her arm over her eyes. “I must be crazy for even considering it.”
“You’re not crazy. You’re looking ahead with a glimmer of hope.”
She shot upright and April gave her a wide grin and waggled her eyebrows. “You knew I couldn’t resist saying something woo woo.”
“You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t.” Page glanced at her watch. “I’ve got about twenty minutes left on my break. Want to get something to eat?”
“You’re hungry? That’s a good sign.”
“Don’t read too much into it.” She slid off the bed and followed April from the trauma room.
The doors to the emergency room opened suddenly and a gurney being pushed by a paramedic—with a girl on it—sped toward them. April dumped her paperwork by the intake nurse and followed the girl into the just vacated trauma room.
Page continued walking to the cafeteria when she heard April call her name. She turned and April waved her back over to the trauma room. “I could really use your help on this one.”
“I’m an L-and-D nurse, remember?” But Page followed her inside anyway.
April motioned to the girl. “This is Ruby and she’s in labor.”
Page froze, taken aback at how young the patient seemed. “Sweetie, how far along are you?”
Ruby groaned as she grasped her rounded belly. “I don’t know. Six or seven months? What’s happening?”
Either one was too early for the baby. Page glanced at April. “Has her water broken yet? We might be able to stop labor.”
April put the stirrups into an upright position and Page helped move Ruby, so that the doctor could get a better look. She pushed the dark, kinky hair off the girl’s forehead. “Dr. Sprader is going to examine you to see if the placental sac is still intact. If it is, we can probably get the labor pains to stop. How long have you been having them?”
“Since early this morning, but I thought it was a tummy ache from something I ate.” Ruby’s face withered. “I didn’t think he was coming now.”
“The sac is fine,” April told them. “You’re only dilated to about a three, Ruby, so we can try to reverse this and give the baby more time to grow and develop.”
She glanced at Page, who nodded at the unspoken request and left the room. She retrieved a fetal monitor and returned to the room. “We’re going to get you hooked up to this so we can watch the baby and the contractions.”
April wrote her orders on a small pad and gave it to the other ER nurse, who left to retrieve the meds. She turned back to the girl. “We’re going to give you something to relax your body, which will hopefully stop the labor. Meanwhile...did someone come in with you, Ruby? Your mom or dad?”
Ruby shook her head. “No, it’s just me.”
Page finished hooking up the cords for the fetal monitor and switched it on. The baby’s heartbeat was strong and steady, a good sign. “Who is your OB-GYN?”
“My what?” Ruby moaned again and clutched her belly.
April exchanged a worried look with Page, then focused on the teen. “You haven’t had any prenatal care?”
Ruby laid back on the bed and Page put her hand on the girl’s. “How old are you, sweetie?”
“Nineteen.”
Page would eat April’s stethoscope if the girl was more than fifteen. She narrowed her eyes. “Try again. How old are you?”
The girl sighed. “Okay, I’m eighteen.”
Page looked over at April, who hid her smile. From one of the drawers, she pulled out an IV kit and held it up for Ruby to see. “I’m going to start an IV on you. That means a long needle. So while I’m doing that, I’ll let you think back on when your birthday really is.”
“Why’s it matter how old I am?” Ruby grunted as Page inserted the needle into her vein. “I take care of myself. That’s what matters.”
“I don’t doubt that, but we need to get your parents’ consent after a certain point if you’re under seventeen.” Page taped the needle into place on top of Ruby’s hand then took the saline bag the other nurse handed her. “This is a life-threatening situation, so we can treat you now. But when you’re stabilized, we’re going to need to get that consent.”
Ruby frowned at Page as she hung the saline bag on to the IV stand next to her. “I consent.”
April’s amusement faded. “Do you have any parents?”
Another contraction hit and Ruby doubled over, ending any further questioning. They worked to get the medication injected into the IV so that they could stem labor before it got too far along. Page’s beeper went off and she made a face. “I’ve got to get back upstairs, April. Do you want me to send Dr. Achatz for a consultation?”
“I’ll call her if labor progresses. Thanks for your help.”
“Nursing never really stops.” Page addressed Ruby, “I’ll check on you later. After my shift.”
“Why?”
So much for trying to be nice. “In case you need someone to talk to. That’s why.”
The girl waved her off. “I told you. I take care of myself. I don’t need anybody.”
Page gave a short nod and left the room, but she felt what had just happened would stay with her for the rest of the day.
* * *
THE JUDGE ENTERED the courtroom and Mateo stood, tugging on the shoulder of the young man beside him to do the same. Scotty still refused to name names and the assistant district attorney had refused to make a deal. So here they were, facing a judge.
The Honorable Jeffrey S. Gorges sat, and everyone in the courtroom followed his example. The bailiff called their case, and Judge Gorges opened the file and perused it, even though Mateo knew he’d be prepared already. “Counselors, approach the bench for a moment.”
Well, this was something new. Mateo stood and straightened his suit jacket before walking up to the bench along with ADA Pam Everett. Judge Gorges peered down his long nose at them. “I thought a deal was going to be negotiated in this case.”
Pam glared at Mateo. “Talk to Mr. Lopez. His client won’t divulge the information, so there is no plea bargain, Your Honor.”
“I’ve told my client what he’s facing, but he won’t talk.” Mateo gave a halfhearted shrug. Whether Scotty tried to save his own neck or not, Mateo wouldn’t lose any sleep if the kid did time. Whoa. When had he become so cynical? He cleared his throat. “He wants to go right to sentencing, Your Honor.”
Judge Gorges let out a big sigh. “Third strike, counselor. You know what that means.”
“Yes, sir, and so does my client.” Mateo looked at Scotty,
