Intent(89)

“Ladies,” I say as I step in. “Layne and I are taking Zoe to the hospital. We’re having a baby soon! River, can you stay with Aunt Lily for a couple of days while we stay at the hospital to help Zoe?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” she squeals. “Will I have a baby sister when I come home?”

“You sure will. Are you excited about that?”

“Yeah!”

“I’ll call you and show you pictures as soon as I can. Be good for Aunt Lily.” I hug and kiss my little girl. “She might even bring you to the hospital to see us later.”

“Call us if you need anything, Ace. We’ll take care of everything here and make sure this little lady is overly spoiled for the next couple of days,” Mom replies.

“Absolutely. And in a few hours, we’ll have another one to spoil, too,” Lily adds.

Once we’re in the truck on the way to the hospital, Zoe’s contractions kick in. Layne is in the backseat with her, trying to help her breathe through the pain when it hits. “The doctor is already at the hospital, and she knows we’re on our way.”

By the time we get Zoe admitted and into a room, it’s well on the way into evening hours and I realize I’m starving. If I haven’t eaten in a while, I know Layne hasn’t either. Zoe is resting comfortably in the bed since her contractions have all but stopped, and Layne is stretched out on the chair that converts into a twin-size bed. I sit on the side and push her hair off her face. Her eyes flutter open and she wraps her hand around mine.

“Babe, I’m going to get us all something to eat. I’ll sneak a little something in for Zoe, too. I’ll be back as quickly as I can, but call me if anything happens.”

“I will,” she smiles sleepily.

What I don’t tell her is I’m going back to the house first. In our haste to get Zoe to the hospital, I left something behind. Something I need.

Answers.





Chapter Twenty-Eight





Layne



It’s been thirty-six hours since Zoe’s water broke and we’re still at the hospital. Her contractions are too sporadic to make much progress, and the doctor is now talking to her about inducing labor with medication.

“So what do you think, Zoe? Are you ready to have this baby?” the doctor asks.

“I’m beyond ready,” Zoe replies. “Let’s do it.”

“Okay. I’ll put the order in, and the nurse will be in here with the medication as soon as she can. It may take her a little while to check on the other patients in her rounds.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Zoe laughs. “I’ll just watch TV some more until it’s time.”

The doctor leaves and I slide into the bed beside Zoe. “You know, if you’ve changed your mind about the adoption, you can just tell me. You don’t have to hold the baby hostage inside you.”

She bursts out in laughter, and it’s like music to my ears. My sweet girl is happy, healthy, and for the first time since I first met her, lighthearted. “I haven’t changed my mind. Actually, there’s something else I need to tell you that I’ve been thinking about and I’ve finally made up my mind.”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Marcia asked me about my plans after I have the baby. I told her about the private school and my plans to apply to the University of Georgia. She thinks it’s a great idea and she wants to help, too. I know I still have a few years to go, but we talked a lot about their School of Law and how many people I can help with a law degree. That’s what I want to do, just like you.”

“I’m so proud of you, Zoe.”

We enjoy our time chatting and giggling while Ace takes a nap on the converted chair. He hasn’t had much sleep in the last few days with everything that happened with Margot, worrying about my health, and taking care of both Zoe and me. I watch him while he sleeps and wonder what he’s dreaming when his eyes move rapidly under his closed eyelids.

Suddenly, Zoe grips the sheet in her fists and tries to suppress a cry of pain. “What’s wrong?”

“Pretty sure my contractions just kicked up to about one thousand on the pain scale.”

“But the nurse hasn’t even been back to start your drip yet.”

“Yeah, the baby isn’t going to wait for her either.”

I hit the call button and tell the nurse when she arrives that Zoe has started active labor. Again.

She laughs and asks Zoe, “Are you just trying to make me look bad?”

“It’s not me,” Zoe replies. “This baby definitely has a mind of her own.”

“Don’t they all,” the nurse chuckles before donning gloves to check her progress. “You’re definitely on your way to having this baby now. You’re almost fully effaced and dilated several centimeters. As long as she cooperates, it shouldn’t be too much longer now.”

I lean over and kiss Ace to wake him so I can tell him the good news. Instead of sitting up like I expected him to, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me down on top of him. “That’s great news. For future reference, this is the way I prefer you to wake me up, though.”

Laughing, I push up on his chest and kiss him again. “Careful what you wish for. Now wake up, we’re about to have a baby.”