The Pediatrician's Closet

Pro Epilogue

The call came in the middle of Dina and Kyoi's twitterpatted gabbles about plans for his 36th birthday the coming week. Since Ema frequently called him at work ever since her third trimester began, he didn't think much of it, though there was always the little twinge of anticipation in his gut that it might be an emergency.

That twinge turned into a full out, spasmodic cramp at the sound of her high, pained voice.

"I can't get up, it hurts. The baby's coming."

He turned away from the girls, who had quieted only a modicum on seeing he had a call.

"I'll be right there."

At the look on his face, the girls clammed up.

"Did something happen?" Dani asked.

"Ema's in labor. Have the intern take the rest of my appointments for today."

Thank god they had actually managed to get an intern the past year. It made his life a lot easier, for sure, especially since staying late was even more of a pain since he had a pretty little wife waiting for him at home.

It took all his self control not to drive like a robber from a bank heist all the way, though he did push the speed limit despite the still icy roads of early March. All the while he wondered madly how it had gotten to this point and where the hell was Yusuke. He had been the brother that had sister watching duties, since Ema had developed an intense sense of apprehension of being alone over the past two weeks, which was normal for women nearing their delivery day, but nerve wracking to Masaomi nonetheless as she always woke up and whimpered when he left.

When Yusuke opened the door, pale and terrified, Masaomi nearly lunged at his throat.

"What have you been doing?" he snapped as he pushed past him into their quaint, three bedroom house.

"I had a presentation and an exam," his younger brother's voice sounded as panicked as he felt. "She said she'd be okay—we have to get her to a hospital!"

Masaomi took the stairs three at a time. Somehow, he instinctively knew she was.

And his instincts proved right. He found her curled into a corner of their bedroom, hemmed in by pillows and their thick, fluffy comforter. A high, agonized, keening wail had started up the moment he stepped in.

"Ema," he jumped the space, falling besides her. "I'm here."

She didn't respond, her head ducked down, face flushed and screwed up. He set his hand on her shoulder, and after a few seconds she jerked back with a loud, stomach lurching gasp.

"I-I'm sorry, I can't—it hurts so much, I can't—I didn't mean to let it get this bad, my water just broke and I—"

Another contraction took her, stealing her voice and crunching her in again, squeezing out another tortured wail. He nearly lost it then and there, his nerves skinned and flailing somewhere near the ceiling.

"I'm going to check how dialated you are," he said in a force calm he far but felt.

She said nothing and he reached under the blanket for her legs. The insides of her thighs were moist and slippery and he found her opening easily.

As his fingers went up, spreading out with growing alarm at how wide the space had become, the tips of his fingers hit the hard, soft top of a baby's head.

Oh hell—

"Yusuke!" he barked behind him, even as he gathered his shaking, crying wife in his arms.

"Yeah!" Of course he'd be waiting in the doorway to their bedroom.