by Judith Keim
“Amelia Swanson. She’s paying for extra help on the hotel staff, too.”
Vaughn drew me to him and kissed me. “Let’s not worry about this now. I want to enjoy being here with you. I’m hoping we can do some sailing tomorrow, and in the meantime ...”
The sound of my cell cut off his words. I knew from the ring it was Rhonda and picked it up. “Hello?”
“Annie, sorry for the late call, but I need your help. What are you doing right now?”
“Mmm, actually, I’m with Vaughn. He came home to surprise me.”
“Oh, well, uh ... If I know the two of you, it’s horizontal mambo time.”
I laughed. “Rhonda!”
“What? It’s true, isn’t it?”
Ignoring her question, I said, “What’s going on with you?”
“Katherine called. She’s heading for the hospital with Angela and Reggie. Angela wants me to meet them there. I thought maybe you’d go with me. For moral support.”
“You mean to keep you from saying something awful to Katherine,” I said, understanding.
“Yeah, that too,” Rhonda admitted. “But it’s more important for you to stay with Vaughn. Tell him I said hi. I’ll talk to you later.”
I clicked off the call. “Angela’s about to deliver her baby. Rhonda wants me to go to the hospital and be with her while she waits with Katherine Smythe for the baby to arrive. They just can’t seem to get along. Rhonda’s already an emotional wreck.”
Vaughn cupped my face in his broad hands. “If you want to go, go. I’ll be right here when you come home.”
I let out a long sigh. “Would you mind?”
“No. Rhonda, wouldn’t ask if she didn’t really need you. The two of you are each other’s bestie. Go, help her.”
I gave him a lingering kiss, and satisfied that he wasn’t unhappy about it, got out of bed and went into the bathroom to get ready to leave.
CHAPTER TWELVE
At the hospital, I found Rhonda, Katherine, and Reggie in Angela’s room on either side of her bed.
“How’re you doing?” I asked Reggie, who was looking a little concerned.
“Okay, I guess. But I could never do this.”
“The pains are two to three minutes apart,” said Katherine, checking her watch.
“Sounds like it’s getting pretty close,” I said to Rhonda. “At least she won’t be delivering her baby on my kitchen floor.”
Katherine glanced at me with a look of horror. “Surely, you jest.”
“No, it really happened.” Rhonda had delivered Willow in my kitchen when we realized it was too late to even try to get her to the hospital. “Let’s hope this little one decides to come in a hurry. How long have the pains been going on, sweetie?”
“Since eight o’clock this morning,” interjected Katherine with a smugness I knew irritated Rhonda.
“And you didn’t call me?” Rhonda said, facing Katherine with a frown.
“Angela and I decided it could wait until we were more certain the baby was on its way. Wasn’t that the plan, Angela?”
“I guess,” she answered, grimacing as another pain rolled through her.
When Angela stilled, I walked to her side and kissed her on the forehead. “You’re doing a great job. It seems like it won’t be too long. When’s the last time a nurse checked in with you?”
“A nurse was here four minutes ago,” said Katherine. “She should be here again soon.”
Just as the words left Katherine’s mouth, a nurse appeared with a gray-haired female doctor I recognized. “I think it might be time to clear the room except for Mom and Dad,” the nurse said. “Dr. Benson will take it from here.”
Rhonda and Dr. Benson exchanged warm smiles. “Looks like another little one for you to love, Rhonda. Congratulations.”
“Make this one a girl,” said Rhonda.
“But I want another boy,” Katherine said.
Dr. Benson glanced at them with amusement. “Well, ladies, we don’t get to choose. That’s already been done for us. Now, please excuse us, as Angela, Reggie, and I are about to deliver a baby.”
I saw the way Reggie gripped Angela’s hand and wondered if he still felt the same about wanting to cut the baby’s umbilical cord as he’d once announced.
“Come along,” said Katherine, motioning for Rhonda and me to follow her. “By my estimations, we’ll be back here before we know it.”
