Christmas in Texas

by Tina Leonard

“But you’re not worried about Daisy anymore now, are you?”

  “No.” Capri shook her head. “I think she moved on to Jack, just like you said.”

  “I know,” Kelly said, “and it makes me want to pinch her head off.”

  Capri smiled. “I remember that emotion.”

  “So, what are you going to do now? You’re not really going to go through with the divorce, are you?”

  Capri could barely focus on her friend’s question. The pain was getting worse; it was harder to hold back a groan.

  Something was different; she knew it. “Kelly,” she said, forcing her voice above a whisper but having to push against the pain, “having never experienced pregnancy I’m no expert, but I think these babies want to be here in time for Christmas.”

  Chapter Five

  Seagal figured he’d set a new record for speed by the time he got to the hospital. He sprinted inside, leaving Jack at the curb to park the cruiser.

  Capri looked pale, tired and in pain when he jogged into the room the nurse led him to. “I thought I told you to stay still,” he said to his wife, trying to make light of the situation to calm his heart, which was trying to beat out of his chest.

  “I listened,” Capri said. “Funny how your children didn’t. Maybe a case of like father, like babies.”

  He glanced at the doctor. “What’s happening?”

  Dr. Blankenship finished looking over the charts he held. “You’re about to meet your children, Seagal.”

  Seagal’s gaze locked on his wife. He’d never wanted to hold her and comfort her so badly. “This is it, lady. There’s no turning back now. We’re going to be parents.”

  Capri gave him a very slight smile. He could tell she was really hurting. “There was no turning back when I first met you, Seagal,” she said, then groaned and closed her eyes.

  Nurses hustled Capri onto a gurney. He followed helplessly, not sure what to do. His heart thundered. No one seemed to care whether he went in to the big room that looked like an operating room, and then suddenly, a nurse helped him into something she called a birth coach’s shirt. She showed him where to wash and made him put sterile covers on his shoes.

  “Are you all right?” the elderly nurse asked him.

  He was pretty sure he’d know her if she’d take off her mask, but at the moment his brain was short-circuiting. “I’m fine. Is she going to be all right?”

  “Your wife is going to be fine.”

  The nurse left him, and Seagal hung at the back of the huge room, watching everything. He didn’t want to get in the way of the medical personnel; he felt so useless. Was he supposed to take pictures? He and Capri hadn’t discussed his role.

  Someone nudged him over to Capri’s side, and told him to talk to her in soothing tones.

  He wasn’t usually a soothing presence for Capri. But once upon a time, he had known just the right words to say to her.

  “Hey, babe.”

  Capri’s eyes were huge in her face. He could hardly bear to see her like this. Taking her hand in his, he said, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”

  She made little short puffing breaths, and then suddenly she relaxed.

  “A local anesthetic,” the doctor explained.

  They were awfully busy under the green sheet. Capri had told him he wasn’t to approach the sheet in any way, so he remained by her side, letting her squeeze his fingers bloodless. He welcomed the pain; it wasn’t nearly what she was going through.

  “Seagal,” Capri suddenly said, startling him.

  “Yes?” He leaned close to hear her.

  “Mrs. Penny called.”

  He blinked. “Can we talk to her later? I know she’s one of our town’s revered grapevines, but—”

  Capri squeezed his fingers to shush him. She was so pale he sent a worried glance the doctor’s way. Dr. Blankenship seemed busy with whatever he was doing under the green sheet thing, so Seagal looked back at Capri.

  “Okay,” he said, “was there something special on her mind?”

  “She said you’re sniffing around my flower shop.” Capri’s gaze was on him, accusing. “Do you think somebody close to me may be involved?”

  He was on the ropes here—he could hear it in her voice. “I can’t say, honey.”

  “You didn’t tell me,” Capri said.

  “Keep soothing her, Mr. West. We need to keep Mom calm,” a nurse said, glancing at a monitor.

  He leaned close to his wife. “Let’s talk about this later.”

  “I need to know,” she said, her gaze on him, haunted.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say,” Seagal said, “I’m simply following orders.”

  Capri’s eyes widened. Belatedly, Seagal remembered that the night of their worst argument, he’d said the same thing. It had effectively ended their marriage.

  “Capri,” he said, “no one knows exactly who is involved. But this I do know. I’m about to be a dad. All I want to do is take care of you and my children.”

  “That’s better,” the nurse said, her tone approving. “Whatever you’re saying, keep saying it. We need to keep your blood pressure down, Mrs. West.”

  “Snow,” Capri said, and the nurse glanced at her. “My name is Snow.”

  “Now wait,” Seagal said, his voice low so the nurses and doctor couldn’t hear. His blood pressure felt as if he needed someone to say soothing things to him. “You’re still Mrs. Seagal West for another two weeks.”

  She closed her eyes.

  “You’re doing fine,” the nurse said. “The doctor is almost finished prepping you, and then it will be time to meet your new babies.”

  Capri released his fingers. He tried to catch her fingers back but she put her hand under the covers. So he stood beside her, staring down at her pale face, wishing he knew what to tell her to make her happy, to keep her his forever.

