brisk. I should have grabbed a jacket.
Where was the bus?
I heaved a sigh of relief when I finally saw the orange bus coming toward our driveway.
“Thank God,” I said aloud.
The bus meandered down the country road, seeming to go in slow motion, but when it finally halted in front of me, it seemed giant.
The door opened, and Jonah walked off.
I waited for Talon and Ryan.
“Where are your brothers?” I asked.
“They stayed in town. Tal wanted to look for Luke Walker.”
“What?” My eyes nearly popped out of my head, and my heart began to thunder.
“Mom, they’ve stayed in town before. I figured—”
“Why in hell didn’t you go with them?”
“I didn’t want to.”
“Damn it, Joe. They’re your brothers! Luke is missing! And they went looking. Did you really think for a minute your two little brothers would be safe out there?”
“It’s Snow Creek, Mom. Luke hasn’t been gone for that long—”
“Damn it!” My oldest son was as tall as I was now, and no doubt twice as strong. Still, I grabbed his shoulders and shook him, my adrenaline going crazy inside me. “A week is a long time for any child to be missing. If anything happens to your brothers, it’s on you, Joe. On you!”
My uterus clenched then, and I doubled over.
“Mom!” Jonah grabbed me and walked me into the living room. “Here. Lie down on the couch.”
I stretched out supine. “Talon, Ryan. I just want them home.”
“They’ll be fine,” Jonah soothed. “Is Dad home?”
“Of course not,” I said, not in a nice tone.
“All right. Just relax. I’m going to get Grandma, and we’re going to call your doctor, okay?”
“It’s fine. I’m fine. Just get my boys— Aaauuugh!” My uterus cramped up.
This one I felt. It didn’t hurt so much as scared me.
My adrenaline. Needed to control my adrenaline.
“Mom!”
“Don’t leave me, Joe. Please.”
“I’ve got to get Grandma. She’ll know what to do.”
Yes, Mazie knew who my doctor in the city was. She’d take care of it. But I couldn’t bear the thought of being left alone here on the couch.
“Don’t leave me, baby,” I said. “Please. I’m sorry for what I said. Nothing’s your fault. I’m just…”
“Pregnant,” he finished for me. “I get it.”
I smiled and closed my eyes, willing my uterus to relax. The baby gave me a swift kick. Thank God. She was okay.
Mazie ran in then. “What’s going on? Daphne, I heard you cry out!”
“It’s a contraction or something,” Joe said. “Can you call her doctor?”
“Mazie, it’s just a Braxton-Hicks. She kicked me. Everything’s okay.”
“I’m calling him anyway, honey.” Mazie hurried out of the room.
I regarded my oldest son and cupped his cheek. “You look so much like your father.”
He didn’t say anything. I could tell my motherly touch made him a little uncomfortable. He was a teenager now, after all.
But I couldn’t drag my hand away. Soon this smooth face would be covered in dark stubble.
Soon.
So very soon.
Where had all the time gone?
“How are you feeling?” he finally asked after five minutes.
“Okay. It was just a Braxton-Hicks contraction. I’m all right. Here.” I grabbed his hand and put it on my swollen belly. “Your sister is kicking the daylights out of me.”
Joe smiled. “She is. You’ve got a soccer player in there.”
“Maybe. More likely just another Steel sibling who will kick butt like her big brothers. If you don’t spoil her rotten.”
“She’ll probably be a pain in the ass,” Joe said jovially.
“But you’ll adore her. All three of you will.”
Mazie hurried back in. “Daphne, I’ve got the doctor on the line. Can you get up to talk to him?”
“Why don’t we have an extension in here?” I grumbled.
“Because we never use this room,” Mazie said. “I’ll call and have one installed as soon as you’re off the phone.”
“When Brad had security installed over ten years ago, he put phones in every room but this one and the formal dining room.” I sat up, holding on to Jonah for support. I inhaled and exhaled. Once, twice, one more time. “I feel better now.” I rose and followed Mazie into the kitchen and picked up the telephone. “Doctor, this is Daphne Steel.”
“Mrs. Steel, it sounds like you’re having more Braxton-Hicks contractions. How is the baby’s movement?”
“She’s kicking all over the place.”
“Good. Very good. Any more contractions?”
“Not since the big one that made me double over. That was about fifteen minutes ago.”
“All right. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about, but let’s get you in tomorrow just in case.”
“Yes, of course. What time?”
“My only opening is at eight a.m.”
“I’ll be