Dr. Benton studied her as if she were one of the damaged children he repaired. “Mia, you don’t have to be here.”
She stared at him, incredulous. “But I made a promise. I gave my word.”
“Maybe the promise was a mistake.” He paused, letting the words fall like a gentle rain. “We all make them. It happens.”
“But I try so hard—” The inner trembling conquered every nerve in her body. Was the path to peace really that simple? All she had to do was change her mind? Admit to a mistake?
So why was it so hard to let go and receive the gift of Jake’s love—a gift that came from God as surely as the opportunity with Mission Medical? Think, Mia! Think! But instead of finding words, she saw herself as a frightened little girl at Jesus’ feet, her head in His lap and tears streaming down her cheeks. Maybe if she was good enough, bad things wouldn’t happen. Somehow, in the pursuit of that perfection, that little girl had failed—but God hadn’t. He was with her right now in the hearts and minds of these seven people who saw her more clearly than she saw herself.
Mia broke down and sobbed. Donna put her arms around her, and the others stood and crowded in, laying their hands on her back and shoulders. Someone started to pray. Others joined in, and though Mia barely heard the words, the love soaked into her soul and met a need she didn’t know she had.
The need to be cared for by others.
The need to set down the load she carried.
The need to trust like a child, and to belong the way God intended when He put the lonely in families.
The lump in her throat popped like a balloon, and her sobbing throttled up into laughter. Joy welled up in her chest, flooded through her, and wiped away every doubt about where she belonged—in Echo Falls with Jake.
When the prayers faded to silence, Dr. Benton gave a hearty “Amen.”
Mia leapt to her feet. “I’m going home.” Home to Jake.
Donna hugged her hard. So did everyone else, except Dr. Benton, who held out his hand. “Safe travels, Mia. Do you need a ride back to Dallas?”
“No, I rented a car.” Thank you, God! Both for the rental car and her 4Runner waiting in long-term parking back in the Springs. The thought of surprising Jake with an early return thrilled her, but she had one loose end before she left. “Dr. Benton?”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry I wasted your time.”
“You didn’t. In fact, we’re honored God used us to help you find your way home.”
Home. She choked up again. “Me too.”
Dr. Benton just smiled. “Live your life, Mia. Raise a family. Serve your local community—it’s all love, and it’s all good.”
“Thank you.” She teared up again, delighted in another round of hugs, and left for Dallas with her heart certain and her joy complete.
When she arrived in the city, it was too late to catch a flight to Colorado Springs, so she settled for a seat on the first flight in the morning. After booking her ticket, she checked the weather app on her phone, specifically the radar map for Echo Falls. Swirls of green, yellow, and orange painted an ominous picture, but she refused to think about snow, blizzards, and flight delays. Instead she prayed for travel mercies and checked into a hotel.
She didn’t sleep well at all. While she was certain Jake would forgive her for a mistake, she was equally sure she had hurt him. The irony suddenly struck her as crazy. She had been as random as a pinball because she was afraid to trust Jake; in the process, she had made it hard for him to trust her.
Chapter
28
Packing tape,” Lucy muttered to herself as she perused the boxes scattered around the bedroom. “Where did it go?”
Yesterday Jake had given her three rolls of it, plus a handy dispenser that wasn’t nearly as handy as he thought. Nonetheless, with Sam taking finals this week—his last one was today—and out of her way, she had packed up most of their bedroom. Everything except the gifts from the baby shower last Saturday. Fleecy blankets, adorable onesies, baby equipment, and boxes of Pampers were stacked in a mountain by the dresser.
With Beanie Girl due in three weeks, the timing for the move to their apartment in the Springs was perfect. No way did Lucy want to be an hour from the hospital when she went into labor. She was nervous enough without adding a long drive and winter weather to the mix. Maybe, if she could be strong through the delivery, she could believe she was grown up enough to be a good wife to Sam—and a good mother to Beanie Girl.
