Chapter 28
28
Aubrey was still trying to decide what she wanted to do about that man two days after her birthday as she drove the man’s little sister to the hospital for a meeting with the board. She had gotten teary-eyed as she’d blown out thirty perfect candles. No denying that. And right there in front of his entire family, he had pulled her closer and just hugged her, patted her on the head, and told her she didn’t look a day over twenty-nine and three-quarters.
He’d wanted to kiss her. She knew that was what he had been wanting. But he’d behaved himself—although he’d been at her side practically all day. Everyone had noticed. Even his mother—she’d sent Aubrey so many approving looks, Aubrey’s cheeks would probably be permanently red. Every time she met that woman’s eyes—eyes she’d given all of her eight children—Aubrey had imagined his mother knowing exactly what she had done with that man behind the puppy barn just hours before.
Until he’d walked her out to her car two hours later. Then he’d kissed the hell out of her while they waited for Ayla to say goodbye to Greer and… Gunn.
Gunn had carried her sister out of the house, down the ramp, and right to Aubrey’s SUV.
Ayla had been quiet the entire drive home. Until she’d told Aubrey she was so confused by that man she didn’t know which way was up. Well, his brother had the same effect on Aubrey.
They’d talked about those two men long past when they usually went to bed, over frozen pizza and leftover birthday cake.
She’d never forget that birthday cake—or what it represented.
“You are looking good. Almost got the black eye covered completely,” Genny said, studying her from the passenger seat, a contemplative expression on her face.
“It’s more like a faint yellow eye at this point. At least it doesn’t hurt any longer.” Aubrey shot a look at Genny as she drove the highway between the Hiller Ranch and the hospital. Genny was moving around much better than she had been.
Of course, Chad had been keeping a close eye on her. It had been no secret at the cookout that Genny and Chad were together. Both of their mothers had made that known. Aubrey had winced on Genny’s behalf, overhearing some of the conversations.
Genny wore a big flashy ring now, too. Chad Fields wasn’t wasting any time at all, that was for sure.
Chad would have driven Genny to speak with the board—and Caine and the Laughlin brothers—but he had been called to help the lone physician in Garrity with a round of patient vaccinations. That physician was affiliated with BCGH and held vaccination clinics twice a year for the area kids. Chad and one of his underlings volunteered to help Dr. Zinck each time.
A good man, and an excellent pediatrician, was Dr. Chad Fields. And he adored her best friend completely. Those two were just too cute together. Genny and Chad had gotten dozens of questions at the cookout, and so had Gene and Chantal.
Then Guthrie had gotten questions. About the woman next to him. So many questions. Questions she still hadn’t figured out how to answer.
A bright red truck pulled out two cars in front of them. Aubrey had already slowed down to give everyone in front of them room. The truck was familiar—and there was a Hiller man driving. She was getting good at recognizing which of Genny’s brothers was which.
“That’s George and Ronnie. He took the girls out to Giavonna so she could watch them this morning before driving back home to get Ronnie. He’s taking Ronnie to see Dr. Lewis today. Her blood pressure is way out of control. No one knows why yet. George wants us all there at the ranch for dinner tonight. He said he and Ronnie have an important announcement about the pregnancy.”
“What do you think it is?” Dr. Lewis was an excellent OB/GYN. Very calm, very knowledgeable, and had been delivering babies since long before Aubrey had been born. He was Guthrie’s second-in-command. He’d once run the department; Guthrie had replaced him when he’d decided to slow down a bit around eighteen months ago.
“I think they are probably going to induce this time. Georgie was asking Guthrie a lot of questions last night. In the parlor where the rest of us couldn’t hear. Guthrie does sort of come in handy sometimes, I think.” Genny shot her a wicked look. “As I am sure you have noticed. Since he’s been sort of… surgically attached to you lately. So close I haven’t been able to get to you. I think I am competing with my own brothers for both of my besties here, or something.”
Heat hit her cheeks. That man… this week…
Every spare minute they had both had—he had been right there, with her. He had recruited a team of Hiller brothers to paint her living room wall, too. What the Hillers had done for her and Ayla this week could never be repaid.
They almost made them feel like they belonged.
Aubrey was still adjusting to that.
And to the way that man looked at her. And kissed her. Hard to forget that part. Every chance he could, that man took it. And Aubrey just kissed him right back. Almost before she could stop herself.
