by Lia Davis
Lilli gasped when she saw Julia pale and almost lifeless lying on the ground. She was a bright, colorful streak through the air as she rushed to Julia’s aid.
“Please. Allow me to help.”
“Can you save her?” Thomas asked, desperate for Lilli to say yes.
“I can. I just need a moment of silence.”
As soon as Lilli took over, Cade sucked a deep breath into his starved lungs. If anyone could work a miracle, it was this tiny creature.
Cade’s breath was warm on her neck. “She’ll be fine now. I should get you to the doctor.”
Anna laid a hand on his arm and gazed at him with pleading eyes. “Just one more minute.”
Reluctantly, he agreed. “One minute and then we leave.”
Cade was ready to drag Anna to the boat if need be when Julia’s eyes fluttered open, and she drew a deep breath.
“Thank Goddess.” Anna turned to him with tears in her eyes. “I was terrified I would lose Thomas. I wouldn’t have survived that.”
Cade got his father’s attention. “I’m taking Anna to the doctor to be checked over. We will talk with you when we get back home.”
“Good idea. I’ll update you then.”
Chapter 7
Cade struggled with himself. He wanted to drive full speed back to the plantation, but he forced himself to go slow and steady. Silently, he breathed a prayer of thanks to the Goddess when the dock came into view. The boat was tied up in record time. He had to be quick, or his crazy mate would try to exit the boat without assistance and find herself in the water. As she stood to do just that, he rushed to help her step to the dock and then straight to the car. He wasn’t wasting any time. Anna’s coloring was still pasty white, and it may be his imagination, but her breathing seemed a little shallow.
He called ahead to warn Dr. Marjorie they were on the way as he broke every speed limit between the plantation and the clinic. He gave a shortened version of what happened so they could be ready for Anna the instant she arrived.
The minute they walked in, a nurse hustled them to an examination room. “I’m going to check your heart rate and blood pressure, as well as the baby’s heart rate. We need to know if the attack put her under any stress.”
With each new reading, Anna’s expression grew more worried.
“What is it, cher?”
“My heart rate and blood pressure are quite a bit higher than last week when I was here.”
Cade’s heart dropped to his stomach, but he kept his expression calm. Taking a deep breath, he kissed her knuckles and brushed a stray bit of hair from her eyes. “We’re here now. I’m sure everything will be fine.”
When the nurse left the room, Anna laid back on the examination table and closed her eyes. She was so tired. Just as she felt herself dozing off, Dr. Marjorie rushed in.
“Good Lord, Anna! Did Tim really attack you and threaten you with a gun?”
“Yes, he did.” She grunted as she struggled to sit up with Cade’s help. “Thankfully, Cade saved me before he could really hurt me. We’re mostly concerned about the intense stress the experienced caused.”
Dr. Marjorie looked over the readings frowning. “Your blood pressure is much higher than it should be. Since you didn’t have an issue before, it most certainly is caused by the stress. I’m putting you on bed rest for the next few days and then I want to see you again.”
She carefully felt Anna’s abdomen and checked her for dilation. “The baby is still sitting rather high, and your cervix is normal for eight months.”
Dr. Marjorie was removing her latex gloves when Anna winced and held her stomach.
“Forgot about those,” she said as the tightness passed.
Cade turned white as a sheet. He had felt the tightening in his stomach, too. “What was that!”
“They’re called Braxton Hicks or false labor,” Dr. Marjorie said matter-of-factly. “It happens in the eighth month, as a woman’s body begins to prepare for childbirth and the cervix softens. All perfectly normal.”
Cade had worry etched on his face. “What can I do?”
“Wait on her hand and foot. Remember the relaxation techniques and low back massage we discussed?”
“Yes. I tried a few on her the other day.”
“Now is the perfect time to do a lot of foot and back massage.”
Cade rubbed his hands together grinning. “You got it. I’ll make sure she only gets up for bathroom breaks.”
