“Yes, Mama, I’m supposed to wait for the cord to stop pulsing and then take the surgical scissors and then cut the cord about two inches from the end.”

“That’s right, Mr. Jim. I’ve been watchin’ the cord and I think it’s just about that time,” Mama said as she handed me the scissors.

I watched the heart beat pulsing in the cord and when I noticed it stop, I looked at Maggie and said, “Ready?”

She smiled and said, “Ready.” Transfixed, I carefully cut the cord. Myra took the scissors and Mama said, “Congratulations, Mr. Jim, you did a fine, fine job this mornin’ and just look at your beautiful baby Layla. You go on now and sit with them. Don’t mind us, we just gonna clean everythin’ up a bit and leave you three alone.”

And there we were, for the first time all together. Layla still hadn’t cried, and Maggie had sailed through the birth. I heard Myra say to Mama, “That’s the fastest labor I’ve ever seen!”