Entwined (18 page)

My eyes dropped to my stomach and I suppressed a laugh. I really couldn’t see any way it could end well but resolved to try. Lifting my right foot onto the wrought iron crossbar, I heaved myself up onto the gate.

Two young men walked past me as I balanced precariously on the top bar. They both stopped and for a moment stared. It was difficult to look causal and inconspicuous so I didn’t bother trying. Hanging from the top of the gate I shouted down to the men.

“I don’t suppose either of you two would mind giving me hand?”

“Yes, of course,” one said running toward me.

Thankfully they were both of above average height, which meant that they were finally able to reach my dangling frame and extract it from the gate.

“Thank you so much,” I said, wondering if it would be appropriate to shake their hands or if a simple ‘thank you’ would suffice.

“Errr, what were you doing up there?” the thicker-set of the two asked.

“I went to visit my father’s grave but I must have fallen asleep on one of the benches, because when I woke up it was dark and the gates were locked,” I lied, wondering if there was any chance they would believe me.

“Right,” he said. “Take care, it’s cold enough to freeze the ba-”

“That’ll do, Josh,” said the skinny one. “The lady doesn’t need to hear the rest.”

“Well, thank you again,” I said, straightening my top over my baby bump.

“See ya,” they said, walking off.

I had absolutely no idea what to do next and couldn’t decide if I should turn left or right or park my rear end on a bench I spotted.

Eventually the cold air inspired me to move and I turned left, for no particular reason other than it seemed to take me in the opposite direction to Angus’ house. I desperately regretted not picking up my coat as I made my way down a hill which appeared to run alongside a golf course. I wasn’t comfortable walking on the sidewalk and cowered at every car that drove past, fearing it might be Angus.

Turning to look at the wide expanse of unlit ground, I ducked through a broken wire fence and made my way across the course.

I hadn’t gone far before a crippling pain grabbed my stomach. Resting against the trunk of a tree on the edge of a fairway I lowered my shoulders and tried to breathe through the pain. This was the second contraction since the girls had left with Jenny. I’d never had two so close together. Panting furiously I became aware of a warm liquid running down the inside of my leggings. For one moment I thought I had wet myself. Then another contraction gripped me and more liquid poured down my legs. Alone on a golf course I had gone into labor, and as that horrifying thought struck me, I realized that I hadn’t the faintest idea what to do. Panic took hold and my body started to shake. My back slid down the tree trunk and I came to rest on the long, frozen grass in the rough.

I wasn’t far enough away from Angus, the baby was too early, I was alone, lost, and in a foreign place. My head swam in an ever-growing vortex of confusion. I needed to focus, to calm down and think, but I was no longer coherent. I was going to freeze to death, and Angus was going to take my child. My people were going to die, and my baby used to perpetuate evil.

Another contraction sent me forward onto my hands and knees. My thoughts inverted, consumed, owned and crippled by pain. Exhausted, I rolled onto my side and lay frozen on the icy ground.

In my dream I felt him beside me, lifting me from the frozen ground. Another contraction took hold as he rocked me in his arms. I could hear his voice, soft and gentle, whispering my name. My husband’s voice grew urgent.

“Do it, Eilidh, light the bloody candle and get us out of here,” I heard him growl.

I wanted to touch him, to tell him I loved him. But I couldn’t because I was too weak, and in some distant part of my mind I came to understand that I was dying.

******

Part Two

Innocent as Doves

How do we live good lives when so much evil surrounds us?

God told us, “You are sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

So many before you have died so that you can be that sheep.

It’s been a tough journey thus far, and no one is coming out free from pain.

But those that survive will be stronger than before.

Corran’s story is coming to an end.

We must be reminded that her tale affects more than just those around her.

It affects all the sheep, wolves, serpents and doves in existence.

Even the Stag.

******

CHAPTER 17

‘Ye Olde Starre Inne’, York - 20th December, Modern Day

As they materialized in the front room of the pub the worried faces of their family and friends crowded round.

“What is the date?” Simon barked.

“The twentieth,” Kate whispered.

“Put her down on here,” said a short blond man in his mid-thirties.

“You must be Graham,” Simon said gruffly, laying his wife on the table indicated by the man.

“I am, Sir, and you must be Simon. Good to know you.” The men shook hands.

“Rose and Kate, do you remember what I told you?” he asked.

They both nodded. “Good, then may I ask the rest of you to leave.” He turned to Simon, “I’ll do my best for your wife.”

“I’m not leaving,” Simon growled.

“Fine, but stay out of my way. The first time you interfere, I stop. Do I make myself clear?” Graham replied.

“Perfectly.”

“What’s happened to her?” Rose asked, nodding at the blood seeping onto the table.

“I think it’s placenta praevia, but she’s also gone into labor. Do either of you know if she had any bleeding earlier in the pregnancy?” he asked, gently feeling around her swollen abdomen.

