“Interesting. And she came here why?”
“She wanted me to come home.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
Even though Jenna had heard the entire conversation, knew exactly how it had gone, her heart began to hammer in her chest, and waiting to hear what Sawyer said next was more stressful than it should have been. Maybe she’d changed her mind while Jenna had been working. Maybe she’d decided she missed that life of extravagance and luxury. She cleared her throat. “What did you say?”
Sawyer took a sip of her wine and then she smiled.
“Oh. A grin. What does that mean?”
“It means I held my ground. It means I finally—finally—stood up to her. She said she’s changed, and I asked her how. She said for one thing, she listens better. That was it. I almost laughed in her face and told her she absolutely doesnotlisten better. And then it was like a dam opened, and I just let loose. I told her she was crossing all kinds of lines by showing up at my home when I’ve blocked her everywhere. I told her I wasn’t going to let her gaslight me, not again.”
“Wow. Go, you.” Jenna put her hand on Sawyer’s thigh and squeezed.
“Right? I told her she always made it seem like I wanted too much or misunderstood her or was oversensitive, but that I now know that’s not the case because I have somebody who treats me the way I deserve to be treated.” Her swallow was audible.
Jenna grinned at her and gave her leg another squeeze. “And?”
“She asked me if—” Sawyer’s phone ringing on the coffee table sounded so incredibly loud just then that they both jumped, startled. “Jesus Christ,” Sawyer said with a laugh, pressing one hand to herchest as she reached for the phone with the other. A glance at the screen sobered her expression a bit. “It’s my mom.”
Jenna waved at her. “Go ahead.” She sipped her wine as Sawyer took the call, and her voice went from calm to serious to stressed in a matter of seconds.
“What? Right now? Oh my God. Which hospital? Okay. Okay. I’m heading out right now. Meet you there.” She hung up and looked at Jenna with wide eyes. “Courtney’s in labor.”
“Oh my God.”
“Right? I’ve gotta get to the hospital.” She practically jumped to her feet, then looked back down at Jenna. “Come with me?”
Jenna blinked at her. “Yeah?”
“Absolutely.” She gestured at a sleeping Arnold and both snoozing cats. “The boys’ll be fine, and if we end up there too long, you can drive my car back and I’ll Uber.” She stopped moving and looked down at Jenna. “I’d love it if you were there with me.”
“As long as you’re sure,” Jenna said, disappointed to have had their conversation interrupted but thrilled to be asked to join Sawyer on such a momentous occasion.
“I’m positive.”
“Okay then.” Jenna stood.
“I’m gonna go get shoes and my coat.” Sawyer turned to her, sudden tears in her eyes as she put a hand on the doorknob. “I’m gonna be an aunt tonight.”
Courtney’s labor was not fast, it turned out. Sawyer looked at her watch, and Jenna said, “Babe, it’s five minutes later than the last time you looked.”
A heavy sigh. “I know. This waiting is killing me. I hope she’s okay.”
Sawyer’s mom was in the delivery room with Courtney and her husband, and every so often, she came out to give them an update. Courtney was dilating very slowly, and Sawyer’s “I’m gonna be an aunt tonight” had changed to “I’m gonna be an aunt tomorrow.” Because it was now tomorrow.
“If you want to go home, you can,” Sawyer said after a few moments of silence.
“And why would I want to do that?” Jenna asked. They were sitting side by side on a two-seater bench type thingy in the family waiting room. There was another family across the room—an older couple and a child of maybe eight or ten—watching a rerun ofThe Simpsonson the TV mounted above them, but otherwise, things were pretty quiet.
“Because it’s late and you have to work tomorrow.” Sawyer was so tired. Jenna could tell by the way she sounded.
She leaned in close and whispered, “Your voice is even sexier when it’s all scratchy like that.”
Sudden pink tinted Sawyer’s cheeks, and she grinned. “You stop that.”