  “Okay, Capri,” Dr. Blankenship said. “I’m about to make an incision. You’ll only notice some tugging sensations. If you notice anything more than that, let me know, all right?”

  Capri nodded. Seagal felt all the blood rush from his head.

  “Get Dad a chair,” Dr. Blankenship barked, and the elderly nurse led him over to the side.

  “Breathe,” the nurse commanded. “Doc’s done this a thousand times. Capri’s in the best possible hands.”

  Wasn’t he supposed to be a fearless, tough guy?

  Then why was the very idea of his wife being in pain making him weak as a kitten?

  “I’m failing at being a birth coach,” he told the nurse.

  “We keep this chair in here for dads,” the nurse said, her tone kindly. “You’ll feel stronger in a bit. Don’t worry. Your wife is in good hands.”

  She patted him on the back, then turned to stand by Capri. Seagal took another deep breath, braced himself, and went back to being there for his wife.

  * * *

  CAPRI KNEW THE SECOND Seagal left her side. She felt alone as soon as he’d gone, and reminded herself that she was destined to be alone in the future anyway.

  Then he came back, and she felt better again.

  “Are they going to be all right?” she asked.

  “Of course,” Seagal told her. “The babies are doing fine. You’re doing fine.”

  “Where’d you go?”

  He glanced toward the elderly nurse. She wasn’t paying any attention to him. “I didn’t look under the sheet, if that’s what you’
re asking.”

  Capri turned her head to look at him. “I know.”

  “Although, didn’t the sheet rule only hold when the babies were supposed to make a different exit?” He took her fingers in his, and she was glad for the warmth.

  “The sheet is off-limits anyway.”

  “I’m good with that.”

  He’d agreed too quickly. She looked at her husband. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine. Pretty eager to get started on the Dad of the Year award.”

  She tried to ignore what the doctor was doing. Once she’d heard tugging sensation, she hadn’t wanted to focus on her stomach at all.

  She was grateful Seagal was by her side.

  “I should have told you sooner,” she suddenly said, and Seagal squeezed her fingers. “You had every right to be here. And I wouldn’t have wanted you to miss this.”

  “I knew you’d want me,” Seagal said with his customary humbleness.

  She had a retort ready, but then Dr. Blankenship said, “Here we are,” and a baby cried out, and Capri could barely see for the sudden tears in her eyes.

  “A healthy boy,” Dr. Blankenship said. “A little premature, of course, but everything looks good for now.” He handed the baby to a nurse, who went to suction the baby, and Capri felt Seagal take her hand in both of his.

  “He sounds strong,” he said.

  “Like you,” Capri said.

  “Probably,” Seagal said, and she tried not to smile.

  “And here is baby sister,” Dr. Blankenship said, holding up a little girl for Capri and Seagal to see before the nurse whisked the baby off.

  “Oh, my gosh,” Capri said, unable to help the tears that started from her eyes. “They’re beautiful. Aren’t they, Seagal?”

  He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Like their mother. Lucky babies.”

  He kissed her lips, just a brush, nothing pressuring, nothing serious. Just an acknowledgment of the moment they’d shared.

  Yet Capri wished it wasn’t just a moment, but forever, the way they’d once thought it would be.

  * * *

  “HE’S LIKE A BEAR out there,” Kelly said to Capri. “He spends all his time staring in the window at the babies.” She put two stuffed bears on the windowsill, one wearing a blue bow and the other a pink. “I thought Seagal was supposed to be guarding you.”

  “It was a ruse.” Capri smiled. “Thank you for the bears.”

  “Oh, those are the babies’ gifts. This is for you.” She handed Capri a box tied with a silver ribbon. “Best-friend privilege.”

  Capri smiled. “Your turn is next.”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I have a man crazy about me like Seagal is for you. What do you mean, Seagal guarding you is a ruse?”

  “He’s just doing his job.” She got annoyed all over again thinking about Seagal poking around in her shop looking for contraband and accomplices—as if he didn’t know very well that she had control over every aspect of her shop. “In my opinion, he and whoever on the force decided I needed a bodyguard are just wrong. There are no drugs in my shop. They had to have been put in the arrangements after we put them out at Christmastown.” She pulled the beautiful silver bow from the box and opened it, drawing a lovely—and very sheer—black nightie from the box. “Kelly, this is gorgeous. But don’t think I don’t know exactly what you’re doing.” She held the nightie up, examining the lovely lace strategically placed in sexy areas.

  “Whoa,” Seagal said, coming into the room. “If that’s your idea of a hospital gown, I’m into it.”

  Capri stuffed it hurriedly back into its box, feeling herself blush and hoping Seagal didn’t notice. “How are the babies? When are they bringing them back to me?”

  “Five minutes.” Seagal grinned at Kelly. “I’ll have to tell Jack about your taste in nightwear.”

  “You think he’d approve?” Kelly asked.

  “He’s a live male,” Seagal said. “I feel safe saying he’d approve.”