“In the meantime, can I get coffee or water for anyone?” I asked, needing a moment away from the tension.
Neither Katherine nor Rhonda answered as they marched from the room.
I wondered if it was a good idea to leave those two alone for a few minutes. Right now, they looked as if they were backing into corners of a boxing ring. Sooner or later, they’d have to work things out between them.
Regardless, I went to the coffee and drinks station on the floor and poured myself a cup of water.
When I returned to the waiting room, Rhonda was staring out the window, and Katherine was sitting on the couch checking her watch.
“It might be some time before we can go back to the room,” I said gently.
Katherine’s shoulders slumped. “I suppose. It’s been a long day of timing pains with Angela, keeping Evan busy.”
Rhonda turned around. “If you’d called, I would’ve come to help.”
“You know perfectly well, I’m capable of handling the situation alone,” said Katherine.
“No worries,” I said. “It’s a good thing you did. But we all need help from time to time dealing with young children. Let’s face it. It’s exhausting.” I gave her an encouraging smile. “And if you’re busy now, think what it’ll be like when the baby comes home.”
“That’s why I’m trying to convince Angela to recover at home with me in New York,” said Katherine. “I’ve hired the best nurses to come in and help. There, she can just relax.”
Rhonda’s dark eyes flashed her annoyance. “She doesn’t need to go away to get that kind of help. I can hire good staff too. Besides, Evan is used to me. That’s important. I know from experience. Willow would’ve freaked out to be in a new place with a new baby.”
“I’m Evan’s grandmother too,” snapped Katherine. “Don’t forget it.”
“How could I forget it? You’re constantly trying to take him away from me,” Rhonda said.
Reggie appeared in the doorway, a big grin on his face. “It’s a girl!”
“Wonderful!” cried Rhonda, clasping her hands together as if her prayers had been answered.
“Can we see her?” said Katherine.
“Yes, but Angela is asking for Ann first,” said Reggie, winking at me.
“Ann? But ... but ...” sputtered Katherine. She turned to me. “You’re not the baby’s grandmother!”
“No, but she’s as close to one as anyone could be,” said Rhonda, coming to my defense. “I’ll go with you.”
Reggie shook his head firmly. “No, just Ann for now.”
Letting out a puff of surprise, I waved to the other two and followed Reggie into Angela’s room.
She was sitting in bed, holding the baby to her breast.
I hurried over to her. “How are you, sweetie? Let me see.” We’d always been close.
“Take a look. She’s so sweet.” Angela held the baby, so I could see every perfect little finger and toe. “And see, she looks like Reggie.” Angela gave her husband an adoring smile that made me unexpectedly tear up.
“Your mom and Katherine are waiting to see her,” I gently reminded Angela.
“I just wanted a quiet moment with you. I know you’ve been waiting to hear news of Liz being pregnant, and I thought ... well, I thought you’d enjoy seeing my baby first before all the fighting begins.” She gave me a long look. “It’s been awful.”
“I’ll leave so you can talk to them,” I said.
“No, Ann! I want you to stay while we tell them her name,” said Angela. “Don’t you agree, Reggie?”
“Yeah,
you’re a calming influence. I’ll get them. You stay here.”
After Reggie left, I leaned over and kissed Angela’s cheek. “I love you as if you were my daughter, you know.”
She took hold of my hand. “I love you too.”
I looked up as Rhonda and Katherine rushed over to Angela’s bed.
I deftly moved aside and watched. Babies were such a miracle. I hoped this adorable little girl would help draw her grandmothers together. I glanced at Angela and Reggie and saw worried expressions.
“What are we calling this sweet little girl?” Katherine said.
“It should be after someone from my family,” Rhonda said, looking at Angela for confirmation.
Angela smiled sweetly at both of them. “A name from each one.”
“Her name is Sally Kate,” Reggie announced proudly.
“Do you mean Sarah?” asked Katherine.
“Do you need the Kate?” Rhonda asked, shooting a glance at Katherine.
