Chapter 11

Abbey awoke the next morning, wondering if last night had all been a dream. But she immediately saw the cast on her foot and the bruises on her arms. It had not been a dream. But again the rhythmic sound coming from the monitor told her that the baby was okay.

She looked down to see the tousled sandy hair of her husband on the bed beside her, his hand placed across her abdomen. As she shifted slightly in the bed, Jed's head flew up.

"Abbey! Do you need something?" His eyes wide with fear.

She patted his arm and reassured him that she was fine. Only then was she rewarded with that smile of his. The one that would melt her heart every time.

"No, hon. I'm fine. Have you checked on Liz yet?"

"No. I guess I slept here most of the night. Oh, my back is so stiff." He stood up and tried to stretch out the stiffness. "I'll go check on her and come back. Okay? Will you be fine?"

"Yes, pumpkin. I'm fine. Just bring my baby to me."

Jed smiled and pointed to her expanded abdomen. "You already have one baby right there."

"Jed, you know I mean Liz." That smile again.

"Yeah, I'll be back soon. And I'll let the nurse know you are awake."

Now it was Abbey's time to smile. "You do that, Jed."

An hour later the door opened and Liz, holding her new teddy bear, ran to her mother's bed.

"Mommy, Daddy said you had a big booboo on your leg."

"Yes, Lizzie, I have a big booboo on my ankle. But I'm fine. So is your baby sister or brother. Do you hear that? That's the baby's heart beat."

"Wow." Liz stood by the monitor, fascinated by the sound coming from the machine.

"Jed, the doctor came in while you were gone and he said everything looked good. My contractions have stopped and he would be willing to let me go if I promised to go home and rest for a few days. I promised. So when can we go? Wait, we don't have a car here to go home in. How are we getting home?"

"I've already called Millie. She's off today and will be here shortly. She had heard about the accident but didn't know that it was us. And my mother is coming over to help you with Lizzie for a few days."

"My, my, you've been busy."

"Anything for my family. Anything."