Page 52 of A Whisker in the Night

“I do.” She gives a pained smile before nodding to Emmie as well. “I hope you both have easy pregnancies from here on out,too. I wish you both well in that respect. Oh, and remember to ask permission before giving birth!” She gives her belly a quick pat. “Like this: may I give birth to you now?” She winks our way. “Of course, I wouldn’t dare say those words unless you actually wanted to go into labor.” She pats her belly once again. “You hear that? I didn’t mean it. You just keep baking as long as it takes!”

We share a quick laugh, but Hammie Mae’s expression quickly grows sober as she spots Jellybean.

How I wish I had something to remember my father by,she thinks to herself with a sigh.And no matter what, that man will always be my father.

Matilda pats her daughter’s arm as if she knows exactly what she’s thinking and she’s trying to comfort her.

Well, it’s done,Matilda takes a breath as she muses to herself.Hamish may have held the dirt over my head for a good while now, but I went ahead and toldHammie Mae the truth after Verity was arrested.

I gasp at the thought and tip my ear her way as if that might somehow help me catch more of her internal musings.

I still can’t believe I did it,Matilda continues.Hamish and I had split up for just a few months and then there was that cad I latched myself onto. And well, Hammie Mae was the result. But by the time I knew I was with child, Hamish and I had made up and were already walking down the aisle. Of course, I made the mistake of telling him after he dumped me for Verity. I wanted to hurt him as bad as he hurt me. But I only ended up wounding myself in the end. The way that man held it over my head—and took pleasure in it, no less. A part of me thinks he would have never told Hammie Mae the truth. She was his whole heart. But he sure knewhow to make me sweat. However, in the end, I told her the news and she took it in stride like a champ.

So that’s what he held over her!

Hamish found out that he wasn’t Hammie Mae’s father. I bet that stung—almost as much as it stung Matilda to find out Hamish was two-timing her. Two wrongs never make a right. Everything about what transpired with the Westoffs was sad all around.

“Would you mind if I held Jellybean?” Hammie Mae asks as her eyes glisten with tears.

“Not at all,” I say as I hand her the furry cutie. A thought hits me. “In fact, would you like to keep her? You know, in memory of your father?”

Hammie Mae’s face lights up as if Hamish himself just reappeared. “Yes!Oh yes!” She quickly snuggles with the cute kitty and dusts her furry face with kisses.

We say our goodbyes to Jellybean and both ladies wish us a happy Easter before taking off, chattering a mile a minute about their impending shopping spree at the pet store.

“Something tells me that Jellybean is going to be one spoiled kitten,” I say. “And I mean that in the very best way. She certainly deserves it.”

“I guess all’s well that ends well,” Emmie says. “Speaking of ending well…” She gives her enormous belly a pat. “You’ve been baking for nine solid months, going on ten,” she teases. “May I please give birth to you eventually?”

A laugh jumps up my throat, but before it can fully initiate, a distinct splat hits the lawn beneath Emmie’s feet.

“Oh my goodness.” Emmie gasps as she looks down at the sparkling puddle.

“Don’t you dare be embarrassed.” I’m quick to wave it off. “I tinkled on myself while laughing last week, and while sneezing,and while sleeping. It happens to the best of us.” Albeit I wasn’t as prolific as she managed to be. And in one fell swoop at that.

“Bizzy”—Emmie’s eyes widen with horror—“I didn’t tinkle. My water just broke.”

Chapter 33

The maternity ward at Cider Cove General Hospital is covered with pictures of baby bunnies along with baskets brimming with eggs.

In a whirlwind of events that included me screaming, Emmie screaming, and about six thousand sugar-hyped children joining the screaming chorus—well, Jordy eventually came to our rescue.

He managed to break several speed records getting Emmie and me to the hospital, then helped race us up to the maternity ward, where we huffed and puffed our little hearts out—less to do with labor breathing and more from the impromptu cardio session we just partook in.

I called Jasper and Leo on the way over and they arrived right after us, looking more than a little frazzled. Poor Jordy is more than a little frazzled himself. Turns out, watching your sister go into labor can do that to a guy.

My sweet baby gives a sympathetic kick. At least someone managed to stay calm.

Four hours, a bucket of ice chips, and a few creative curse words that were not in Sanskrit later, Emmie and Leo’s baby entered this world at a perfect seven pounds and seven ounces.

A healthy, perfect, bouncing baby boy.

Leo’s parents are here, along with Emmie’s folks, and, of course, Mom and Georgie made the mad dash over as well.

We’re all crowded around the bed, smiling lovingly at the tiny babe swaddled up like a burrito, and his doting parents can’t seem to take their eyes off of him.

Emmie is propped up on pillows looking exhausted but radiant, while Leo perches beside her wearing an expression that suggests he just witnessed an actual miracle up close and personal—which, to be fair, he did. And so did I. The rest of the party waited patiently outside until after the big event happened.

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