“No, it’s not Sarah,” said Angela. “She’s named Sally after my father, Sal.”
“And she’s named Kate after my mother,” said Reggie.
Rhonda and Katherine looked at one another with tears in their eyes.
“Perfect,” said Rhonda.
“Oh, yes,” Katherine said. “I’m so proud.”
“Sally Kate is a wonderful name for such a beautiful little girl,” I said. “Congratulations to all of you.”
I eased out of the room, pleased I’d come to help Rhonda and had, instead, shared a special moment with Angela—one I’d never forget.
###
When I got home, I eased into the house quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone, most especially Trudy, whose bark could wake the whole neighborhood.
I tiptoed down the hall to the master bedroom expecting Vaughn to be asleep. But the moment I walked into the room, he stirred and murmured. “Hi. How’d it go?”
“Great. The baby’s beautiful, and Angela’s doing fine. I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.” I quickly undressed and slid into bed beside him. “I thought you’d be sleeping.”
He rolled over and smiled sleepily at me. “Was waiting for you. Didn’t want to miss out on another cuddle.”
I snuggled up against him and closed my eyes.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The next morning after Robbie was off to school, Vaughn and I sat on the lanai with mugs of coffee while I shared last night’s events.
“Poor Angela has had to work hard trying to keep Katherine and Rhonda on friendly terms. And when she wanted me to see the baby alone, I was very touched. She knows I worry about Liz not being able to get pregnant.”
“They haven’t been married that long,” said Vaughn.
“I know, but I would’ve had many more children if I could. I don’t want it to be the same disappointment for Liz. That’s what concerns me.”
He took hold of my hand and squeezed it. “Liz, the child you made, is a marvelous young woman. Someone who should make you very proud. I’m honored to be her stepfather.”
“You always say the sweetest things,” I said, realizing how much his words meant to me.
“I meant to ask, did you and Bernie work out an arrangement for Darla?” Vaughn said. “She’d like to come next week. She and a friend.”
“Yes, they can have the Presidential Suite. No one has booked it for the next two weeks, so we’re putting her there with a special discounted price. She needs to call reservations to confirm it.”
“Thanks. She seems like a nice young woman. Not at all like Lily. But there’s tension on the set, and I don’t know why. One of the producers hasn’t liked her performance. It’s made it hard on all of us.”
“Maybe she’ll be able to figure things out after a rest here,” I said. “You say she’s young. Perhaps she’s just sensitive.”
Vaughn rubbed a hand through his dark curls. “I’ve tried talking to her, but she won’t discuss it.”
“The producer you’re talking about isn’t Roger Sloan, is it?” His name sent a shudder through me. He and others had conducted a smear campaign against Vaughn.
“No, oddly enough, Roger isn’t part of what’s going on. This is someone I don’t know very well. A man named Simon Merrill.” He got up and took my empty mug from me. “I’ll call her now and ask her to speak to the reservations office at the hotel.”
“I’m afraid I won’t be able to spend much time with her because of our annual spring brunch. Rhonda and I will be busy putting together last-minute arrangements, along with doing all our other PR work.”
“I’m sure she’ll understand. Besides, she’s coming here for a rest.”
After he walked away, I thought about all the years Vaughn had been working on this show. He’d seen actors come and go, but his character remained the center around which other stories were told. I supposed working together for so long forced members of a large, extended family to get along. Thinking of Darla, I decided no matter how busy we were, I’d make time to get to know her.
Lifting my phone, I called Rhonda to see how things were.
She answered with an out-of-breath, “Hello?”
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Riding my exercise bike,” she puffed out.
“Wow! You haven’t done that in ages,” I said.
“Yeah, well, with Katherine around, I thought I should start doing it again.”
“You aren’t trying to compare yourself to her, are you? You know you’re perfectly fine as you are.”
“Yeah? I’m still carrying the extra weight from Drew’s birth. And before that, I was carrying extra pounds from Willow, and before that, well, I’m Italian, and I cook a lot,” said Rhonda, breathing hard.
