With a disappointed sigh, she said, “I’m actually pretty tired now. I know they’ll be waking me periodically during the night.”
“Then you should nap while you can. Besides that, if they get a load of me sharing your bed they may fuss at us.”
Charity shrugged. “Let them. That’s going to be my best chance for getting any rest. It amazes me how fast I’ve gotten used to sleeping with the three of you.”
He stroked the top of her hand, tracing the delicate contours of her knuckles and her wrist and said, “I feel the same way. I don’t even mind when I wake with your elbow or your knee in my back…or when you snore.”
Pretending to be outraged, Charity said, “I do not snore! Do I?”
Val just grinned and laughed. “Not bad. It’s a nice little lady snore,” he added as he tilted his head back and did a teasing impersonation, making her giggle.
“Hey,” Ransome said from the door, smiling when he noticed her good mood. “I see she’s taking the compulsory overnight stay better than Justine is.”
Val shook his head. “Nope, like mother like daughter. She’s been bargaining for a little late-night canoodling. Is that where Justin and Beau are—with Justine?”
Ransome nodded. “I told them I’d come and check on her.”
“How is Grace?” Charity asked. “Is the baby okay? Have they moved her yet?”
Ransome nodded. “The baby is fine. Emma wanted her moved up to the labor and delivery department so she could be monitored tonight. Her right collarbone is broken so she’s in a brace, and she has some severe bruising across her sternum from her seatbelt, but nothing else is broken. Emma was worried about her blood pressure and she needed fluids. She’s probably going to be here for a few days.”
“Damn,” Charity said. “Will they let me go see her?” A broken collarbone sounded incredibly painful.
“She was asleep the last I heard,” Ransome said, taking her hand as he sat down on the other side of the bed. “It’s getting late so why don’t you try to get some rest and you can ask about seeing her in the morning.”
“Okay. And Justine is all right?”
Ransome nodded and then jumped up as the door swung wide open. “You can see for yourself,” he said as a nurse wheeled Justine into the room, followed by Justin and Dr. Emma Rivers. Justine sported a cast on her right forearm.
“Mom! Hey!” Justine said, her eyes squinting as though her exclamation made her head hurt.
Emma walked in behind them, and said, “You two can stay together as long as you rest. And no sneaking up to see Grace tonight.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Charity said with reluctance.
Emma chuckled and shook her finger at Charity. “That’s what you were planning, wasn’t it?”
“I plead the fifth.”
Emma turned her attention to Val and Ransome and said, “Lydia and I moved Jessica up to the ranch house today. That’s where I was when I got the call about the accident.”
Val nodded, glad that Jessica was closer to town now that it must be getting close to time to have her baby. “She doing okay?”
“She’s fine. She’s been a trooper.”
“I worried a little about her being so far out, even though it was the best place for her.”
“She’s done well. I think she enjoyed the peaceful environment. She’ll be having that baby sometime in the next week or two.”
“Good. Did she mention her plans afterward?”
Emma grinned. “Lydia wants to keep her, I think. They’ve become close, since she’s been visiting her regularly.”
Val nodded, unable to imagine having to make all the choices Jessica was going to be faced with soon. It was nice that the girls had taken a liking to her. She deserved happiness after what she’d been through.
Ransome got out of the way when Emma came closer to check Charity and ask her a few brief questions about how she was feeling.
When Emma was done, Charity asked, “Is there any word about Patterson Elder? The guys told me it was him behind me.” Her voice grew husky as she said, “We just saw him earlier today at Stigall’s, visiting Leah Woodworth. I can’t believe this has happened to him, and to Leah.”
Emma shook her head, her expression neutral. “It’s too soon to tell.”
“Emma, this is me,” Charity said, searching her face for a more solid answer.
Emma sat on the edge of the bed after a second. “I love practicing medicine in a small town but it’s hard when I feel so close to so many people in the community. I can’t really say much else.” She looked Charity in the eye and added, “Except to tell you to hold on to each other tight. And please don’t try to tough it out, ladies. Take the meds I gave you exactly as prescribed. You’ll thank me in the next few days. I’d better go. Make sure if you get up during the night that you have someone help you. I don’t want you falling and hitting your head again.”