“I’d better enjoy this, then, is that what you’re saying?”
“Pretty much. Come back and sit, Tony. Do you want to eat? I can’t believe I’m hungry.”
“I’ll eat. I feel spent.”
“Yes. That’s a good word for it. Let’s eat and talk about the house for a while, and then we can face the next big question.”
“Let me guess. How are we going to tell our families?”
“Exactly. Big Mike cried when the Chargers won last weekend. Steel yourself for that. And Roberta, I’m not sure about Roberta.”
“What about Alice and Emmett?” Tony asked.
“I’ll have to educate them. I swear to you, if my mam tells me it’s God’s will, punishing me for my sins, I’ll choke her with my bare hands.”
“Is it God’s will?”
“Tony, it’s not God’s will that we might have a kid with special needs, okay? No. It’s nature. An extra chromosome, like a freak accident. Don’t let anyone put guilt on you.”
“Lucky us to have devoted parents,” Tony moaned.
“They’re devoted, but they won’t do the blame game. We have to give them more credit than that.”
“Ugh, here comes Joey. I’d better pull it together.”
They had running water at least, so he went to the bathroom to wash his face while Bridget answered the door to let big brother Joey in.
“Thanks for spending your weekend working on our house,” she said.
“It’ll be your turn next. Candy and I found a house on Mountainview. It’s two blocks from here.”
“That’s great!”
“Roberta is going to have a fit,” Tony said, glad it was dark in the house. “I’m going to get Bridget home and I’ll be right back.”
“I can drive myself. Shoot me a text when you want to come home.”
Walking her out to the car, Tony felt guilty the conversation had ended so quickly. “We should probably be spending the day together, planning.”
“Tony, we’ve planned. We have everything ready for her. You’re doing the best thing you can, getting our house ready. Having our own place to bring her to so we can deal with whatever it is we’ll be faced with is the most loving thing you could do. Thank you so much.”
The conversation must have roused the baby because she immediately began to make her presence known again.
“Yikes! That was a real kick.”
Tony’s big warm hand over Bridget’s belly activated more kicking and moving around, the parents laughing. Hugging her, Tony kissed her again.
“I’ll head over to Alice and Emmett’s house. Text me when you’re ready to leave here.”
He opened the truck door, and she climbed in, grunting at the effort it took. “I need to work out.”
“No, you don’t,” Tony said. “I’m afraid you’ll make me do it.”
“You work out at the station. I’ve heard Katherine say she enjoys watching the Saint boys lift weights.”
“She’s nuts,” he said, but laughed out loud.
“Okay, on that note, I’ll leave.”
She kissed him once more and leaned forward to start the truck. On the way to her parents’ house, she decided she was going to tell them about the baby.
***
The electrician was up in the attic, threading wires down through a hole in the ceiling for a light fixture above Bridget’s bar. It was the only must-have she’d asked for. There was a tap on the door, and Tony yelled, “Come in,” as he stood on a ladder, looking over his shoulder.
“Making headway,” Uncle Charlie said, glancing around. “That’s not centered, you know.”
“Thanks for the observation. It’s where Bridget wants it.”
The electrician shouted down from the attic, “And what Bridget wants, Bridget gets!”
The men snickered because there was an element of truth to it.
“I’ve got news for you,” Charlie said.
“It had better be good because I don’t think I can take any more iffy news today.”
“What’s going on?” Charlie asked.
“I haven’t told my parents yet, so don’t say anything.”
“You have my word.”
“Our baby has Down syndrome.”
Charlie rubbed his chin and nodded. “I know you’re probably upset, but she’s still going to be great. You’ll be great parents to her, Tony. Don’t worry too much, okay? Plus you have Roberta.”
“Thanks,” Tony replied, laughing. “I hope you’re right about her.”
“When are you going to tell them?”
“Probably tonight. Bridget’s telling her parents as we speak. So what’s your news?”
“DNA is back from the tiara, and guess what? It’s Katherine’s.”
