“One day, I’ll send word through them to pass on to you how to contact me.”
He sadly smiled.“I do wish you peace and prosperity.”
“Thank you.”
“Come back to my room and have a last toast with me?”
She looked reluctant at first, but then smiled and nodded.“Sure.Why not?I have a little time.”
He’d just paid their bill when she let out a soft cry and stopped, frozen in place.
“What’s wrong?”he asked.
Horrified, she looked up at him.“It’s early!It’s too early!”
That’s when he realized her water had broken.“We need to get you to the hospital.”
“No!”She grabbed his hand.“Back to your room.”
“Why?”
“I can’t have this baby in a hospital!He might find me!”
“But it’s?—”
Her hand squeezed, nearly cracking bone.“Please!”
“What about Callum?How do I contact him?”
She gasped for breath.“I don’t know!I don’t even know where he is, but this baby is comingrightnow!”
Hating himself, he helped her back across the street, into the elevator, and to his room.There, two hours later, she delivered a baby girl in the bathtub.Apparently, Bryn had been preparing for a home birth since she learned she was pregnant and managed to talk him through it, including tying off the umbilical cord with thread from a sewing kit in her purse before cutting it.
After helping her clean up, he moved her to the bed, where she exhaustedly smiled as she watched the baby nurse.“I can’t believe she’s here already.Callum will be so upset he wasn’t here, bless him.”Some of her Welsh accent bled through in her exhaustion.
“When is he due back?”
“Not for three more days.”
“And you have no idea where he is?”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she shook her head.“He said he wanted me to focus only on the baby.”
“And not be able to tell me?”
She tearfully laughed.“He hasn’t been pleased that I send you our number.But he hasn’t outright forbidden me from giving it to you.”Her smile faded.“I told him that after this move, he can Prime me to not tell you, if he wishes.”
“Ah.”He stared at the baby, who looked so much like Bryn did when she was born.“That is understandable, given the circumstances.What are you naming her?”
She caressed the baby’s cheek.“We still haven’t decided.We’d narrowed it down to three boy names and three girl names.”Another tearful laugh.“I guess she just made that decision easier.I’ll wait until he’s home.We have a doctor ready to create us a birth certificate once we give him the details.”
“I need to go buy things for her,” he said.
She shook her head.“That’s all right.We have things at home.”
“You can’t go taking her out wrapped in hotel sheets and towels.Plus, I should buy a dress or something for you as well.Yours is ruined.How far are you away from home?I’m guessing it’s at least a couple of hours, isn’t it?”
She tearfully laughed.“I suppose so.I hadn’t thought about all of that.Would you mind?”
