Page 94 of Chosen By Swift

“I don’t want you working too hard,” Swift warned. “You’re pregnant, Alys. You have to be more careful.”

“I will be.” She kissed his jaw, smiling in the darkness at his over-protectiveness.

“Adam told me that he’s going to make the casket tomorrow. I offered to dig the grave.”

Surprised, she asked, “Why?”

“It’s our way,” he explained, shifting in bed to hold her in a more comfortable way. “I’m honor bound to dig the graves of my family members.”

She thought about trying to convince him there was no need, that one of her brothers or a family friend would handle it, but she knew better. Once Swift made his mind up about something traditional like this, he wasn’t going to be swayed. Besides, it would give him something useful to do. He wasn’t the sort of man to sit idly in a hospital hallway for long.

“Do you want to stay here after the funeral? With your family? I can make arrangements for you, make sure that you have sufficient money and anything else you’ll need.”

“When do you have to return to theValiant?”

“The day after the funeral.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“Alys, you don’t have to—.”

“I want to, Swift.” She draped her arm across his waist and held tight. “I know if I stay I’ll fall back into old habits. Bonnie thinks Wendy will want to stay with Mama. Bonnie will probably end up back home, too.”

“Why?”

“Bonnie’s husband offered her an annulment. She’s going to take it.”

“Oh.” Surprise colored his voice. “I didn’t realize that was an option.”

“It’s a rare one, but it happens. I think it’s for the best.” She hadn’t told Swift what happened between Bonnie and Graham, and she wouldn’t either. That was a secret for her sister to share when she was ready, if she was ever ready.

“And Wendy? I thought she had a home.”

Alys yawned, suddenly sleepy. “She does, but her brother-in-law is getting married. Bonnie thinks Wendy will want tocome back to liveback on the family farm now that Father is gone.”

“We’ll figure this out tomorrow. Go to sleep, Alys. You have to rest.”

She really did need to sleep. The two little babies growing inside her womb took so much out of her. Between the tender breasts, running to the bathroom more often and her aching back, she found it difficult to sleep very long. Knowing that tomorrow would be a long and difficult day, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of Swift’s breathing. Safe and secure with her husband, she fell asleep to visions of Swift grinning and holding two babies.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Swift winced and picked at the blister forming on his palm. He had yanked a splinter out of that spot earlier, but it hadn’t lessened the discomfort any. Digging the actual grave hadn’t been that difficult, but the wooden handled shovel was little more than a torture device.

“Stop,” Alys scolded softly. She frowned up at him and grasped his wounded hand, holding it to keep him from picking at it. “You’re going to get an infection!”

“Sorry,” he grumbled.

“I told you to wear gloves,” she grumpily reminded him.

“You did,” he replied, not at all happy about it. She had even given him a pair of well-worn work gloves from the barn, but he’d thought they were unnecessary. Clearly, he was wrong.

“Next!” The logistics officer for the outpost called from his desk.

“Wait here,” Swift said, leaving Alys with their luggage. He made his way to the desk and presented his credentials. “Two for a return flight to theValiant.”

The officer frowned. “If you’d come two hours earlier, I could have gotten you both seats on a proper transport ship. Unless you want to wait for the scheduled shuttle tomorrow, your only options are riding cargo or medical evacuation.”

Swift didn’t mind either option. He had flown in much worse circumstances. Alys, however, was already tired and sore and desperate to get home. Squeezing into the hard-backed jump seats wouldn’t do any favors for her aching back. “What’s the medical evac ship situation?”

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