Riding the Pause (7 page)

They crowded around the table, jostling for seats, and Ian knew trying to avoid Rachel was hopeless. He could either sit next to her and feel her body next to his or he could sit across from her and spend all night trying not to look at her. Either way, not thinking about her didn’t appear to be an option.

He opted for a seat opposite her, taking the chair next to the lawyer, Andrew. She sat next to her brother, Travis, and suddenly remembered something she’d said on the AT when they’d been talking about Cash. Travis must be the brother who was injured in Afghanistan. And judging by the wide gold band on his finger, Summer must be his wife. Unless there was a run on season names, Jude’s wife Autumn was probably Summer’s sister. Talk about keeping it in the family. Regardless of how he felt about marriage, it seemed to be working for the other men.

“So what did you do this time, big brother?” asked Taylor when everyone was seated.

“Nothing. There’s nothing wrong with a man wanting to make sure his wife and baby are taken care of,” said Jude, sounding defensive. “Autumn is my world.”

His tone was so matter-of-fact. There was no reason for anyone to dispute it and with the love clear enough in his eyes that even a cynic like Ian could see it, no space for his family to tease him about it.

“I’m so glad the two of you found each other. Autumn probably just needs some space,” said Rachel, stepping in to fill the silence. “She has to be getting tired of not being able to get around and I imagine she’s nervous, too. In a couple of weeks, you’ll have that baby in your arms, and you can spend your time trying to fend off all of us aunts and uncles.” When she smiled at her brother there were tears shining in her eyes, and Jude reached for her hand.

“Thank goodness,” said Andrew when the waitress showed up to take their order. “There’s so much love at this table; my cold dark lawyer’s heart is in jeopardy.”

Taylor swatted him and Ian caught a glimpse of something pass between them, but it was gone before the waitress started on the drink orders. Adam ordered a draft and Ian was about to follow suit when Jude’s phone rang.

“Not at the table Doctor Southerland,” teased Taylor, but Jude glanced at the screen and ignored her, answering immediately.

Ian watched the blood drain from his face. Travis was on his feet in an instant, moving the rest of the Southerland siblings out from around the table so he could get to Jude’s side.

“What is it?” asked Travis, but Jude was on his way to the door before he answered.

Ian heard Autumn and ambulance and just like that the Southerlands mobilized. Adam got a grip on Jude’s elbow, holding on as his brother tried to shake him off.

“Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital. We can go lights and sirens on.”

Jude nodded but Ian wasn’t sure he understood. He’d never seen someone so focused before, like his attention had some kind of homing beacon that couldn’t see anything but Autumn and whatever was going on at the hospital.

“I’m coming with you,” said Travis, reaching Jude’s other side. If he had a limp, he wasn’t letting it slow him down. “I’ll come back for my truck later.”

He grabbed his oldest brother’s other arm and helped steer him out the door to Adam’s waiting cruiser.

“Someone has to get Momma and Daddy,” said Rachel. “And Abby shouldn’t be there until we know what’s going on. She must be with Summer.”

Her voice broke and he knew she was torn between what had to happen and being there for her brother.

“I’ll do it,” he said, taking a step toward her. “Go with you sister and Andrew.” He glanced at Andrew who nodded his agreement. “I’ll swing by your mom and dad’s and take them to the hospital. Then I can hang with Abby?” He turned the second part of his statement into a question because up until now he’d assume Abby was Summer’s kid, but he really didn’t know.

“My niece,” clarified Rachel. “But I can’t ask you to do that.”

“You’re not asking. I’m offering. Go. You’re family needs you. I’ve got this.”

She gave him a weak smile and he realized he’d do almost anything to make her smile.

“Thanks, Ian.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not,” she said. “But you’re sweet for saying so.”

“Come on,” said Andrew, taking Taylor’s elbow and leading her toward the door. “Let me get you to the hospital.” He nudged Rachel away from Ian and toward the door. “Thanks, man,” he said as he went past.

