“What the hell was that explosion?” asked Ben. “I have never heard anything like that.”

“That didn’t sound good,” said Nathan. “It’s louder than anything I’ve ever heard on the island.”

“We have to get her out of this room,” said Maggie. “It’s not safe in here.”

“They’re going to have that room ready in just a minute or two,” said Dave. “They just wanted to make sure everything was really clean. And someone is in there boarding up that window now.”

“Mom, I can’t get a phone signal to Google it but don’t we need to boil some water and get some clean towels and…” began Lilith.

“Yes,” said Maggie. “Good, you and your sister get together some clean linens for the bed, towels, the sharpest scissors you can find, and some very strong, thin string and bring it to the room for her as soon as you can.”

A window from a third-floor attic room could be heard exploding inward.

“We’ve got to get everyone out of this room now,” said Ron.

Ron and Dale kicked into high gear. Ron directed their small staff to finish boarding up the sunroom, with help from Kevin and Ben, then quickly went to the kitchen with Lilith to prepare the boiling water for the sterile linens. Dale went to help Erica clear space in the first-floor bedroom that had been chosen to be used for the delivery because it had only one window (now boarded up) far away from the bed. Wes and Alfie brought candles from the sunroom to what was about to serve as the delivery room, placing them on dressers and window sills. It was going to be difficult to do a delivery without electricity, so every candle was brought. Maggie and Dave tried to help Nathan get Eva ready to move.

Nathan said, “Eva, everything is going to be OK, we are just going to get you…”

“AAAHHHH!” screamed Eva. “Holy faaaaaaachhhkkkkkkk..”

“How many minutes was that since the last contraction?” asked Maggie. “We need to start timing them.”

Ben chimed in. “I’ll do it!” He opened the notes function of his iPhone and began jotting down the times, estimating the first squeal that had come from Eva at the beginning of the ceremony. He had been there for Max’s birth and remembered this part of the drill.

Nathan took one of Eva’s elbows and Maggie the other.

“OK, Eva, we need to walk you to the bedroom before the next contraction hits,” said Nathan. “Let’s go. You can do this. We are just going for a little walk. Just like on the beach.”

“No sea glass today,” said Jo, “but man, Eva, this hurricane is going to bring us all the good stuff.”

“You know it,” said Eva. “AHHHHHH SHHITTTTT!” She stopped in the doorway to the bedroom, doubled over by a contraction.

“You’re almost there, kid,” said Maggie. “Look, the bed’s all ready for you.”

Maggie and Nathan helped her into the bathroom and into a bathrobe.

Dave carried a soup pot of wrung-out clean, hot towels to the bedroom. At this point in the shuffling around, it was uncertain who would remain in the room until Eva suddenly took charge in between contractions. The attorney with years of experience slaying corporations in the courtroom wasn’t thrilled about her lack of control over the current situation, but she’d keep as much of her dignity as she could.

“OK, listen up, everyone,” Eva began, walking out of the bathroom in her robe. “I have to make this quick. I only want Nathan and Maggie and Lisa in this room. Everyone else can help by bringing them what we need. For instance, I need a goddamn bottle of wine, STAT if I am going to deliver a baby with no anesthesia. Keep it coming. And everyone can go dig through your purses because whoever has the best prescription painkiller better get that shit in here quick too. OK, everyone? Let’s do this… AAAAAHGGHH FUCCKKKK!!!!”

“We love you, Eva,” said Lisa. She and Maggie helped Lisa into the bed. “You can do this.”

“It’s been a really long time,” said Eva. “I do remember it hurts like a motherfucker.”

“Like ridin’ a bike, kid,” said Maggie. “You’ll be fine.”

Lisa and Maggie stood at the head of the bed and held her hands so she could grip them if needed.

The room was cleared. An open bottle of wine, a glass, and a bottle of Ativan appeared within seconds. Under other circumstances the two might not have been prescribed medically to be taken together, but given the current set of conditions Eva took two pills and chased them with an entire glass of wine.

“I hope that takes the edge off, Eva,” Nathan said. He was white as a sheet.

“Oh, honey,” said Eva. She suddenly looked more worried about him than she did about herself. “Pour yourself some of that and take one of those pills. We’re going to have a baby! Everything will be fine.”

“Ben is outside and he’s keeping the contraction times if we need them,” said Lisa.

“Nathan, I’m going to need you to be strong, we can do this, don’t pass out on me, said Eva. “I think we might be AAAGHHHHGOODDAMMITT…”

“Two minutes,” said Ben from outside the door.

“Oh shit,” said Maggie, holding a phone flashlight for lighting. “Yeah, Nathan, you’re going to need to take a look.”

