When the wheels touched the runway, Mattie's tightened muscles relaxed, and she let out a sigh of relief. The pilot might have had complete confidence in his plane, but she didn't. They'd circled the landing field, and the engine had run rougher and rougher. She'd started to worry it would cut out completely.
Men dressed in uniforms and wearing stern expressions strode toward the plane. Craig climbed out and explained his reasons for being there, then stood silently while given a stern reprimand. He offered a curt apology, and then he and his passengers were offered a meal.
Craig walked beside Mattie as they headed for the mess hall. “You owe me for this.”
“You're not really in trouble, are you?”
“If you mean, am I going to lose my right to fly? No. But I don't like getting chewed out anymore than anyone else.” He offered her a sideways grin.
“It's for a good cause. My grandmother's loving this.” Mattie smiled. “Thank you for bringing us.”
“Hey, I like adventures.” He headed for a hanger. “I'll have this thing fixed and back in the air in no time.”
“You're not going to eat?”
“Later.”
Mattie, Luke, and Atuska were sitting at a table eating sandwiches when Craig walked in and sat down. “Bad news.” He rested his arms on the table. “It's going to take longer to fix the plane than I thought.”
“But you'll be able to fix it, right?” Luke asked.
“Oh yeah, but we're not leaving today. If we're lucky, tomorrow.”
“Can I contact my mother?” Mattie asked.
“Yes. They have phones. The commander's not happy though. He made that clear. But he said they'd put us up for the night.”
“What's an extra day or two?” Luke said nonchalantly. “I don't mind. It's kind of interesting here.”
Mattie said nothing, but she'd been hoping they'd be able to return home. She'd been having abdominal cramps and would have felt more secure if she were home. They're probably nothing, she tried to reassure herself.
Mattie didn't say anything about the pains, however. She went to bed, hoping the cramps were simply prelabor. She'd been told that many women had them weeks before their babies were born. However, these didn't stop. Instead, they intensified. Finally she couldn't lie on her bunk any longer. She needed to tell someone.
Throwing back the blankets, she sat up, then waited while another cramp wrapped itself around her abdomen. She breathed slowly and waited for it to pass, then crossed to Luke's bunk. “Luke. Wake up.”
Mumbling something unintelligible, he rolled to his side.
“Luke,” Mattie said more loudly.
“What? Is something wrong?”
“I don't know, but I think I'm going to have the baby.”
He catapulted upright. “What? Now? But you can't. It's not due for three weeks.”
“I know. But maybe the baby doesn't know that.”
“OK. Everything's fine.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed. “I'll get someone. There must be a doctor here.” He stood and gently pressed Mattie down onto his bunk. “You stay put.” He pulled on his pants and a shirt and disappeared out the door.
Close to tears, Mattie asked, “Lord, why now? I don't want to have my baby out here on this piece of rock.”
The door swung open, and Luke returned with a man Mattie guessed must be the doctor. “You all right?” Luke asked.
“Yes, but I'm still having pain.”
“How often are the contractions coming?” the doctor asked, holding her wrist and taking her pulse.
“I don't know. I think every couple of minutes.”
Luke looked at the doctor. “You know anything about delivering babies?”
“When I trained I learned about everything, including that, but nowadays I mostly treat soldiers. You know, cuts and scrapes, a flu bug now and then.” He smiled at Mattie. “But I figure that between the two of us we'll manage just fine. Babies are born every day. They pretty much know what they have to do.”
The doctor's words were meant to calm Mattie, but they only made her more anxious. Even if the baby knew what to do, she didn't.
Hours passed, and the labor intensified. Atuska and Luke took turns sitting with Mattie. Word spread throughout the base, and men congregated in the hallway outside her room. A birth was something extraordinary, especially in this place.
Exhausted and frightened, Mattie prayed the baby would come soon. Labor was more difficult than she'd expected. She began to doubt she could make it through. Finally it was time to push. Atuska sat with her. She held Mattie's hand and crooned in an ancient tongue. Luke paced. Mattie wished he'd leave. His nervousness only made her more tense.
Atuska looked at the young man. “It is time to get the doctor,” she said evenly. “You go and bring him here.”
“Right. I'll be right back,” he said and hurried out the door.
Atuska sponged Mattie's forehead. “Soon your little one will be here.” She looked weary but poised. She smiled. “Children are a blessing from God.”
Mattie tried to concentrate on the baby and how wonderful it would be to hold it. Another contraction built. She bore down. The pain felt as if it would break her in two. With a deep groan she gripped her grandmother's hand. “I can't do this anymore. Please, Grandmother. Isn't there something you can do? Help me.”