I thought for a moment. Rhonda wasn’t thin, and she wasn’t obese either. But I knew how much Katherine intimidated her. “Exercise is great, Rhonda, but if you think by losing weight you’ll be more acceptable to Katherine, please stop right now. Katherine is almost bony in appearance. You don’t want that, and neither does Will. Angela and I and everyone else like you exactly as you are—healthy and loveable.”
“Oh, good,” said Rhonda, “because I don’t think I could do this every day for very long. I work with my trainer a couple mornings a week, and that should be enough.” She hesitated. “Do you think I should change up my wardrobe? You know, wear all that linen stuff Katherine does?”
“Why? We need to be comfortable working both at the hotel and at home. You always look nice. Why are you so charged up about this?”
“Angela let it slip that Katherine thinks I look like a tropical bird in my caftans. All I could think of was me as a big, fat parrot.”
I held in a laugh. “And what should we call her? A skinny, slithering snake?”
Rhonda let out a roar of laughter. “That’s perfect! Oh, Annie, what’s wrong with me that she makes me so crazy?”
“Honestly?” I hesitated. “I think you’re afraid of losing Angela, Reggie, and the babies to Katherine and her big ideas for them up north. But they’re happy here in Sabal. They’re not going to change their minds.”
“I guess you’re right,” said Rhonda, sighing loudly. “I shouldn’t worry about it. It’s good for Angela and Katherine to get along.”
“Angela is committed to being nice to Katherine, but she told me it’s been a struggle. If the two of you were nice to one another, that would help.”
“I’ll try. But she makes it so hard. She’s trying to get the kids to call the baby Sarah Katherine.”
“I don’t think it’ll work. Both Reggie and Angela seemed pretty firm about the baby being named Sally. I think it’s a wonderful tribute to Sal.”
“Yes, it is,” Rhonda agreed. “Frankly, I was surprised. But just before he died, Angela found a way to forgive him for leaving us. He was a good father and husband until we had all that money.”
“I liked him,” I said. During his waning days of fighting cancer, he and I had become good friends.
>
“Are we meeting at the hotel to go over the guestlist for the spring brunch?” Rhonda said.
“Yes. I’m going to head there soon. The young actress working with Vaughn is coming to The Beach House Hotel for a rest, and I want to make certain reservations for her are set.”
“Can’t wait to meet her! See you later. I’m dying to get out of these workout clothes.”
Rhonda clicked off the call.
No one would believe beneath that loud, self-confident manner of hers, Rhonda was still the young girl who’d been picked on for her size.
###
When I got to the hotel, I went directly to Bernie’s office. There was a time when the man had appeared forbidding, but now, after being part of the hotel staff and married to Annette, there was a new softness about him. We were fortunate to get him back after he’d been forced to leave by the hotel company that had briefly taken over The Beach House Hotel.
“Good morning, Ann,” he said cheerfully after I’d knocked and entered his office. “What can I do for you?”
“Hi, Bernie. I wanted to check to make sure everything will be ready for Darla Delaney and her friend’s visit. She’s to call you today to confirm the days she wants to book for the Presidential Suite. If she is to stay through next Sunday, we need to explain about our spring brunch.” We had told all guests wanting to stay on that Sunday that the hotel would not run normally that day, that the hotel would be taken over by us entertaining townspeople, and dinner would not be served.
“No problem. I’ll wait for her call and explain our routine for the spring brunch. The staff is already excited about it.”
“Great.” After serving guests and scrambling to see that everything went smoothly, the staff was allowed to have their own post-party. It had become something they all looked forward to celebrating.
Bernie frowned. “Ann? I’ve wanted to talk to you about Lindsay and her security. I understand they’ve been taking her over to Jean-Luc’s house for early-morning walks on the beach. Do you think that jeopardizes our protection of her?”
I hesitated. “I don’t think so. She can’t be made a prisoner here. As long as she has her security team with her, I think she’d be safe. And once they’re off property, it relieves us of that responsibility.”