Ian nodded, threw a couple of bills on the table for the waitress who had to reset the table they never had a chance to use, and followed the Southerlands out the door and to his truck.

Rachel’s heart tried to pound its way out of her chest as she counted her breaths and prayed. She wasn’t sure what was going on with Autumn and the baby, but whatever Summer had told him, terrified Jude. She’d never seen her brother so scared. Not even when Travis was wounded, and they were trying to figure out what had happened to him.

Andrew pulled up to the emergency entrance at the hospital and she and Taylor were out of the car before he’d come to a complete stop.

“Go, go,” he said. “I’ll park and be right there.”

She rushed through the doors, stopping just long enough at the desk to find out where they’d taken her sister-in-law.
God, if anything happened to the baby.
Or Autumn.
She couldn’t think about it. Wouldn’t think about it. Autumn had done everything right. Whatever was going on, they’d take care of it. Jude would take care of it. Taylor punched the up button on the elevator and by the time the car arrived, Andrew had caught up with them.

They rode in silence to the maternity floor and Rachel pretended not to notice the way Andrew kept his hand on her sister’s back. She didn’t have time to think about what it meant or if either of them understood what they were doing together. Instead, she put the thought away to look at it later, once she was sure Autumn and the baby were okay.

Making their way down a hall lined with pastel prints of oversized flowers, they found the waiting room. Adam sat in a chair by himself his hands folded on his lap and his lips drawn in a grim line. Travis had one arm around a shell-shocked looking Summer and the other around Abby. The little girl looked scared and it broke Rachel’s heart. She wanted to ask Summer for details, but she didn’t want to talk in front of Abby. Travis seemed to understand her conflict and spoke for his wife.

“We don’t know much,” he said, tightening his grip on his family. “They took her straight to surgery. Jude went back with them. He’ll come tell us as soon as he can.”

“Are Aunt Autumn and my new baby cousin going to be okay?” asked Abby, sounding small and frightened.

“The doctors are doing everything they can to take care of them, baby,” said Travis, pressing a kiss to the top of his little girl’s head. “Aunt Autumn and the baby have the best doctors they can. You know why, right?”

“Because Uncle Jude’s a doctor and he’ll make sure,” she said, sounding a little steadier.

“Exactly,” said Travis.

Rachel sat down between Abby and her sister and prayed Travis was right.

It seemed like time had slowed to a standstill, but it couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes later when the elevator dinged and her mother came rushing out in a Shalimar scented cloud.

“What happened, darling?” she asked, turning her focus to Summer.

“She made Jude go out for dinner, and we were supposed to watch a movie,” said Summer.

“And eat pizza,” said Abby.

Summer gave her daughter a small smile. “And eat pizza. But she couldn’t settle. She couldn’t seem to get comfortable. I thought it was just because she was getting close to the end when nothing you do is comfortable.”

Rachel’s mother nodded her understanding.

“But then the pain started, and she doubled over. I called 911, but by the time they got there, she was in so much pain.” She glanced over at her daughter, clearly uncomfortable talking in front of her.

Ian stepped out from behind her father and knelt in front of Abby. She hadn’t realized he was there, but she was so grateful to see him. There was something so still, steady and reassuring about him. Abby must have thought so too because when Ian stuck out his hand, she took it.

“Why don’t you ask your momma and daddy if it would be okay if we explored while the grownups talk?”

“Is it okay, Daddy?”

Travis nodded and something passed wordlessly between him and Ian. Ian glanced over at her and then stood, still holding Abby’s hand.

“We’ll be back,” he said to Travis and Summer, but Rachel knew from the tilt of his head and the way his soft hazel eyes held hers, that she was the one he was really talking to. “Can you show me how to work the elevator?”

Abby lead him by the hand to the sliding doors and pressed the call button. Summer waited until she saw the door close on her daughter and Ian before she let out the sob she’d been holding inside.

