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Waddling toward the door, she was glad when they swished open automatically and her belly went through first.
When she reached the desk, she was out of breath. “Do you have a room?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. We’re sold out.”
“Damn,” she cried, and then the pain hit her, her muscles tightening across her belly.
She gasped out loud and grabbed her oversized stomach.
“Are you all right?”
Unable to respond, she began her breathing. It wasn’t time. It was too early. This couldn’t be labor. Not yet. She wasn’t home. She needed her mother at her side.
Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly.
“I’m calling 911,” the woman said.
A security guard took her by the arm.
“Ma’am, why don’t you sit down? You’re white as a sheet.”
Unable to move, she stood there and let the pain roll over her. Didn’t the man know she had to do her breathing when she felt a contraction? It was what they’d taught her in the classes she’d taken.
She counted and when thirty seconds had passed the pain eased. But the big question was would it begin again? Was she in labor? It was too early.
They led her to a long couch and she sank down on the cushions, realizing she might not be able to get up.
The woman behind the desk hurried over to her. “Is this your first one?”
“Yes,” she gasped. “I think I’m all right, but I’m not certain. I need to get in the car and find a hotel.”
The woman’s brows narrowed. “Ma’am, there are no hotel rooms in Missoula. This storm is bearing down on us and the highway patrol closed the roads over two hours ago. Everyone had to stop and find a room. We ran out of rooms about an hour ago.”
Damn and double damn. She hadn’t been able to leave until this morning. She’d thought making the thirteen-hour trip from Cheyenne would be no problem. But between frequent pee stops, she’d arrived later than she planned. She only had two more hours to go and she would be home with her family.
Two more hours on snow-covered roads. What was she doing? She had a baby to consider.
Damn, this storm. She was willing to risk her life to drive through the snow to reach her family.
But was she willing to risk her baby?
Suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Bad things didn’t happen to her. She was blessed and yet this year had been one thing after another. While the pregnancy had been unplanned, she now wanted this child in the worst possible way. This baby was hers. The child’s sperm donor had been wonderful, though she couldn’t find him. Whatever happened, she was going to be the best possible mother.
And truly, how could she damn him when he didn’t even know about this child. A one-night stand to celebrate her victory, and now she would have a lasting memory of how great that night had been.
Hopefully, the baby would have his emerald eyes and dark lashes.
But there was one very big problem. At home, no one knew she was pregnant. No one. Not her mother and father, her sisters, not even her pastor.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she sniffed. “I think I’m fine.”
Just then another contraction hit her and she gasped. Why now?Come on, baby,she thought to herself. Your grandmother will be upset with you if you don’t wait to arrive in Whitefish.
“Get up and walk,” the woman said. “It will help ease the pain.”
The woman helped her rise from the cushions that enveloped her in a giant hug and didn’t want to let her up.