He was really good at burning a woman when he looked at her. And when he kissed her.
Yet he hadn’t pressured her even once about what she wanted to be there between them. He was leaving it up to her—completely. He’d told her that, too.
Sometimes, he would just catch her. When they were alone. And he would kiss her like she was all he had ever wanted. Just kisses—he never pushed for more. It was like he knew… he was taunting her. That was the only explanation.
Two cars ahead, George’s truck slowed. A squirrel darted across the road. Aubrey let her foot off the gas and lightly hit the brakes when she saw George’s. Movement from the right side of the road caught her attention. Just in time.
Aubrey and Genny both screamed.
Aubrey slammed on the brakes. Her SUV jerked to a stop, skidded just a little, as she swerved. They stopped before they went down into the small drainage ditch. But they stopped. In time.
But… ahead…
It was too late. She knew it was too late, even as the truck that had caused this squealed away. They just left. The driver of the big black truck just left like they hadn’t cared at all.
Genny was yelling. Screaming. As she looked.
Toward her brother’s truck just up ahead.
The dark truck had slammed into George, hitting square on Ronnie’s side. George’s truck was in the ditch. The ditch wasn’t deep, but… it looked like George’s truck was going to tilt over at any moment.
Aubrey reacted on instinct, throwing her SUV into park and killing the engine. She knew… she and Genny—they were going to be needed now. Aubrey shoved open her door as Genny did the same on her side.
“Stay close, Genny. We’re going to need you to stay focused. No matter what.” That was Genny’s family in that truck. And Ronnie… Ronnie would need them most.
Thank God Giavonna had their kids. She hoped Giavonna had all four of their kids.
George was climbing out. His arm hung at an awkward angle Aubrey had seen before.
“Veronica!” George tried to get to his wife. Aubrey reached him first, blocking him. “No, sweetheart. No…”
He looked up at Aubrey, like he didn’t recognize her.
And then he did. “Thank God. Thank God. She needs help. Help her, please. Just help her, Aubrey, please.”
“I’m going to. George, sit down.” She guided him to the ground. His face was pale, his arm obviously broken. She turned to Genny.
The rear door of the truck opened. A woman was yelling for help. But she was moving on her own.
Greer. They hadn’t known Greer was with George. Greer was twelve weeks now. Twelve weeks. And she’d been in a collision. “Greer, get your brother and sit down. Now. Sit down and stay out of the way. Both of you. Genny, let’s move.”
There were other people running up to help now. She saw them—recognized the town librarian’s father, Burt, among them. One of her own patients at times. He had his phone out. He was a former cop. Burt would take charge of those outside of George’s truck, she was sure.
And Aubrey would take care of who was inside George’s truck right now.
Aubrey took all of this in as she climbed down the three-foot ditch. To Ronnie’s side. She couldn’t get in. Not the way the truck was leaning.
But… Greer’s door was open. Aubrey would have to climb, but… she should be able to get in. Aubrey scrambled in, with a hand from Burt.
Ronnie was not going to be able to climb out of the truck at that angle. She just wasn’t. Blood ran down Ronnie’s forehead from a cut near her hairline, and her breathing was quick and shallow. She was thirty-four weeks pregnant now, Aubrey thought. Ronnie just pressed against her stomach with one hand.
Thirty-four weeks was viable. But there were so many things that could go wrong. With the baby. And Ronnie. If there was internal bleeding…
“Ronnie, can you hear me? I need you to open your eyes and look at me.” Aubrey kept her voice calm and steady. Ronnie’s eyes opened slightly, dazed and glassy, and she nodded weakly, her face tight with pain. Gray-blue eyes just stared at Aubrey.
“Bab—”
“Let me check.” Guthrie had told her Ronnie had already had complications. Thirty-four weeks, blood pressure issues… she tried to remember what Guthrie had said.
Aubrey grabbed a cloth from the first aid kit and pressed it to the cut on Ronnie’s head to slow the bleeding.
“Hold this here,” she instructed, guiding Ronnie’s hand. “Just breathe slowly for me, okay? In and out.”
Ronnie’s grip was weak, her skin clammy.
“The… bab—my babies need me…” she whispered, barely able to get the words out.