In disbelief, Charlie took the information down from the detective. They’d picked her up at home on Saturday. She knew she was living free on borrowed time. At night she worked at the local hospital as a nurse’s aide, and during the day she volunteered at #34. Not every day, but enough to be considered among the permanent staff. She couldn’t pass the fitness test because of her frail frame; lifting the necessary weight was out of her reach. But the men all agreed she worked every bit as hard as the paid firefighters; she was conscientious and dependable.
Then Tony and Patty broke up. Her entire motivation switched from serving the community to being with Tony. After their unsatisfying liaison, she didn’t actually give up on him, but at the time it was enough that they saw each other every day, the easy camaraderie filling a void for companionship.
Even when he began to date Bridget, she dealt with it. But then the baby, and the house, and something just snapped. She went to the dollar store and bought a tiara to plant and started the fire. When she broke the front window to get in, she’d cut her hand and must have bled on the damn tiara.
And that was that.
Chapter Nine
Right before Easter with the house on Seacrest almost complete, with only a few items left to address, Bridget went into preterm labor. The squad was out on an early morning call, a gunshot victim in the middle of town, and she was there with Devon Lyon and Tony’s brother Mike. Law enforcement was in full force and had secured the site so the team could come in and administer first aid and get the victim to the hospital.
That morning, she had felt a little sick to her stomach, but blew it off as indigestion, which she’d been getting regularly throughout the pregnancy. When she got to work, she’d stayed outside while Tony raised the flag. After they paused to show respect like they always did, they walked in together, his arm around her shoulder, no longer caring what Uncle Charlie thought about their PDAs.
“You look a little pale to me,” he said, holding her at arm’s length. “You doing okay?”
“I feel like barfing, but what else is new? I’ll live.” Her standard answer.
“Take it easy today. If you don’t feel better, you need to call the doctor.”
“I will.” The alarm went off, the familiar, disembodied voice echoing throughout the garage.
“County Dispatch, EMS crew to scene of gunshot wound, 200 block of Juniper. Male subject, according to witness shot twice, unknown condition. Escondido police en route.”
“Off I go. Give me a kiss.”
“Be careful,” he said, worried more than usual, watching as the wagon rolled out of the garage less than a minute later.
She wasn’t a woman who appreciated her boyfriend telling her what to do, but he was making suggestions he hoped she would take. Their jobs were so dangerous, and since the call, he freaked out a little bit. It was his baby, too. He might have to take a stand.
On the ride to the hospital, Bridget felt the first twinge and a worrisome sensation, like she’d wet her pants. Once the patient was transferred to the care of the ER staff, she excused herself and ran to the bathroom. She was bleeding. For a moment, she wondered if she shouldn’t stay there at the hospital. Out in the hallway, Devon was still involved with giv
ing a report to the nursing staff. Bridget called her doctor, but it was still early and the answering service answered. “Stay on the line and we’ll get the doctor for you.”
The doctor was on her way in to the hospital for a delivery. “Stay put, Bridget, I’ll see you in ten minutes.”
After ending the call, her heart pounding in her throat, Bridget joined Mike and Devon in the vehicle. “Guys, I’m sorry. I’m going to stay here. I have a problem, and my doctor is going to see me as soon as she gets in.”
Mike grabbed her hand. “What’s wrong?”
Bridget lowered her head and began to weep. He’d never seen her show any emotion, even during the worst times—the news about the baby, after the house fire, nothing. Arms around her, he patted her back.
“I’m bleeding. I need to tell Tony. He’s going to be so upset.”
“I’ll walk back inside the ER with you,” Mike said.
“Stay with her, Mike,” Devon said. “We can take calls from here until Tony arrives.”
The doctor was there in ten minutes, as she said, and Mike left as soon as Tony got there, flushed and frantic, even in this frightening situation. When he walked through the door in his uniform, looking larger than life, Bridget calmed right down and smiled.
“Here’s Tony,” she mumbled to the doctor.