They both shook their head. “No, I’m sorry, we don’t,” replied Rose.

“What is this placenta praevia?” Simon asked, grim faced.

Graham turned his head to face Simon. “It’s a complication. Has your wife ever had an abortion?”

“No,” Simon replied with a dark, dangerous look. “This is Corran’s first pregnancy.”

“Are you sure she is only pregnant with one child?”

“Yeah, absolutely sure. Corran had a couple of scans a few months ago,” Rose said, interrupting Simon and Graham.

“OK, I need to do an internal to see how far dilated she is -”

“You aren’t touching my wife,” Simon growled, “until you tell me what is wrong with her.”

With an impatient sigh, Graham returned his attention to Simon. “The organ that feeds the baby is called the placenta. It has most likely grown to cover the cervical opening. This means that Corran won’t be able to deliver the baby naturally.”

“Explain yourself doctor. What does this mean?”

“That your wife and child will die if I do nothing.”

“And you are certain of this?” Simon asked.

“No, but if you will allow me to examine your wife I will be able to tell you.”

Simon stared at Graham for a few moments, his eyes interrogating the man’s face. “You have my consent. Do whatever you must to save my wife and child.”

Graham nodded and turned to Kate. “Could you help me remove her leggings, please?” he asked, pulling Corran’s sweatshirt down to cover her swollen belly again. “Please could you unpack one of those sheets, unfold it, and lay it over here?” he finished, gesturing at Corran’s swollen midriff.

Rose and Graham removed Corran’s leggings and panties, and Kate placed the sheet over Corran. Graham pulled the sheet down, covering Corran’s legs and reached for a pair of gloves. Swiftly pulling them on, he lifted her legs, bent them at the knee, and gently opened them keeping her feet together. He applied some lubricant to the gloves and proceeded with the examination.

“She’s about an inch and a half dilated, which may explain the amount of blood. Pass me two of those maternity sanitary towels please, Kate?”

Graham placed the towels between Corran’s legs before closing and straightening them, and pulling the sheet back down to cover her legs. “Rose, please put the leggings and panties into the plastic bag that the sheet came out of.” Rose nodded, doing as he had asked.

“What should I do with the bag?” Rose asked, “They’re black, so the blood may wash out, but I am not sure that Corran will want to wear them again.”

“You can put them on the bottom of that trolley over there. Remember we have a ‘clean’ trolley and a ‘dirty’ trolley and that is the ‘dirty’ trolley. The top shelf is for used instruments and the bottom shelf is for anything else,” Graham replied.

“Will she be alright?” Kate asked, lifting Corran’s hand off the table and holding it.

“We need to get the baby out.”

“Can you do that here?” Rose asked.

“Thanks to your friend’s note, yes I can. I have all the equipment I’m likely to need. There isn’t time to get her to hospital; if I don’t do this now she’ll bleed to death,” he said, with resignation.

“What do you want us to do?” Kate asked.

“Just do what I talked you through earlier,” he said, turning to Simon. “Stay with your wife whilst we scrub up.”

“This soap OK?” Rose asked, pushing the top of the dispenser.

“That will do fine; it is a good antibacterial soap,” he replied, hastily doing the same. “Kate, remember how I taught you to wash your hands. Copy what Rose and I are doing.”

Drying their hands, they pulled gloves on and helped each other with their masks and surgical aprons.

“If you’re done, we need to get on.”

Rose and Kate followed the man back into the taproom. Corran lay unmoving in an ever-growing pool of blood.

Simon sat grimly beside her, his hand clutching hers, his eyes showing every ounce of the pain in his heart.

“She’s lost so much blood,” Rose whispered to Kate.

“Don’t worry, Rose, we’ll set up an IV and she’ll be fine,” said Graham. “Thanks to Eilidh I know her blood group, and approximately what condition I’d find her in. Simon, please could you move back and give us some room? You can take your place next to Corran shortly, when we are ready.”

One by one the girls cut Corran’s sweatshirt sleeves from the wrist, over the shoulder to the collar and slid her arms free. They continued to cut the sweatshirt up the sides to the collar, removing the front of the sweatshirt.

“Are you ready for us to turn her?” Graham asked.

Rose and Kate looked at each other and Rose replied, “We are.”

Graham crossed Corran’s ankles, right over left, and placed her right arm across her body. Rose and Graham put their hands under Corran’s hips and shoulders and turned her gently onto her side. Rose pulled the back of Corran’s sweatshirt off the table and dropped it out of sight. Kate slipped a pillow under Corran’s head. Graham bent Corran’s legs up to stop her rolling over onto her front while Kate gently held her shoulders. Rose unhooked Corran’s bra and removed her right arm from the shoulder strap before Graham fitted a blood pressure cuff to Corran’s upper arm and set the machine to take readings every two minutes.

“Rose, do you remember I showed you how to set up the blood transfusion?”