The baby kicked in her belly. Lucy and Sam had picked a name, but they were keeping it a secret.
“So far, so good,” she said to her daughter. The last ultrasound had showed Beanie Girl head down and the placenta in the correct position, but Lucy was still scared.
Pausing to rub her back, she peered through the snowflakes sticking to the windowpane. After five days of sleet and snow, the yard glistened under a blanket of pure white, except for the muddy ruts left by car and truck tires. It was beautiful outside, the perfect day for hot chocolate and snuggling with Sam.
With Frank and Claire visiting Westridge today, and Jake picking up groceries in town, Lucy’s thoughts slipped into a silent conversation with Mia, where she lectured her perfect big sister about being OCD and a control freak. As noble as working for Mission Medical seemed, Lucy thought Mia was making the biggest mistake of her life.
“Oh—” A twinge in her back circled around to her belly button. Lucy had been having Braxton-Hicks contractions for a few weeks now. The pre-labor spasms prepared her body for giving birth and were usually painless, but this morning they had been annoying.
The sharp pang frightened her enough to pray. “God, are you there?” She placed her hand on her belly. “It’s me again—Lucy. You already know this. I’m scared about everything.”
How would she know she was in labor? What if she missed the signs? Would it hurt a lot? And the birth itself—she chomped down on her lower lip. She shouldn’t have watched all those YouTube videos. Forget breathing techniques, she wanted a hospital and an epidural. But more than anything, she wanted Sam to be proud of her.
“Help me through this, Lord,” she prayed again. “No more drama, okay? Just a smooth, easy—”
Liquid gushed down her leg.
Her mouth agape, Lucy stared at her wet yoga pants, the puddle at her feet, then at her tummy.
“Oh no. No! Oh, Beanie Girl—” Lucy cradled her belly as if she could hold the baby in place. “It’s too soon, honey. Not a lot too soon, but we’re here, and your daddy isn’t. And—And—” A contraction stole her breath.
Hunched over, she gripped the windowsill and panted until it passed. “Oh, Lord. Help me.”
First babies took a long time to come, didn’t they? There had to be time to get to the hospital. She just needed to call Jake, and he’d drive her to Colorado Springs. Easy as pie. Sam could meet them at the hospital, Lucy would have the baby, and her daughter would have the full benefits of doctors, nurses, and a NICU if she needed one.
“No problem,” Lucy said. “Lord, we can do this.”
Speaking out loud helped, in part because she imagined Mia’s calm voice in her head. She wanted that voice in her ear too, so she called her sister’s cell.
One ring. Two rings. Then Mia’s recorded voice telling her to leave a message.
She didn’t want Mia to worry, so she took a breath to steady her words. “Call me as soon as you can, all right?” I’m in labor and scared to death! Hysteria danced on her tongue, but she managed a quick “Bye!”
She started to call Sam but glanced at the clock and stopped. He was in the middle of a tough engineering exam, and there was no reason to rattle him this minute. First babies didn’t just pop out. That was what everyone said, and Sam needed to finish that exam without any added pressure. It wouldn’t hurt to wait a little longer to call him.
“We can do this,” she said again to herself and God.
Calmer now, she called Jake. He picked up on the first ring and an
swered with a smile in his voice. “Let me guess. Beanie Girl wants guacamole and ketchup.”
“Uh—” Another contraction stole her breath.
“Lucy?”
She panted into the phone. “I’m—I’m—” A groan crawled out of her throat.
“Lucy!” Jake shouted in her ear. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”
The pain twisted from her back to her belly. When it eased, she burst into tears. “My water broke. I’m in labor!”
“I’m on my way.”
Jake abandoned the half-full grocery cart in the middle of the aisle, hurried with Pirate to the truck, and sped home. He knew a little about childbirth from his police department training but not enough to play Dr. Jake in real life. With Mia gone and Sam in Colorado Springs, the best plan by far was to get Lucy to the hospital.
