Wildest Dreams (Thunder Point #9)(85)

Iris realized something. She should have realized it before. It was a special holiday and she was about to have a baby—without her own mother. For the past several years, since her mother died, Gwen had been her surrogate mother and she’d been counting on Gwen to preside over the dinner and also to be with her when the baby came. Seth would be her coach and partner but Gwen would be her stand-in mother. And what had Gwen done? She drew a line in the sand having finally had enough of Norm’s cranky, silent ways. Iris might even sympathize. But did Gwen have to do this now?

“I miss my mother,” Iris said.

“Of course you do, sweetheart. When we’re done and you’ve had a nice, calming cup of tea, I’ll go over to your house and get Norm and bring him home. I don’t really want him back but it was so inconsiderate of me to suggest he go to your house. I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Iris said with a sniff and a sob. “But wasn’t it inconsiderate of him, too? And Seth, for not preventing it?”

“Inbred, I’m afraid,” Gwen said.

“Are you really going to divorce him?” Iris asked with a hiccup and another sob.

“Possibly,” she said with a shrug. “But now it’s more because he doesn’t care that I’m divorcing him.” She took a sip of her wine. “I might just ignore him for the rest of his life, not that he’d notice.”

“Oh, Gwen...”

“I think maybe you’re overwrought,” Gwen said. “It’s not like we haven’t bickered for forty-five years.” She picked up her fork again. “You did a lovely job on the dinner, Iris.”

“Thank you. I have a beautiful centerpiece on the table, too. I wish I’d brought it. We’re the only ones who care.”

They ate a little more in silence and then Iris pushed her plate away. “I might’ve overdone it a bit,” she said, rubbing her belly. “I might not have eaten a full meal at my house but I sure put a dent in it. I didn’t need this much.”

The front door opened and Seth, looking frantic, stormed in. “Iris!” He rushed to her, taking into account the remnants of dinner on the table. He dropped to one knee beside her chair. “I thought you were in the bathroom!”

She looked at her watch. “For thirty minutes?” she asked.

“Who am I to judge,” he said with a shrug. “Are you all right?”

She was a little flushed and trembling. “Actually, no... I don’t feel very well. I think I ate too much. And I have a lot of gas. And I...” She groaned and leaned forward. “Wow,” she said through her groan.

Without warning, there was the sound and sensation of dripping. She looked at her husband with wide eyes. “Uh-oh,” she said. “My water broke.”

He immediately pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I guess we’re going to the hospital,” he said. He called one of the other deputies. “Iris’s water broke,” he said into the phone. “I’m off call and you’re on. I’ll be at Pacific Hospital.”

* * *

Iris had mistakenly believed that since she so efficiently went into labor without even realizing it, since the baby was a little early, the birth would be fast and slick and easy. But it was not. When she did get to the labor and delivery ward, she was four centimeters, which was only one more than necessary to be admitted. And then, thanks to a very tiring day, a lot of stress and a huge double meal, she was sick as a dog. And fretful.

She labored through the night, and even with the assistance of an epidural, she was pretty miserable. Gwen had followed them to the hospital and stayed with Iris and Seth through their very long night and cheered her on when she began to push. Norm had also gone to the hospital and took up his post in the hallway outside Iris’s room, getting regular updates from Seth.

Finally little Rose was born. Rose was named after Iris’s late mother and, since they had been in the flower business before selling the shop to Grace, naming baby girls for flowers was something of a family tradition.

After Rose made her appearance, after Gwen had taken some pictures and saw that Iris was going to be cleaned up and the delivery room converted into the room where the new little family would spend at least one night, Gwen went to the hospital coffee shop for coffee and whatever breakfast she could find. When she got back to the room a half hour later, Iris was resting, little Rose was in the baby bed beside Iris and Seth was pacing.

“Oh, good, you’re back. I want to step out of the room and make my calls.”

“You can go to the coffee shop. I had a nice little microwaved egg sandwich down there. You can stake out a corner, have some coffee and something to eat and use your phone.”

“Dad’s been here all night,” Seth said.

“I noticed,” she said.

“Have you talked to him?”

“There isn’t much to say. I’m glad he was here for you, Seth. Even if he couldn’t be in the room.”

“I’m going to send him in to see the baby now.”

“Sure,” Gwen said. “Of course. We’re not going to fight.”

Seth gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Mom. You were wonderful. Thank you.”

“I’m glad I was invited.”

After Seth left, Gwen gave Iris a soft kiss on the brow. “Sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here watching over the baby for you.”