Page 60 of 7 Dirty Lies

Chapter17

“Lily!”Ted yelled down thehallway.

We’d just been ushered into a waiting room.Colt was at my side, his hand threadedthroughmine.

I waited impatiently while Ted jogged our way.The hospital staff had made it very clear we weren’t to be roaming the halls.Any “funny business” and we’d be tossed out on ourbacksides.

They took security veryseriously.

“Deep breaths, babe,” Colt murmured againstmyear.

And then I was crushed in a hug as Ted practically tackled me.“They’re okay.”He squeezed me so hard I worried I wouldn’t be able to draw breath ever again, but I didn’tstophim.

He collapsed onto the plastic chair by the door and dropped his head into his hands.“It all happened so fast.I have never been so scared in all my life.”He glanced up and for the first time I got a good look at his face.His eyes were bleary, lines creased the corners of his eyes and mouth, dark circles haunted the underside ofhiseyes.

He looked like shit but I would never ever tell him how bad helooked.

“Whathappened?”

His shoulders sank.“Her doctor’s appointment was on Monday.They noted her blood pressure was a lot higher than the previous appointment, but her urine was okay.”When Colt and I glanced at each other confused, he rolled his eyes.“Preeclampsia.It’s a condition you can get when pregnant and one of the symptoms is protein in the urine.”How very Ted to have learned everything there was to know about his wife’s health.“So they sent us home and told us to payattention.”

“But something changed?”I prompted.I was trying to be patient but it would be really nice if he’d cut to the chasealready.

“It just kept getting higher.She rested, drank water, we laughed at old Justin Timberlake sketches on Saturday Night Live—nothing helped.Her doctor had us come here and her blood pressure was so high they freaked out.”He turned white and ran a hand down his face.“I’ve never seen so many people move so fast.It was chaos.And I couldn’t let Charley see how scaredIwas.”

That’s why he called me.He could be scared with me.“You didgood,Ted.”

“I don’t know how you do iteveryday.”

“What?”

He bugged his eyes at me.“Acting.I did it for an hour and I’mexhausted.”

Colt chuckled beside me, resting his hand on the small of my back and rubbing comforting circles.“And how isthebaby?”

Ted’s whole face lit up.“Evangeline Lillian Lowe was born at 10:42 p.m.She weighs seven pounds exactly and is perfect in every way, just like her mother andgodmother.”

Hot tears stung my eyes.“You gave hermyname?”

He took my hand and beamed up at me with a megawatt smile.“You were my guardian angel when I needed it.I can think of no better woman to watch over mydaughter.”

The ugly tears started right about then.“How’s Charley?”I tried to wipe the wetness from my face but it just kept coming.Colt disappeared for a moment and I realized why when several tissues were pressed into myhands.

“They did an emergency C-section.She’s groggy and she’s pissed.She’ll be on bed rest and restrictions for sixweeks.”

I could only imagine being restricted was going to drive Charley nuts.“And her bloodpressure?”

He grimaced.“It’s still a mess but they’re doing everything they can.She’s on medication to lower it.And since Angie was only thirty-five weeks they’re keeping her in the nursery tonight for monitoring, but everythinglooksgood.”

“That means you can get some sleep,Daddy.”

He looked at me like I was nuts.“You think I’m going tosleep?”

“You should.You’ve got a lot to take care of and this may be your last chance to sleep for awhile.”

He shook his head as if he knew something I didn’t.“I’ll be by her side tonight.If I sleep, I sleep.If I don’t, well at least I’m with the woman I love.I’ll take care of them nomatterwhat.”

Said like a true Papa Bear.“At least let us stay with her while you run home for clothes.Maybe stop and have a good dinner and collect yourself.You said actingwashard.”

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