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“It still stinks, and I don’t want it. I’ll stick to the fruit spread.”
Alice reached to the spread of food we had sprawling on the bed in front of us. Johanna had put together a large assortment of fruits, breads, and cheeses for us to snack on when she’d heard we were having a slumber party tonight. After delivering it inside a giant cooler so it wouldn’t be wet from the blizzard swirling around us, she’d bid us goodnight and trudged back to the dining hall.
“Who is ready forOutlander?”Doris asked, her eyes twinkling.
“You really can’t wait to get back to your lady porn, can you, you dirty perv?” Marge teased.
“It’s romance not porn, Marge,” Doris countered, using the words we’d originally used to convince her to watch it.
“You keep telling yourself that.” Marge winked.
“I’m ready,” I said before Marge could make Doris feel too guilty to watch. “Alice, fire it up.”
Alice pulled out her tablet, and as she was loading the show, my cell phone rang.
“Oh! Hold on! It’s Tom. I couldn’t get ahold of him earlier today, so we haven’t talked. Give me fifteen?” I asked, excited to hear his voice and tell him about our horse ride today.
“Tell him hi from us,” Doris said.
I smiled and slid off the bed, clicking my phone to answer. “Hey, baby! I tried calling you earlier, but you must have been out.”
“I was. I went ice fishing today, and I just got back to a message that Rachel is in trouble.”
“What?” My blood froze inside my body as I stiffened up straight. “What do you mean Rachel is in trouble?”
The Widows all stopped eating and spun to stare at me.
“Blake just called. Rachel is having symptoms of preeclampsia, and he had to rush her to the hospital. If they can’t get things under control, they will have to do a c-section tomorrow and deliver the baby early.”
“What?” I pressed a hand to my chest. “Do you know anything else?”
“No. Blake couldn’t stay on the phone. But I’m heading to the airport right now, and I’m going to jump on the next plane to get to her. Just get home, Sylvie. She needs us.”
“Yes. Of course. Oh, my God. I’ll take the next flight out.” As I said it, I looked up at the bubble over my head ... the one showcasing the blinding blizzard we were in.
“Tom. We’re in a horrible blizzard right now, but I’m going to do everything I can to get home in time. No.” I closed my eyes, and my maternal love roared inside of me. “Iwillget home in time. Just get to our daughter, and I’ll call you when I’m on my way.”
“I will, Sylvie. Don’t worry. I’ll be with her. Please be safe. I love you.”
“I love you too. And if you get to her first, please tell her I love her.”
“I will,” he said, then he hung up.
I stood staring at my phone for a moment, and Alice’s voice shook me from my shock.
“What’s going on, Sylvie? What’s happened?” she asked.
“Rachel. She’s in some health crisis, likely preeclampsia, and they rushed her to the hospital. They may have to deliver the baby early by c-section tomorrow.”
The Widows all gasped.
“Oh, honey. That is so scary.” Doris’s eyes filled with tears. “And you’re so far away.”
“I have to get home. I have to get home.Now,” I said, and I meant it. Nothing was standing between me and my daughter ... and my new grandchild. Not the blizzard. Not the thousands of miles between us. Nothing.
They all nodded their response.
“Of course,” Marge said. “We are getting you home. Let’s get to the lodge and see if Olavi can give us a ride to the airport. We’ll just be waiting there and jump on the next flight out.”
