Page 161 of The Seven Rings
With the phone, she scrambled out of bed. “I’m going to tell Cleo.”
“Seven pounds, twelve ounces. Okay, one more picture. The new family.”
She brought it up as she pushed open Cleo’s door. Anna, tired and glowing, Seth wonder and tears in his eyes. And both beaming down at the baby cradled in Anna’s arms.
“You need to frame that one. It’s a perfect moment.”
“There were a lot of them. I can come up if you want.”
“Go home, get some sleep. We’re absolutely fine. More than. I’ll see you tomorrow, Uncle Trey.”
“How about that? I’m going to grab one more look at her, and go home and crash. Listen… I love you.”
What was already warm and bright in her went warmer, brighter. “I love you, too. Tell Anna and Seth a million congratulations. Good night.”
She sat on the side of Cleo’s bed, laid a hand on her friend’s arm. “It’s Sonya. Cleo? Want to see a picture of Fiona Kate Miller?”
“Hmm? What? Oh, baby?”
“I’m turning the lamp on low. Get ready. Fiona Kate Miller has entered the world.”
“Fiona? I love it.” Cleo blinked against the light, then looked at the phone Sonya held up. “Oh, isn’t she gorgeous? Couldn’t you just lap her up like ice cream? With hot fudge and whipped cream and two cherries on top. How’s Anna?”
“I’ll show you.” She swiped to the next picture.
“Well, my heart just melted. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? That right there. The birth of a family. I can’t wait to meet her.”
“Trey said he has lots of pictures, so I’ll ask him to send more tomorrow. And maybe find out when we can visit.” Sonya took one more look, gave one more sigh. “Since you’re awake, I saw Owen and Agatha.”
“What? When? Where?”
“When I took the pets out, before I came to bed. Outside. The night he proposed.”
When she’d told the story, Cleo leaned back against the pillows.
“It’s just sad, isn’t it? A fine match, that’s what mattered. They probably would’ve been good together, both of them settling, doing their duty. She didn’t love him, but she didn’t deserve to die.”
“No, she didn’t. She knew he didn’t love her, but she accepted that. I felt sorry for her. Anyway, today’s a happy day, and I’m not going to think about that. I’m going to bed.”
She started back to her room, jolted a little when the door opened another inch. Then laughed when Yoda came out.
“You scared me. Did I wake you up, too? Let’s go back to sleep.”
But he whined, wiggled, gave her that look.
“Really? Now? Well, if you’ve gotta, you gotta.”
She took him down, or rather he took her, running ahead down the steps to the door. He darted out the minute she opened it.
Yawning now, she leaned against the jamb, drifting a bit as she breathed in the night, lulled herself with the sound of the sea. The wind had blown the clouds away so now, a thousand stars glimmered in a glass-clear night. The air held a chill that spoke just as clearly of summer’s end.
Yoda didn’t take long to bound back to her, wagging now.
“Feel better? Now I have to pee.”
Since it was closer, she walked down to the powder room.
When she came out, Yoda stood down the hall, staring into the music room where the light shined out from the open doorway.
