Ronnie pushed open the door and Vern slipped through. His attempt at a jog was unintentionally comical.
Tiel watched his progress across the parking lot until he reached the gas pumps and climbed into the Winnebago.
Doc was talking Sabra through another pain. When it passed, the girl relaxed and closed her eyes. Tiel looked at Doc, who was watching the girl. "What else would be helpful to you?"
"Gloves."
"I'll see what I can find."
"Some vinegar."
"Standard distilled vinegar?"
"Hmm." After a brief pause, he remarked, "You're awfully cool under pressure."
"Thanks." They continued to watch the girl, who, for the moment, seemed to be asleep. Tiel asked softly, "Is this going to end badly?"
His lips compressed into a grim line. "Not if I can help it."
"How bad-"
"Hey, what are you two whispering about?"
Tiel looked up at Ronnie. "Doc needs some gloves. I was about to ask Donna if the store stocks them."
"Okay, go ahead."
She left Sabra's side and moved to the counter. Donna was standing behind it, waiting to unlock the door when Vern returned. She regarded Tiel suspiciously. "What do you want?"
"Donna, please remain calm. Hysteria will only worsen the situation. For the time being, we're all safe."
"Safe? Ha! This is my third time."
"To be robbed?"
"My luck's bound to run out. First time, there were three of them. Came in pretty as you please, emptied the register, and locked me in the freezer. If the dairy delivery man hadn't come by, I'd've been a goner. Second time, this guy in a mask clubbed me good 'longside the head with the butt of his pistol. Had a concussion and couldn't work for six weeks on account of headaches. So dizzy I puked 'round the clock." Her narrow chest rose and fell on a deep sigh of resignation. "It's only a matter o' time.
The odds'll catch up with me, and one of 'em'll kill me.
Do you think he'd let us smoke?"
"If you're so afraid, why don't you quit and get another job?"
She looked at Tiel as though she had lost her mind. "I love my work."
If that was logical, maybe Tiel was losing her mind. "Do you carry any latex gloves in the store? The kind a doctor wears."
She shook her frizzy, permed head. "Rubbermaid.
That's it. I think we got two pairs over yonder with the household cleansers."
"Thanks. Stay cool, Donna."
As Tiel moved past Gladys, she leaned down and whispered,
"Is there a tape in your video camera?"
The old lady nodded. "Two hours' worth. Rewound, too. Unless Vern screwed it up when he was fiddling with it."
"If I can get it to you-"
"Hey!" Ronnie shouted. "What are you whispering about now?"
"She's afraid for her husband. I was reassuring her."
"There he is now," Gladys said, pointing at the door.
Donna threw the bolt and Vern came tottering in, everything except his spindly legs hidden behind a stack of bedding. Ronnie ordered him to drop the load of pillows and quilts, but the old man argued. "It's all clean. If I drop it, it'll get dirty. The lady should have a comfortable place to lie, and I thought these towels might come in handy, too."
"Actually that's very good thinking, Ronnie," Tiel said.
'You can examine the stuff once he brings it over."
From his Winnebago, in addition to the pads he'd gone for, Vern had brought two pillows, two quilts, two clean bedsheets, and several bath towels. Ronnie found nothing concealed inside the linens and gave the go-ahead for Tiel to make a pallet, which she did while Sabra leaned heavily against Doc.
Tiel used only one of the sheets, saving the spare for later, should the need for it arise. When she was finished, Doc laid the girl down on the bedding. She settled on it gratefully. Tiel placed one of the disposal pads beneath her hips.
"They're not for what you think," Vern declared.
Simultaneously Tiel and Doc glanced up at the old man, surprised to see him bending down to confide in them. "We're not incontinent."
Tiel could barely contain her smile. "We didn't ask."
"We're on our honeymoon," Vern explained in a confidential whisper. "Every night we go at it. Daytime too, if the urge strikes us. You know how randy honeymooners are. Those pads aren't the most comfortable things for the partner on bottom, but neither of us likes to lie in the wet spot, and it beats changing the sheets after each time."
The old man winked, turned away, and obeyed Ron nie's instruction to rejoin the others. He sat down beside his wife-his bride-who hugged him and gave him a smacking kiss on the cheek, commending him for his bravery.
Tiel, realizing her jaw was hanging slack, closed it with a soft click of her teeth. Her gaze slid to Doc, who was intent on timing Sabra's labor pain, but his thin lips were twitching with a smile.
From beneath his eyebrows, he glanced up at Tiel, caught her looking at him, and made a snuffling sound that passed for a laugh. "Gloves?"
"What?"
"Did you ask about the gloves?"
"Oh, uh, two pair of Rubbermaid."
He shook his head. 'Just as well be leather work gloves.
What about some vinegar?"
"Coming up."
"And gauze."
She asked Ronnie's permission to shop the aisles, where she found several plastic bottles of vinegar, a box of sterile gauze pads, and a package of disposable baby wipes. She gathered them up. On her way back to Sabra, another display caught her eye. On a burst of inspiration, she added two boxes of hair coloring to her collection.
When she got back to the girl, Sabra was listening intently to what Doc was telling her.
"It won't be comfortable, but I'll try not to hurt you, okay?"
The girl nodded and glanced apprehensively at Tiel.
"Have you ever had a pelvic exam, Sabra?" she asked softly.
"Once. When I went for birth-control pills." Tiel cocked her head quizzically, and Sabra lowered her eyes in em barrassment. "I stopped taking them because they made me fat."
"I see. Well, you've been examined before, so you know what to expect. This probably won't be any worse than that first exam. Right, Doc?"
"I'll make it as easy as I can."
Tiel gave the girl's hand a quick squeeze. "I'll be right over there if you-"
"No, stay here with me. Please." She motioned Tiel down for a private consultation.
"He's nice," she said, speaking in a low voice directly into Tiel's ear. "He acts like a doctor, and talks like a doctor, but he doesn't look like one, know what I mean?"
"Yes, I know what you mean."
"So I feel sorta weird, having him… you know? Could you, like, help me take off my underpants?"
Tiel straightened and looked at Doc. "Could you give us a moment, please?"
"Sure."
"What's happening?" Ronnie wanted to know when Doc stood up.
"The lady needs some privacy. From me. And you."
"But I'm her boyfriend."
"Which is exactly why you're the last person she wants observing."
"He's right, Ronnie," Sabra said. "Please."
The boy moved away with Doc. Tiel lifted Sabra's skirt and helped as she awkwardly raised her hips and worked her underwear down her thighs.
"There we go," Tiel said gently, taking away the damp garment, which Sabra had balled up to the size of a Ping-Pong ball.
"I'm sorry it's all icky."
"Sabra, starting right now, you're to stop apologizing.
I've never been in labor, but I'm sure I wouldn't approach it with near the dignity that you have. Are you more comfortable now?" Obviously not. She could tell by Sabra's grimace that she was in the throes of another pain. "Doc?"