Page 60 of Homecoming

“We’re waiting for the doctor, but the nurse said everything looks good. The baby’s heartbeat is strong, and he—or she—is moving around a lot.”

Dan placed a hand on her belly so he could feel the baby moving. “So where’s the pain coming from?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Could be Braxton Hicks contractions,” Debbie said when she returned. “They can mimic labor pains and are often quite uncomfortable.”

“I read about them,” Kara said. “I thought they weren’t painful.”

“Everyone has a different experience. Some moms report finding them painful, while others say it’s more like a tightening sensation.”

“I’ve had that, the tightening. This is my husband, Dan.”

“Nice to meet you,” Debbie said.

“You, too,” Dan said. “When will the doctor be here?”

“In about fifteen minutes. We’re going to start an IV to get some fluid into you since you’re slightly dehydrated, which can also cause Braxton Hicks contractions, if that’s what this is. I’ll be right back.”

Dan dropped his head to her chest. “Scared the hell out of me.”

Kara ran her fingers through his hair. “Scared me, too.”

“This kid of ours is already putting us through the paces.”

“Seriously.” Kara grimaced when another of the odd pains rippled through her midsection.

“Hey, kid, it’s me, your dad. Let me tell you something… Your mom is pretty awesome, and she can’t wait to meet you. Neither of us can. But if you could just go a little easier on her until it’s time to make your debut, we’d sure appreciate that.”

When he looked up at her, heart in his eyes, she smiled.

“Thanks for coming running when Renata called.”

“I’ll always come running to you and the peanut.”

Kara was releasedat around nine o’clock that evening after a thorough exam and numerous tests had ruled out any serious concerns with the baby and her blood pressure had stabilized. The pains were determined to be Braxton Hicks contractions.

“I feel stupid for panicking over something normal,” she said as Walter drove them back to Bertha’s.

“Don’t feel stupid. I’d rather you panic than have something happen to either of you.”

“Still… much ado about nothing.”

“It’s not nothing if you’re in pain. And besides, the last few days have been stressful.”

She hadn’t gotten a chance to fully process the odd vibe coming from her friends at lunch before the pain had required all her attention.

Now that she was feeling better, she picked over the things that Jessie and Ellery had said and tried to figure out how she felt about them. On the one hand, she understood where they were coming from. On the other, however, she made no apologies for doing what was best for herself. But she hated that her friends had been hurt by her long absence.

“Thanks for everything, Walter,” Dan said when he delivered them to Bertha’s.

“No problem, bossman, and nice to see your missus.”

“Thank you, Walter,” Kara said.

“Take good care of yourself.”

“Will do.”

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