She'd been in labor for nineteen hours; I completely understood why she wanted to pass the buck. 'You are so beautiful,' her husband crooned, holding up her shoulders.'You are so full of shit,' Lila snarled, but as a contraction settled over her like a net, she bore down and pushed.
In the excerpt from "Handle with Care" by Jodi Picoult, a woman named Lila is struggling through a lengthy labor of nineteen hours. The physical and emotional toll of the experience leads her to feel overwhelmed and wanting to escape the situation. Her husband attempts to console her by praising her beauty, but Lila responds harshly, indicating her frustration and pain during childbirth.
As the contractions intensify, Lila's determination takes over...