“Yeah, sure. Doing that now,” she said, working fast to fit a catheter and hook a bag of blood onto the IV stand.

“Give that bag a squeeze to get some blood into Corran now please, Rose,” Graham instructed, as Rose released the tourniquet from Corran’s arm. “Can we proceed with the anesthetic? We will start with the local as we discussed,” Graham continued.

“Sure,” Rose replied, pouring some iodine solution into a kidney bowl and clamping a cotton swab in a pair of forceps before handing them to Graham.

“Kate, please keep an eye on Corran’s pulse and blood pressure, and let me know if there is any dramatic change.”

“Will do, Graham.”

Graham swabbed a large area of Corran’s lower back while Rose unwrapped a syringe and needle. He passed the kidney bowl and forceps back and Rose handed him the syringe and the bottle of local anesthetic. Graham administered the local at several points in Corran’s back while Rose unwrapped another larger syringe and needle.

Simon watched intently as Rose handed Graham a kidney bowl containing the syringe, needle and another bottle of anesthetic before filling the syringe from the bottle.

“What is that for?” asked Simon, as Graham proceeded to insert the long needle into Corran’s lower back.

“It’s a spinal anesthetic,” Graham replied, removing the needle and noting the time. “It will stop Corran feeling any pain. Rose, are you OK to apply the dressing to that?” he asked, returning the syringe to the kidney bowl.

“No problem,” Rose replied, unwrapping the dressing.

“I am done.”

“Great. Let’s get Corran rolled onto her back and deliver this baby.”

Rose swapped places with Kate to hold Corran’s shoulders while Graham straightened her legs and lifted her right arm over her body, placing it behind her. Graham and Rose gently rolled Corran onto her back and Kate removed Corran’s bra from her left arm, carefully unclipping and replacing the heart beat probe from her index finger. Rose and Kate unwrapped two sheets and covered Corran with them so that they met sideways at her bulging abdomen. Graham checked and unwrapped some instruments and laid them out on a trolley, then removed a pipe from a plastic bag and plugged it into a machine on the floor before switching it on.

“The suction machine is ready. Right, Rose, a quick recap on what these instruments are and when I am likely to need them. It will also help me make sure that we are ready to start.”

“I am all ears, Graham,” Rose replied, with clear concentration on her face.

“OK, scalpel; retractors; Anderson forceps, in case we need them; suction bulb, to clear baby’s mouth and nose; clamps and scissors for the umbilical cord; locking forceps to clamp off any bleeds; long and short nose non-locking forceps; absorbable sutures for closing up. Are you happy with that and what we need to do?”

“I think so, Graham. Is it OK if I admit that I am a bit scared at this point?” Rose asked in reply.

“That is perfectly understandable and acceptable. Try to concentrate on helping me and doing as I ask. If you do that you won’t get distracted by other thoughts. You can do this, you have had the training to do it,” Graham tried to re-assure Rose.

“You can do this, Rose,” Kate said, forcing a reassuring smile at her friend. “Just think back to all those months you spent working at the hospital.”

“Yeah, but I never worked in the maternity unit and I’ve certainly never assisted in a surgical procedure before.”

“Rose, if I didn’t think you could do this you wouldn’t be standing here now. I’d do it alone,” Graham said.

“You don’t know me, Graham,” Rose replied quietly.

“I don’t need to. You have already shown me all I need to know.”

“Just think how proud your Mum and Gran will be,” Kate said.

“Ladies, we need to do this,” Graham said, and, turning to Simon said, “If you wish to, you may sit here at your wife’s side and hold her hand, but please be ready to move out the way if we need you to.”

Simon moved forward silently and took his place as instructed. His face looked tired and pale.

“Ready?” Graham asked. Rose and Kate nodded. Graham checked the time again and said, “The anesthetic has had time to work now. Let’s get on with it. Iodine solution?”

Rose handed Graham the kidney bowl of iodine solution and the swab in forceps. Lifting the sheet, Graham swabbed Corran’s lower abdomen thoroughly with the iodine solution and handed the kidney bowl to Kate who placed it on the second trolley.

“Scalpel and cotton pad? Please be ready with the suction tube.”

Rose handed Graham the scalpel and a cotton pad. Graham made a deep incision across the underside of Corran’s bulging abdomen dabbing away blood as he went. Still clutching her hand, Simon’s eyes followed the man’s hand as it sliced through his wife’s tummy. He flinched, instinctively clenching his free hand to a fist.

“Suction please, Rose? I can’t see what I am doing here.”

A slurping sound followed as Rose cleared the wound. “Large retractor please, Rose?” He took the retractor. “Thank you.”

Simon breathed in deeply as Graham opened the wound.

“Kate, please could you maintain the tension on this retractor to keep the wound open? Suction again, please Rose.”

Graham kept working, opening the abdominal wall. “OK, I am ready to open the uterus. Please keep that suction handy, Rose, we will need to clear the amniotic fluid. Here goes.”