Airplane Pt. 3

Push!

The trio carefully, but rapidly made their way to first class. Mia was super thankful the woman wasn't in the back of the plane but closer to the front. Looking for small blessings was hard, but she tried to find at least one thing each day to be thankful for.

Mia and the moaning woman reached Mia's seat meeting the gaping mouth of manager Sejin who quickly shot a questioning look to Mia. With a fast apology in her tone, Mia... requested, although it really left no room for discussion, for Manager to give the woman his aisle seat. Slowly he nodded not out of the way, his expression showing shock and confusion, probably at the massive change in her behavior.

No longer the sniveling whimpering woman, but the veteran nurse of 8 years evident with the ability to switch modes quickly when it came to a person's life.

"Now, please." Mia's gentle command must have snapped him out of his daze because he quickly scrambled out of the seat as the woman again let out a low moan.

Quickly settling the woman into the seat and reclining it as far back as possible without being fully flat Mia started looking again at everyone around. She sighed in relief seeing the flight attendant approach with the requested blankets.

"Great!" Mia spoke calmly while grabbing the hand sanitizer from her bag and scrubbing as best she could. The other attendant was then approaching with a first aid kit, and Mia's eyes really lit up then.

"Thank you!" She practically shouted, only keeping it controlled due to the now obviously in labor woman beside her. "Gold mine!" She muttered as she saw the bandaging, individually wrapped pairs of non-latex gloves, and even good bandaging scissors! Someone tapped her shoulder, and Mia turned to see the older flight attendant handing her a mask.

"Thank you," Mia spoke succinctly quickly turning back the moaning woman.

"Do you have any latex allergies." Mia calmly asked the panting woman just to be safe. Even though the gloves said latex free she needed to be sure. A relieved sigh escaped her when the woman shook her head.

"I'm nurse Ahmi, and I've done this many times." Mia smiled reiterating not just her name, but also her experience again not only for the woman, but also the first-class flight attendant, and a very pale looking manager still standing in the aisle. "Not on a plane of course, but there's something we can' both check off our bucket lists and never do again."

The woman gave a weak smile, and Mia could see her start to calm a little. "What's your name?"

"Maria" The woman gasped as the words left her mouth and she clutched her bulging belly eyes wide.

"I'm going to check how you're doing Maria. Okay?" Mia waited for the woman's hesitant nod following her gaze to the multitude of people hovering around.

"You." Mia pointed to Manager who was standing closest as his seat was now occupied. "Make sure this blanket is up to give her some privacy." He seems taken back at first, "I want you to protect her privacy just as good as you do the boys." She spoke firmly, and he seemed to snap out of his stupor nodding succinctly.

Now she was able to focus knowing he would follow through. While using more of her precious sanitizer she put on the gloves.

Crouching and contorting herself in the still small space, Mia began checking Maria's condition. Barely containing a gasp as she noticed the patient was dilated too far along, and she could almost see the baby's head. Mia knew they couldn't wait for the plane to land anywhere. Smiling with what she hoped was reassurance at Maria, she asked softly, "Are you alone on this flight?"

She quickly shook her head. "Brian..." she panted as strong contraction hit.

"Yes!" A squeaky voice called out just beyond the blanket. "I'm here!"