by Karin Beery
He searched for the right words, but all he came up with was, “Hey.”
“Jack was having a crisis,” Stacey said. “I came out to help.”
Ryan looked back at Jack. “You okay?”
His friend shrugged.
“Why aren’t you fishing? And where’s Callie?” Had she finished the chairs?
Jack shrugged again.
Ryan sighed and turned to Stacey.
She sat a little straighter. “Jack got called back for a meeting. We don’t know where Callie went.”
So much for clarification. “What am I missing here?”
“Jack and Callie had a fight.”
“We didn’t have a fight.” Jack punched his fingers through his hair. “She freaked out and ran off.”
Stacey leaned over and touched Jack’s hand. He didn’t even flinch. “They had a fight. Callie left a few hours ago.”
Ryan dropped into the empty recliner. “You know her. She’ll come back. She just needs to cool off.” Which often involved a call to him.
Jack shook his head. Stacey shifted, scooting a little closer to him.
Since they weren’t offering answers, Ryan kept digging. “What made this such a crisis?”
Jack groaned. “She was crying.”
“She’s cried before.” Though not often. “What’s the big deal?”
“It was the way she was crying.”
“The way? There’s more than one way to cry?”
Stacey nodded. “She sounded like a dying elk.”
“A what?”
“It was awful.” Jack dropped his head back and closed his eyes. “And then she started yelling. And then she left.”
None of it made any sense. Ryan had witnessed plenty of confrontations between the Stevens siblings, and nothing had ever inspired Jack to seek female reinforcements. “Has anyone called Callie?”
Jack nodded. “She’s not answering.”
Not surprising. “She’ll call when she’s ready.”
“I know.”
Yet, he’d still asked Stacey to come over, and she was scooting closer to Jack. He didn’t even lean away. Their comfortable sitting situation suggested the invitation had more to do with Stacey’s presence than it did with Callie’s absence.
In all the years Ryan had known her, however, he’d never heard Callie break down to the point that she sounded like a dying animal. If the sound upset Jack so much that he called in back-up, then Callie would definitely need a friend. It wouldn’t be a date, so Ryan could help. If he could find her.
Ignoring the weirdness on the couch, Ryan stood. “I’ll see you later.”
Ignoring the chirping, Callie relaxed into the driver’s seat and let the wind whip through the open windows. Her hair danced around her head, tickling her face and neck. Cars zipped by. She steered around another tight curve, leaning into it as if she could coax the car along the road. The two-lane roads up and down Leelanau Peninsula let her forget about her life and just focus on the pavement in front of her.
The phone rang again. Callie didn’t even pick it up this time. First Jack, then Ryan. Neither one seemed to pick up on the fact that she didn’t want to talk. At least she’d gotten ten minutes of peace between the last two calls.
Though she hadn’t driven this route in years, she could practically navigate the roads blindfolded. She’d spent more than a few hours on the peninsula during high school. Cruising the lanes calmed her nerves. At some point she’d return to the real world, but not now. Too many people, too many problems. She wanted to be worry-free for a little while longer.
CHIRP! CHIRP!
Come on.
Callie swerved onto the shoulder, buzzing by a mailbox that swayed in her tailwind. Throwing the car into park, she mentally prepared a verbal thrashing for the caller. Lecture ready, she grabbed the phone. The words stalled in her throat and her anger dissipated when she saw Mae’s number. “Mae, what’s up?”
“Callie, thank you! I need a ride to the hospital. Now! Can you come get me?”
With a flick of her wrist and a spin of the wheel, Callie backed up her car and pulled out into traffic. She floored the gas pedal, launching the car and throwing herself back against the seat.
“Where’s Charlie?” She swerved around cars and suddenly wanted to thank Jack for all those years he tortured her with NASCAR.
Mae whined. “He just got to Gaylord. It’ll take him almost two hours to get back here.”
“Your mom?”
“She took the girls to a movie. I told her I thought it would be fine if she kept her phone on, but she’s not picking up.”
“Why did everyone leave you alone?” A horn blared as Callie’s late-nineties Cavalier whizzed past a shiny red Mustang.
“I just wanted some time alone. I didn’t think it would be such a big de-e-e-e-e-a-l-l-l-l.”
Callie tried to push the pedal through the floor.
Mae panted on the other end of the line. “This is happening too fast. The girls took hours. I thought I could handle a couple of hours by myself.” She hissed out the last word. “What if something’s wrong?”
“I’m hurrying, but I’m near Leland. It’ll take me at least fifteen minutes to get to there.”
“Oka-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-y.”
Panic propelled Callie down the road and around ridiculously calm tourists. She white-knuckled the steering wheel, willing traffic to clear.
“Is that you?” Mae asked.
“Is what me?”
“Someone’s here.”
The phone banged on something hard while Callie veered around a stationary SUV. Mae squealed. Doors banged. Footsteps. Callie’s heart thundered.
“Cal?”
“Ryan?” His familiar baritone soothed her harried nerves.
“I just put Mae in the Jeep. We’ve got her bag, and we’re going straight to the hospital. She wants you to call Charlie while she calls her doctor.”
