“Does it have jets?” I perked up.
“I think so.” He picked petals out of my hair. “Why?”
“Because I want to show you something.”
He leaned over and captured my mouth again-god I loved kissing him-and murmured, “Oh goodie, I can’t wait.”
“Wait… this bathroom? How many bathrooms are there?” I asked, maneuvering toward the edge of the bed.
“Five.”
My eyes widened. “Five?”
“That’s right.” He rolled onto his belly, grabbing a pillow and hugging it as he looked at me. “And I intend to fuck you in every single one of them.”
“Five bedrooms.” I counted on my fingers. “Five bathrooms…” I held up all ten fingers, smirking. “Are you up to that?”
“Let’s find out.”
I squealed as he came after me, quick as a snake, and I didn’t even make it to the bathroom before I was in his arms again.
“I don’t want you to go.” Josh pulled me into his arms across the Mustang’s console, kissing me for the umpteenth time. I’d lost count of kisses and times we’d made love and times we’d chased each other around completely naked and laughing hysterically, Josh threatening to spank me, and me threatening to tie him up and tickle him to death. I’d discovered his one weakness, his Achilles, well, not heel, but armpit-
and had taken full advantage.
“I don’t either.” It had been a dream-three days in the Presidential Suite at the Plaza, with Eric cooking our meals and nothing to do but play all day. Josh had simply taken the days off work, and I’d called Ronnie to tell her I wouldn’t be home until Wednesday. Thank goodness it was summer break, because I didn’t think I could have said “No,” to Josh, even if it meant getting fired.
But I knew, of course, they wouldn’t fire me.
“Stay with me.” His eyes searched mine in the morning light. “Move in with me.” I blinked at him, swallowing hard. Not that it wasn’t tempting, but…
I glanced at the house, knowing Ronnie was home, probably making Beth breakfast while TJ got ready for work. They were my family. How was I supposed to just…give all that up?
“Josh, I can’t…” I winced at the pained look on his face. “I mean, where I live… it’s also my job.”
“But you don’t have to work…” He sighed when he saw the look on my face.
“Okay. But will you think about it? Maybe in a month or two…” I nodded and he kissed me again, quickly this time, before coming to open my door. He was getting my suitcase from out of the trunk and I was standing next to him, teasing his ribcage with my fingernails, threatening to tickle him, when I heard the front door open. I turned, my hand caught in mid-wave as the screen door banged wide and TJ burst out, carrying Ronnie in his arms.
“Call 911!” Josh sprinted past me and I stood there, aghast, not moving. I couldn’t move. Ronnie was covered in blood, the whole front of her nightgown soaked in red, and TJ stopped for a moment as Josh said something to him. He shook his head, starting down the porch steps, but Josh stopped him again, still talking.
“Janie!” Josh yelled again, and I startled, looking at him, my eyes wide. “Call 911! Now!”
I dug my phone out of my purse, dialing and walking toward them in a daze as I watched TJ collapse, sitting on the front porch steps with Ronnie in his arms, sobbing.
She was awake, aware, talking to him, her arms wrapped around his neck. Josh sat beside them, putting an arm around TJ’s shoulders, still talking.
“Please, I need an ambulance,” I croaked when the 911 operator asked what my emergency was. Josh looked up at me and saw the look on my face. “There’s so much blood, please, you have to come.”
He took the phone, pulling me down to sit next to him on the porch too, telling the operator the address.
“I think it’s a miscarriage,” he said into the phone, glancing over his shoulder as Gretchen appeared at the door, her mouth agape. I saw Beth coming up behind her and looked at Josh, my eyes wide.
“Take Beth inside!” he snapped at Gretchen, covering the mouthpiece of the phone with his hand. “And shut the door! Do it! Now!” She blinked at him, but turned and ushered Beth into the house, shutting the door behind them.
“Ronnie, are you okay?” I reached my hand across TJ’s lap to grasp hers. It felt cold and small in mine. Her head was resting against TJ’s chest and she opened her eyes, looking at me.
“It hurts,” she whispered, wincing and closing her eyes again.
And we sat there, Josh holding me, TJ holding Ronnie, waiting for the ambulance, or the end of the world, whichever came first.
CHAPTER NINE
“Absolutely not.” TJ stood over Ronnie’s hospital bed, obdurate. “You are not still going.”
“Yes I am,” she replied calmly, peeling off another layer of orange Jell-O with her spoon. “The doctor says I can fly during the second trimester.” TJ swore, turning and yanking the curtain out of the way, storming out the door.
“He’ll be back,” Ronnie said, glancing over to where I sat, Josh beside me, holding tight to my hand.
“Do you really think it’s a good idea?” I asked. “I mean, Ronnie, you practically bled to death!”
“Oh don’t exaggerate. You sound like TJ.” She rolled her eyes, putting the Jell-O on her tray. “I lost a few cups of blood. Having placenta previa isn’t the end of the world-it just means I’ll have to have another c-section. It’s not that big of a deal.” I blinked at her and then looked at Josh. He shrugged.
“So this placenta premium thing… what is it again?” I asked with a sigh.
“It just means the placenta implanted over my cervix,” she replied.
The doctor had explained, after they’d done all their tests-what an amazing relief it had been to see the baby, tiny but moving, a little heartbeat flickering on the ultrasound machine—but I didn’t understand how someone could lose that much blood and still be fine.
“It happens sometimes,” she went on, eating Jell-O. “And it’s early yet-the placenta can move.”
“It can… move?” I looked at her, doubtful.
“Think of the uterus like a balloon,” she explained. “The placenta-that’s the part that feeds the baby, where the umbilical cord is connected, you know that, right?” I nodded.
“If the placenta is here, at the bottom of the balloon, it covers the opening, and there’s no way for the baby to get out.”
Josh interjected, “Without massive blood loss and fetal and maternal death, anyway.”
“Right.” Ronnie made a face at him and he smiled. “But, if a balloon is blown-up only part way, and there’s something here at the bottom of it, and then you blow it up as big as it can go.” She used her hands to demonstrate, making her ‘air balloon’ bigger.
“Whatever was down here may have moved up out of the way of the opening.” I was still doubtful, and like TJ, would have rather erred on the side of caution. “I still don’t know if flying to Georgia next month is a good idea.”
“I don’t see why not. I’ll still be in my second trimester. Honestly, aside from this bleeding thing, I’ve been feeling great.” She gave me a big, bright fake smile to prove it and I couldn’t help laughing.
“Well, the doctor did give you some restrictions,” Josh reminded her.
“I can be on partial bed rest here or there.” She waved that one away, using her spoon to get the last bit of orange stuff out of the container. “And the sex thing… well, that sucks… but it’s only for a few more months…”
She frowned, looking at the door, as if she expected TJ to walk back through it.