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“Yep.” Hannah let her disconnect the call, and she shoved her phone in her pocket and dropped the bag on the edge of the living room carpet before heading down the hall to Ginger’s office. She still sat in the chair behind her desk, Ursula’s head resting on her knee, and Hannah put a smile on her face. “All right, honey. Time to get up.”
Tears ran down Ginger’s face, and Hannah’s heart squeezed. “Come on, now. Your baby is coming.”
“I’m so scared,” she whispered.
“It’s going to be fine,” Hannah said, hoping to soothe her. “Nate is going to be right there with you the whole time, and he’s not going to let anything bad happen to you.” She put her hand under Ginger’s arm and helped her stand. “It’s just a few steps.”
Ginger took a long breath and took the first step. Then another. And another. Ginger always faced hard things with strength and determination, and Hannah marveled at her calmness in the hurricane of fear.
“All right,” Hannah said, stooping to get the bag as she passed. “Just a little further. Nate’s going to be out there, and you’re going to get to the hospital no problem.”
Ursula trotted ahead of them, as if she could open the door with her paws. She got to the door and looked back, panting.
“Connor’s done with school at three-fifteen.”
“I know what time Connor’s done with school,” Hannah said. “Emma’s picking the kids up today anyway, remember?”
“Yes,” Ginger said. “That’s right. Emma’s getting him.”
“Jill and I will keep him here at the West Wing. I have those fruit ropes he loves right in the cupboard. He’s going to be fine.”
“Emma said—”
“It’s all fine,” Hannah said, reaching past Ginger to open the front door. “Back up, Ursula. Get out of the way.”
The dog went outside instead of behind her, but it didn’t matter. She’d moved, and Hannah guided Ginger out onto the porch.
Nate jogged down the sidewalk, looking up as he practically flew up the steps. “Hey, hon.” He nodded gratefully at Hannah and took Ginger’s arm. “Just down the steps, and we’ll be to the truck.”
A sidewalk stretched toward the classic farm fence that separated the grass from the gravel, but Hannah didn’t say anything.
Hannah paused at the top of the steps and watched Nate get Ginger down them. Ursula barked from the fence line as if alerting the whole ranch that something was going on with her master.
When they were halfway down the sidewalk, Hannah remembered she still held the bag in her hand. “Your bag,” she called, hurrying down the steps now. “I’ll put it in the back.”
She went past Nate and Ginger, who seemed to be moving backward. She opened the back door of Nate’s truck and tossed the bag in, then stepped to open Ginger’s door. Nate finally got his wife there, and he helped her get up and into the seat.
“Good luck,” Hannah said after Nate had closed the door. “Drive safe.”
“Thank you, Hannah.” He started around the front of the truck.
“Don’t worry about Connor. I’ve got him.” Hannah fell back as Nate pulled out, and she watched as dust kicked up beneath his tires in his haste to leave the ranch. “Come on, Ursula.” The dog barked as she came to sit beside Hannah, who was clearly second-best.
She pressed one hand over her heart and said, “Please watch over them. She’s so scared, and she just needs to be comforted.” Ursula barked her contribution to the prayer, and the two of them turned and went back into the house.
* * *
“He’s out,”Jill said as she came down the hall. Hannah looked over to her from her position at the bar, pure exhaustion pulling through her. She picked up the second spoon and offered it to Jill.
“I thought I wanted kids right away,” Jill said, taking the spoon and sitting down. She pulled the container of ice cream toward her. “But he wore me right out tonight.”
“He’s eight,” Hannah said, smiling. “They don’t come out that age.”
“Thank goodness,” she said, digging into the mint chocolate chip, and then adding a dab of plain chocolate.
“You’re getting them all messy,” Hannah said, frowning at the two containers.
“I’ve always eaten ice cream this way.”
