Debbie grinned at him. “You want to hold hands in the theater? Are you a hand-holder?”
He nodded. “I think so. I’ve never really been in a serious relationship, but I like the idea of holding your hand.”
“Well, I guess we’ll see how we both like it then, won’t we?”
Saturday morning the weather was nice. It was just at thirty degrees, so as warm as it could be without the snow melting. Debbie woke up excited. She didn’t know which she was anticipating more—beating Frank’s team in the contest or their first real date.
In her mind, she had to admit that the time they’d spent together really had been dates. Maybe they hadn’t been kissing or holding hands, but they had been getting to know one another with the thought of a relationship in mind.
She met Frank at the Christmas tree, an old pine tree that had been part of the ranch since the first settlers had arrived on the ranch. “My team is going to beat your team,” she whispered to him.
“No way!”
Kelsi hurried over then, and her gloved hand caught Debbie’s arm. “We’re not fraternizing with the enemy. We’re going to take them down!”
There were six teams total and lots of spectators. They had exactly three hours to make the best sculpture they could make. Each team would be given a small area to work in, where the other teams couldn’t see them, and Dani and Travis would be the ones to walk around through them all judging the competition.
Debbie huddled up with her group of women, talking to them softly. “Anyone have any idea what we’re doing?” she asked.
“None,” Miranda told her. “I watched last year, but I really don’t know what we’re supposed to do.”
Kelsi rubbed her hands together excitedly. “We have to make a snow sculpture. Has to be at least five feet high. We get points on creativity, but if it’s under five feet, we’re disqualified.”
Debbie nodded. “Okay. We can do this. Is anyone here five feet tall? That would help us gauge how tall it needs to be.”
Bridget raised her hand. “I’m a little over five feet. Make it as tall as me, and we’re gold.”
“Sounds good. I guess we’ll figure out what we’re making when we get to our area.”
Dani came over and led them to their section of land. “No running around spying on other teams.” She looked at her twin. “Kelsi, I don’t like you doing this. Mom isn’t here yet.”
Kelsi shrugged. “She’s supposed to be. They said they’d be in town yesterday afternoon.”
“Yeah, there was a blizzard in Colorado, and they had to take a longer route. She’s thinking tomorrow if the mountains are passable.” Dani bit her lip. “What if you go into labor?”
“I want Mom and Dad here, but I’m not going to give up on fun if I don’t have to.”
Dani shook her head, knowing better than to argue with her twin. “Fine. We’ll be back in a few hours to check on you. If you need a bathroom break, you have to flag one of us down to escort you.”
“Just come back every twenty minutes for me then. Delilah is dancing on my bladder today.”
Dani didn’t take the bait and mention the name her sister had called the baby. Debbie decided she was wise. After she’d walked off, they all started rolling snowballs. “We’ll merge them together,” Kelsi explained. “I think I really want to try to make Bigfoot this year.”
Kaya shrugged. “Sounds like fun to me.”
“Me too!” Bridget agreed, surprising everyone. Kaya and Bridget were twins and agreed on almost nothing.
Miranda shrugged. “I can get behind Bigfoot.”
Debbie smiled. “All right. We’re making Bigfoot.”
The five women worked together, first rolling huge snowballs and then carefully molding them together. Kelsi ran off to the bathroom at least twice an hour, but no one complained. Everyone did their best to make the work easier for her. When it had been two hours, Debbie called a halt. “We’re going to have hot chocolate and cookies as a snack. I think it’s smarter to take ten minutes to warm ourselves and regain our energy than it would be to try to power through.”
Everyone agreed, and Kelsi sat down on the bench near their area. Debbie took her the snack and sat beside her. “You don’t have to continue. I don’t think you should. You look like you’re in pain.”
Kelsi shrugged. “I’m at the point of the pregnancy where everything hurts, so what difference does it make?”
“Please take care of yourself.”
“Oh, this is fun. It’s not like I’m doing construction work. I’m helping build a snow Bigfoot.”
