Page 130 of Slap Shot Surprise
“Like a million bucks.” Mabel laughed as the nurse looked at the bruise on her temple. “Like I hit my head and woke up in dreamland.”
“Well, good.” The nurse smiled as she took her temperature and blood pressure and oxygen level. “Your vitals are all good. Let’s check that baby’s heartbeat.”
Mabel smiled at me as the sound of our son’s beating heart filled the room. “It sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“It sounds perfect,” the nurse said. “The doctor still wants you to stay overnight to keep an eye on that bump, but you should be good to go in the morning.”
I stayed out of the way, but as soon as the nurse was gone, I moved right back to her side and sat down. Took her hands in mine. “I wish I could stay all night with you.”
“I know,” she said. “It’s okay.”
Someone knocked on the door behind us. I looked over my shoulder expecting another nurse or maybe the doctor,surprised to see the dark-haired guy who’d held the elevator for me standing there. “Okay to come in?”
“Yes,” Mabel said, sitting up a little taller. “Austin, this is Joe. Joe, this is my brother Austin.”
I stood up immediately and held out my hand. “Nice to officially meet you, Austin. Mabel talks about you all the time.”
“Likewise,” her brother said. His grip was firm and friendly. Then he looked at Mabel. “How are you?”
“Doing great. Hey, can we get that crib you made to Chicago? I’m going to be moving soon.”
Her brother looked surprised. “Oh. Okay. Uh, yeah, sure. We can do that.”
Mabel smiled. “Thank you.”
Behind Austin, another wide-shouldered, dark-haired guy appeared. This one was even taller and held a little girl on his arm. “I heard,” he said, his brow furrowed in concern. “You okay, Mabel?”
“Yes.” She laughed and waved at the child. “Hey, Serena! Did you come to visit me?”
“You fell down,” the little girl said.
“I did, but I’m better now.” She glanced at me. “Joe, this is my brother Xander and my niece Serena.”
I stood up and moved toward them, holding out my hand. Xander shook it but eyed me a little more suspiciously than Austin had. All in all, her two big brothers were slightly menacing, but I kept my smile friendly. “Nice to meet you, Xander. I was in your bar last summer. Great place.”
“Thanks.” He looked back and forth from Mabel to me. “Everything okay with the baby?”
“Everything is fine,” Mabel assured him. “Actually,” she went on with a laugh, “other than this bump on my noggin, everything is the best it’s ever been.”
I stayed as long as I could, long enough to meet Mabel’s dad and his wife, Julia, who could not have been kinder or more welcoming. Long enough to see Ari again, who came later that afternoon with a chubby baby in one of those car seat carriers I’d have to learn about. Long enough to meet the doctor and hear for myself that Mabel was going to be perfectly fine, and there was nothing to worry about.
Finally, I couldn’t delay leaving any longer.
Leaning over, I gently kissed her forehead. Mabel’s eyes filled as I straightened up and pulled the blankets higher. “I’m sorry to get sad,” she said. “I know you have to go.”
“I hate leaving you.” My chest felt like it was ripping down the center.
“Soon we won’t have to say goodbye so much.”
“I hope not.” I squeezed her hand. “I love you. Everything is going to be okay.”
She smiled. “I remember you said that to me once before, when I thought my life was ending.”
I chuckled. “And I was right, wasn’t I?”
“You were right.”
“This is only the beginning, cupcake.” Leaning down once more, I kissed her lips. “It just gets better from here.”
