I hated working the nightshift, because it was so dull after the dinner rush. Sammy was in the kitchen, smoking out the back door, and I was manning the hostess booth while Janie took another nap.

She waddled out, rubbing her tummy, just after I sat a trucker at the counter. She smiled and offered me a fifteen-minute break. I said I'd take it, and she said, "Just one more thing, sweetie." I sensed what was coming. "Henry just called. Can you stay through until lunch?"

Janie watched my face, but she knew I couldn't refuse. She'd be the only other one here, unless she could get in touch with Becks, and there was no way that the 'Clubber Extraordinaire' would be sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring. I nodded, and rolled my eyes to make her laugh.

At the only occupied booth, a couple was lingering over their plates with their bill already written out and waiting on their table. I poured myself a coffee, and slid past Sammy, who was making a burger for the trucker. Outside, the night was clear and warm, but only a few stars were visible, what with the glare of the highway to my left. I took my hair out of its ponytail to let the wind tousle it.

My cup was barely half empty when Sammy roared to me. I knew it hadn't been even ten minutes, so I instinctively ran, splashing the coffee into a dark arc on the pavement away from me. Janie was clutching her roundness and huffing, while Sammy held her in a half-standing crouch near the hostess station. The trucker yelled to me that he'd phone emergency as I reached them. I don't know if I even acknowledged him, I was so focused on Janie's sweaty face. A stickiness clung to my shoes as I stepped forward. Janie motioned with her head toward a chair.

Sammy and I eased her back onto the chair. "The customer's gone to call an ambulance. It should be here soon," I said. She nodded curtly. A calmness overcame her, and she visibly loosened her jaw.

"Too early," she said. Sammy grunted.

"Never," I said, brushing my hair out of my face with the hand she wasn't clutching in a death grip. "This baby is just ready now, so like it or not, here she comes."

"She?" Janie echoed. "Yes, a girl. I'll name her after you, Cora."

My stomach flipped to imagine I would have a baby named after me, but I knew it was probably a labour-induced promise that she wouldn't even remember when the kid was born. I pushed the thought away as I wondered what had happened to the trucker.

The door opened behind me, and some teenagers walked in. "What the–," one of them said.

"Emergency," Sammy said, as if they were imbeciles. "Is there a man outside on the payphone?"

The trucker stepped up behind the teens, and said, "Yeah, I called. The ambulance is on its way."

Janie seemed to be focusing on her belly again, and her grip had strengthened. My fingers were white and my arm was starting to cramp. "One of us should call Ray," I said to Sammy.

"You go," he said, but Janie shook her head violently. "I'll go," he amended.

The teenagers were in conference. The spokesman said, "Anything we can do to help?" I couldn't figure out what more Janie needed, but she asked for a glass of water, and a towel. I pointed them behind the counter.

Poor Janie had quite an audience now. We were all eager to help with no idea what to do. She sipped her water in between contractions, and kept thanking us all. Sammy had directed Ray to go straight to the hospital, and was supporting Janie's other side again. When the ambulance roared up to the front doors, we were all relieved to have something else to talk about.

Soon, Janie was on her way to the hospital, refusing anyone to come with her. Sammy went back to the kitchen, to cook some food for the teenagers. He even made the trucker a new burger, since his other one had gone cold. After getting the orders straight, I mopped up the floor where Janie had been standing when her waters broke. Then I sat at an empty booth near the door and waited.

The order bell brought me out of my worry, and I put on my best smile. The teens could talk of nothing but their surprise walking into the diner, and the trucker seemed more awake and happy than when he had first come in.

After they left, we had a couple of new customers who didn't even know there had almost been a birth right at the front door. Sammy and I exchanged glances once over a sandwich plate, then he was gone, and Doug was in for the morning rush. I suddenly needed to concentrate on more than wondering how Janie was doing.

Becks rushed in halfway through breakfast. She was breathless and wanted to know everything, but we were too busy to talk. I was half asleep on my feet, but I did manage to work out that Sammy had phoned her to ask her to come in as soon as possible. She hadn't slept either, but she was still pumped full of adrenaline from dancing the night away.

At least seventeen orders of pancakes later, Doug was still pumping them out. Becks was charming all the customers at her tables, and mine were using up what little energy I had left. I silently cursed Henry, who was probably off on another job interview.

I was pouring a coffee refill when I heard a commotion at the door. Heads turned to see what was going on. A large bouquet of flowers entered, obscuring whoever was holding them. I heard Becks squeal. Somehow, I assumed this meant they were for her.

A face emerged from between the pink and green fronds. It was Ray, smiling wider than I have ever seen anyone smile.

"It's a girl!" he boomed. "Cora Louise, seven pounds, one ounce."

"Janie?" I asked.

"Mother and baby are both healthy and happy," he said, nearly in tears. "Thanks for your help." He pushed the flowers into my arms. I was still holding the coffeepot.

I breathed in a mixture of hyacinth and hot coffee. I wanted to explain to Ray that I didn't do anything. I wanted to say that Janie had done all the work. Instead, I stood there, unmoving, and dropped tears of relief onto delicate petals.