“Hubba-hubba,” the doctor said, and they giggled.
“Are you okay?” Tony cried, grabbing her to hug. “I’m so worried.”
“We’ll know in a minute,” the doctor said. “Let’s do an ultrasound and blood work.”
Tony stayed with Bridget through everything, helping her get out of her uniform and into the hospital gown, saw the blood on her panties, and it brought a fresh torrent of tears. Were they losing the baby?
But the baby was doing great. Before the ultrasound, they hooked Bridget up to a fetal monitor, and everything was normal. “Look at her moving. She’s fine. She just might be coming a little early. That’s not uncommon in a baby with Down syndrome, just so you know. We’ll look at your blood work, but I’m willing to bet it’s okay. I’d like to admit you so we can keep an eye on you. Tony, can you arrange for childcare for Flynn?”
Secretly, the doctor was concerned about stress on Bridget, and she knew she’d be freaking out about her other child if she had to stay in the hospital.
“Yes, my mother and Bridget’s family will come through for us. I’m off work for the next four days, and if need be, I’ll take vacation time.”
Bridget had to admit, for being a control freak, she was happy to relinquish everything to Tony. There was nothing she could do from the hospital.
Tony left work early to spend every minute with her at the hospital. But by nine, she was exhausted and wanted him to leave. “If you stay the night, I’ll just worry about you. Go home so Flynn can see you. He’s probably freaking out.”
So Tony left, and in the dark hospital room, Bridget finally had time to think. With her hand on her belly, she lay awake and wondered about what the future would bring. What would the baby’s cognitive abilities be? Would she be able to live independently, work, and maybe even get married someday? Or would she always need care and guidance? Closing her eyes, the unanswered questions would make her crazy if she didn’t let go. No one knew what the future held for their children. All they could do was provide every opportunity for them.
The monitor belt around her belly restricted her from moving around, and she was uncomfortable on her back, trying to reel in her thoughts to concentrate on the positive, moving into their new house and decorating. She was terrible at it, but Joey’s girlfriend, Candy, loved to decorate and had already pledged to help her. Candy had called her as soon as the news got out that she was in the hospital.
“I’m going to Big Mike and Roberta’s tonight to play with Flynn, so don’t worry about him. Don’t worry about anything. Just take care of yourself. Can they stop the labor?”
“I’m not in labor yet. Just bleeding.”
That wouldn’t be true for long. At three in the morning, she called Tony back to the hospital.
“I have to have an emergency C-section. The placenta is starting to separate. Can you come back?”
“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
The nurses got Bridget ready for surgery. “You’re going to see your little girl in less than an hour!”
A range of emotions flowed through her. Excitement, joy, but fear. She was going to be small.
“Less than five pounds, I’m afraid,” the doctor said honestly. “It’s early.”
In fifteen minutes, Tony, Roberta, Big Mike (crying), Alice and Emmett walked through the door of her room, surrounding her, showing her love, each of them kissing her cheek, and she wiped away tears.
“Flynn’s with Candy and Joey. He was sleeping like a rock, so don’t worry about him,” Tony said, leaning over the side of her bed to kiss her.
“Time to go!” An orderly and a nurse came in, cheerful and smiling idiotically. It was almost four in the morning, and she was preparing to deliver a premature baby that had Down syndrome, suddenly not in the mood for levity. “Is Dad coming in?”
“Do you want to go in the operating room?” Roberta asked.
“Sure. I wouldn’t miss it.”
So Tony held her hand as they pushed the bed along the corridor while the family went to the cafeteria to have coffee.
In less than an hour, like the nurse said, a little cry echoed in the delivery room, and before long, the tiniest baby Bridget had ever seen was brought over to her, Tony smiling and crying tears of joy. They put her right up to Bridget’s face.
This is my baby. Although Tony and Bridget were both raven-haired, the baby had reddish blond feathers.
“She has a lot of hair for a preemie,” someone said.