She helped fold the sheets so it would be easier to see, then took a look herself because he seemed to be a little bit in shock. Lisa asked if she wanted some water as well as the wine. She poured her another glass, handing it to her.

“No, just the wine for now is good, I can drink water after I have the baby with no drugs,” said Eva, gulping. “I better at least have a good buzz going when I push this kid out.”

“OK,” said Nathan.

“OK?” said Maggie. “I’m going to keep holding the phone flashlight, because it’s going to be the best lighting we have right now. Are you going to be OK?”

“Yes,” said Nathan, forcing himself to stay focused. He looked at Eva; she could see him force a normal expression onto his face. He smiled. “You’re doing great, honey. I love you.”

Eva laughed. “I’m doing better than you. AHHHHHHH FUCKKKKKKING HELLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!”

She sat up, her face contorted. Lisa grabbed the empty wine glass.

“One minute,” came Ben’s voice from outside the door.

“Shit, honey, when you have a baby, you don’t mess around,” said Maggie. “This is hard and heavy. None of that seven-hour labor bullshit for you.”

“Had the twins in forty-five minutes,” said Eva, lying back, panting. Her black hair was covered in sweat, her face beet-red.

“Damn!” said Lisa, looking pale. She took a deep breath, feeling a bit light in the head. She needed to be here for her friend, and tried to concentrate on squeezing Eva’s hand.

“It’s the low-pressure system,” said Nathan. “The hurricane. A lot of island women have gone into early labor in storms. I was born during a storm too.”

“AAAAAAGGGHHHHHH THE HEAD! I CAN FEEL THE HEAD!!” screamed Eva. “I NEED TO PUSH!!” She sat up and bore down.

Nathan looked. He could see she was fully ready. Maggie joined him at the bottom of the bed, holding the phone light steady.

“You’re fully dilated and crowning honey,” said Maggie. “You’re ready to push. You can do this.”

Lisa had never seen anyone have a baby, and having miscarried herself, and wanted a baby for so many years, it was an emotional scene for her. She held Eva’s hand and stayed at the top of the bed, feeling a little ill.

Eva pushed and pushed, screamed and cursed.

Nathan’s eyes were wide as the baby slid out. His hands cradled the baby as, face down, the head of curly black hair was revealed.

“It’s OK, Nathan, you got this,” said Maggie, “you can just place the baby right onto Eva’s belly.” Maggie grabbed one of the clean towels, checked with her pinky finger to see that the baby’s mouth seemed clear, and was relieved to hear the baby’s first cry. It was lying curled on its side, and she saw it was a girl. So did Nathan.

“She’s a baby girl,” said Nathan, covering the baby in the warm towel. “Our little baby girl.”

Tears streamed down Eva’s face. The baby’s head bobbed, searching for her mother’s breast. Nathan carefully lifted the baby inside her warm towel closer to Eva.

Lisa smiled at Maggie, who covered Eva with a blanket. Her daughters had collected string and sharp scissors and rubbing alcohol from the kitchen, so in a moment they would have Nathan prepare to cut the cord.

“She’s so beautiful,” said Lisa.

“Of course she is,” said Maggie. “Just like her mother.”

“Yes, exactly like her mother,” said Nathan. “What will we name her?”

Eva looked at Maggie and Lisa, then down at her stunning red sea glass ring, then back at her beloved Nathan.

“I have this cool club I’ve been a member of for a long time,” said Eva. “What do you think about the name Scarlet?”

“What a beautiful name,” said Nathan.

The thunder outside boomed and the wind howled on as the hurricane pounded the inn around them, the waters drawing ever higher toward the house, unbeknownst to its guests, perched on the safety of the island’s highest point.

“And maybe we should choose Camilla for the middle name, since we survived this hurricane during her birth,” said Nathan.

“Scarlet Camilla,” said Eva. “It’s perfect. She is perfect.”

Downstairs, a fire in the hearth, the rest of the guests gathered around eating Chef Herman’s delicious crab cake meal while waiting for news. Rainbow Smith Island cake slices were cut and on plates, and perfect for not only a wedding celebration, but a baby’s birth as well. Nathan went downstairs and made the birth announcement as the thunder rolled and the rain sheeted and the lightning lit his path. Small groups of friends and loved ones brought plates of food and cake and glasses of wine to the new mother and her friends, the Scarlet Letter Sisters.

Six hours later, a Coast Guard rescue helicopter would land on the front lawn of Sharps Island Inn, rescuing the group of weary hurricane survivors from what had become a very small island that day—they wouldn’t know just how tiny until they saw it from the sky. Surrounded by so much chaos and love, and very closely by the combined waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the Talbot Rivers, they’d never really known the level of danger they were in. For those moments in time, even during the worst storm of the century, they had all they needed—the love of friends and family, and the celebration of new life.