Free Raphael | Parish by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright Page B

written as Deborah Raleigh *
    My Lord Vampire
    #1 in the Immortal Rogues Series
    February 28, 2012, Zebra
    ISBN 978-1420122718
     
    My Lord Eternity
    #2 in the Immortal Rogues Series
    December 4, 2012, Zebra
    ISBN 978-1-4201-2861-1
     
    My Lord Immortality
    #3 in the Immortal Rogues Series
    December 31, 2012, Zebra
    ISBN 978-1-4201-2272-5
     
    Sentinel Series
    Predatory
    Sentinel Anthology
    May 7, 2013
    ISBN 978-1-4201-2512-2

 

    PARISH
    BY LAURA WRIGHT

 

    CHAPTER 1
     
     
    THE baby emerged writhing and covered in amniotic fluid. Cradling the child, unable to curb the proud and relieved smile breaking on her sweaty face, Dr. Julia Cabot reached across the bed and placed him on his weary mother’s belly and chest. Annette, one of the three nurses assisting, quickly covered him with a blanket, then suctioned his nose and mouth with a bulb syringe. In seconds, a hearty wail erupted from the infant, the welcome sound pinging off the walls and calling forth a duet of sighs from the baby’s father and aunt.
    Twenty-one hours of hard labor. This woman’s a freaking rock star . Julia glanced at the clock. “9:51 pm.”
    “Got it,” Annette said, scribbling on the chart. “Do you want me to get his scores now, Doc?”
    “Right on his mom’s chest will be fine.” Julia returned to her work, another nurse assisting as she delivered the placenta. “So, Mrs. Dubroux, do you have a name for your beautiful boy?”
    “Garth,” the woman said, pulling her gaze from her little love and looking up at her husband. “Garth Allan Dubroux, just like his daddy.”
    The man beamed.
    “Nines across the board, Doc,” Annette announced, making the note in her chart.
    “Well, well, you’ve got a strong one there,” Julia said, pulling off her gloves and letting the nurse take over with the cleaning. She walked around to the side of the bed and eyed the precious new family member. “Welcome to the world, Garth.”
    As the baby rooted around on her chest, Mrs. Dubroux smiled up at Julia, tears brightening her eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
    “You’re a godsend, Doctor Cabot,” Mr. Dubroux added, his arm tightening around his wife’s shoulders. “Marilyn would’ve been in the surgery room if it wasn’t for you.”
    “It was my pleasure,” Julia said, trying to hold back the wave of emotion and sadness at such a lovely ending to her career at New Orleans General. “One of the nurses will help you with breastfeeding if you need it, and Doctor Salander will be coming in to check on the both of you very soon.” She gave them one last smile. “Congratulations, and good luck.”
    “Nice work, Doc,” Annette said as they left the room. “Never seen anyone turn a baby like that. You have a gift.”
    Julia headed for the nurses’ station. She needed to fill out some paperwork before she was done for the night. Before she was done, period. She didn’t want to be rude, but talking about her work right now…well, it was too painful. She was going to miss this place, the staff, the patients.
    Sidling up next to her, Annette clucked her tongue as she watched Julia scribble on Marilyn Dubroux’s chart. “Damn shame. Best baby doctor this hospital’s ever seen.”
    The words pinged inside Julia’s heart. She was good at her job because she believed in it so much, truly cared about each and every new family that came to the hospital. She wanted their first moments as a unit to be special because after they left, when they got home, sometimes things changed.
    “You want to stay at my place tonight, Sugar?”
    Julia turned to face the nurse. With her beehive of graying brown hair and warm, chocolate eyes, Annette Monty was hard to resist. She had that kind of older woman, motherly charm that was so irresistible to one who’d lost her own mother at a young age. But encouraging a connection that was just days away from being severed wasn’t wise.
    “Thanks, Annette,” Julia said, giving the woman a soft smile.