“Well, I’m here until after the holidays. Call me.”
She looked up from Judah. “Seriously? Because I have a seven-year-old Lab with epilepsy, and he is not responding to meds.”
“I can look at him this week.”
“Oh, you’re a godsend, Evie. Now, look at me, big fella.”
While Molly continued checking out the dog, Danny shifted his attention to Granddaddy, reaching out a stubby finger to point at him.
Granddaddy playfully snatched it. “I gotcha!”
Danny giggled and tried to free his finger, but Granddaddy held on. “Might have to take a bite,” he sang playfully, snapping at his finger. “Whoops. No teeth.”
“Got…got…ga-ga-ga.”
“He’s trying to say ‘gotcha,’” Evie exclaimed.
“He’s got a brain under that mop,” Granddaddy teased as his old watery gaze shifted to Evie, his look so full of abject longing she almost laughed. But it wasn’t funny. She knew what he wanted, knew he ached for it, probably as much as she did.
“Granddaddy,” she whispered in warning.
“What? I was going to say you look so much like my Penny right now.” He gave her a big old toothless grin. “Could be her holding your father. He had a bunch of dark hair, too.” He sighed noisily, the grin fading. “Ah, Evangeline.”
“Please,” she said softly, fighting the rush of emotions and praying he didn’t go on a baby tirade right then.
“Okay, I’m officially done,” Molly said, looking from one to the other.
“That was fast,” Max said.
Because Molly was helping her out of an awkward moment like the true friend she was.
“Molly’s already examined him at her office,” Evie said.
“Yep, this is just for paperwork,” Molly agreed. “Judah is all yours again, Mr. Hewitt. You can rest.”
He reached his hand out to Danny’s sneaker, giving it a playful tap. “I know what I’ll be dreaming about…”
“Say bye-bye,” Molly told Danny. “Can you say bye-bye?”
“Ba ba ba ba!” he complied, making them laugh as Molly and Evie headed back into the hall.
“No pressure or anything, right?” Molly whispered. “Sorry if Danny made things worse for you.”
“Worse?” She shifted him in her arms because he was getting heavy, but the last thing she wanted to do was give him up. “The only thing Danny did was, you know…” She pointed down and made her fingers explode. “Ovaries have detonated.”
“Oh, Evie.”
“Hey, you sound like him now.” She tipped her head in the direction of her grandfather’s room. “‘The family tree is dying, Evangeline,’” she said, imitating his gruff voice.
“And that makes you feel…”
“Like I’m disappointing him,” Evie confessed, then slowed as they stood outside one of the guest rooms. “And myself,” she added softly, grateful to be able to confide in a trusted friend.
“I know you wanted a baby, Evie,” Molly whispered. “I remember when you went the academic route because you thought it would be better for your schedule and the possibility of getting pregnant.”
“But donor insemination was a bust, as you know. Not to mention I’m forty now.”
“Not too old, and you said you passed all the tests.”
“With flying…eggs.”
“Anyway, you could still adopt,” Molly said.
“It’s more complicated and scarier than adopting a pet.” She stroked Danny’s cheek and leaned in. “And to make matters worse, my grandfather actually suggested to Declan that he…” She lifted her brows. “Help me.”
Molly’s eyes popped. “Like…impregnate you?”
“Like DI, only no pesky pipette. I assume.”
“Evie, that’s…extreme.”
“No kidding. I actually think your grandmother suggested it to him when she was here.”
Molly shook her head. “Doubtful. We talked about her conversation with him on the way over here, and she didn’t mention a baby. She said they talked about the things that usually come before that, like man-on-one-knee followed by something old, something new…”
“Well, Granddaddy heard something that cries and eventually goes to college. At least that’s what he mentioned to Declan.”
Molly searched her face, thinking and, Evie could tell, considering the possibility. Didn’t anyone realize that wasn’t something to casually do?
“It’s…not the worst idea in the world,” Molly said, almost on cue.
“Molly!”
“What? You two are great friends.”
“We were.”
“He’s back in this house,” she said. “That’s huge, and you know it.”
“I do.”
“And you’re mature adults who could probably work something out. It wouldn’t be like, you know, medical. It would be…”
Sexual. Evie felt her color rise.
“Fun,” Molly finished with a laugh. “Of course, maybe you shouldn’t take advice from a woman who got pregnant in the back of her mother’s dog van at nineteen.”
“Is that why Trace bought the van?” She almost choked, but then a burst of laughter rang out from the museum room.
“The grannies and Pru.” Molly rolled her eyes. “I swear they’re like a clique of eighth-grade girls.”
“Come on, let’s go see what’s so funny.” She gave Molly’s arm a squeeze. “And thanks for the help up there.”
Molly winked. “Anytime. And were you serious about seeing patients this week?”
“Absolutely.”
They headed into the museum room, and all the smiles immediately disappeared, and Evie felt very much like she had walked in on…something.
“This room is so stinking cool,” Pru said suddenly. “So much history!”
“Did you see the new necklace?” Evie asked. “There are pictures of Evangeline and Gloriana Bushrod as babies.”
They spent the next few minutes looking at some treasures, while Danny got comfy in Evie’s arms again. She told them some of the stories and recited the litany of generations of Gloriana House, a tumult of family pride spilling over as she shared the names and some life highlights with the same enthusiasm Granddaddy did when he told the stories.
“Your family is like something out of a Jane Austen novel,” Pru cooed.
“They were, once.” Evie rested her cheek on the baby’s head, letting her eyes close as more emotion caught hold of her throat.
“I’d love to hear someone play that piano,” Yiayia said, pointing to the Krakauer.
“I’m sure it’s wretchedly out of tune,” Evie said.
“So?” Yiayia lifted a shoulder. “You should still play.”
“But that would mean I’d have to put down this sleeping baby.” She stroked his head and smiled at Molly. “I’m so…” Jealous. “Happy for you.”
“Thanks,” she said, holding up her phone. “I emailed the form to Vestal Valley