“All right,” Debbie said, not wanting to argue. She still had a feeling something was wrong, but she couldn’t force Kelsi to tell her.
As they were done with their snack, Dani came around. “Is it time for your potty break, sister dear?”
Kelsi grinned. “You have my bladder on a timer! Have I ever told you that you’re the best twin ever?”
Dani rolled her eyes, but she stayed beside her sister as they walked to the restroom, obviously concerned she was going to hurt herself.
When the call of “fifteen minutes” came, they were putting the finishing touches on the Bigfoot. Debbie was impressed with how lifelike it looked. “I wish we could use raisins for his eyes,” she said with a frown.
“Pinecones,” Kelsi said. “We can use anything we find outside. We just can’t bring anything with us.”
Bridget and Kaya hurried off to find pinecones, while the others continued to work. Sticks were used to shape the face, and when the others came back with the pinecones, Kelsi poked them into place. “He’s beautiful!”
Will came around the corner of the house and immediately started laughing. He was Kelsi and Dani’s older brother, and he had long made fun of Kelsi’s obsession with Bigfoot. “I can’t believe you talked them into building Bigfoot,” he said, shaking his head.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Kelsi beamed at her brother.
The other three Weston men rounded the corner of the house, Maddie, Belinda, Ellie, and Amber with them. Wade simply shook his head, but Wyatt and Wes both laughed.
Wes walked over close. “Dani said we had to see what you made. I’m not surprised.”
Wade walked closer to look at it. “This is a good likeness. Almost as real looking as the drawings you were always making of Bigfoot on your notebooks in school.”
If Debbie hadn’t been watching Kelsi, she wouldn’t have seen the younger woman wince. “Did you hurt yourself?”
“No, I’m fine,” Kelsi protested.
Debbie wasn’t convinced, but she knew she’d ask again later. During the judging process, which really only took about twenty minutes, Debbie kept her eyes on Kelsi. She didn’t seem right to her.
Dani and Travis came over and looked at the Bigfoot, and all the other Westons watched them. Dani nodded at the sculpture, leaning close to Travis to whisper with him. Travis and Dani would be marrying after the elder Westons returned, but they seemed to be very happily in love to Debbie.
A moment later, Travis nodded. “Okay, let’s all gather by the Christmas tree to announce who won.”
They all traipsed across the snow-covered ground, Debbie staying right beside Kelsi. “I’m worried about you. Are you sure you’re all right?”
Kelsi nodded. “I’m fine!”
Dani had three ribbons in her hand. “Everyone did a great job,” she yelled, doing her best to be heard. “But we only have three prizes to give!” She looked around. “I need the team captains to step forward.”
Debbie looked at Kelsi for a moment, not wanting to leave her side. Kelsi pushed her. “Go!”
Debbie stepped up beside Frank, not even looking at him. “Our third-place prize is for the beautiful sculpture of a cat, made by Jason Small’s team! Congratulations, Jason!” Dani called loudly.
Jason, one of the ranch’s guests, stepped forward for his ribbon, holding it high above his head. “I’d like to thank the academy! And my mom! I will
always thank my mom!”
Jason’s wife shook her head, grabbing his arm and pulling him over to his family. “Hush you!”
Everyone laughed, and Dani waited for things to quiet down before continuing. “Our second-place team was the sculpture of Snoopy, sleeping on his doghouse made by Frank Watkins’s team, which means we have had an upset this year. Frank’s team has won the last two years. Or was it three? Doesn’t matter, congratulations on second place, Frank!”
Frank stepped forward and took the ribbon, holding it high for his teammates to see. “Thank you!”
“Our first-place winner with a huge Bigfoot is Debbie White’s team! Congratulations, Debbie!”
Debbie stepped forward and took the ribbon, smiling as she looked at it. “Bigfoot was all Kelsi’s idea, and she was out there sculpting it at eight and a half months pregnant. I think Kelsi should get to keep the ribbon.” She handed the ribbon to the younger girl, who once again had a pained look on her face. “Kelsi?”
Kelsi gripped her stomach through her heavy winter coat. “Remember how you said you’d go to the hospital with me if my mom wasn’t here?”
