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"Sure," Paige said "I’ll meet you across the street in a half hour How’s that?"

"It’s a date If anything changes, call et there in ten minutes"

They were in motion, the midwife and her partner While she headed for the nursery, Jack called his sister and put fresh linens on the bed so the babysitters could crawl in and sleep No reason for theht And while no one expected Jack to be up all night, it was his routine to be awake and available when Mel was delivering at Doc’s house About thirty oodbye and Mel went to Doc’s while Jack went into the bar, which was lit up like a church

Preacher was pacing "What took you so long?" he asked

Jack looked at his watch "We’re right on tie stood up from the table "Jack, I’d like you to pour John a shot"

"No, baby I want to be alert"

"John, you’re way beyond alert And I don’t think I can take another minute Do as I say!"

Jack went behind the bar "Myshe says, and you do it fast" He brought down a bottle "Just a little soe off"

"I don’t know," Preacher said

"Preach, you’re six-four and weigh at least two-fifty A shot isn’t going to do nearly enough good Mel should probably have you on Xanax" He tipped the bottle of Preacher’s preferred whiskey over a glass Reluctantly, Preacher picked up the drink and threw it back

"Okay," he said "Let’s go"

"Christopher all tucked in and asleep?" Jack asked

"He is He’ll be fine till about seven"

Jack walked around the bar He leaned down and kissed Paige on the head "Have a good delivery, honey," he said

She smiled up at him "I’ll doher tu slowly, then as the pain threshold heightened, she began to pant and her face took on that look She was starting to struggle Jack s As the contraction eased, her features relaxed and finally, taking a deep breath, she sood"

"You’re doing great," Jack said, putting out a hand to bring her to her feet

"Aw, e and swept her up in his arms to carry her to Doc’s

"Ah, Preach, don’t do that," Jack said "Theto have her walking It helps speed up the baby"

"Fine," he said "Mel will do what Mel will do, I will do what I will do" And out the door he went, carrying his wife to have their baby

Jack’s shoulders shook with laughter He hoped Mel didn’t knock Preacher over the head with a big club before e’s labor was not fast, but it was efficient and perfect in et to six centimeters, but then the action picked up Mel broke her water and by 5:00 aed the discorew paler and weaker with every contraction Before letting Paige begin to push, Mel brought a chair into the room "John," she said, "I want you to sit, and if you start to feel the least bit light-headed, put your head between your knees If you faint, there’s nothing I can do for you--I’ to faint," he insisted "I’ve been waiting forever for this"

"John, you don’t have to stay," Paige told hi," he insisted

For a le and have pain was obviously torture He was much more comfortable in the role of protector Mel knew ie finally delivered the baby’s head at 6:00 am, Preacher leaned over his wife, took a look and collapsed into the chair with a groan He put his head between his knees

"Okay, Paige, pant Giveto be able to handle it fine There we go--just pant for me, honey" Mel slipped the cord over the baby’s head easily "Okay, se asked

The baby, not out yet, began to cry "Hear that? I’e, easy does it" The baby slid neatly into Mel’s hands and screas! And big!" She put the baby in her newborn towel, placed her on Paige’s belly to dry her off That done, she clas, watched the cutting of the cord and slid weakly into the chair again, groaning Mel tried not to laugh

She rewrapped the baby and passed her to Paige After a little snuggling, she helped Paige settle her baby to the breast, since Preacher wasn’t going to be able to do it "John, I want you to keep your eyes up here, on your wife and baby All right?"

"Why?" he asked

"Because I still have delivery work to do, there will be blood, and I don’t want you to faint"

"I won’t faint," he said

"You do as I say," Mel told hiirl Isn’t she beautiful?"

Mel wasthe uterus when she heard a sound She looked up over Paige’s raised knees and saw a ainst the baby’s head and crying his eyes out Huge tears ran down his cheeks and dropped onto the newborn’s head He slipped aher and the baby as one, and sobbed