Treading Water (36 page)

“
Send me a postcard, honey.
Enjoy yourself.”

“
I will. You take care,
Mom. Give Auntie Lou a hug from me,” Andi said and ended the
call.

“
How’d she take it?” Jack
asked.

“
Amazingly well. I think
she’s totally stunned.”

He put his arms around Andi from behind and
patted her belly, which had begun to pop out. “These guys were a
big surprise to all of us.”

“
I need to go to bed if
we’re going to make that flight.” They were flying out of Boston at
noon, and since the airport was almost two hours away, a limo would
pick them up at eight. Jack’s parents had driven up from
Connecticut earlier in the day to stay with the kids while they
were gone.

“
Let’s go.” He swept her up
and carried her through the house, pretending to be staggered by
the weight of her.

“
You’d better knock it off,
buddy. That will
not
be funny in a few months.”

“
You’ll have to get your
own ride then.” He tried to kiss her, but she wouldn’t let him
after that crack.

They flew to St. Thomas and took a short
ferry ride across the sound to St. John.

The resort had every imaginable amenity, but
they were content to do nothing after the nonstop activity since
their last vacation on Block Island the summer before.

Andi sipped a virgin piña colada late one
afternoon as they reclined on a double lounge at the beach.
Thankfully, there’d been no nausea or vomiting during their
vacation. “I’m in heaven,” she said.

“
Me, too. We should just
move here.” He took in the sleek black one-piece bathing suit that
covered the bump in her once flat belly. Her breasts spilled out
the top.

“
Oh, yeah, right, I can see
it now—living with our
six kids
on the beach.” She glanced over at him and caught
him checking out her newly voluptuous figure. “Quit ogling, Jack!”
She tugged at the top of her suit.

He laughed at her. “Why can’t I enjoy the
best part of getting you pregnant?”

She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t get used to
them. They’re temporary.”

“
That doesn’t mean I can’t
enjoy them while they’re here, does it?”

“
Do you think about
anything else?”

“
Not lately.” He stretched
and yawned. “As a matter of fact, I’m getting very sleepy. I need
you to take me in for a nap.”

“
You just had a ‘nap,’” she
reminded him.

“
That was hours ago, and I
need my rest.” He got up to offer her a hand. “Plus, I’m starting
to freckle in this sun.”

She snorted with laughter and let him help
her up. “We can’t have that now, can we?”

The moment they were in their room, Jack
nudged the straps to her bathing suit off her shoulders.

When her breasts sprang free, Andi folded
her arms over her chest self-consciously.

He moved them aside. “Don’t. I want to see
you.”

“
They’re ridiculous,” she
said, her face burning with embarrassment.

“
No, they’re not.” He
skimmed her suit down over her hips and rested his hand and then
his lips on the baby bump. “I didn’t think it was possible for you
to be more beautiful, but seeing you pregnant with my babies…
You’re so incredibly sexy, and I want you all the time.” He sat her
down on the edge of the bed and knelt in front of her. Cupping her
breasts, he captured an extra-sensitive nipple between his lips and
skimmed his tongue over it.

Her head rolled back as she grasped his hair
and moaned.

He eased her back so she was lying down, and
still he kept up the tugging, sucking, and licking until she
writhed beneath him. His lips were hot on her belly as he coasted
over the bump and then went lower. Propping her legs on the edge of
the bed, he nuzzled at her and teased her with his tongue. His
fingers found her slick and ready for him, and as he slid them
gently into her, he brought his tongue down hard against the spot
that pulsed with desire.

Andi cried out when the orgasm blasted
through her. She was still coming when he shed his bathing suit and
entered her. Struggling to accommodate him, Andi moved her legs
farther apart to take him deeper.

He was careful not to rest too much weight
on her. “I need to keep you pregnant from now on,” he whispered
against her lips.

Her arms tightened around him. “Is that
so?”

“
I didn’t think there could
be any more between us, but lately…”

“
Mmm, I know.” She arched
into his thrusts. “Jack…”

“
What, honey?”

Her eyes fluttered closed. “I think I’m
going to…again…”

He reached down to where their bodies were
joined and sent her soaring.

Clutching him tightly from within, she took
him with her.

They flew home tanned, rested, and relaxed
after a week on St. John. Spring had sprung in their absence, and
bright yellow forsythia bushes were in full bloom when they arrived
late on Sunday afternoon.

The car dropped them off at home, and Jack
gathered up their bags. He wouldn’t let Andi carry anything heavier
than her purse.

They were surprised when Jamie came out of
the house to help with the bags. “Hey, guys. How was it?”

“
Fabulous,” Jack said. “We
only came back because the law says we have to take care of our
kids. What’re you doing here?”

“
Come in, and I’ll tell
you.”

Jack sent Andi a questioning look.

She shrugged.

“
What’s going on?” Jack
asked, beginning to sense something was wrong. “Where is
everyone?”

“
Jack, Clare’s in the
hospital. She’s developed an infection. They’ve got her on
high-dose antibiotics, but she’s not doing too well.”

Andi reached out to Jack.

“
What kind of infection?”
Jack asked, his heart in his throat. “How long has she been
there?”

“
They think it’s a blood
infection. She spiked a high fever yesterday, and they took her in
last night.”

“
Why didn’t you call me? I
would’ve come home.”

“
We figured you probably
wouldn’t get here that much sooner if we called you last
night.”

“
I need to get over
there.”

Andi hugged him. “Of course, Jack, you
should go to her.”

“
Will you be all
right?”

“
I’m fine. Go on ahead.
Jamie, will you take him?”

“
Yeah. I stayed here with
Eric while Jack’s parents took the girls to the hospital. He’s
upstairs playing in his room, but he’s waiting for you.”

“
Thanks, Jamie,” Andi
said.