Debbie felt her heart drop into her stomach. “You’re in labor, and you kept sculpting Bigfoot?”
Kelsi shrugged. “I’m not a quitter. But my water broke an hour ago. I think it’s time to go.”
Debbie closed her eyes. “You wait here, I’ll go get my car. I can drive it close enough that you’ll only have to walk a few feet.” She looked over her shoulder, noticing that no one else realized what was happening. “Someone call the sheriff. He’s about to be a father!”
Dani had her phone out before Debbie started for her car, Frank at her side. “Let’s take my truck. It’s closer.”
Debbie nodded, hurrying with him. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to go out with you tonight.”
Frank shrugged. “Tomorrow night then. Who cares? This ranch is about to have a princess named Widget or Birdie or maybe even Willardita.”
Debbie sighed. “We have to get Shane to the hospital before she gives birth. She does not need to be naming that baby on her own.”
“Dani’s calling him. I’m sure they’ll meet us there. How long has she been in labor? Any idea?”
“I’ve been noticing pained looks for a couple of hours.” Debbie shook her head. “I should have listened to my instincts. She should not have been sculpting snow this morning.”
He put his hand on her arm as he parked the truck in the middle of the Old West town in front of the tree. “You couldn’t have stopped her. If you hadn’t let her be on your team, she would have just found another team. Kelsi does whatever Kelsi wants to do. She’s the most hard-headed Weston in a family of very hard heads.”
Debbie jumped out of the truck, walking to Kelsi and taking one arm. Will pushed her out of the way, scooping Kelsi up and carrying her. “You’re sopping wet and a little bit grosse at the moment,” he said as he put her into the back seat of the truck. “We’re all following.”
Dani got into the truck. “I’m going too. My twin sister is having a baby, and you’re not keeping me away.”
Debbie made sure Kelsi was buckled before she got back into the front seat beside Frank. “How long have you been in labor?”
“I realized I was having contractions just before the contest started.”
“What were you thinking participating then?” Debbie asked, frustrated. If Miranda had done that, she’d be furious.
“I was thinking that first babies take a long time coming, so I wasn’t going to waste time lying in a hospital bed when I could be playing in the snow.” Kelsi’s voice was defiant, but it sounded weaker than it had.
Debbie turned around, and she could see tears on the younger woman’s face. “Are you okay?”
Kelsi nodded. “I want Shane.”
“I called him. He’s on his way. I bet he beats us there.” Dani reached over and squeezed her sister’s hand.
“I want to hit him.”
Debbie grinned. “I’m sure Shane expects nothing less from you!”
As Frank pulled in at the emergency exit, they saw the county-issued car pull into the parking lot with lights blaring. “I think you’ve got your wish, Kelsi.” Frank pointed in the direction of the police vehicle.
Kelsi wiped away a tear. “It’s about time! What would he have done if I’d had the baby in the middle of the street without him?”
Debbie jumped out of the truck. “I’m going to get a wheelchair. Wait there!”
Kelsi shook her head. “I’m not an invalid. I’m going to walk into the hospital like any other healthy person.”
Rolling her eyes, Debbie decided not to argue. She opened Kelsi’s door and offered her arm to the younger woman. “At least lean on me.”
“I’ll do that.” Kelsi walked slowly into the hospital, leaning heavily onto Debbie’s arm, gripping Dani’s as well as her sister went to her other side. “Oh, and I have something I should probably tell you both.”
“What’s that?”
“I’m not having a baby,” Kelsi said as they took the elevator up to the maternity ward.
“So you swallowed a watermelon seed and have been trying out names on it?” Debbie shook her head. “I’m not buying it.”
“I’m having two babies.”
Chapter Seven
Debbie groaned. “Twins? Does anyone know you’re having twins?”
“Sure! Shane knows. My doctor knows. His nurse knows…” Kelsi smiled sweetly, obviously fighting the pain she was in. “And now you know!”
Dani shook her head. “You’ve lost your ever-loving mind, Kelsi Clapper! I could smack you right now.”
