort them out now.

Madelyn came to him and hugged him. “Thank you, Greg, for
caring so much about my sister. You’re very dear to her too. Let’s hope she
doesn’t get real contractions.”

“She’s been okay for the past three hours. The problem is
that if the cramps come back, they may escalate in strength and rate. And
then...” Greg didn’t finish his sentence. As doctors, they knew that
contractions at such an early stage of the pregnancy meant miscarriage.

“We’ll pray you’ll be able to reach her and treat her before
it’s too late.” Madelyn crossed her hands together.

“We also need to take care of you, Greg. I’ll call Dr. Tom
Tader, a psychiatrist, and ask for a few pills for you,” Nick said.

“I need something light to numb my fear at the airport but
keep me alert. I think I’ll start with
Benadryl
. It’s for allergic
reactions, but it has some sedative action. Then maybe
Dramamine
, before
I board to keep the dizziness away, and later a sleeping pill.”

“Don’t play with drugs,” his boss admonished. “Dr. Tader
will have a kit ready for you.”

“Thank you. Don’t forget to tell him I need enough pills to
return home.”

Nick burst out laughing. “Good idea. We don’t want you stuck
in Baghdad because you can’t board a plane.”

Greg banged on his desk. “It’s not funny, man.”

“Sorry, couldn’t help it.”

Greg’s phone rang. “Lou Roland speaking. Dr. Hayes, get
ready to take a Lufthansa flight today at 4:20 pm from Miami. You’ll be in
Frankfurt tomorrow morning at 7:15 am. Hans Roppenberg will wait for you at the
gate and fly you in a copter to Ramstein Base. There you’ll board a military
C-21 aircraft heading to Baghdad. Steve Cooper and the two guards who were
escorting Roxanne will pick you up and drive you to wherever she is now. Got
it?”

“Yes.” The word hardly crossed his dry throat.

“Baghdad is eight hours ahead of us. Get going. You don’t
have time to waste.” The line cut.

“Damn, I have to leave from the Miami airport in two hours.”
Greg counted on his fingers. “A jet, a helicopter, and a military C-21. Oh
God.”

Nick clapped him on the back. “Go pack for your trip while I
gather what you need. I’ll pick you up and drive you to the airport. This is a
race against time.”

****

The room was almost dark. A weak light flickered from a
corner. Roxanne tried to remember. Was she having a bad dream?

 No, the nightmare was too real. Cramps assailed her.
One, two on the right side. She held her breath. They stopped, then resumed on
the left side, and in the middle.

Like several tweezers pinching her or even knives stabbing
her insides. Roxanne whimpered, tried to reach her stomach.

Leila caught her hand, rubbed it, and then massaged her
forehead. Her monotonous voice droned on and on about gardens, and flowers, and
islands and... Boring things Roxanne couldn’t care less about, but she didn’t
want to be rude and tell her to cut it out. Poor Leila, she’d never make it at
KNR. She’d put her audience to sleep.