True to the words of the doctor, Midori's labor progressed slowly. By the time they administered the second dose of steroids, she looked exhausted.
She gripped her husband's hand as another strong contraction came, while she gritted her teeth and went with the urgency to push.
She looked at the monitor and saw the recovery of the baby's heartbeat after the contraction. Earlier, the doctor explained to them how the monitor works.
Dan held her sweaty head, parting the strands of hair sticking onto her face. He kissed her temple. He could just imagine how much more she would have hated him while he was away when Manta turned out to be their child. She would have underwent labor alone, without him.
He embraced her tightly. He would have regretted it all his life if he had let her suffer alone.
After an hour, the doctor went in to do another internal examination.
Midori never appreciated this, but at this point, she was only hoping that it would be time to deliver.
