be all right.”
“Did Elena say where the birthing unit is?” Ted asked.
Shelley took off her seatbelt. “Megan knows. She came here after she had Rebecca.”
John looked at the truck that had parked beside them. Bailey and Megan were already grabbing their jackets and bags off the backseat, ready to make a quick entry to the hospital.
He glanced at Shelley. The ride to Polson had been a lot quieter than usual. With everyone’s mind on what was happening in Caleb’s truck, there wasn’t a lot of talking going on. Instead, John had played his favorite music and focused on getting everyone here safely.
Ted opened the back door. “You’ll want to wear your jackets. It’s colder here than in Sapphire Bay.”
Shelley was already pulling on a thick sweater. “We should text Aunt Rosa and Aunt Maria. They’ll want to know what’s happening.”
“I sent a text to Jackson as we drove into Polson,” Ted said. “He’ll tell Maria and Rosa we’ve arrived at the hospital.”
After everyone was out of the truck, John locked the doors and followed Ted, Bailey, and Megan across the asphalt.
Shelley’s hand slipped into his. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“Being you. The music you played filled my mind with something other than Sam’s baby.”
“I’m glad it helped.” John glanced at Ted. Bailey had linked her hand under her dad’s elbow and was walking toward the hospital with him. “How’s your dad?”
“He’s probably a lot better than Mom.”
John nodded. If anything, he was more worried about Elena than Sam. If Sam’s contractions continued, the stress from the unexpected arrival of their first grandchild could upset the steady progress she’d made. The last thing anyone wanted was for her to further damage her heart.
He took a deep breath and tried to think positive thoughts. Apart from that, all he could do was say a prayer and be thankful Sam and Elena were in a hospital.
Chapter 16
Shelley rubbed her eyes, then picked up her disposable cup. The bitter taste of the coffee made her wince, but she refused to add more sugar. After sitting in the family room for nine hours, she was almost ready to find a hotel and let her mom call if anything happened.
John was curled on his side on top of a sofa. Ted was sitting beside the windows, staring across the parking lot. Earlier in the night, Elena had joined them.
For a little while, Sam’s contractions seemed to slow down but, two hours ago, they’d come raging back. Shelley didn’t know much about human biology, but she did know that when your body was ready to have a baby, not much could be done to stop the process.
Rubbing the back of her neck, she yawned and stretched. If she didn’t go for a walk, she’d have permanent pins and needles in her bottom.
As quietly as she could, she placed the coffee cup in the trash and walked across to her dad. “I’m going for a walk,” she whispered. “Would you like to come with me?”
Ted’s gaze moved to John. “You go. I’ll wait here. If John wakes up, I’ll send you a text. We can meet up somewhere in the hospital.”
“Sounds good.” Shelley leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “I won’t be long.” She collected her sweater and bag. If the cafeteria was still open, she’d buy some food to take back to John and her dad.
As she walked into the corridor, she sent Bailey and Megan a quick text. They’d gone home an hour ago. They’d be back tomorrow morning to give John, Shelley, and her parents a break. Until then, the family waiting room would be their temporary home away from home.
Shelley smiled at one of the nurses. One of the good things about waiting at the birthing unit was the staff. They all seemed remarkably happy considering they were delivering babies at all hours of the day and night. Even the pictures of lions, tigers, and pandas on the walls made Shelley feel happier.
“Shelley! Wait!” Caleb rushed down the corridor.
For a split second, her heart pounded out of control. Caleb wouldn’t be running toward her unless something had happened. Sam could have—
“It’s good news. We’ve had our baby and she’s amazing.”
Relief washed through her. “It’s a girl?”
Caleb’s face lit with pride. “She’s beautiful. Your mom said she looks just like Sam when she was born, except her hair is darker.”
Tears filled Shelley’s eyes. “How’s Sam?”
“She’s a little shocked that Ashley came so early. But, other than that, she feels great.”
“You don’t know how glad I am that