A female paramedic entered first, followed by another paramedic, a police officer, Sandra, and a county worker. Barbara saw the badge and gasped.

“You called child services on us?”

The worker looked at her calmly.

“We are here because of an allegation of medical endangerment involving unborn children and unlawful restriction of the mother’s access to care.”

Barbara laughed in disbelief.

“Unborn children? They aren’t even born.”

The officer wrote something down. Sandra looked at Barbara.

“Please keep talking.”

The paramedic took my arm.

“Melody? How far apart are contractions?”

“Two minutes. Twins. High-risk. Dr. Martinez. Twin A may be breech.”

“We’re moving fast.”

Sandra turned to Barbara, whose fist still held my keys.

“Hand those over.”

“They’re not—”

“Mrs. Stewart, do not add obstruction to this. Give me the keys.”

Richard stepped forward.

“This is my son’s house.”

“My house,” I said through the pain.

Sandra opened her folder.

“And if you want to keep talking, Mr. Stewart, explain why you and your wife moved in without a lease while siphoning forty-seven thousand dollars from the homeowners’ joint account.”

Richard’s face changed. Barbara turned on him. She had not known Sandra had the exact number. The paramedic checked my blood pressure and went serious.

“We need to leave now.”

Barbara grabbed the stretcher rail.

“She is not leaving. Janet is on her way. We already prepared the pool.”

The paramedic knocked Barbara’s hand away.

“If you interfere again, you will be removed.”