“Oh, darling,” said Rachel’s mother, squeezing past Travis to wrap her arms around Summer. “You must have been so scared. You’re not alone. We all love your sister. We’ll do everything we can to take care of her and the baby.”

She didn’t promise everything would be okay and that more than anything told Rachel how scared her mother was. Her daddy stood next to Andrew and Adam, looking worried, gray and every one of his sixty-five years. In some ways, they felt charmed. They loved each other and their family kept growing, she thought, looking at the elevator door and thinking of Abby holding Ian’s hand. Yes, there’d been that thing with Summer’s ex and Travis had been injured but he made it home.

Everyone always made it home.

What if this was the time their luck didn’t hold out? She couldn’t imagine what it would do to her family if something happened to Autumn or the baby. She didn’t know how her brother would survive it. They would all be heartbroken. She loved Autumn like a sister, but it would destroy Jude. She reached for Taylor’s hand, needing the connection with her sister.

“Has someone called Bailey and Blake?” she asked. She’d been so worried about getting to the hospital and making sure Momma and Daddy got there, she hadn’t taken time to call the missing Southerland siblings.

“I did,” said Adam, looking up from his folded hands. “I called as soon as Jude went back and talked to Trace. He’s picking Bailey up at Seasons and bringing her home. Blake started packing while we were on the phone but he’s still a thirteen hour flight away.”

Rachel nodded. There was no one else to call and nothing else to do but wait. She couldn’t do anything to make the situation better or work her way through it. She couldn’t do anything except sit and wait. She felt helpless, and she hated it. Adam’s radio cracked, and everyone jumped.

“Sorry,” he said fiddling with the knob at his belt.

“Do you need to get that, son?” asked their father.

“No, dispatch knows I’m here and off-duty. I forgot to turn down the radio, sorry,” he repeated.

They waited, but no one relaxed. It was a strange contradiction of nothing to do and hyperawareness. Every time the elevator dinged or a door opened somewhere else on the floor, the family shot to full alert only to deflate when there was no news about Autumn and the baby. Families passed carrying balloons and flowers. A young mother was wheeled past, holding her baby in an infant car seat, the nervous father at her side.

The Southerlands couldn’t do anything but watch and wait, praying that Autumn and the baby were okay and that in a couple of days it would be Jude wheeling them to the exit to take them home.

With every minute that passed, the tension in the waiting room rose. Surely if things were okay they’d know quickly. The fact that it was taking longer had to mean there were complications. Rachel played through one ridiculous scenario after another in her head. Without anything else to do, her mind spun through a dizzying array of everything that could have possibly gone wrong. By the time the door opened and the nurse walked through wearing pale pink scrubs, she was braced for the worst.

“Doctor Southerland’s family?” she asked, scanning the room and everyone nodded.

“How are Autumn and the baby?” asked her father, stepping away from the wall he’d collapsed against.

“Mrs. Southerland’s placenta started to separate from the uterine wall and mother and baby were both in distress. They had to do an emergency C-section,” said the nurse. “I’ll let Doctor Southerland explain the details, but so far it looks like they got to the baby in time. She’s a couple of weeks premature, but her APGAR scores were fair. She’s in the NICU, but for now they are supplementing with extra oxygen and keeping her warm.”

“How is my sister?” asked Summer, leaning forward in her chair.

“Mrs. Southerland is still in surgery. There were complications, but she was stable when I left. I’m part of the team looking after the baby. I’m sure someone will be out to update you about her condition soon. “

“You said she. The baby’s a girl?” asked Rachel.

“A beautiful baby girl,” said the nurse, smiling. “Give us about an hour to get everything settled and then you can see her through the window of the NICU.”

“Thank you,” said Rachel’s mother, reaching for Summer’s hand. “Don’t worry. They’re taking care of our Autumn. I’m sure we’ll know more soon.”

Summer nodded, seemingly reassured by the nurse’s report. Rachel didn’t think she would have said Autumn was stable if there was still a chance she was in danger, but no one was going to relax until they knew for sure.

