“No,” I cut him off. “It’s not broken; it’s just bruised. They’ll want me to do an x-ray, and I won’t have one being pregnant, so there is no point in goin’.”
Dr Harris nodded in understanding. “Okay, but if the swellin’ doesn’t go down, you get your arse to A&E. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.” I smiled.
“You’ll be stayin’ overnight with us,” he then stated.
I sighed but didn’t protest, knowing it was for the best.
“I just want you to stay hooked up to the CTG for the night then you’ll be discharged come mornin’,” he added. “Just to be safe, okay?”
I nodded. “Will I be moved to the lower wards?”
“And take you away from Sally?” He snorted. “Even though you’re not in labour, sweetheart, there isn’t a chance I’d leave ‘ere with me testicles intact if I signed off on that.”
Ryder choked on his laughter while I embraced mine.
“It’s gettin’ late,” Dr Harris said. “Get some sleep; it’ll be sunrise before we know it.”
It was pretty late, and at the reminder, exhaustion suddenly struck.
“I’ll have a fold-up bed brought up—”
“He’ll just sleep with me.” I cut him off, smiling. “There isn’t a point in havin’ one brought up when he won’t use it.”
Dr Harris grinned. “I understand.”
He hugged me and shook Ryder’s hand before he left us alone. I was still in my clothes, and Ryder was still in his, but it didn’t matter. Both of our babies were okay and healthy, and that was all that mattered. Before I drifted off into a much-needed slumber, I wondered how my sister would take the news, and without realising it, I dozed off with a huge smile on my face.
“Are you ready for this?”
Ryder glanced at me when I asked the question as we pulled into our driveway. It was just after nine in the morning, and I had just been discharged from the hospital. I had a headache from not sleeping well, but I was sick with excitement to share the news of our twins with our family.
“I’m ready,” he said. “Are you?”
“I’m ready for a shower,” I replied, “and some good food.”
“Me too,” my husband said as he glanced at the car parked next to ours, “but your sister and my brother are already here, so we’d best tackle them first.”
“You shouldn’t have phoned Bronagh,” I said to him. “We could have just told them what happened when we got ‘ere.”
“She rang me to make sure we were okay after the storm last night, and she just so happened to hear Ash talking in the background,” he stated as he unbuckled his seatbelt. “Not even I could talk my way out of that; your sister is too clever for her own good.”
That she was.
“You could have just said we were stoppin’ in on our way home from—”
“We aren’t supposed to be home from the cabin for another three days,” Ryder cut me off.
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it when I realised he was right.
“Are you laughin’ at me?” I asked as he got out of the car.
He was clearly smiling as he rounded the car to my side and opened the door, but he said, “At you, my love? Never.”
I took his hand as he helped me out of the car.
“You’re full of shite,” I told him.
He vibrated with silent laughter but stopped when the door to our house opened.
“Why didn’t you call me?” Bronagh shouted.
Here we go.
“I didn’t want you to worry—offt.”
I was cut off as my little sister charged at me, only slowing her pace briefly before she reached me to wrap her arms around me as she gave me a bone-crushing hug.
“Jesus, Bronagh.” Ryder scowled. “Be careful with her.”
“She’s pregnant, not made of glass,” my sister said to him before she looked down at my leg and realised it was bent.
“What happened?” she asked, her brows furrowed.
I sighed. “It’s a story that should only be told over a cuppa.”
“Dominic,” Bronagh shouted. “Put on the kettle.”
“I already did,” came his voice from the doorway.
I looked around my sister and saw Dominic standing on the top step with my niece in his arms.
“Georgie!” I squealed.
I halted when Ryder’s hand gripped my forearm.
“What?”
He frowned. “I’ll carry you.”
“You’ll make a show of me,” I informed him.
He rolled his eyes. “Everyone is still in bed—”