  “Then you two are discussing things even cop partners shouldn’t be talking about,” Kelly said archly. “You go right ahead and tell Jack. Maybe it’ll get his mind off Daisy.”

  Capri watched Seagal carefully for his reaction to Daisy’s name. Seagal smiled at Kelly. “You’re right. There are some things partners don’t need to know about.”

  Jack came into the hospital room at that moment, going over to kiss Capri on the cheek. “What does your partner not need to know?” Jack asked, glancing at Seagal. “Hi, Kelly.”

  Kelly brightened. “Hi, Jack.”

  “If I wanted my partner to know something, I’d tell him,” Seagal said.

  “That’s what I thought. Locked up like Fort Knox as usual.” He handed Capri a teal-and-pink-polka-dotted bag with lots of paper tissue poking out the top. “This is from Aunt Mathilda. She said she’ll be by in a little while to visit. Be prepared, I think she’s planning a shower for you. You caught her by surprise by giving birth a little earlier than everyone expected. It’ll be a Christmas baby shower now.”

  “That’s so sweet.” Capri felt overwhelmed by her friends’ kindness. She glanced at Seagal, who gazed at her with a question in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking, because he certainly seemed focused on her. She felt sparks, as she always did around Seagal. Turning away from her husband, she opened Mathilda’s gift, smiling at the tiny Christmas sleepers inside. “Now I feel like Christmas is on the way. This is all that was missing.”

  Seagal took one of the outfits from her, admiring the tiny red-and-white-striped outfit. “They’ll look like little candy canes.”

  The proud look on Seagal’s face nearly broke her heart. It was all Capri could do not to think about the fact that her marriage would be over in less than two weeks.

  Almost on cue, Daisy Donovan walked into the room.

  Chapter Six

  Daisy carried a huge, gaily decorated gift bag and beamed a smile at the men in the room. Kelly glanced at Capri with a here-comes-trouble expression on her face, and Capri hoped it was just the pregnancy hormones making her imagine that both men stood a little taller as the beautiful Daisy made her way over to Capri.

  “Hi, everyone,” Daisy said. She handed the gift bag to Capri. “I stopped by to look at your babies, Capri. They’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you. It’s sweet of you to come by.” The gift bag rested awkwardly on the bed, and Capri forced a smile to her face. She didn’t dare look at Seagal—but when he sat on the bed beside her, Capri felt so much better. She smiled at her husband. “You open this one, since I opened the last two.”

  “Wish I’d gotten to open the sexy nightie,” Seagal said, just for her ears, winking at her. Capri blinked, not certain how to respond. Daisy had gone over to chat with Jack, and Kelly looked as if she didn’t quite know what to do with herself, so Capri motioned at her friend to go chat up Jack herself.

  Kelly came over and sat by Capri instead.

  “Baby nighties.” Seagal grinned at the tiny clothes, holding up a light pink one that read Daddy’s Little Princess and a blue one that had Mommy’s Little Prince lettered on the backs.

  “How nice,” Kelly said.

  Kelly looked pea-green with misery as Jack laughed at something Daisy said.

  “Look,” Seagal said, his voice so soft that Capri could barely hear him, “you can’t just give her the run of the field.”

  Kelly looked at Seagal. “What are you suggesting
?”

  Capri stared at her husband, curious as to the advice he was going to offer.

  “Ask him out,” Seagal said. “Don’t you think, Capri?”

  “How would I know?” She wasn’t going to let on that she knew very well what Seagal meant.

  “Capri asked me out on our first date,” he told Kelly.

  “I know.” Kelly looked at Capri. “But I’m not brave like Capri.”

  “It was a moment of madness,” Capri said.

  “She wanted my body,” Seagal said.

  “I always wondered how you two ended up together,” Daisy said, giving Capri a look that clearly was displeased as she joined their conversation.

  “Ah, past history,” Jack said. “Always fun.”

  “I’d best be going.” Kelly got up. “Good to see you, Daisy. Jack. Bye, Seagal.” She hugged Capri goodbye. “I’ll stop back in tomorrow. When can you go home?”

  “Maybe tomorrow. The babies will follow later.” Capri felt anxious about leaving her babies behind.

  “I’ll be going, too.” Jack saluted his partner. “Good going, Dad, Mom.”

  “I’ll walk out with you, Jack,” Daisy said. “Goodbye, Capri. Congratulations to both of you, Seagal.” She hugged them both, Seagal longer. Capri tried not to steam, and Kelly rolled her eyes at Capri behind Daisy’s head.

  “Thank you for the baby gifts, Daisy.” Capri made herself smile.

  “I came as soon as I could.” Daisy put her arm through Jack’s. “Walk me to my car, Jack.”

  Jack raised a brow at Seagal as he walked out with Daisy.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Seagal said. “Let that be a lesson to both of you.”

  “About what?” Capri demanded.

  “That men need guidance.” Seagal looked innocent. “Cute outfits, though. Very thoughtful of her.”

  “Whatever,” Capri said, feeling very disagreeable. In fact, she felt strange stirrings she recognized—and didn’t want to have. “Ask Jack out, Kelly. Don’t give up without a fight.”