“I’m a grandmother again,” said Rachel’s mother, her eyes filling.

“I’m an aunt,” said Summer, blinking back tears.

The tears were contagious and Rachel swiped at her own damp eyes. Beside her, Taylor sniffled.

That’s how Ian found them. He stepped off the elevator with his arms full of pizza boxes into a waiting room full of women trying not to cry. He moved between Abby and the emotional scene, shielding the little girl with his body. His eyes searched Rachel’s face and she smiled through the tears. She saw his whole body relax as he met her smile with one of his own.

“Come here, Abby,” said Rachel’s mother. “Come give Grandma some sugar.”

The little girl rushed to her grandma’s arms, stopping at the sight of her tears.

“Happy tears?” she asked, looking between her mother and grandmother.

“Yes, baby,” said Summer. “They’re happy tears. You have a new cousin.”

“Already? What kind?” she asked tempering her enthusiasm, and Rachel wondered what kind she wanted.

“A little girl,” said Summer.

“Woo hoo!” shouted Abby, wriggling out of her grandmother’s arms to spin happy circles around the waiting room.

“Everything okay?” asked Ian, coming to stand beside Rachel’s chair.

“I think so.” She nodded. “We’re still waiting to hear about Autumn, but the nurse said she was stable, and the baby is okay. You didn’t have to do all that.” She motioned to the stack of pizza boxes, and he shrugged.

“Nobody had a chance to eat. I figured after the adrenaline wore off you’d all be hungry and that kid really likes pizza,” he said, tipping his head to where Abby was collapsed in Travis’s arms, having spun herself dizzy.

Rachel smiled at her worn out niece and then turned her smile on the man who seemed determined to fix her problems for her. “You still didn’t have to do it. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing,” he said, setting the boxes on the small coffee table. “Hospital food isn’t at the top of anyone’s list, and I didn’t think you’d want to leave.”

“It’s something to me,” she said.

Before she could explain how much it meant to have someone else see what needed to be done and do it, the elevator dinged and the door opened. Trace and Bailey rushed to meet them, Bailey sinking to her knees on the floor in front of her mother and Summer.

“How are they?” she asked.

They’d started relaying the story and repeating the report from the nurse when the swinging door opened and a doctor in a white coat walked toward them. Rachel stood and Ian took a step closer, his body a warm reassuring presence beside her.

“You’re Doctor Southerland’s family?”

“Yes,” said Adam.

Before she could think too much and talk herself out of it, Rachel reached for Ian’s hand, twining her fingers with his and bracing herself for whatever came next.

“Mrs. Southerland’s out of surgery. I’ll let Doctor Southerland explain, but there were some complications with the surgery. We had trouble stopping the bleeding.”

Rachel heard Summer suck in a breath and saw Travis wrap his arms around Abby. She held tighter to Ian’s hand.

“We finally managed to get it under control. The baby is fine and Mrs. Southerland is in recovery. She had a rough time but she should make a full recovery.”

“Oh thank God,” said Rachel, letting out the breath she’d been holding. “Thank God.”

“When can we see her?” asked Summer.

“As soon as the anesthesia starts to wear off, they’ll take her to a room and then you can visit. Just a couple of you at a time,” he said, scanning the room. “She’s going to be weak for a little while. Be careful not to overwhelm her.”

“Thank you, doctor,” said Rachel’s mother. “Do you have any idea when we can expect to hear from Jude?”

The doctor smiled, his expression a sweet contrast to his earlier seriousness. “To be honest, I’m not sure. He hasn’t left his wife’s side. I’m not sure he’s even seen his daughter since she was delivered. When I left them he was going crazy not being able to be in both places at once but Mrs. Southerland was in more danger. He wouldn’t leave her alone.”

“I’m her sister,” said Summer, getting to her feet. “Could I stay with Autumn in recovery while Jude goes to see their baby girl?”