But there wasn’t much time—both because of her labor and because of the hazardous road conditions. Back in November, heavy rains had softened the hillsides, and now a rain-snow mix was falling for the fifth day in a row. Two rockslides had already occurred north of town, and there was serious talk about closing the main road as a precaution.
He sped down the driveway and hurried into the house with Pirate behind him. “Lucy? Where are you?”
“Back here!”
He found her bent over the bed, her hands braced on the mattress while she panted through a contraction. Pale and grimacing, she let out a moan that clawed at his heart. Lucy tended to be dramatic, but that moan was as genuine as the little suitcase she was trying to pack.
When the spasm eased, she turned to him. “I should have packed sooner, but I didn’t think it would happen like this. I can’t believe it. It’s too soon, and—and—” She sniffed back tears. “Jake, I’m scared.”
“You’ll be fine. So will Beanie Girl.” No way would he let anything happen to Connie Waters’s granddaughter.
His training kicked in. Rule Number One: Stay calm. Easier said than done for a man with a soul-deep terror of failing to protect people in his care. Pirate sat at Jake’s feet, alert and ready for an order. Jake didn’t need him right now, so he dismissed the dog with a few words.
Rule Number Two: Assess the situation. The bed was covered with packing boxes, so he pulled up the chair from Sam’s desk and helped Lucy sit down. Her color was better now, her breathing even and steady.
He gripped her wrist and took her pulse. “How far apart are the contractions?”
“I don’t know.”
“Since you called me, how many have you had?”
“Just one.”
So one contraction in ten minutes, plus a first baby. Everyone knew first babies took their time. Her pulse thrummed a strong and steady beat, just a little fast, as he would have expected. “We have some time here.”
“Uh—” She clamped down on her lip, either from pain or trying not to cry.
“What is it?”
“I think maybe I’ve been in labor since this morning. I thought I was just having more Braxton-Hicks, but when my water broke, I started to think. The contractions started right after Sam left for school, and they’ve been happening regularly. I’m so stupid, Jake. I didn’t realize—”
“You are not stupid, Lucy.” The poor kid. He gave her shoulder a squeeze. “You’re human, and this is new to you. But forget packing a bag. We’re leaving right now.”
He hooked an arm around her waist, and they headed through the house. He snatched her coat from the hook, helped her into it, and glanced at her shoes. Snow boots. Good. She’d need them for the short walk to his truck.
With his arm around her, he opened the front door. Snow and sleet pelted his face, stinging his cheeks like needles. His gaze narrowed to the stairs, ice covered and far too dangerous for a woman in Lucy’s condition. “It’s too slick. I’ll throw down some cat litter.”
Lucy nodded. “Yes. Please.”
Jake opened the closet by the front door, took out the bag of clay litter his family kept for just this reason, and spread the dusty grit on the deck and steps.
When he finished, he went back inside and glanced at his watch. She’d have another contraction any minute, so he decided to wait before tackling the walk to the truck. Instead he reached for his phone. “I’m going to check on the road.”
“The road? Why?”
“Possible rockslides.”
Lucy clutched the coat around her belly. “That won’t happen. It just can’t.”
But Jake knew otherwise. Bombs went off, houses burned down, and human beings broke each other’s hearts. And sometimes babies came too soon. Churning inside, he called the road info line.
Instead of the usual bland recording, a gruff male voice rumbled into his ear. “This is an emergency alert—repeat, an emergency alert for Highway 924, in and out of Echo Falls. The road is closed in both directions due to active rockslides. I repeat. The road is closed.”
Jake knew Echo Falls inside and out, every road and trail. There was no other way out. A fear as cold as the snow settled into his bones.
Lucy stared at him, wide-eyed, her hand on her belly as she waited for a report.
Jake gave it to her straight. “The road’s closed.”
“Closed? It can’t be. The baby . . . she’s early. Jake—Oh.” Her eyes flared and she started to pant. Another contraction. A strong one.
