Page 57 (1/2)

I pull the tent flap aside, and my eyes fly open "Holy cow!"

Thenoton her side with a baby’s head halfway out The girl’s not even trying to push, just lying there crying The trouble is that the tissue all around the infant’s head is beet red and distended, as if the head’s been crowning for a long time

"Her name’s Docey," the ho’s this been going on?" That’ssos with the tips of her fingers and throws the has the head been down here?" I ask again

Docey opens her eyes, a startling blue-green, the color of the river in winter when the ice first opens She shakes her head as if ti and she’s too tired to talk but not too tired to cry

"Eeeeeee O!" she whi no effort to bear down "It burns so bad, I think I’ to split open"

"It’s her first," Becky fills ot some of her e Hudson that called e today has heard a woo check For soht ofIf I don’t do soht to the rectuht be ruined for life

"It’s gonna be okay, Docey You can do thisWe’re going to need warm compresses"

Outside, I throw orders around like Napoleon "Where’s the hot water? Did it boil yet? Get more wood I need a clean bowl, some sterilized twine, and a sterilized knife Who has one?"

The black man holds out his pocketknife and wipes it with the tail of his plaid flannel shirt "Good enough, get it in some hot waterNow, do you have any lard?" All activity stops, and the men jerk up from their appointed tasks

"Lard?"

"Yeah, I said lard Do you have any? Bacon grease? Anything?"

The crying starts up in the shelter again The older guy, Will, rustles around in a canvas knapsack and co

"Patience!" That’s Becky "Patience!" When I reenter the tent, the home health nurse is so anxious you’d think maybe she’s never seen a birth before "Don’t leaveschool?

"Make a low table for the water, the lard, and the sterilized knife just outside the tent!" I yell to the men

Docey yells louder "OW! OW! OW!" She still lies on her side, and the head hasn’tfor a heartbeat, but how do I know if the baby is even alive? Better concentrate on just getting it out I indicate that Becky should hold the girl’s upper leg, and she does so with shaking hands

"Docey," I try, "you have to stop screa the baby" I reirl doesn’t shut up, but she turns down the volu to ease it out You have to push when I tell you Even if it hurts, you have to push, but just a little at a tiet ready, it will all be over in a few minutes"

It occurs to me that my optimism may bethe baby back? What if the infant’s shoulders are wedged up behind the pubic bone?