A Convenient Arrangement(68)

“Worked three jobs,” Leo interrupted, “did some highly questionable things to keep food on the table, was constantly tired and worried and stressed. Completely overworked and underpaid.”

“And yet he always had time for us.”

Leo opened his mouth to continue, to perhaps argue with his brother, to disagree…but Justin was correct. Completely and totally correct.

“Seemed to love it when we all went to the shore or played ball in the street out front or got in those water fights. Remember when the two of you got all of us wet from the roof of the house?” A giant smile spread over Justin’s face. “Yeah, he was tired and overworked, but he was really happy.”

Leo’s brow furrowed. He nodded. Yeah, now that he really thought about it, his dad had always been happiest when the big loud Travati family were all together and underfoot. He might be sleeping in his lounger while they all ran through the house, but he’d wake up with a smile.

“You remember, right? All the fun?”

Leo nodded. There’d been fun. More fun than he could even recall. There’d also been love. Lots and lots of love.

“Okay. I have a meeting, so I have to—” The ring of Justin’s phone interrupted him. “It’s Aubrey.” He swiped the screen to answer and put the phone to his ear.

Leo watched the emotions cross Justin’s face: happiness, then concern, and finally a furrowed brow. His skin grew ashen. “Right. Got it. Meet you there.” He hung up and looked at Leo. “That was Nina on Aubrey’s phone. They’re on the way to the hospital. Water’s broken. Something…something isn’t right.”

Leo’s belly curled in on itself. He followed Justin out the office door and they ran down the hall. My God, Aubrey and…the baby. Leo had to get Justin to the hospital now, because that was exactly where a father needed to be.



*



Gwen bolted through the hospital doors. The antiseptic smell slammed into her face. The last time she’d been in a hospital…well, the last time…if she could make those tear-filled memories disappear, she would. The last time had been her mother’s final days, when her father had refused to visit. Years since that memory, but there it was, fresh and sharp in her mind.

Today, she’d been in Brooklyn when she got Nina’s text. Traffic was jammed, so Gwen finally jumped out of her cab and grabbed a train. She turned the corner into the maternity waiting room. Max filled one chair, hunched forward, his elbows on his knees. Nina stood in front of the double door under the “Operating Room” sign, peering through the small glass windows into the long “no visitors allowed” hallway beyond. Shelly and Anthony, hand in hand, sat beside Max. Devon paced and scrolled down his phone. Leo leaned against the wall.

Her stomach knotted, heat coiling in her abdomen. A thrill trembled through her. Two weeks since she’d seen Leo. That night Mischa had been draped around his body for the perfect effect as he launched his new app into the world. His gaze caught hers. In that unguarded moment his eyes lit with an emotion she felt certain was still love. She fought hard not to reflect back to Leo what she saw in his eyes. No, she wouldn’t make herself vulnerable again. She would be polite, nice, even kind when the situation called for those behaviors, but she wouldn’t again let herself be in love with Leo. Until she truly fell out of love with him, she would hold him at arm’s length.

“Gwen—” Leo started to walk toward her.

“Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re here.” Nina rushed over and put her arms around Gwen. Tears filled Nina’s eyes and her bottom lip trembled. Gwen hugged her back, feeling a rush of compassion. She’d never seen her brave strong friend like this, nearly undone by her fear for her sister and her soon-to-be-born baby.

“Not here,” Gwen whispered. “Not in front of Max.”

Nina nodded and swallowed hard. Gwen led the way out of the waiting room. They turned the corner and walked down the hall. As they walked away, Gwen’s skin prickled, feeling Leo’s gaze on her back.

“How much longer? Do you know?”

Nina brushed her hand over her head and took a chest-shuddering breath. “They won’t say much. It’s been over an hour. Oh my…it wasn’t good—” Nina’s fingers covered her lips. “Her water broke. You know, I was there when Max was born and I thought wow, she’s ready to go. But then she started having these big contractions right away, so fast, and her legs…they just—” Nina closed her eyes. “She nearly fell. I called 911—I thought she was going to pass out. The ambulance got there so quickly, and by then I had her laying down and she seemed okay again, just the contractions were bad. But then the paramedics, they…” Shook her head and swallowed. She rubbed the corners of her eyes. “They said the baby’s heartbeat was too slow, and they rushed us here.” Nina’s final words came out on a hushed breath, as though every hope and dream and bit of brilliant future everyone had wanted for the child in Aubrey’s belly had suddenly ended.