Page 29 of Dropping the Ball

The hospital?

Yes.

Now?

Yes. I think she’s high from smelling Harper’s head, but she says she owes you for the sweatshirt sacrifice.

On my way. You need anything?

Not unless you found the six hours of sleep I lost last night.

So, more coffee. Got it. Be there soon.

I make it to St. David’s in less than an hour, even counting the coffee stop, and a few minutes later, I’m standing on the threshold of a patient room with a card beside the door stating it’s currently occupied by Locke, Madison and Harper.

Oliver spots me first. “Hey, Micah. Come on in. Thanks for the tacos, man.”

“Sure.”

“Come meet our kid.”

Kaitlyn, wearing the socks and sweats I left for her, shuffles out of the way, and I get my first look at Madison, snuggling a small bundle against her chest.

“I was going to offer to pick up some dinner, but it looks like you already got a burrito,” I joke.

“It’s taking everything in me not to gobble her up,” Madison says. “Come tell me this isn’t the most beautiful baby you’ve ever seen.”

I walk to the bed railing and look down at a tiny face in the bundle Madison cradles.

“Gorgeous, isn’t she?” Madison says.

She’s . . . a baby? Pink. Kind of puffy eyes, closed, no eyelashes or eyebrows. I smile at Madison. “You said it. Are your parents excited?”

“They don’t know yet,” Kaitlyn says.

“I’ll tell them tomorrow, when we’re home,” Madison says.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t normal, but I don’t say anything. Oliver explains anyway. “My mother-in-law can be a lot in medical settings. We’re going to delay the fussing until we’re on home turf.”

I remember Kaitlyn being adamant about not going to the infirmary that day when she hurt her nose. I’d thought it wasbecause she hated being fussed over, but later I’d heard her mom had made a huge scene and kept her at the hospital for hours.

As if she’s reading my mind, Kaitlyn chimes in. “She’s a hypochondriac. She’ll be here all of five minutes before she’s convinced she has a hysterical pregnancy. And my dad will feel awkward and cover it up by ordering the nurses and staff around.”

“Boundary issues,” Madison says. “If we tell them now, even if we tell them not to come over, they’ll do it anyway.”

A quiet rattling sounds at the door, and we all glance over to see an orderly coming in with a cart. “Dinner is here,” he says.

“I’ll get out of your hair,” I say, turning to go.

“No, don’t,” Madison says. “Oliver and I both need to eat, so why don’t you hold Harper for us?”

A pang of alarm ripples dully through my chest. “No, that’s okay. I’m sure Kaitlyn wants more time.”

Madison snorts. “She won’t hold her. Are you saying you’re scared too?”

I look at Kaitlyn, who is standing at the foot of the bed. She shrugs. “I don’t want to drop her.”

“I don’t want to drop her either.”

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