Her mouth opened as if to scream but no sound came.
"Gently does it. Don't push any more."
She squeezed down on my hand and the nails bit into me. I stroked her head. Her body tensed with one last spasm and then I heard the suction going as the baby gasped. She loosened her grip and went limp.
"It's a boy ... a boy!" Ray shouted, his eyes twinkling with pleasure over the mask as he held the child up by the feet. The sharp wail of my first-born son was loud in the room. I put my face down to Pat as she cried for joy.
Back in the Laboratory I passed by the offices until I came to the electron microscope room. Polly was busy setting up for a picture but turned at the noise.
"John, darling! Oh, I'm so happy to see you." She came over to me, put her hands on my shoulders and kissed me.
"Have you seen Pat yet? But of course you have. How is she? Has she had that baby yet?"
"Yes I have. She's doing fine. It's a boy."
"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, and kissed me again. "That's for good luck," she explained. "You three will make such a nice family." Her smile faded as the sun goes behind a cloud and for an instant her eyes, though still on my face, seemed to look far away beyond me into infinity.