Page 53 of Renewal After Dark

“I’ve got to run to meet Slim and Mac to talk about repairs to our house, but maybe we’ll see you later at the McCarthys’?” Erin asked.

“We’re hoping to go,” Laura said.

“We are, too,” Piper added, realizing she was speaking for Jack, which was still strange but oddly elating, too.

“See you there,” Dara said as she followed Erin out the front door.

“Where do you need me today?” Piper asked Laura.

“Front desk for the morning, and then we’ll see what the day brings. We’re gearing up for a busy weekend, but today ought to be slow.”

“That’d be nice.”

“Because you didn’t get much sleep, am I right?”

“I’m quitting you, Laura.”

Laura walked away, laughing, as Piper settled in for a morning at the reception desk. She’d be needing some extra coffee that morning after having had very little sleep. But it’d been worth it. So very, very worth it.

Chapter12

The pain had begun in the middle of the night and had intensified as daylight broke and flooded Abby McCarthy’s bedroom with warmth. She’d tried turning over to ease the ache, which wasn’t as simple a thing as you’d think with four babies competing for shrinking space inside her. The change in position hadn’t helped. Nor had lying on her back or sitting up or anything else she’d tried to find relief.

Now it had reached the point where she was going to have to say something about it, but the words were trapped inside her, laced with terror at the possibility of losing the babies she wanted so badly. This didn’t feel like the pain she’d had when she miscarried an earlier pregnancy, but something wasn’t right.

She sat on the bed, listening to Adam talk to Liam as he got him up and changed.

The baby laughed at everything Adam said and did. He was his daddy’s best pal, and nothing made Abby happier than to watch Adam in dad mode.

“Let’s go see if Mommy is awake.”

“Mamamamamama.”

“That’s right, buddy. Your mama can’t wait to see you.”

Adam carried Liam into the bedroom and stopped when he saw Abby sitting on the bed. “Everything okay, hon?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve got a pain that won’t quit.”

“Where?”

She placed her hand on her swollen abdomen. “Right here.”

“I’ll call Vic.”

He was gone before she could reply or say hello to her son or do anything other than try not to panic about worst-case scenarios.

For weeks, she’d been bemoaning her burgeoning belly, the lack of mobility, the constant need to pee, the fears of how much tighter the tight squeeze might get before the babies came. Now, none of that mattered. All she cared about was that all four of them were strong and healthy. Any inconvenience or discomfort was a small price to pay for four more sons to love.

Even the thought of five babies under the age of two was nothing stacked up against the fear of losing the quads who’d been such a shocking surprise to their parents. They’d been told their likelihood of conceiving was low, so no one had seen two sets of identical twin boys coming, least of all Adam or Abby.

Adam came back into the bedroom, still carrying Liam. “Vic is sending the rescue. I called my mom, and she’s coming to get Liam to take him to Maddie’s to play with the kids today.”

“Is the rescue necessary?”

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