“You can’t. I’m in labor!” Kelsi shrugged. “I didn’t want anyone to worry. And now everyone gets a big surprise!”
Getting out of the elevator, Debbie led Kelsi to the nurse’s desk. “My friend here is having a couple of babies.” She didn’t know why she was so frustrated with Kelsi, but she was. Who participates in a snow sculpture contest when she’s pregnant with twins?
Twenty minutes later, they were checked in, and Kelsi was in a hospital gown. Shane rushed into the room. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I want to rip your lips off and feed them to Indy.”
Shane scowled at her. “Who’s Indy?”
“You know, Will’s dog! I want to rip your lips off and feed them to my brother’s dog. You know why?” Kelsi asked.
Debbie pretended to be busy with something else, but she was listening to every word. She wanted to know why! Dani made a funny look, letting Debbie know that she was listening as well.
“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me, because that’s what you do!” Shane said.
“Because if you didn’t have any lips, you couldn’t kiss me and make my knees melt, and I wouldn’t be in this predicament! You’re keeping your lips to yourself from now on, Shane Clapper!”
“Of course, I am.” Shane belied his words by leaning over and kissing Kelsi’s forehead. “I love you.”
A nurse came in then, hooking Kelsi up to a monitor. “With the babies coming a couple of weeks early, we want to make sure they look all right.”
“Okay,” Kelsi said, sounding remarkably happy.
Debbie knew at that moment, they were all in for a long ride. She said a silent prayer that Mrs. Weston hurried.
Six hours later, Debbie was holding one baby while the doctor worked to deliver the other. Shane was clutching Kelsi’s hand, whispering words of love. Dani was on the other side of the hospital bed, holding Kelsi’s other hand.
The first baby was already fifteen minutes old, and the second was taking her own sweet time. During her hours of labor, Kelsi had admitted that she’d known she was having twins for more than six months, but hadn’t wanted to make an announcement. She’d thought leaving it as a surprise would be better.
Debbie thought she’d lost her mind, but she had no say in the matter, so she’d stayed out of the w
ay as much as she could, standing beside Kelsi and holding her hand when the girl had wanted her there. She felt superfluous with Kelsi’s husband and twin both there, but when she had offered to leave, Kelsi had insisted she stay.
A few moments later, the doctor held up the second baby for Kelsi to see, while Shane cut the cord. “They’re both beautiful, Kelsi.”
Kelsi laughed and cried ate the same time. “We did it, Shane. Two beautiful baby girls!”
Shane nodded, wiping a tear from his own eye. “I have my Victoria!” He sighed contentedly. “Have you decided on a name for the other one?”
Dani’s eyes grew round as she stared at Shane. “You’re letting her name one?”
Kelsi grinned, reaching out to take the baby that Debbie was holding. “I think I’m going to call her Willow. Then she has the W name like I wanted, but it’s a pretty W name.”
He looked relieved. “I really was worried you’d name her Widget!”
Kelsi smiled, touching the baby’s fingers, and silently counting them. “I considered it, but Willow is prettier.” A nurse took the second baby over to Kelsi, who held her in her other arm. “I know how I want to make the announcement we had twins.” There was a twinkle in Kelsi’s eye that frightened Debbie a little.
“How?” Shane asked. He looked skeptical.
“I want Debbie and Dani to each carry one out to the waiting room. Debbie should go first, and then Dani can follow two minutes later. Is anyone still here?”
Debbie laughed. “Yeah. Frank, all of your siblings, half the guests, and about fifteen employees of the ranch. I think the nurses are sick of them.”
“I’m sure they are. The Westons alone are a pain in the rear.” Kelsi grinned. “You take Willow and go first.”
Dani smiled. “I get the one with a normal name! Does that mean I win?”
Kelsi gave Victoria to her sister. “Give her a two-minute head start,” Kelsi said.
Shane rolled his eyes. “You get bossier by the day, dear wife.”
Flyboy's Fancy (River's End Ranch Book 21) Page 7
