Page 41 of Daddy Wolf's Secret Baby

John called just as Zahra stumbled into the kitchen for some coffee.

“Your mom has had a little bit of an issue. You know she wasn’t herself the other day. She had the flu. Between that and the chemo, she got extremely sick, which made her dangerously dehydrated. She had a high fever this morning, a headache, and was dizzy. I called the clan doctor who rushed over. He gave me some special tea to make for her that would help. It has herbs, honey, and a few other ingredients.”

“I’ll be right over,” Zahra said, instantly awake. “I just need to get dressed.”

“I’ll have coffee and breakfast waiting.”

Feeling a little bit shamed because her mother’s health was the ultimate push that brought her back to Angel’s Creek and not any possibility of romance with Josiah, Zahra quickly pulled on her jeans and a sweatshirt, made sure to set the alarm and lock the door and sprinted over to her parents’ house.

John was standing on the porch waiting for her. He grinned. “I bet your mother that you would be here in less than five minutes. She said ten. I won.”

Zahra shook her head. “It’s just like you to bet on me, turkeys.” Then, in a more serious tone, she asked, “How is she?”

“She’s going to be fine. The doc gave her something to calm her stomach, as well as to rehydrate her. She’s actually a little annoyed that I called you and worried you.”

“I would have been extremely upset if you hadn’t called me.”

“Tell her that.”

“I will.”

Zahra walked in to find her mother lying on the couch. She was extremely pale and her eyes looked like they had sunk into her skull.

“Mom, what am I going to do with you?”

“Well, you could make sure I have enough yarn to crochet everyone a blanket for Christmas, lots of books to read, and some chocolate-covered cherry cookies.”

“You have a room with walls lined with yarn and another room that has more books than the public library. Besides, Christmas isn’t for another nine months.”

“It takes a long time to crochet a blanket. So, what about the chocolate-covered cherry cookies?”

“Jace was asking for some as well. If Dad will buy the ingredients I need, I’ll make you some.”

“Is he with Josiah?”

“Yeah. He wanted to spend the night there. That reminds me, I need to text him.”

Zahra sent Josiah a text asking him if he could bring Jace by her parents’ house when he was ready.

I was thinking of breakfast, taking him for a run, and then lunch with my folks first.

She smiled as her thumbs sped over the phone’s keyboard.Sounds like a plan. Have fun.

“He’s shaping up to be a pretty good father, isn’t he?” Isobel asked.

Zahra nodded. “He is. Jace loves him and enjoys hanging out with him.”

“Excellent. I figured that would be the case. Your dad and I have watched Josiah grow up since he was in diapers, and he’s turned out to be a good man.” Isobel looked at her knowingly. “What about you and Josiah?”

Zahra shrugged. “You know that I’ve never stopped having feelings for him. We have fun hanging out together, even though the focus is on Jace.”

“You’re sleeping with him.”

“Mom,” Zahra exclaimed, aghast, blushing all the way to the roots of her hair.

“Don’t ‘Mom’ me. I’m not a ninny.”

“We might have.”

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