Hidden Talents

time.”
    “Time for what?” Zone looked up with a quizzical expression. Then her eyes widened. “Oh, my goodness. Time? You mean it's your time?”
    “Yes.” Serenity caught her breath.
    Zone leaped to her feet. “You aren't due for another two weeks.”
    “I think you'd better hurry.”
    “Stay right where you are.” Zone's saffron and orange robes formed wings in the air as she rushed for the door. “Don't move. I'll get Caleb and the others.”
    “Don't worry,” Serenity whispered aloud to the empty office. “I'm not going anywhere.”
    Zone was right about one thing, she thought. It was too soon. Two weeks too soon. And it was all happening too fast. According to her doctor, she was supposed to have plenty of warning. Plenty of time to make the drive down the mountain to Bullington Memorial Hospital.
    Belatedly she realized that she should have paid more attention to the ache in her lower back that had awakened her this morning. She was so accustomed to the general discomforts of her pregnancy these days that she hadn't given the new pains much thought.
    She glanced at the clock and realized with a shock that she might have been in labor for several hours and only just now realized it.
    Serenity hauled herself to her feet and then promptly collapsed back into the chair again as a strong contraction seized her. She tried to remember the birthing mantras Zone had drilled into her.
    The bells in the outer room clashed violently as the door was thrown open.
    “Serenity?” Caleb shouted. “Where are you?”
    “In here.” She smiled weakly as he appeared in the doorway. Roland, Ariadne, Zone, Julius, and Montrose were right behind him. She heard footsteps pounding outside on the wooden sidewalk as others got the word. “I hope you're good at this kind of thing, because I don't think there's going to be time to get down the mountain.”
    “Can't get down the mountain,” Montrose said, looking close to panic. “There's a tree down because of last night's big storm. Road crew from Bullington hasn't gotten to it yet.”
    “Call the aid car,” Caleb said. “Tell them you'll meet them at the downed tree. You can pick the medics up there and bring them here to Witt's End.”
    “Right.” Montrose spun around and grabbed one of the three new telephones that had been installed to handle Witt's End by Mail business.
    Julius loomed in the doorway behind Caleb. He had a stark, oddly stricken expression on his face. “Goddamn it, no. It can't happen here like it did last time.” He grabbed Caleb's arm. “We've got to get her to the hospital, man.”
    “We will.” Caleb went toward Serenity.
    Serenity sucked in her breath on another contraction.
    “Damn.” Jessie appeared in the doorway. She stared at Serenity. “We've got to do something.”
    “Please.” Ariadne gave Serenity a beseeching look. “You've got to hold on until we can get you to the hospital. We can't take any chances.”
    Caleb leaned down and scooped Serenity up out of the chair. Cradling her in his arms, he turned toward the door. “Get out of the way.”
    Everyone moved aside.
    From the security of Caleb's arms, Serenity looked at the sea of anxious faces that surrounded her. She knew that everyone in the room was recalling the circumstances of her mother's death. They needed reassurance more than she did.
    “It's all right,” she said. “This isn't going to be like last time. I've been in training.” Another wave of pain swept through her. She turned her face into Caleb's shoulder. “Take me home, please. This baby is going to be born in aisle three between granola and salsa if you don't hurry.”
    “Hang on,” Serenity,” Caleb said fiercely. “You're going to be all right.”
    “I know. That's what I'm trying to tell you.” Serenity tried unsuccessfully to choke back a strangled cry as another wave of pain crashed through her.
    Caleb strode toward the door with Serenity in his arms.
    “Don't worry, folks,” Roland said very calmly from somewhere nearby. “Caleb and I have delivered more than one baby together. We can handle this.”
    “Those were foals we delivered,” Caleb said roughly. “Not babies.”
    “Not that much difference,” Roland said gently. “Nature does all the work. You'll see.”

    Sunlight, warm and golden, poured into the white room. Serenity held the infants cradled in her arms and watched the closed door. Soon it would open and he would come to her.
    Little Gordon Trevor Ventress