J. Robb - Born In Death

“I’m Opal. We’ll just get both of you settled in your room and see how far you’ve progressed. I didn’t see your bags.”

“Somebody’s bringing them.” Tandy found Eve’s free hand, grabbed it. “We weren’t home when we started. My boyfriend – fiancé – the baby’s father, he’s coming.”

“We’ll make sure he’s sent right up to you. Don’t worry, Mommy. It’s the first for both of you, isn’t it? And you’re friends, having babies at the same time. Isn’t that fun?”

“A barrel of monkeys,” Eve muttered.

SHE HATED HOSPITALS. IT DIDN’T MATTER IF they put pictures of angelic babies on the pastel walls, arranged small, gardenlike seating areas, and wrapped the staff with rainbows. It was still a hospital – a place where doctors and machines took over your body, and there was usually some sort of pain involved.

It was no doubt due to Mavis’s celebrity status that she was taken to a birthing room that was appointed like a high-end hotel suite. Bathed in the spillover glory, Tandy was settled into a plush room across the hall.

Eve’s hopes that all she’d be called on to do, for the moment, was get her charges where they were going were quickly dashed. The only way Mavis would release the vicelike grip on her hand was with the promise Eve would go over, check on Tandy, and come right back.

“Leonardo and I were going to be with her. And now we’re at countdown, too. She doesn’t have anyone until Aaron gets here.”

Since Eve was prepared to treat both women as she would a dangerous, wounded animal, she patted Mavis’s white-knuckled hand. “Sure, no problem. I’m on it.”

She walked over, pushed open the door, and found herself staring at a completely naked, enormously pregnant woman being helped into a short blue gown.

“Jesus.” Eve slapped her hand over her eyes. “Sorry. Mavis wanted to be sure you were okay.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me.” Tandy’s voice was cheerful and bright. “You need to be with her now.”

“No problem. I’m going.”

“Oh, oh, Dallas. Do you think you could reach Aaron again? Make sure he’s on his way.”

“You bet.” She turned, went back over, and was flashed with a naked Mavis. “Please, in the name of all that’s holy and good, will someone cover these women?”

Mavis giggled as Dolly slipped a gown in mad swirls of blue and pink over her head. “Is Tandy all right? Is Leonardo coming? Is Aaron?”

“She’s fine. I’ll check.”

Desperate to escape, Eve darted into the hall. There she determined that Aaron had finally gotten into a cab, and Leonardo had just completed the check-ins.

“Courage,” she reminded herself, and went back into Mavis.

“Hey! I’m wired!” She was sitting up in bed, flushed with excitement. “See, that’s the baby’s heartbeat, and that one’s to measure contractions.”

Dolly snapped on a protective glove. “We’re just going to do a cervical check.”

God have mercy. “I’ll be in the hall.”

“No, don’t leave!” Mavis shot out a hand. Resigned to the idea there was no God, Eve took it as Mavis assumed the position.

“Leonardo’s on his way up,” Eve told her, careful to keep her eyes trained on Mavis’s face.

“About three centimeters,” Dolly announced. “You’ve got plenty of time, so be comfortable. Let me know if I can get you anything. And you, Dallas, is that right?”

“Yeah.”

“What can I get you?”

“A huge glass of wine.”

Dolly laughed. “Now, now, no alcohol until the toast after baby. How about a nice cup of tea?”

Eve started to ask for coffee, then remembered hospital sludge was as bad as cop coffee. “Got Pepsi?”

“Of course.”

“Moonpie!” Mavis called out when Leonardo came in, carrying an emormous vase of yellow roses. “Aw, you brought me flowers and I haven’t even had the baby yet.”

“They’re like sunshine, so you can focus on them until the bag gets here.” He leaned over, kissed her gently on the forehead. “Are you all right? Should I get you ice chips, the stability ball? Do you want music?”

“I’m mag. Three centimeters and counting. I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad you’re all here. It’s just like I pictured it. Summerset, would you be an abso angel and be with Tandy until…Oh! Here comes a little one.”

Since Leonardo was there to hover, Eve stepped away to stand with Roarke. “I saw them naked, both of them, and now I’m scared for life. The human body isn’t meant to stretch like that.”

“I’m more concerned about other areas of their body stretching.”

“Oh, please.”

“That wasn’t so bad,” Mavis said cheerfully, then she gave Leonardo a gooey look. “Honey bear? You know what you asked me before. Last week, and last month, and the month before that?”

He had both of her hands in his, and pressed them to his heart. “Angel Eyes!”

“Yes.”

Eve averted her own eyes as they engaged in the sort of intense liplock that had likely been the precursor to the current situation.

“We’re getting married!” Mavis sang out.

“No shit?” Eve responded.

“Absolutely none. We’re going to be totally hitched.”

“I’ve been asking her for months.” Leonardo’s face shone like a copper moon. “And finally! I’m going to design you the most fantastic wedding gown.”

“Oh, but no. Honey-pie, we have to do it now. Before the baby comes.”

“Now?”

“I just know it’s right. The baby’s coming, and I want to be your adoring wife when we see him, or her, for the very first time. Up close and personal. Please?”

“But we don’t have a license, or any arrangements.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “But it has to be now.”

“Hold on.” Eve held up a hand before the waterworks could start. “I think we can handle this one. Give us a few.”

She stepped out with Roarke. “I’m hitting up the mayor,” she said as she pulled out her ’link. “If he won’t clear a license because I fast-talk him into it, I want you on tap to bribe him.”

“I can do that. They’ll need someone to officiate. The center must have someone who fits that particular bill. I’ll go find out.”

Eve nodded, took a breath. “Mr. Mayor, this is Lieutenant Dallas. I have a personal favor to ask of you.”

As she ended the call, Peabody and McNab bounded off the elevator. “Relief troops, sir, with supplies.” Peabody grinned like a maniac. “What’s the status?”

“They’re having babies. And as if that wasn’t enough, Mavis decided she and Leonardo are getting married. Now.”

“Here? Now? Holy crap.”

“I talked the mayor into issuing them a special license. Roarke is hunting up somebody to do the deal.”

“McNab, go back and start the ’link tree over. We did the contacting,” Peabody told Eve. “I had a list. Now you start it again, and give them the update. Wedding and baby.”

“I’m all over it. Tandy?”

“That way. Mavis this way.”

“I’ll take hers.” Peabody did a little dance. “I’m so glad I put the tiara thing in her bag before we came. She gets to wear it for a bridal headdress.”

As Peabody opened the door there were squeals – from her, from Mavis. Eve just pressed her fingers to her eyes. When she dropped them, Roarke was coming down the hall with a very pale man Eve recognized as Aaron Applebee.

“I found a wandering Daddy,” Roarke said.

“I’ve been so turned around, and my mind just won’t work. Oh, God, you’re Dallas.”

Before Eve could defend herself, he’d thrown his arms around her, dropped his head on her shoulder. Her terror only increased when she heard him give a muffled sob. “Thank you. Oh, bless you. Thank you for my Tandy, for our baby.”