Miracles on Miracles

Chapter10

"Let's get her to my bedroom!" Carmen yelled as she wrapped Aracely's arm over her shoulder.

"No, the couch is good enough," her cousin said. "I don't want to walk any further than I have to," she sighed as she lowered her weight onto the couch.

"I'll go boil water," Carmen said. "I don't know why, but that's what they do on TV."

"Forget about the water right now. Just get me as many clean towels as you can," Nurse Julia yelled out as she removed Aracely's panties to check out the situation. "I usually work on the other side of the journey of life," la enfermera remarked as she saw the top of the baby's head already in the birth canal. "I'm not particularly qualified, but any port in a storm," Nurse Julia added briskly.

"Call the partera," Aracely told Carmen who was pacing about the living room with no idea of how to help. She was relieved to have been assigned a task. She called the number Aracely had given her previously.

"She's not picking up!" Carmen exclaimed, in a near panic.

"Well, leave her a message," Aracely said with irritation.

"Okay, okay," Carmen replied. She left the old midwife a message to come as soon as possible. "What should I do now?" she asked Nurse Julia who had taken charge of the birth until the midwife could arrive.

"When she gets a contraction, I want you to lift her up to a partially sitting position. It should help her push," the nurse replied. "Aracely," she said loudly, "tell me when you get a contraction."

"Now!" Aracely answered as her face twisted in sudden pain.

"Okay, lift her shoulders!" Nurse Julia shouted. Carmen took her cousin under the arms and supported her weight as she sat her up. "Push through the contraction!" the good nurse called out. "Come on, come on, come on," she encouraged.

Just then, there was a knock on the metal door of the concrete patio that led into the house. "That must be the partera," Carmen said. "I'll go open the door." She ran to the door, fully expecting to see the stout indigenous woman who attended all the neighborhood births.

Instead, standing before her was a most miraculous sight. Yunho was at her grandmother's door. Of all the crazy things, she thought. Finally, she overcame her shock and leapt into his arms. He showered her with kisses on her cheeks, forehead, and eyelids. She was breathing in the smell of him with delicious delight when she heard Aracely screaming from the house.

Instead of addressing the screaming, Carmen asked, "How did you get here?"

"I kind of sneaked a little peek at your file and found your dad's cell phone as your emergency contact," he admitted sheepishly. "He gave me the address. We are doing three concerts in Mexico with a few days of rest in between. I figured I would come to see you since I was actually, miraculously, in the same country," he explained.

"Carmen, ¿qué tanto haces?" Aracely screamed, asking what was taking so long.

Carmen suddenly came back to reality. "Oh, we are having a busy day," she told Yunho. "My grandpa died this morning and now my cousin is giving birth on the couch," she summed up. "So, I have to warn you. It's a little graphic in there," she said.

"Oh, my!" Yunho replied. "Are you sure your cousin won't mind me coming in?" he asked as Carmen tugged on his arm, pulling him toward the house.