“
I’ll call you,” Jack said.
He gave her a distracted kiss on the cheek and followed Jamie out
the door.

Jack’s parents brought the girls home just
after midnight.

“
How is she?” Andi asked
Madeline after the girls had gone upstairs to bed.

“
Not good. The fever hasn’t
broken, despite massive doses of antibiotics.” Madeline’s shoulders
slumped. “I’m afraid we’re losing her.”

“
I’m so sorry.” Andi hugged
the older woman. “Can I do anything for you?”

“
I don’t think so, honey. I
need to get to bed and so do you. You need your rest.”

“
I was hoping to hear from
Jack. How’s he holding up?”

“
He’s upset but resigned.
He knows Clare might be better off dead than living the way she has
for the last three years.”

“
Is anyone with
him?”

“
Frannie was in earlier,
and she took Clare’s mother home with her, but Jamie stayed. He
won’t leave Jack, honey. Don’t worry. Why don’t you get some
sleep?”

“
I’ll try,” Andi promised
as she kissed Madeline good night.

Jack never came home that night, and she
didn’t see him again until ten the next night, when he came in
looking like he was about to drop.

“
Hey.” She got out of bed
to go to him.

“
Hi.” He hugged her and
kissed her cheek. “Don’t get too close. I need a shower.” He was
still wearing the same clothes he’d worn home from St.
John.

“
I don’t care.” She held
him for a long time. “Why don’t you let me draw you a
bath?”

“
That sounds good, thanks.”
He sat on the bed to take off his shoes.

She turned on the water in the Jacuzzi, went
back to sit next to him and brushed the hair off his tanned
forehead. St. John already seemed like a long time ago. “Are you
hungry?”

He shook his head. “Jamie made me eat
earlier. He was with me the whole time. I kept trying to get him to
go home, but he wouldn’t.”

Andi had never seen Jack looking more
exhausted. “I’m glad he was there. How is she?”

“
Still the same. They can’t
figure out why she’s not responding to the antibiotics.” He rested
his head on her shoulder and ran a hand over her pregnant belly.
“How are you, hon?”

“
I’m fine, Jack. Don’t
worry about me.”

“
I do worry about you. And
them.” He bent to press a kiss to the bump.

She ran her fingers through his hair, her
heart aching for the pain she felt coming from him. “We’re fine,
sweetheart.”

“
I’m going to soak for a
bit.”

“
I’ll be right
here.”

“
Good.” He kissed her and
went into the bathroom.

Clare’s fever lasted twelve days. Just when
Jack was certain he was losing her for good this time, she opened
her eyes and looked at him.

Part IV

Backstroke: Swimming forward while appearing
to go backward.

Chapter 27

When Clare opened her eyes and focused on
him, Jack jumped to his feet. He could see right away that the
vacant look she’d worn in her eyes for the last three years was
gone, and she was alert. “Clare? Oh my God! Can you hear me?”

“
Mmm.”

He ran to the door yelling for a doctor.

“
What’s wrong?” she
whispered when he returned to her bedside and took her hand. “Why
am I here?” Her voice was weak and rough, but it was Clare. Until
that moment, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed the sound of
her voice.

He leaned over the bed rail to kiss her
forehead. “You’ve had a bad fever.” Tears rolled unchecked down his
face.

“
Why are you so upset? Was
I sick for a long time?”

“
Yes,” he said
hoarsely.

“
I’m thirsty.”

The doctor came in, followed by two of the
nurses who’d been caring for her in the hospital. Jack asked one of
them to go get Kate, Maggie, Clare’s mother Anna, and her nurse
Sally in the cafeteria.

“
Clare, how’re you
feeling?” the doctor asked.

“
Weak,” she replied in a
raspy whisper. “And very thirsty.”

“
She can have some water,”
the doctor told the nurse.

The door opened, and Kate flew into the room
ahead of the others, who were close behind. She took one look at
her mother and burst into tears.

Clare attempted to hold a weak hand out to
her middle daughter. “Kate, honey, come here.”

Kate fell sobbing across her mother’s
chest.

Clare struggled to get her hand up to
comfort Kate, but the years of inactivity had rendered her muscles
almost useless, despite the physical therapy she’d received nearly
every day.

Maggie stood frozen in place.

Sobbing softly, Anna moved to the other side
of the bed and kissed her daughter’s forehead. “It’s so good to
hear your voice.”

As the surreal scene unfolded before him,
Jack couldn’t believe what they’d spent three years hoping for had
finally happened. Then he remembered he needed to call Jill at
school, so he stepped into the hallway.

“
Hi, Dad. What’s
up?”

“
Honey…”

“
Did Mom die?” she asked in
a tiny voice.

“
Quite the opposite. She’s
awake. Really awake.”

“
What?
”

“
I want you to come home,
but if you don’t think you can concentrate on driving, get someone
to bring you. Do you hear me?”

“
I’m leaving right now.
I’ll be careful,” she assured him. “She’s really awake?”

“
Honest to God.”

“
I can’t believe this. I’ll
be right there.”

“
See you soon,
honey.”

He ended the call, went back into Clare’s
room, and approached Maggie. “Honey, do you want to see Mommy?”

Maggie’s eyes were glassy with shock, and
Jack cast a worried look at Sally, who kept an arm around
Maggie.

“
Sweetie?” He took Maggie’s
hand to lead her to Clare’s bedside.

Clare inhaled sharply.
“Maggie!
You’re so big!
How long have I been here, Jack? I don’t remember
being sick.”

Maggie stared at her mother while Kate
sobbed quietly.

“
Guys, can you give me a
few minutes with Mom?” Jack asked. “Just a few, and then I’ll bring
you right back in, okay?” He helped Kate up and gave her Maggie’s
hand. “Will you call Frannie and Jamie?”