Chapter 19 - The Birth
Julian drove his car down the muddy logging road like a madman, his eyes scanning the dense woods. Five miles down the road, near the intersection of the main highway, he saw a small figure collapsed against a wooden fence.
He slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car. "Elise!"
She was covered in sweat, gasping in agony, clutching her massive belly. "Julian... it's happening. The baby is coming."
"I've got you, I've got you," Julian said, lifting her into the backseat of the car. He dialed 911 through the car's Bluetooth, screaming at the dispatcher to send an ambulance to their location on the highway.
"They're ten minutes away," the dispatcher said.
"I don't have ten minutes!" Elise shrieked, gripping the leather seat as another massive contraction ripped through her body.
Julian climbed into the backseat with her. He wasn't a doctor, he was a businessman who had spent the last two days fighting mercenaries. But right now, he was just a terrified father.
"Push, Elise. Just look at me and push," Julian commanded softly, holding her hand.
In the back of a bloodstained, mud-covered sedan on the side of a forgotten highway, Elise summoned the last ounce of her incredible strength. With a final, echoing scream that pierced the quiet morning air, the tension broke.
A sharp, beautiful cry filled the car.
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Julian looked down through tears of absolute joy and relief. He wrapped his daughter in his clean shirt and placed her gently on Elise’s chest.
"She's perfect," Julian choked out, kissing Elise’s forehead. "You did it. We're safe."
