A Country Affair(100)

“Two weeks!” Rorie said sympathetically.

“I know, and I was hoping Junior would choose this week to arrive. I swear to you, Rorie, when you were pregnant with Katherine you positively glowed. You made everything seem so easy.”

Rorie laughed. “I did?”

“I feel miserable. My legs are swollen, my hands and feet look like they’ve been inflated. There isn’t a single part of my body that’s normal-sized anymore.”

Rorie laughed again. “The last few weeks are always like that. I think the main difference is that Katherine was born in October, when the weather was much cooler.”

With some difficulty Kate crossed her legs. “I only hope our baby will be as good-natured as Katherine. She barely fussed the whole time she was here.”

“Her uncle Skip thinks she’s going to start walking soon.”

“I think he’s right.” Pressing a hand to her ribs, Kate shifted her position. She was finding it difficult to sit comfortably for longer than a few minutes at a time.

“Oh—” Rorie set her iced tea aside “—I almost forgot.” She hurried back to the kitchen and returned with a hardbound children’s book. “I received my first copies of Nightsong’s Adventures in the mail yesterday. Kate, I can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I was when I held this book in my hands.”

Kate laid the book on her lap and slowly turned the pages. “The illustrations are fantastic. They really fit the story.”

“The reviews have been excellent. One critic said he expected it to become a children’s classic, which I realize is ridiculous, but I couldn’t help feeling excited about it.”

“It isn’t ridiculous, and I’m sure your publisher knows that, otherwise they wouldn’t have been so eager to buy your second book.”

“You know, the second sale was every bit as exciting as the first,” Rorie said with a smile.

“Just think, in a few years our children will be reading your stories and attending school together. They’re bound to be the best of friends.”

Before Kate could respond, the baby woke and they watched, delighted, as she sat up in the portable crib. When she saw her mother sitting next to Kate, she smiled, her dark eyes twinkling. She raised her chubby arms, reaching for Rorie.

Rorie stood and lifted Katherine out of the crib, kissing the little girl’s cheeks. “I’d better get her home. Thanks so much for watching Katherine for me. I promised I’d pinch-hit for the new librarian if she ever needed me, and I didn’t think I could refuse her even though it was at the last minute.”

“It wasn’t any problem, so don’t worry. And tell Mary she should visit her sister more often so I get the opportunity to babysit every once in a while.”

“Call me later and let me know how you’re feeling.”

Kate nodded.

Ten minutes after Rorie and Katherine left, Luke drove up and parked behind the house. Standing on the porch, Kate waved to her husband.

Luke joined her, placing an arm around what once had been a trim waist, and led the way into the kitchen. “You okay?” His gaze was tender.

Kate wasn’t sure how to answer that. She was miserable. Excited. Frightened. Eager. So many emotions were coming at her, she didn’t know which one to mention first.

“Kate?”

“I feel fine.” There was no need to list her complaints, but all of a sudden she felt funny. She didn’t know any other way to describe it. As Rorie had said, there were a dozen different aches and pains the last few weeks of any pregnancy.

Luke kissed her, his mouth soft. “Did you have a busy day with Katherine?”

“She slept almost the entire time, but I think Rorie knew she would.” Leaning forward, Kate kissed her husband’s jaw. “I made some iced tea. Want some?”

“Please.”

When Kate reached inside the cupboard for a glass, a sharp pain split her side. She let out a cry.

“Kate?”

Clutching her swollen abdomen, Kate stared at Luke. “Oh, my goodness. I just felt a pain.”

Luke paled. “You’re in labor?”

Smiling, wide-eyed, she nodded slowly. “I must be. I didn’t expect them to start off so strong.”

In an instant, Luke was across the kitchen beside her. “Now what?”

“I think I should call the doctor.”

“No.” Luke’s arm flew out as if that would halt the course of nature. “I’ll call. Stay there. Don’t move.”

“But, Luke—”

“For heaven’s sake, Kate, don’t argue with me now. We’re about to have a baby!”

He said this as if it were a recent discovery. As he reached for the phone, she saw that he’d gone deathly pale. When he finished talking to the doctor, he gave her a panicked look, then announced that Doc Adams wanted them to go straight to the hospital. As soon as the words left his mouth, he shot to the bedroom, then returned with her suitcase. He halted abruptly when he saw she’d picked up the phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Dad and Dorothea. I promised I would.”

“Kate, would you let me do the phoning?”

“All right.” She handed him the receiver and started toward the bedroom to collect the rest of her things. If he thought that talking on the phone was too taxing for her, fine. She’d let him do it. The years had taught her that arguing with Luke was fruitless.