“I have to say for us it was a good thing we weren’t on the island, but on the other hand, it didn’t matter.”
“Don’t go there,” she said.
“I won’t. Sorry. Let’s get some sleep before you need to go in.”
“Once I call the hospital. Then we can try to sleep. Well, I know I will because once my head hits the pillow I’m out.”
He pulled the comforter back and got in, she made her call and then put the cell on the bedside table next to her, then went into Seth’s arms to be held.
“Go to sleep,” he told her when she was moving around.
“Not yet. They are going to call me when she is there and checked in to give me an update. There is nothing worse than falling asleep and being woken up thirty minutes later. They only live about ten minutes from the hospital and she’ll get admitted right away since I called ahead of time. A nurse will call within an hour or less with an update.”
“Want to watch TV while we wait?” he asked.
“We can. Or we can talk.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Nothing serious or dramatic. Nothing that we have to stress or worry about. How about vacation?”
“What about it?” he asked. “I changed my week to match yours. We are set there. Did you have anything you wanted to do?”
“Not really. Staying at my parents’ house for a few days will be fun. We can do things in and around Boston and Massachusetts if you want and we’ve got the house to go back to. There are museums and theaters and aquariums. Outdoor activities. Shopping.”
“Sounds like you might be more excited than Adele is.”
“I’m glad she is. Did you tell her we will stay at my parents’ house?”
“Not yet. I wanted to see how this went first, but I’ll tell her tomorrow. She’ll probably make your ears bleed with questions.”
They talked some more, her phone rang, she answered it. It was the hospital and now she knew she had a few hours to get some sleep so she settled in and shut her eyes.
When the call came in at three thirty in the morning, Ava got up and went to the bathroom, then brushed her teeth and got ready to leave. She leaned down to kiss Seth goodbye. “See, no worries on what to tell Adele in the morning. I won’t be back until after she is up, I’m sure.”
“How long do you think you’ll be there?” he asked, getting up.
“No clue, but a few hours for sure. You’ll be up by then too. Why are you getting up?”
“I have to take care of the alarm or you’ll set it off.” They went downstairs together and he gave her one more kiss. “I will be up. See you in a few hours.”
At eight, Ava was walking back to the front door of Seth’s and knocked before she opened it. “Ava,” Adele yelled as she ran forward. “Daddy said you had to go deliver a baby in the middle of the night. Was it a boy or a girl?”
“It was a little girl. They named her Madison Marie. Pretty, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Adele said. “Daddy made pancakes. Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving,” she said, putting her purse down. “Get me a plate and I’m digging in.”
Seth smiled at her and filled a plate with three big pancakes and she laughed but knew she could put them away. He leaned down to give her a kiss. “Morning.”
“Boy, I could get used to this.”
“Me too,” he said softly. “Me too.”
30
Same Last Name
“Colleen,” Ava said, going over to give a hug to the nurse that she’d be working with today. “I’m so excited to have you on the island with me. When you reached out a few weeks ago and said you were interested in transferring with the opening I was thrilled to put in a good word for you.”
“Thank you so much,” Colleen said. “My husband lost his job months ago and has had a hard time finding something else. We got talking when I saw you last and he said that he’d seen a job on the island and was considering applying. Obviously housing was going to be an issue though.”
“Am I to assume your husband got the job?” Colleen was probably a few years younger than her, maybe. She wasn’t sure, but she was a good worker and kept to herself most times.
At least she did with her. Seeing her out with the other girls earlier in the summer shocked her because she hadn’t known they’d all hung out, but it wasn’t her business either.
Melanie and Tracy were always talking about going out and partying but never Colleen. Of course as far as she knew Colleen was the only married one of that group.
“He did. He was a store manager at a sporting goods store, but they went out of business and he hasn’t been able to find anything else. Most places want him to go in as a worker or an assistant, not a manager.”
“I’m sorry for that, but so glad he found something. Where is he working, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She laughed. “Atlantic Rise Hotel. He’s the new night manager. He’s a little nervous since hotel management isn’t what he is used to, but they assured him he could learn that and the software. They need a manager for the staff. To handle the guests after hours and that was more important to them and they haven’t been able to find someone for months. Greg is really good with people.”
“So he’s working for my cousins Emily and Penelope Rauch then,” Colleen said,