They whisked the baby off to the intensive care nursery, and the journey continued. Back in her room, the family took turns sitting with Bridget and going to look in the nursery window for a glimpse.
“She’s just beautiful!” Roberta wept. “What will you name her?”
“Do you want to tell her, Big Mike?” Bridget asked in a tired voice.
Of course, he began to cry again, but happy tears. “She’s Isabella Saint.”
Bridget would be in the hospital for at least thirty-six hours. But Isabella would have to stay in longer, until she gained a pound. She wouldn’t suck, so they inserted a feeding tube, and as soon as Bridget’s milk came in, she pumped and delivered bottles of breast milk to the hospital every day.
The family worked around the clock to get the house ready during Bridget’s two-day hospital stay. But when they discharged her, she wanted to go back to Roberta and Big Mike’s.
“You have to go back to work eventually, and I don’t want to be home alone,” she told Tony.
“And I can drive her back and forth to the hospital to see the baby every day,” Roberta said.
“I’m going to take paternity leave,” Tony announced. “But I’ll wait until Isabella comes home. In the meantime, I’ll be home four days a week to do the hospital visits. Charlie will give me time off each evening to run over, too.”
In the NICU for the first time, Bridget sat down gingerly in a padded rocking chair. The nurse placed Isabella in her arms, untangling her oxygen and feeding tubes and the wires hooked up to the monitor. It was the first time they’d really seen her up close.
“She’s adorable,” Tony said, smiling, touching her head. “She looks like an Isabella.”
Near tears, Bridget leaned over to reach his lips. “Thank you, Tony.”
She saw her little angled eyes, not sure yet of the color because she wouldn’t open them, but the nurses had told her when Flynn was born that all babies were born with blue eyes. Her little tongue peeked between her lips. Tongue thrusting was a common occurrence with babies with Down syndrome.
The feeding tube had been inserted through her nose and was taped to her face. Saddened thinking about the pain it might have
caused her baby, all she wanted was for her to gain weight so they could take her home.
Every second that Tony was home, he was at Bridget’s side. She encouraged him to supervise at the house if he wanted, but he reassured her that his brothers and father were taking care of everything.
“Aw, those men,” she said, giggling. “I hope Candy keeps an eye on things. I’d hate to come home and find deer heads mounted on the walls, with a keg in the kitchen.”
“Ha! No one hunts in my family, so no worries.”
They sat not saying anything for a few minutes, and then he leaned over and whispered in her ear, “How long before, you know, we can have, you know?”
“Sex? You can say it out loud, Tony,” she said, laughing. “I think it’s like six weeks.” When he winced, she added, “What do you think about that?”
“I think I know I won’t last that long,” he said, smoothing the blanket away from the baby’s face.
“There are ways,” she said, winking at him. “Other things I can do.”
“Woman, not in the nursery, please. I won’t be able to stand up for an hour now.”
Sliding his arm around her shoulder, he had never been so content, sitting in the NICU with his lover and his baby.
Chapter Ten
A beautiful spring day in Southern California included blue skies, breezes that held a hint of the sea, the gentle whisper of wind through the palm trees, and the fragrance of a multitude of blooming flowers and bushes.
One of the many surprises they’d uncovered after they moved into the new house was the landscaping. Although it needed tidying up, the plantings were amazing. Now that Isabella was able to nurse, Bridget spent hours in the rocker by the window looking out over the colorful yard. Uncle Charlie had installed a fountain for a housewarming gift, and the comforting sounds seemed to calm the babies. When Isabella fell asleep, she’d lay her in Roberta’s old little wicker bassinette, picking up Flynn for a long cuddle in the rocking chair.
Switching from one baby to the other throughout the day in her rocker relaxed Bridget, and it didn’t take long for her to find her rhythm. Big Mike bought her a reading device, and she plugged into that, listening to book after book. When both babies were content, she’d putter around her new house, doing chores, taking care of her own needs. She’d become adept at showering, complete with hair washing and depilatory, in fifteen minutes, saving the rest of their nap time for her own siesta.
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