“Continue to keep her on her side. That might help ease the urge to push.”

“Nina, baby. Make sure you stay on your side.”

The minutes that followed felt like a dream. Things were quiet for a while, a massive calm before the storm. Up until that point, I hadn’t even realized that there was elevator music. A slow ballad playing on the overhead speaker mixed with the rhythm of Nina’s formulaic breathing were the only sounds as I held my wife’s hand and just prayed.

“If you can, have her massage the space between her vagina and anus. This will help improve elasticity and decrease tearing.”

“Say what?”

Before I could even begin to explain that bizarre suggestion, Nina screamed, “Ow, ow, ow! It’s getting worse!”

“Help!” I barked into the phone. “The pains are getting worse.”

With every wailing sound coming out of her, sharp pains shot through me.

“Okay, have her continue to breathe,” Bonnie said.

“I feel something there now, like a big lump!” Nina yelled.

“Make sure her pants are down,” Bonnie said calmly.

How the fuck could she be so calm?

I helped Nina pull her leggings off and repositioned two shirts under her. I put the phone on speaker.

“It feels like a lump?” I asked, spreading her legs apart. Something was there.

It was the head.

“Oh my God. It’s the head.”

“Sir, okay. Bring her bottom nearer to the floor and place the palm of your hand against her vagina. Apply firm but gentle pressure. This will keep the baby from coming out too fast and prevent her from tearing.”

Firm but gentle pressure.

Firm but gentle pressure.

Nina squirmed as she held her belly. “It’s coming!”

I looked down. “Holy shit! The heads out. The heads out!”

Bonnie’s staticky words resonated throughout the small space as she raised her voice. “Okay, you’re gonna want to support the baby’s head and shoulders. Be careful. The baby’s body will be very wet and could easily slip out of your hands.”

My entire body tightened to gear up as I opened my arms and prepared to pull my child into the world.

Nina gave one final push. “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!”

Within seconds, the baby was in my arms. Celine Dion’s The Power of Love started playing above on the elevator speaker. It was the most surreal moment of my life.

Gasping for air, I said, “I’ve got it. It’s out.”

“It’s completely out?” Bonnie asked.

Tears filled my eyes, and my lips shook. “Yeah.”

The baby’s cry was strong. I looked down between its tiny legs.

“It’s a girl. Oh my God. It’s a girl! Baby, we have a daughter.”

“Really? A girl?”

Bonnie’s voice interrupted our moment. “Grab a shirt and gently wipe the baby’s nose and mouth.”

I looked around me.

Shirt.

Shirt.

Shirt.

Cradling the baby, I grabbed one of Nina’s tops from the pile and did as Bonnie instructed. “Okay.”

“Now, wrap the baby in another clean shirt. Make sure the head is covered. This is to prevent hypothermia. Whatever you do, do not pull on the cord.”

“Alright.”

I carefully wrapped our daughter in one of my flannel button downs.

“Make sure your wife is warm.”

“Baby, are you okay?”

Nina groaned and nodded her head.

“Listen carefully, Mr. Green. Can your wife hold the baby? Have her place the baby on her stomach.”

Nina reached out her hands, and I slowly transferred the baby onto her stomach.

“Mr. Green? You’re doing great. The afterbirth will probably deliver soon.”

“The after what? It’s not over?”

“No. Have her hold the baby against her skin and place something over them both. This will help keep everyone calm until they can get you out of there.”

I grabbed my coat and draped it over them.

“You’ll stay on the phone with us?”

“Of course. You may want to grab a bag if you have one from your suitcase to put the placenta in. The baby will still be attached to it until the paramedics get there. So, you’ll put it inside a bag somewhere close to Nina.”

Nina muttered, “We have large Ziploc bags that the toiletries are in. Grab one of those.”

“Ziplocs! Thank God for small miracles.”

We spent the next ten minutes or so huddled together, cradling our baby before Nina said, “I’m feeling like I have to push again.”

I hopped up. “She has to push again.”

Bonnie immediately responded, “Okay, that’s the placenta. Have her move into an upright position.”

After a few pushes, the placenta came out.

Holding what looked like a piece of raw meat, I asked, “What do I do again?”

“Just put it in the bag and keep it next to you.”

A pool of red surrounded the area underneath Nina.

“There’s blood everywhere.”

“That’s normal.”

“This doesn’t look normal.”

“The paramedics are almost there. I’m told the fire department is on site working with hotel maintenance right now. They should have you out of there shortly. Try to remain calm.”

An indeterminate amount of time passed. Nina was starting to sound disoriented. “Jake, I don’t feel good. Something’s really wrong. You need to take the baby.”