Page 44 of Ten Kisses

"Love you too."

They hung up after that, neither of them skipping a beat. The phrase came easy to them because they had said it lots of times to each other.

Salem called her again when he was leaving work. It had only been a couple of hours.

"Hey, I’m on my way over there in my work clothes," he said when she picked up the phone.

"Is everything all right?" she said, concerned.

"She's having a C-section, that's all I know. I talked to my mom just now, and she's up there. I'll text you as soon as I can and let you know what's going on."

Alex was born by the time Salem reached the hospital. Mother and baby were already in recovery. Salem texted Molly to let her know, and she told him she would be there within the hour.

"Look who I found out in the hallway!" Sadie said, coming into the waiting room with Molly on her arm. She had gone out to use the restroom, and she came back a few minutes later with Molly.

Molly had insisted that she and Salem 'go slow' in revealing their relationship to her family, and so no one knew the extent of their closeness. They were both adults, and sneaking around wasn't difficult, but they were still in the stage of sneaking around, regardless, and Salem didn't love it.

He loved Molly and he wanted everyone to know they were together. But he respected her wishes, and so far, no one knew they were in love. He knew the secret wouldn't last, but he was going along with it for a while since it was important to her.

Molly came in with a box of chocolates and two simple balloons, one was a regular blue balloon, and the other was an oversized foil balloon in the shape of a teddy bear with a big blue bow that said 'welcome baby boy'. The blue balloons brought out the dark red color of her hair, and the sight of her made Salem smile.

"Look who I found in the hallway," his sister had said. "She had a delivery for Salem," Sadie added curiously.

Salem noticed John-Michael getting nervous. He knew his brother-in-law didn't approve of the relationship. Molly had told him about John-Michael's reluctance. His stubbornness only made Salem want to talk to John-Michael and say he could prove him wrong. But again, he was patient, waiting for Molly to be comfortable with the timing.

"This was an amazing idea, brother," Sadie said. "And sweet of Molly to bring it up here for you."

"She's probably going to stay and meet Alex now that she's here," Salem said.

"Oh, sure, you should," Sadie said, talking to Molly.

There were other family members in the waiting room as well, and Molly greeted them. She had met them all through her brother and Sadie, and they assumed she was there with them. But she came and sat next to Salem. He hadn't given her much of a choice with the way he smiled and waved her over when she was first looking for a seat.

She set the package on the small table at her side before sitting in the chair next to Salem.

***

"Salem, did you put your hand on Molly's back?" Sadie asked, point-blank, an hour later on the phone.

She had called him first thing when they had all left in separate vehicles.

"Did I what?"

"You heard me. Your hand was resting comfortably on Molly Kennedy's back, Salem. She was standing next to you in Addie's room, and you were holding onto her. I saw your hand."

"Okay. Am I arrested for that?"

"Is something happening with you two? You and Molly. Are you a thing, Salem?"

"Yes," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You do know that this is my husband's sister?"

"Of course I know that, Sadie. Why do you think you don't know what's going on? John-Michael didn't want her to say anything to you about it."

"My husband said that?"

"I think he was just freaked out thinking we were going to have some kind of fleeting thing. He didn't want us to stir up the family if it wasn't going to last."

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