The body lifted off of hers, and someone shouted while attempting to turn her. A loud buzzing sound rang in her head, over which she heard cursing and a tearing sound.
Toby wailed hysterically as she pushed him into the seat and checked him for injury. She kissed his face and wiped his tears as he turned and clung to her neck, sobbing wildly.
“You’re okay, baby. Don’t cry.”
Tears came to her eyes. Pressure was applied to her rib cage, and she yelped at the pain as someone attempted to lift Toby from her arms, which felt weak. She held on for dear life and tried to pull him back to her, her heart hammering with panic.
“No! He’s mine!”
Her heartbeat drummed in her ears and stars swam in her vision as she fought the restraining hands. Pain blazed in her side as Toby was removed from her arms, screaming. This couldn’t happen to her, not when they were so close. Determination gave her renewed strength and she fought to hold on to him.
“You can’t have him! Toby! You c—”
Her face was turned by a gentle hand, and she looked up into Seth’s frightened eyes. She clenched his shirt and tried to smile. Her fingers lost their strength and darkness shrouded her vision as Seth called out her name, his voice echoing down a dark tunnel.
“Jayne!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Seth’s boots felt like they were full of bricks as he carried Toby up the second flight of stairs to the room that had been prepared for them at the Parkview Inn. Toby had looked a little shell-shocked as the furor surrounding the events at the airstrip, a “dustup” as one of the men had referred to it, had died down and Jayne had been rushed to the Lusty medical clinic.
He’d been impressed by their setup and had also been grateful that the town was so well prepared for emergencies.
“My mommy?” Toby queried over a wide yawn as he rested his head on Seth’s shoulder.
“We’ll see Mommy in the morning.” It still got to Seth, every time Toby called Jayne that. All kinds of disjointed thoughts crowded his mind. Seth knew Toby came first at the moment, but struggled with the need to return to the clinic. It hurt to be parted from Jayne, even knowing that she’d be okay.
He stood in the center of the room, dumbfounded by the outpouring of caring from the citizens of Lusty. He peered into one of the shopping bags on the bed which contained baby items like clothing, diapers, wipes, and bath products. The other bag held a change of clothing for him and toiletries.
Toby heaved a heavy sigh, reminding Seth that he needed to be changed and bathed quickly before he passed out from sheer exhaustion. While he started filling the tub in the bathroom with warm water, Toby rested his head beneath Seth’s chin. Seth tilted his head down to kiss the top of Toby’s head and breathed in his sweet boy-baby scent. He could also detect a trace of Jayne’s fragrance, because she’d kept him close to her all day, protecting him. Seth’s heart ignited with love as he recalled the way she’d fought for Toby despite her own injuries.
“Mommy?”
“Mommy’s okay, buddy. We’ll see her in the morning.”
He’d bathed Toby and gotten him dressed for bed, his dark-headed son already half asleep, when someone knocked at the door. Lifting Toby’s solid little body back into his arms, he answered the door. On the threshold stood a pretty, and very pregnant, brunette in her midtwenties. She seemed familiar from the restaurant where they’d eaten supper earlier, but he couldn’t recall her name.
“Mr. Carter, I’m Ginny Kendall. We met briefly at Lusty Appetites. My husband is Adam Kendall.” The sheriff’s wife.
“Right. I’m sorry. Today has been a blur for us.” Worry momentarily entered his mind. “Is Jayne all right? Would you like to come in?” He supposed that it was all right to invite her in.
“Sure. Yes, Jayne is just fine as far as I know. Last I heard, Dr. Robert was staying overnight at the clinic to keep an eye on her. Jayne’s in good hands. Don’t you worry. I told Adam I was heading over to see if you needed anything. I had this feeling that you might want to check on Jayne now that she’s settled in her room at the clinic and I’m volunteering my services.”
He felt a little guilty when his heart surged with relief but the little guy on his shoulder had been through a lot that day and needed his routine. “That’s really nice of you, ma’am—”
“Call me Ginny,” she replied quickly with a wave of her hand. “I offered because I know how it is to be separated from someone you love and…need. Plus, you’d be doing me a favor.”
“I would? How so?”