her fingers.
“Come on. Let’s sit.” I put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her to some empty chairs.
“She’s in good hands, Tess,” I said eventually.
“You didn’t see her,” Tess whispered. “She was so white and sweaty and could barely focus on staying awake.”
I just gripped the edge of the chair with my free hand. “Did Laney say anything?”
“They’re going to run a number of tests and let us know what’s happening as soon as possible.”
We were both silent after that. I just didn’t have it in me to sound encouraging. I was so on edge that I needed someone to soothe me. I kept an arm around her shoulders, pulling her even closer when her shaking intensified. Tess and I both liked to talk until the cows came home, so the silence was weighing heavily between us.
Rob arrived twenty minutes later. He rushed in without noticing us.
I sprang to my feet, moving toward him.
“Where is she?” he asked the moment he saw me.
“Still in with the doctors. They’re running tests.”
“Why did she faint?”
“They didn’t tell us anything yet.”
He whirled around, and I realized he wanted to go to the reception. I gripped his arm, keeping my voice cool. “Rob, they don’t know anything. What I know is from Tess.”
I motioned with my head toward my sister. He glanced at Tess, but far from relaxing, his frown intensified. Putting myself in his shoes, I immediately realized why. Tess was nervous.
“Skye is in good hands. She’s with Laney,” I said.
“You know the doctor?”
“Yes. I met her in Rome.”
I saw a flicker of recognition in his eyes, but he simply nodded.
“I want to hear everything from Tess.”
We both went to my sister, sitting next to her. Tess immediately recounted everything, and then both of them went back and forth over what the issue could be. I paced a few feet away, trying to shut them out, because the conversation was making me even more nervous.
I had no idea how much time went by until a nurse came out calling, “Family of Skye Dumont?”
I blinked for a few seconds before realizing she meant my sister. I still couldn’t get used to Skye’s last name not being Winchester anymore.
“Yes,” I exclaimed. Rob and Tess were on my heels.
“You can see her now.”
Skye was in a ward on the second floor. I wondered why. I assumed she’d be in one of the ER cubicles.
Laney was there, and just the sight of her put me at ease. I instinctively knew that any PDA was off the table in front of the nurse.
“Hey,” Skye said. The hair at the nape of my neck stood on end at how faint her voice sounded. She was pale, and her hair was sticking to her temples. Rob rushed next to her, sitting at the edge of the bed.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Better. Please don’t worry.”
It was impossible not to. She looked like she’d been sick with the flu for days on end. Tess sat on the other side of the bed, biting her lower lip.
“Laney, can you tell us what’s going on?” I was proud of how calm I sounded.
“Sure. First of all, I’m not the doctor treating her. One of our ob-gyns is in charge. I asked for permission to come here and brief you. They are still running tests, but the problem is her blood pressure. It’s common in pregnancies, though it usually happens in the first trimester.”
“Why are you running more tests?” Rob asked.
“It’s the easiest way to rule out certain things.”
“What exactly are you trying to rule out?” he went on.
“Preeclampsia or placenta previa. There was no bleeding, which is an excellent sign, but I can’t say for sure—”
“Maybe another doctor can tell us for sure!” Rob boomed.
“Rob!” I said sharply. “You can’t talk like that.”
Laney just shook her head, smiling. “Don’t worry, I know it’s a difficult time. I promise you all that neither Skye nor Jonas are in danger.”
There was a pause, and then Tess asked, “How do you know his name is Jonas?”
“From me,” I said. I’d told her that in Rome.
Tess and Skye exchanged glances. Rob just seemed confused. I was mesmerized that nothing seemed to tone down my sisters’ perception.
“In any case, the doctor said she will prescribe bed rest for the next two months,” Laney added.
“What?” Skye exclaimed. “You didn’t tell me that in the ER.”
The corners of Laney’s mouth tilted up. “Well, no. I thought it might be best to wait until your family was with you. Isabelle painted