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Now then, for the count. Matt’s three. Jacob’s two. Between Connor and Jade there were three—and she couldn’t wait to meet one Miss Lily Beck and young Mr. Kellen. Over text, Reid had promised that she would like them both. So that put her up to eight.
Jackson was up to four, because that son was always in it to win it, no matter whatitwas. That made twelve.
Ty had sweet little Ella and Evan and a baby boy due in February. Helen supposed she shouldn’t count the one in the oven for this purpose. No bed or place setting needed yet.
Fourteen.
As yet, no littles for Brandon and Megan.
And that brought her to Brayden, the son who’d landed the farthest from home. Goodness, but she missed them. But they were coming, bringing little Isaac with them, and hallelujah for it!
“Fifteen grands and more on the way!” Helen dropped her pen, clapped her hands with delight, and then lifted them above her head, palms up. “Lord, you have been good!”
Seven boys to fifteen grands. Not a bad return on investment. Helen giggled as she stood and tapped out a happy dance on her way to the kitchen.
She was ridiculous. She knew it. But who could blame her? Besides, oneshoulddelight—ridiculously so—in the goodness of God.
The phone she’d left on the table chimed for an incoming call as she filled her water glass. Still grinning, she took a sip and sashayed over to the great wooden gathering point that Kevin had built for her. Goodness, that man. If she’d dreamed up a tower ten stories tall and carved with pomegranates, he’d build it for her.
Her glance shifted toward the thick wooden beam in her sunroom. The one Kevin had carvedKevin loves Heleninside a heart at completion of that project—another one of her ideas.
Love swelled into that bursting of joy already in her heart.
For better or worse . . .
They’d seen worse. They’d known darkness and storms and nights laden with shouts and tears and even hopelessness. It had seemed for a time that they wouldn’t make it. But even then, in that darkest season of her life, she’d known Kevin had loved her. Not well at that moment, but he did love her, and she’d loved him.
And then it got better. By the mighty grace of God, their marriage was reborn.
But Helen didn’t have time to dwell on those memories. She reached for the phone on the table, noting Ty’s name on the screen.
With a smile, she answered. “Hi, son. How’s the build going?”
“Mom.”
One word. One breath. That was all it took to send her heart plummeting to the floor.
“What’s wrong, Ty?”
“Dad . . .” The deep voice on the other side of the call cracked, and Ty cleared his throat. “Dad is having a heart attack.”
“What?” Helen’s knees buckled, and she landed on the chair she’d thankfully left pulled out. “He was fine this morning . . .”
“We’re en route to the hospital. Should be there in fifteen minutes.”
“Are you with him?”
“Following the ambulance.”
The trembling started in her core and worked its way out to her limbs, strengthening as the moments passed.
“Mom, can you get yourself there? I can call Jacob—”
“I’m leaving now.” She was up and halfway to the door.
She hung up, not knowing if Ty had said goodbye or not. Didn’t matter. All she could think about was getting to the hospital. Getting to Kevin.
“God . . .” Her voice quavered on the whispered prayer. That was it, all she had.