Jake gripped her arms, taking her weight when her knees buckled. “Hang on, Luce.”
“I am—” Pant. Pant. “I have—to be—strong.” More panting.
“You’re doing great.”
“Am I?” She sounded small, like a little girl.
“Yes. You are.”
When the contraction eased, Jake guided her to the couch. “Just sit and rest. All right?”
“But—”
“I’m going to get you out of here.”
“How?”
“I’m working on that part.” Jake had failed Connie once, but he refused—refused—to fail her twice. Stay here or try for the hospital? With Lucy’s contractions still ten minutes apart, the hospital was still the best choice. If the road was blocked more by snow than rocks, he could possibly push through the mess in four-wheel drive. Brian Ross would know, so Jake called the deputy’s personal cell phone.
Brian answered on the second ring. “Jake, I’m glad you called. We need help—”
“So do I.” He told Brian about Lucy. “Where exactly is the rockslide?”
“About two miles outside of town.”
“How bad is it?”
“I’m looking at a lot of rock and at least three feet of snow. It’s deep, and the mountain isn’t stable.”
Jake dragged his hand through his hair. “Can I power through it in my truck?” Even as he asked, he knew the answer.
“Not a chance.”
“I have to get Lucy out of here.” He kept eye contact with her, watching as she nodded fast and hard. “We need a clear road to the Springs right now.”
“I can’t do it. The county road crew is tied up somewhere else. We have to wait our turn.”
“Or do it ourselves. If I can get Hatcher out there with some heavy equipment—”
“You? He hates you.”
“He hates what I’m doing.” Underneath all that rage, there was a decent man who had inspired a crowd to shout, We love Bill. Jake knew exactly what he needed to do, wanted to do, and what would honor Connie Waters far more than a camp that never had a name.
“I’m calling him now,” he told Brian. “I’ll get back to you.”
Praying Hatcher would answer the office phone, Jake scrolled to his number. One ring. Two rings. Please, God. No voice mail.
“Hatcher here.”
“Bill, it’s Jake Tanner. Don’t hang up.”
Silence shouted at him.
“The road out of here is closed.”
“I heard.”
“Sam’s wife is in labor and needs to get to the hospital. If you’ll clear the road, I’ll pull the plug on the ca
mp. You have my word.”
A stunned silence pulsed in Jake’s ear. One beat of his heart. Two beats. He took a deep breath and held it. Finally Bill’s voice came out strong. “Do you mean that?”
“Every word.”
“Then consider it done. When I get a look at the slide, I’ll call you with an estimate of how long it’ll take.”
“Thanks, Bill.”
The instant Jake ended the call, a weight lifted from his shoulders. He’d done everything he could for Lucy and the baby. The rest was up to God.
He turned to Lucy and silently gauged her condition. Aside from the trembling line of her mouth, she was remarkably composed. “How are you feeling?”
“Scared.” Her eyes took on a misty shine. “And grateful. I know what Camp Connie means to you—or meant to you.”
“You, Sam, and the baby mean a lot more.”
“And Mia.” Her brows slammed together. “My sister’s an idiot.” Jake opened his mouth to argue, but Lucy stopped him by raising her hand. “Don’t tell me otherwise. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to her, and she runs away—oh!”
Another contraction. Jake went to her side, watching the clock and counting the seconds as the spasm peaked. This contraction seemed longer than the last one, but he wasn’t sure.
“Have you called Sam?” he asked.
“Not yet. I was going to wait until he finished his final, then tell him to meet us at the hospital. I’ll call him right now.”
Jake walked into the kitchen, both to give Lucy privacy and to make a call of his own, one he didn’t want her to overhear. For all his outward confidence and the hope that Hatcher would clear the road fast, Jake knew full well he might have to deliver Lucy’s baby. The thought scared him to death.
He had two lives in his hands, and the best person to help him was Mia. If he had to text her a 911 message to call home, he’d do it. But he hoped she would answer—preferably on the first ring.
The Two of Us Page 28