They kept the conversation light on the drive down to Scarlet, talking about the morning’s progress and how kind and helpful the volunteers had been. But Winona couldn’t shake her fears.
Naomi had been under so much stress since the fire. First, she’d believed for a few hellish hours that her husband, her grandfather, and people who had depended on her had burned to death. Then she’d had to face rebuilding the camp. That much stress would be hard for anyone, but for a woman in her third trimester…
Winona wasn’t an obstetrician, but shewasmedically trained and had cared for lots of pregnant animals. Stress put both mother and baby at risk, no matter the species.
“That Jason Chiago—he knows how to use a hammer,” Grandpa said. “He worked construction in college.”
Chaska met Grandpa’s gaze in his rearview mirror. “You did some construction work back in the day, didn’t you, Old Man?”
“That was a long time ago. In those days, living was hard. You had to build and repair your own house if you didn’t want to freeze to death.”
Not that life on Pine Ridge was easy now.
The charred landscape gave way to green forest as they reached the edge of town. Chaska took the shortest route to Mountain Memorial Hospital, where he parked outside the emergency entrance.
Winona opened her door, climbed out. “I’ll go get a wheelchair.”
Naomi shook her head. “I can walk.”
“I’ve got you.” Chaska carried Naomi inside and hurried over to the check-in desk. “My wife is three weeks from her due date and just collapsed. She said she was feeling dizzy and has a headache.”
“I’ll need her insurance card and a photo ID.” A young man at the check-in desk held out a clipboard with several sheets of paper on it.
Winona was about to tell the guy what to do with the clipboard when Ellie Moretti, an RN and wife of Jesse Moretti, a friend and Team member, walked out. “Bring her back. We’ll deal with the paperwork later.”
Thank God.
Chaska carried Naomi into an exam bay and set her gently down on the gurney. Winona stood off to the side so as not to get in the way.
Grandpa motioned toward the waiting area. “I’m gonna sit out here and pray.”
Naomi and Chaska explained what had happened and answered Ellie’s questions, while Ellie took Naomi’s temperature, checked the baby’s heartbeat with a fetal doppler, and hooked her up to an automatic blood pressure monitor.
“The baby’s heartbeat is strong, so that’s good news.” Ellie gave them all a reassuring smile. “Do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
Naomi shook her head. “We wanted to wait.”
But when the blood pressure monitor had to try a second time to get Naomi’s reading, Ellie’s demeanor grew more serious. “You’re at thirty-seven weeks, right?”
“Yes.”
“You said you’ve had a headache?”
“I’ve had it off and on for the past few days.”
When the monitor finally gave its result, it put a knot in Winona’s chest.
Much too high.
Ellie gave them the news. “Your blood pressure is dangerously high. I’m going to start an IV and page the on-duty OB. We’re also going to need to draw some labs. In the meantime, try to rest. We’ll take good care of you and your baby, Naomi.”
Naomi’s eyes filled with tears, her fingers twining with Chaska’s. “Thank you.”
Chaska kissed Naomi’s cheek, smiled, his voice projecting calm strength. “It will be okay, Tanagila. They’re not going to let anything happen to you or the baby.”
Tanagila was their Lakota nickname for Naomi. It meanthummingbird.
Ellie returned quickly and set up the IV, stepping back for the lab tech, who drew four vials of blood. “We’re checking your kidney and liver function and several other things, too. We should have the results soon.”