Anna looked at Dr. Marjorie with a sly grin. “You should have lied and told him I had to rest a long time ago.”
Dr. Marjorie chuckled at them. “I could have, but I’m sure it would have broken at least one of my Hippocratic oaths. I’ll see you back here Thursday morning.”
“Thank you.” Cade shook her hand gratefully and busied himself helping Anna redress. He was still suspicious of the so-called false labor pains, but he would keep that to himself. Once they were home, and Anna was sleeping, he would research what was really expected in the eighth month.
It was Wednesday afternoon. Tomorrow Anna would see Dr. Marjorie and hopefully be released from bed rest. It had been a hard-fought battle, but she convinced Cade to let her sit in a chair rather than lay in bed all day. Sighing with boredom, she set her novel aside. She was tired of reading and even more tired of being waited on hand and foot. She wanted a glass of water, and she intended to get it herself. Wiggling and grunting, she heaved her big belly from her favorite oversized chair and managed to get to her feet.
“What do you think you’re doing,” Cade growled, jumping to his feet.
A moan broke from her lips, and she pressed a hand into her side. Closing her eyes, she sucked in slow, deep breaths, and let each one out gradually to the count of ten.
Panic made his heart stutter. “What’s wrong?” Cade asked as he felt pain ripple through his stomach muscles. “Is it the baby?”
The bond between mates allowed one to experience the other’s pain. Normally, the person suffering could block the other mate from the experience. But when extreme pain was involved, or when the pain hit unexpectedly, there was no blocking it.
She didn’t respond immediately. It was difficult enough to speak through gritted teeth, add to that the need to concentrate through a contraction, and it wasn’t going to happen. At least not until the pain eased.
“I’m fine. There’s no reason to worry. The contraction just caught me off guard.”
Cade's eyes grew wide with alarm. His stomach plunged to somewhere near his feet. His breathing was nonexistent as he stared blankly at her, his mind refusing to process the situation. Contraction–one of the forbidden words men didn’t have in their vocabulary. It ranked right up there with menstrual cycle–hell, even menopause. His brain balked just thinking about them. He didn’t even like reading the word in his books.
Men avoided any word or phrase on the dreaded ‘do not speak aloud’ list like the plague. It was silently understood—a man never uttered them, ever.
He forced his brain to function so he could process the situation. This couldn’t be happening. It was too early for the baby to be born. There must be another explanation, like maybe those ‘hicks’ things. Tuning out the pounding of his heart and burning lungs, he studied Anna’s expression. He saw no panic and even though she was huge, the baby wasn’t due for another three and half weeks. Five and half weeks if what she told him last night was true about always going over her due date.
I’m an extremely intelligent man. I’m sure I can figure this out.
Anna frowned with her hands on her hips, or where her hips used to be anyway. “What?”
Alarms clambered in his mind. Shit! She didn’t hear me thinking she was huge, did she?
Hearing what he had been thinking would not end well. No pregnant woman wanted to know her husband thought she looked like she swallowed a basketball. He glanced at her expression again, praying his luck held out.
Whew!
Somehow he’d managed to dodge that bul
let. All right, he needed calm and subtlety, abilities no longer in existence when she said terrifying words like ‘contractions.’
He could run billion dollar corporations or rule a kingdom with his eyes closed. But deliver a baby in his living room? He wasn’t equipped for that, no way, no how. At least not yet. As soon as he could breathe again, he was going to learn everything he could about emergency deliveries. The rate this pregnancy had gone, he might need to know how to deliver a baby in the back seat of a car like he’d seen in movies.
She hadn’t taken her eyes off him, and from the look of her deepening frown she was demanding an answer.
He anxiously searched for the correct response, one that wouldn’t get him gelded. A smile touched his lips, as he struck gold. “You always look so amazing with your sexy pregnant glow. It startled me when you said you had a contraction. You can’t possibly be ready to give birth.”
There, saved with a compliment for good measure. But, crap, why is she still staring at me with her hands on her hips?
