“Not necessarily. But labor might take longer and involve a bit of back pain.”
Len made a face. “Poor Joss. She must be frantic.”
“She was at first. But Dr. Jamison talked her down and gave her some exercises that might help shift the baby into the right position.”
“What do you want us to do?” Raney asked.
“Nothing for now. We’re to call Dr. Jamison if anything changes. If not, Joss is to go back to see her in two days. How are things there?”
“Hot,” Len said.
Mama asked if the smoked salmon she’d shipped from Alaska had arrived—which it had—and said she’d had other things shipped, but they were surprises and not to open them. She gave them the name and number of their hotel, adding they probably wouldn’t get much sleep since there was some sort of event at Texas Tech and the noise and traffic were already terrible.
“Mrs. Ledbetter called,” Raney said. “She was worried since she hadn’t heard from you. How did she get my cell number? Did you block her on yours? She wanted to know if you were hiding out because you were pregnant now, too.”
Mama laughed. “That old biddy has the raunchiest sense of humor, God bless her. I gave her your cell number since coverage on the cruise was so spotty. I’ll give her a call later before she spreads it around that I’m having twins. By the way, I really like Grady Douglas, even if he is in the music business. We have to convince your sister to marry him. She could do a lot worse. Room service is here, so I better go. Love to you both. I’ll check in again tomorrow.”
“A reprieve,” Raney said, taking the phone off speaker.
Len sighed. “I know. If Joss is this hysterical now, wait until she brings the precious bundle home.”
Raney gave her a surprised look. “You didn’t like having your babies?”
“Of course I did . . . once they slept more than four hours at a time. They’re the most wonderful things in my life. And also, the most exhausting. I don’t think I’ve slept through the night since I brought Jake home. But they’re worth it. Don’t let Joss’s freak-outs turn you off of having kids someday. You’d be a great mother.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because you’ve been a great sister.”
Raney wasn’t sure how one impacted the other, but didn’t argue about it. The dinner bell had just sounded, and she was more interested in seeing Dalton. Just to look at, of course. She had told him they should slow it down, and she would stick by that. As long as she could.
The mutes showed up on time. Dalton didn’t. Glenn said he’d gone to visit his folks but would return either late tonight or early in the morning.
“Is anything wrong?” she asked.
“Didn’t say. Didn’t look worried, either. Suspect he’ll let us know if there’s a problem. You ladies be okay on your own tonight, or should I have one of the boys camp out on the veranda?”
Len smiled. “We’ll be fine, Mr. Hicks. But thank you for your concern.”
And that was about it for conversation.
Which gave Raney plenty of uninterrupted time to wonder what Dalton was up to. She had asked him to slow it down a little—was this his way of giving her the space she’d asked for? Hell. Since when did a man ever do what you wanted him to do except when you didn’t want him to do it?
The mutes left as soon as supper was over. Raney and Len were stretched on chaises on the veranda, enjoying fresh grapes washed down with fermented grapes, when Mama called. Wondering why she’d called again, Raney put her on speaker.
“How’s it going, Mama?”
No change, she told them, although Joss was having a bit more trouble with her back. “The exercises Dr. Jamison gave her aren’t helping at all. I doubt the woman ever carried a child, or she’d never suggest to a woman in late pregnancy that she spend ten minutes twice a day on her hands and knees. Joss’s back always hurts worse after that. And that birth ball! I never heard of such a thing! Just a fancy name for a kid’s beach ball, if you ask me. Although Joss did say that when she leans over it while sitting, it seems to help.” A long-suffering sigh. “Things were much easier in my day when they gave you drugs during labor, so you could sleep through the whole thing. How are things at home?”
“Same as they were when you called earlier, although Len’s starting to look less like the loser of a bar fight and more like a pink-and-purple raccoon.”
“Don’t listen to her, Mama. She’s just upset that Dalton preferred to go visit his folks rather than having her give him googly eyes all through supper.”
Raney rolled her eyes. She couldn’t be that transparent.
“I hope his parents and Timmy are well,” Mama said.
“I’m sure they are.”
“He’s staying in the house like I asked him to?”
“Yes, and my Glock is loaded. Stop worrying.”
They spoke awhile longer, then Mama finally gave the reason she’d called again. “We need clothes. With Joss dillydallying the way she is, we’ll be out of underwear in two days. Just throw some stuff into a bag and bring it when you come. Meanwhile, I’ll send our things to the hotel laundry, although Lord knows the condition they’ll be in when they come back.” A promise to call again tomorrow evening after Joss saw Dr. Jamison, then she ended the call.
“She sounds tired,” Len said.
“She sounds bored,” Raney countered. “Thank heavens we didn’t have to go.”
“Hopefully, it’ll be over soon.”
Raney studied her sister. She seemed bored, too. Or maybe depressed would better describe it. “You missing the kids?”
Len nodded. “I haven’t heard from them yet, even though I gave them each several self-addressed, stamped envelopes and stationery. Probably should have