“Yeah, of course.” Relief flooded Callie’s heart, spilling out through her eyes and down her cheeks. The road blurred in front of her. “Thank you so much. I’ll meet you there.”
Callie hung up. She’d never been so excited to hear Ryan’s voice. And as much as she wanted to get to the hospital to help Mae, the thought of seeing Ryan tickled her heart.
Flashing red lights grabbed her attention.
Apparently, she’d be seeing him later than she’d hoped.
The steel elevator doors whooshed open. Ryan stood in the middle of the long hallway, just a few feet from the doors. When he smiled at Callie, unemployment and a hundred-dollar speeding ticket didn’t seem quite so bad.
He met her halfway. “Mae’s waiting for you.” Even in the over-bleached, glowing white walls of the hospital, Ryan’s earthy scent cut through to her senses.
“How is she?”
“Adamant that you call Charlie.”
“Done. He’ll be here in less than an hour. Other than that, how is she?”
“I got her here in good time.” Ryan cupped Callie’s elbow in his hand as he led her down the hallway. “Other than that, I, uh …”
“You left her alone in the room, didn’t you?”
“Hey, there are doctors and nurses in there. No one needs me getting in the way.” They stopped in front of a door. “This is where I get off. I’ll just wait out here for Charlie.”
Not until she turned to face him did Callie realize how pale Ryan had become. Grabbing him around the waist, she hugged him close, letting her relief and gratitude surround him. “I’m so glad you were there.”
His arms wrapped around her, and Callie felt his chin rest against her head. “Me too, but now it’s your turn.”
Gratitude forgotten, Callie spun around and shot through the door into Mae’s birthing suite. She had visited her friend in the c
ozy room after each of the girls’ births, but this time the room felt cold and lonely. She rushed to her friend’s side. “How are you?”
Tears clung to Mae’s eyelashes. “This is happening so fast. It wasn’t like this with the girls. I need Cha-r-r-r-r-g-h-h.”
Fear coursed through Callie’s body. Mae’s face contorted while her hands strangled the bedding. An older lady in scrubs watched a monitor as it beeped and flickered. When Mae finally started to relax, the nurse patted her hand.
“There don’t seem to be any complications, you’re just moving along quickly. Dr. Miller called to say he’s on his way, but Dr. Craig is going to come and check on you, just in case.”
Mae nodded, but Callie could see the panic on her friend’s face. Not sure what to do, she picked up Mae’s hand before forcing a smile at the nurse. “Her husband will be here soon. How long do you think it’ll be before she has the baby?” Visions of fluid and cords and blood swirled in Callie’s mind. Mae squeezed her hand. “What?”
Her friend chuckled. “You look sick.”
Callie tried to ignore the nurse peeking beneath Mae’s sheet. No matter what came out from under there, she’d stay with Mae until Charlie arrived. “I’ll be fine. You’re having a baby. Let’s focus on that.”
Mae pulled Callie close, wrapping her in a mama-bear grip. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Bring on the messy. Anything for Mae.
“You’re at nine centimeters, Mrs. Krieger. Dr. Craig will be here soon. If I were you, I’d get ready to start pushing.” The nurse smiled. “You’re doing just fine.”
“But Charlie’s not here.” Mae barely forced out the words. “He’s always here.”
Callie held Mae’s hand tight. “He’ll be here any minute now.”
She nodded into another contraction. Callie didn’t need anyone to tell her what was happening. She felt the force in every bone in her hand. She’d barely recovered before Mae let loose with another groan. Adrenaline surged through Callie’s veins as she tried to keep up with Mae and the nurses and the now present doctor.
Monitors beeping. Groaning. People racing. Weird utensils and bodily noises. Callie ignored as much as she could, turning her back on the chaos and focusing on the scared, sweaty face of her friend. Nothing mattered beyond Mae.
Another contraction. Another groan. The door swooshed open again.
“Charlie!” Mae practically jumped out of the bed when her husband ran into the room.
“Baby, I’m sorry.” He rushed past Callie and kissed his wife. Mae’s face contorted as she moaned. Charlie cradled his wife beside him, whispering in her ear and kissing the damp hair at her temples. The nurse returned, and Callie took a step toward the door. When the contraction stopped, Mae rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. The nurse offered encouraging words. And Callie slipped out to the hallway.
Relieved that Mae and Charlie were together, Callie wanted to put as much space between her and the delivery room as possible. A quick scan of the hall and she spotted the waiting room sign. Moments later, she stepped into the comfy room. Plush burgundy carpet, big tan couches, and Ryan.
Her breath stopped in her throat. “You’re still here?”
He stood, his long legs unfolding as he pushed himself off the low couch. “I thought I’d wait with you.”
She moved toward him as if being pulled in by a tractor beam. When she was within nose-shot of him, she inhaled his rich scent. Ryan opened his arms and wrapped her in comfort. She melted into him, listening to his heartbeat and letting his strength become hers.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
Callie relaxed. Something inside her tingled.
“Are you going to get that?”
“What?” She pulled away, looking up into Ryan’s eyes. He’d stayed at the hospital … for her. More tingling.
“Cal.” He pulled the purse off her arm. “Your phone is vibrating.”