“No, it was another bout of false labor. From here on out that’s going to happen a lot. But why are you looking at me funny?”
“Am I? I was thinking how sexy you are and visualizing you on the bathroom vanity. Maybe my steamy thoughts gave me a funny expression. I was going for smoldering. I guess I need to practice that one.”
Anna laughed at his goofy expressions as he tried to achieve smoldering.
Anna sipped her decaf coffee, watching the second hand roll around the face of the kitchen clock. It was Thursday morning, and ten o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.
“Watching the clock won’t make time go any faster, cher.”
She grinned and then giggled. “Are you sure? I was hoping I had a power I didn’t know about and that I could affect time.”
Cade coughed as he tried to swallow a sip of coffee and snort at her at the same time. “I’m positive you only get one special gift and clock management isn’t yours.”
Anna fake pouted. “That’s just stupid. I think I should get two gifts.”
“You should bring that up the next time you speak to the Goddess,” he teased.
Anna rolled her eyes and went back to glaring at the clock.
Cade cleared the breakfast table and held his hand out to his lovely mate. “If I drive slowly we can leave now.”
Her face brightened and broke out into a huge smile. “Thank you, babe. I’m going a little batty being restricted. Every time the phone rings or an email comes in I want to get back to work.”
“We’ll see what Dr. Marjorie has to say. But promise me, if she says you still need to relax, you’ll behave yourself.”
She scowled at him. It was obvious she didn’t want to consider any option other than getting back to her normal grind.
Cade settled an irritated Anna into a waiting room chair and checked her in with the nurse at the desk. She was tapping her toe impatiently, staring at the door that led to the examination rooms as if she could will it to open.
As he joined her, he whispered, “I don’t think that’s your special gift either.”
From the glare she gave him, she didn’t find his comment funny in the least.
A minute later, a nurse stood in the doorway and glanced up from a chart. “Anna Le Beau?”
He was astonished when his mate popped out of her chair before he could give her a hand. He hadn’t seen her move that fast in months.
They sat quietly while the nurse took her blood pressure and listened to her breathing and heart rate. This was a nurse he hadn’t met before and, unlike the other nurses, she didn’t read the results out loud.
When the nurse took the chart with her instead of leaving it for the doctor, Anna growled. “She could have left it so I could peek.”
Cade took her hand and sent her reassuring feelings and love. “I’m sure Dr. Marjorie will be here in a minute.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m just uncomfortable and grouchy.”
“Who’s grouchy?” Dr. Marjorie asked as she hustled through the door.
“Me. Between not working when I know there are things I need to do, and sitting around all day on my butt, I’m not a happy camper.”
“Well, young lady, leave that tent pitched for a while. Your blood pressure is still too high.”
Anna closed her eyes and groaned.
“Cade?” Dr. Marjorie looked at him until he turned her way. “Her camping comment gave me an idea. Is there a place you can take her that’s away from work? A place without telephones or Internet so she doesn’t think about it—yet also comfortable and not in an actual tent?”
“We have a very nice cabin on an island in the bayou, but I can only get her there by boat.”
“Riding in a boat shouldn’t be a problem on calm water as long as you go slowly.”
Anna was alarmed. “Cade, I have things I need to do.”
“The only thing you have to do right now is make sure you and the baby are healthy,” Dr. Marjorie insisted before Cade could speak.
“Fine. I’ll go to the island. How long is my sentence this time?”
Dr. Marjorie chuckled at her disgruntled expression. “A week. You can schedule a normal weekly appointment, and I will reevaluate your blood pressure then.”
“A week!” Anna squeaked.
“Think of it as a second honeymoon, just less exciting.” Dr. Marjorie winked as she left the room.
Chapter 8
Anna stared out the window as Cade drove them home.
A week! An entire week!
If she couldn’t use her laptop and Cade strapped her to a chair, or God forbid, the bed, what the heck was she going to do for an entire week?
Anna’s frustration beat at him. “It’ll be fun,” Cade offered as encouragement.
