�I can see the head. Wow, what a lot of hair! Here he comes,� Dr. Pachla shouted at Diane. �Just one more good push, Diane!�

�Damn you! I don�t have anything left in me!� Diane growled.

�Time to breathe again, Diane,� Rose-Marie urged from her left side. Danny held her right hand.

�I�ve had enough advice from you,� Diane rolled her eyes up at Dr. Hubley.

�You can do it, Diane,� Danny said, his eyes welling with tears.

The baby�s head emerged, and the nurse leaned in and cleared mucous from his nostrils and mouth.

�Okay, Diane, this is it. Give it a big push on the next contraction. Ready?� Dr. Pachla smiled up at Diane.

�I�m ready if you�re ready to catch. Aaaaaugh!� Diane screamed as the unbelievable pain scorched her body.

�And he�s outta there!� Dr. Pachla said in her best baseball announcer�s voice. She tapped the baby on the feet, and everyone heard a healthy cry. Dr. Pachla and the nurses cleaned him off quickly and placed him on Diane�s belly. Dr. Pachla tied off and cut the chord. Diane laughed with relief. Dr. Pachla got to work on repairing the episiotomy. Connie picked up a wet rag and wiped off Diane�s sweat-soaked face while the nurses cleaned up the baby and wrapped him in a blanket like a little burrito to make sure he was nice and warm. Dr. Pachla picked up the baby and carried him over to Diane, cooing and smiling.

�Ten fingers, ten toes,� she grinned at Diane. Connie and Rose-Marie helped Diane sit up, and Dr. Pachla put the baby in her arms. Danny walked around and looked at the baby. He stuck out his finger and cooed lovingly, but then he stopped his arm in midair. The baby had a huge pile of jet-black hair sticking straight up. When he opened his eyes, everyone gasped when they saw the unique jade green color. The baby had olive skin, and when he scowled at the bright lights over the table, everyone could see the little crinkle between his eyebrows.

Danny stood straight up and took a deep breath. He pulled a pale hand through his blond hair. �I�m not feeling too good,� he mumbled, and then he stalked out of the room. �He�s great, Diane. Looks great. I�ll be right back.�

Connie said, �He must be feeling faint. You know how men are in the labor room.�

�Yeah, but Danny�s a homicide detective. He�s seen much worse,� Diane mused, following him with her eyes.