Don’t hang up on me.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” I slid down against the porch post and stretched my legs out in front of me.

The contractions were coming closer together now, a low, gripping ache that started in my back and traveled around to the front.

“Samantha, the baby is coming.”

“Then you breathe through them, and you keep this line open.

The ambulance is dispatched.

Four minutes.”