“Fun? What can I do that will be fun?”
“I could set a chair on the dock, and you can fish with me. Or I’ll put a comfortable chaise lounge by the fire pit, and we’ll make s'mores? We’ll think of all kinds of fun things to do. I promise.”
“Have I told you today that I love you?”
“Actually, no,” he grinned. There was no judgment in his tone. “You’ve been a little preoccupied.”
She reached over and placed her hand on his leg. “Well, I love you, and I’m sorry I’m being such a pain in the butt.”
“As long as you’re my pain in the butt, I’m all good.” His eyes began to glow, and he added. “Do you think you could slide your hand a little higher?”
She laughed and slowly inched her fingers up his thigh, teasing him.
“Wicked woman,” Cade growled. “You wait until I’m holding you prisoner on the island.”
“I knew you had ulterior motives, and Dr. Marjorie was in cahoots with you.”
“Cahoots? Who uses that term anymore?”
“You know you’re full of hot air. I haven’t gotten you naked in weeks.”
“Come on, cher. Are we going to have this discussion again?”
They were laughing playfully when they reached the driveway. Cars and moving vans littered the area.
Anna frowned. “I forgot Lucas and Krystal were moving to Texas today.”
“I hate to see them go, but they’ll only be eight hours away by car. We can visit them after the baby’s born if you want to.”
“Okay. But for now, I want to at least say goodbye.”
Cade helped her from the car and held her hand as they crossed the yard.
Anna couldn’t believe her eyes. “Why is Thomas’s car packed?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t heard anything about him leaving.”
Before they reached the door, Emma and Isaac came out, followed by about a dozen people. It looked like the entire family had gathered.
“Cade! Anna!” Lucas hollered in welcome. “I was hoping you would be back before we left.”
“I’m glad we didn’t miss you,” Cade hollered back. “Why is Thomas’s car packed?”
Thomas walked
out, hand in hand with Julia. “We’ve decided to help them move, and take a week or two off. After what happened, we both need a change of scenery. Plus, we haven’t taken a honeymoon. Once the bridal suite is set up, we plan to try it out.”
“We wanted to go now and get back before the baby is born,” Julia quickly added blushing a bright shade of red.
“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Anna nodded as she hugged Thomas and then Julia. “Cade and I just got banished to the island for a week of relaxation by my doctor. Cade needs to tie up some business calls and reschedule a few meetings, so in a couple days, we’ll be packing, too.
Thomas smacked his forehead. “The island. I didn’t think of that.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Lucas grinned as he closed and locked the large doors on the back of the moving van. “You would have come to Texas anyway. Your sense of curiosity wouldn’t have allowed you to do anything else.”
Julia nudged Thomas’s side. “You’ve got that right. He’s dying to see the ranch.”
“Hush, woman. Don’t give away my secrets.” Thomas laughed before kissing his new mate breathless.
One by one, the vehicles drove out of sight. Anna saw a tear roll down Emma’s cheek but didn’t say a word. She understood better than anyone what her mother-in-law was feeling.
Isaac tightened his arm around his mate. “Who’s ready for a barbecue?”
Anna looked at Cade meaningfully. “I’d love to.”
“Meet us on the back deck at three for sweet tea and cocktails,” Isaac shouted.
Cade finally smiled at his troublesome mate. “We’ll be there.”
A short while later Anna was getting antsy. “Are you ready to go over and get a bite to eat?” Anna asked cheerfully.
“Give me a minute to change clothes, and I’m ready.”
Minutes later, Anna was chatting with Simon and Rose when Emma stepped beside her. “I made you some special snacks for your stay at the island and put in an order for groceries to be delivered.”
“Thank you, Emma. You didn’t need to do that.”
“Maybe not, but I wanted to.” She hugged Anna and then sucked in a breath as if she was going to say something bad and was preparing herself. “I’m not sure you heard, but Isaac and I are going to Texas in the morning to help Lucas.”
