In a Book Club Far Away(87)

“But how am I supposed to tell her? And should I even? Is this my business? And this woman… she’s going to kill the messenger.”

Adelaide now looked ahead at the busy street, packed nose to tail waiting for entrance through Fort Fairfax’s gate. “We’re stuck,” Adelaide declared. “In more ways than one.”





CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Sophie




When Sophie and Adelaide arrived at the labor and delivery ward, the secretary stationed in front of the locked double doors directed them to the waiting room. “We have increased security here. Labor coach or significant other only, with identity bands.”

“She just called us,” Sophie said, taking the lead since the hospital was her arena. “She’s alone—could you double-check, please?”

Without fanfare, the woman picked up the phone. And while Adelaide wrung her fingers together, Sophie made sure that she kept the smile on her face. The ward secretary was the key to the L & D world; that person held the power to open the locked unit.

The secretary turned in her chair, presumably to speak without being spied upon. After a few moments, she spun back around and hung up the phone. “I’m sorry. They want privacy at this time.”

“What does that mean? Does that mean she’s in labor?” Sophie asked.

“And wait a minute, did you say ‘they’? She’s not alone?” Adelaide interjected.

“I’m not at a liberty to say otherwise. Perhaps one of you can call her.”

“We did call her. She’s not answering.” Adelaide raised her voice. “Can we get her room number, at least? Don’t you have a board back there with their names?” She got on her tiptoes.

“Ma’am!” The secretary stood.

Sophie grabbed Adelaide by the elbow. The last thing they needed was for the secretary to call the MPs. “C’mon, tiger, let’s go.”

Thank goodness, her friend followed, and they reconvened near the elevators.

“So I guess she’s okay?” Adelaide asked, taking out her phone. “It doesn’t look like she texted, though.”

Sophie had an idea. “Here, turn on your camera.” Adelaide had a new iPhone 4 with a camera that was unbelievably sharp compared to her BlackBerry. “Let’s take a picture together.” They snapped a selfie. “Go ahead and send it.”

“Okay. I texted her and told her we’re here,” Adelaide said.

“Let’s wait a second to see what she says.”

They commandeered seats in the packed waiting room, where the tension was thick with worried family members. Still, after thirty minutes, there was no return text.

“What do we do?” Adelaide asked.

“We should just go home.”

The ride back to the apartments was long despite being only a short five miles, the car filled with silence. All the while, Sophie worried for Regina. Even single active-duty soldiers who were in labor had company, either by their choice, or assigned by the unit—a woman should have support in every step of the baby birthing process.

It physically pained her that she couldn’t be there, at this moment. Alongside that pain was anger, at Logan.

When she dropped off Adelaide at her apartment, Sophie asked, “What do we do? About the conundrum I’m in… with that couple?”

“I don’t know.”

“What would you do?”

Adelaide shrugged. “I’m stumped, too. Let’s think about it. We can’t be rash.”

“Okay.”

After they said goodbye, Sophie headed home. She entered her apartment and went straight to make herself a cup of chamomile tea, in the hopes it would give her the clarity she needed to unload this guilt. At the counter she felt arms around her waist, and she girded herself to keep from jumping. It was Jasper, of course, and it was silly to be startled, but she’d gotten used to not being touched so intimately. Sure, she was always ready for the kid tackle, but she was still reacclimatizing to having her man at home.

But the next second, she melted into his arms, especially as he kissed her on the back of the neck, all the while being heckled by their girls from their bedroom.

“Aren’t you all supposed to be sleeping?” Sophie said as she turned to face Jasper. She wrapped her arms around his neck. She needed this hug, to help lift the weight she was carrying.

“I didn’t want to go to bed without you.”

They were still in the honeymoon phase of reunion, and she was intent on enjoying it to its fullest. Soon she would be tired of the laundry on the floor, and him forgetting that the dishes were his to load, too. There was more to catch up on, like the nitty-gritty of his deployment not covered in their emails or phone calls, things said in the dark that couldn’t be repeated.

“You okay?” he asked. “How’s Regina?”

“Okay, I hope?”

He frowned. “What does that mean?”

Sophie realized her faux pas. “I’m sorry. I’m sure she’s fine. No need to call the cavalry.”

“Infantry, babe.”

“That’s what I meant.” She grinned. “We couldn’t get in to see her, which means she’s either in labor or just had her baby. I’m sure she’ll call soon.”