Realizing what she meant, James’s panic soared. Because they had been standing waist deep in the sea Maria had not noticed that her water had broken. James quickly guided her towards the shore, trying to maintain a calm he didn’t feel. “Okay, okay, we’re going to figure this out,” he muttered to himself and then to Maria, trying to sound more confident than he felt.
Once further on the sand, James frantically pulled out his phone, his fingers fumbling as he tried to dial the hospital. However, the dreaded ‘No Service’ indicator mocked him from the screen. “Come on!” he urged the phone, as if sheer willpower could summon a signal. He looked around, feeling utterly helpless.