Five firm blows from the heel of her right hand between the baby girl’s shoulder blades.

There was a coughing sound as the chunk of cookie hit the back seat. Then the baby wailed.

“Gracie?” Hallie was standing there, holding her arms out.

Lila turned over the baby. “What happened?”

Hallie clutched her daughter. “Momma was driving along and then she went pale and said her arm hurt, and then I swear we were going too fast and she wasn’t responding. I tried to take the wheel but I think we hit someone. Oh my god. Is that Rene?”

Lila made it to the driver’s side of the car. Hallie’s mother was slumped over the airbag, which covered the steering wheel. She was wearing a seat belt and the airbag had deployed properly. Given what Hallie had said, she had to think either cardiac arrest or stroke. No pulse. She had to take the chance and get Mrs. Herbert on the ground, where she could start CPR.

“Armie, help me get her out of here. She’s in full arrest. I don’t know how long she’s been down.”

Armie didn’t hesitate. He unbuckled the belt and eased Mrs. Herbert to the pavement.

“Get the AED from my kit.” She didn’t explain to him that she was talking about the automated external defibrillator that would be in the kit Mabel had brought with her. Armie had enough training to back her up and she was so grateful. Lila fell to her knees, found the xiphoid process, interlocked her hands, and started CPR, the rhythm ingrained from years of work. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. She kept going until she’d counted to thirty.

Lean over and breathe. Once. Twice. Listen for breath sounds.

Back to compressions.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five . . .

Around her, somewhere in the background, she knew people were crying and the world was moving, but she was caught in this moment. The world slid away and there was only her work. In this place, she was strong. In this place, there was no fear, no hesitation. There was life and death and a battle she knew well.

Armie moved in beside her. “I’ve turned it on.”

Thirty.

She tore open Mrs. Herbert’s shirt. Her skin was dry so Lila properly placed the electrodes as the machine began to do its work.

“Everyone stand back.” Her patient needed the shock the AED would administer. Lila pressed down on the button.

Mrs. Herbert’s body convulsed as her heart started again. Her eyes came open, shock plain in them. She was shaky, but Lila felt her heartbeat pulsing under her fingers.

“Gracie? What happened to the baby? My babies?” She croaked the words out.