“Oh!” That’s right. The nurse had mentioned something about turning it off or turning it down. Callie popped open her bag and fished around, trying to concentrate with Ryan so near. Her hand finally closed around the device, and she smiled. Then she looked at it.
“Kyle.”
Callie stared at the phone as Ryan’s arm slid away from her, exposing her to the chilly hospital air. She wanted to step back into his embrace, back into his warmth, but the phone rang again.
It couldn’t be a coincidence that Kyle was calling. This was her plan, yet a big chunk of her heart wanted to ignore the call. Sit with Ryan.
The phone vibrated again. She shook her head—stick with the plan. She answered the phone. “Hi, Kyle.”
“Hey, Jack left me a message—said he was looking for you.”
Not quite what she had hoped for. “I’ve been found. Thanks for checking in.”
“How’s Mae?”
“How did you know I was with Mae?”
“I made a couple of calls myself.”
Callie’s heart did a funny dance. “Oh, she’s fine. She’s in labor.”
“I heard. Are you all still at the hospital?”
“Yeah. How do you know all of this?” she whispered.
Kyle laughed. “Jack told me. He talked with Ryan. I pumped him for information until he told me where you were.”
“Well, I’m surprised my brother remembered so much. He’s not usually one for details.”
“I remember. I also seem to remember that you never did well with, uh … bodily fluids. How are you holding up?”
Kyle’s concern warmed Callie from the inside out. “I’m okay. Ryan’s still here, and Charlie finally got here, so they let me out of the delivery room.”
“Would you like some more company?”
The comfortable warmth flared into an uncomfortable burn. “You’re coming to the hospital?” She looked at Ryan. “Now?”
“I’m already here. I’ll be inside in a few minutes.”
Callie watched Ryan as he stood in front of the couch holding her purse. He smiled at her, but something wasn’t right. The smile didn’t feel the same. Lately, the curve of his mouth shook the ground under her feet. Not today.
“Sounds good,” she said, watching one man, speaking to another, and trying to figure out whom to blame for her heart issues.
Kyle might have said goodbye. She didn’t remember. Ryan was walking toward her, holding out her purse. When he passed it to her, their hands completely missed each other. Crisp, filtered air passed between them, free of his warmth or scent.
“Kyle’s on his way up?” Ryan asked.
“Jack told him we were here.”
Ryan nodded. He smiled, crossed his arms. Stiff, formal. “That’s good news for you, right?”
“Sure. It’s great to know he still cares. And that he remembers how much I hate hospitals.” And that he’s probably in the elevator, so it definitely wasn’t the right time to ask Ryan for another hug.
Someone knocked on the glass. Callie turned. Casual and confident, Kyle strode into the room, his smile somehow lighting up the already bright room. This was the man she had left behind, and within seconds she remembered why he was part of the plan.
“Hey, there.” He stopped beside Callie and pulled her in for a quick hug. He released her and offered a hand to Ryan. “How’s it going?”
Ryan shook it. “Just waiting for a baby.”
Kyle refocused on Callie. “You seem to be holding up pretty well.”
She shrugged. “I got out of there before I had to see any bodily fluids. Charlie’s with Mae now, so I’m off the hook.”
Kyle grinned at her. She smiled back, then looked at Ryan. He was already looking at her.
As a digital voice paged someone, the trio stood there in the middle of the waiting room, looking at each other. Confident Kyle. Serious Ryan. Totally confused Callie. Heat r
ushed to her cheeks. What happened to the cold indifference of the hospital air?
“So …” she said, but her heart issues seemed to affect her concentration too.
Ryan cleared his throat. “How’s work?”
And with that, he took over. Motioning to the furniture, he sat in an overstuffed chair. Kyle dropped onto the couch with a thwump. When he smiled up at Callie, her knees melted, and she sank to the cushion beside him.
Ryan guided the conversation, bringing Kyle back into their circle after three years away. The men talked work, trucks, and traffic as if no time had passed. She should have been put at ease, but the conversation grated on Callie’s frazzled nerves. Situated between the two men, the alternating heart palpitations and rolling stomach nearly sent her to the nearest nurse’s station.
Kyle’s hand landed on hers, and Callie jumped. The guys laughed. “You okay?”
“Fine. Just daydreaming. What were you saying?”
“I asked how it’s going with Jack, working with him at the lighthouse?”
Anger, frustration, and disappointment swam together, vying for top billing in her story. “It’s not going well.”
“I thought you guys would work well together.”
“We do. We get the work done, then Jack takes me to the hospital.”
“What?” Kyle’s eyebrows buried themselves in his hairline.
Ryan laughed. “It’s not that bad.”
Not by itself, but combined with everything else the summer was enough to make her swear off planning forever. Almost.
“It’s a boy!”
Callie heard Charlie before she saw him charge into the waiting room, tears streaking his face. “It’s a boy! He’s perfect, and Mae’s amazing.” Callie jumped up, and Charlie grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into a crushing hug. “Thank you for getting her here. Thank you so much for taking care of her.”
Callie tried to respond, but she needed air to speak. Then, as quickly as he’d grabbed her, Charlie let her go. “I’m glad I could—”