“I know. We’re getting you out of here. Focus on breathing, nice and slow. Genny’s here too. You’re not alone, George and Greer are already out. They’re going to be okay; we had to get them out of the way, that’s all. Now we’re going to focus on you for the moment.”
Genny was leaning through Ronnie’s window, checking Ronnie’s pulse. “She’s racing, Aub. Far too fast.”
Genny gave the rough numbers. They were more than just from adrenaline. Aubrey looked down when Ronnie cried out. Her pants were soaked.
They hadn’t been wet when Aubrey had climbed in the truck.
Ronnie’s water had just broken. And that was blood staining the front of her pale cream slacks. Possible placental abruption, internal bleeding… Aubrey’s mind ran over every possibility.
They had to get her to the hospital. As quickly as they could.
They were only four minutes away.
Ronnie’s breaths were coming faster. Then… a contraction. Aubrey squeezed her hand. “Okay, Ronnie. We’re going to get you to the hospital, all right? Guthrie is already there. He was called in early to assist with a C-section, I think. Just keep breathing.”
The sound of sirens grew closer. Paramedics arrived. Aubrey didn’t wait—she gave them what she knew. The paramedics nodded, told her they would take it from there.
A second ambulance and cop cars pulled in.
The EMTs worked fast, getting Ronnie out of the truck, then moving her onto a stretcher. They pulled out quickly. Burt helped George up, guiding him carefully to the second ambulance. Aubrey checked the mayor over as quickly as she could—she didn’t think he had too many injuries, possible concussion and definitely a broken arm. Greer was already inside an ambulance.
Aubrey and Genny almost ran to Aubrey’s SUV. The TSP could question them later. Aubrey was going to be there with Ronnie. She had promised she was going to be there. No matter what.
She pulled into the hospital parking lot behind the ambulances and parked. The paramedics were already unloading Ronnie. And there was a team waiting by the doors. The ED ran efficiently; no matter the crisis. Aubrey had worked hard to make sure of it.
Aubrey stayed close as Ronnie was taken straight to obstetrics. In the bright hospital lights, Ronnie’s face looked even paler, and her breathing was labored. An obstetrics nurse quickly checked her vitals, and Aubrey caught sight of the BP reading.
It wasn’t good.
But thirty-four weeks—that was doable.
Guthrie was there, too. There was shock on his beautiful face as he realized it was his family. She would never forget his face when he looked at his brother’s wife like that. The fear…
Aubrey knew what was going to happen next.
Aubrey stayed beside Ronnie, talking to her softly as nurses wheeled her toward the OR. Guthrie couldn’t be right next to his sister-in-law now. But Aubrey could.
Ronnie’s hand tightened around Aubrey’s, her eyes full of fear, but she nodded. George was there. Calling Ronnie’s name. Aubrey would never forget the pain in his voice then.
George loved his wife so much.
“I want to be with her. I need to be. I need to be. I promised her I always would.” George was fighting. Trying to get to her.
Guthrie blocked him. And held his injured brother back. “You can’t go in with her yet, Georgie. You just can’t. You have to stop the bleeding, get the arm taken care of first. You’re a contamination hazard. Let’s get you cleaned up first, then you can be with her. I promise. I’ll get you in with her as fast as I can.”
“I need to be with her. I need to. She’s my world, Guth. My everything.”
“I know, bro. I know. And I get it. I’m going in with her. I promise. I will be with her every step of the way.”
Aubrey would never forget what they looked, sounded, like in that moment. Eva was there, and Hadassa. They knew what to do. And Genny—Genny led her oldest brother away.
Aubrey stayed at Ronnie’s side, squeezing her hand. Guthrie stayed close. As close as he could get.
“Ronnie, you’re at the hospital now. You’re in good hands. This is my ED, after all. We’re going to take care of you and the baby,” Aubrey told her.
Ronnie’s eyes opened. “Where’s George? Wasn’t Guthrie?—”
“I’m here, Ronnie. George needs to get his arm looked at and wash his hands, that kind of thing.” Guthrie leaned over Ronnie’s head, wrapping his fingers around hers. “You’re safe, and we’re going to take care of everything. Just hang in there.”
“Take care of my babies, Guthrie Hiller. I want your promise. No matter what. You make sure my babies are taken care of.”
“No matter what. The girls and this seedling, too. I promise.”
“You are a good man. I’ve always thought so. And just as beautiful as your brother. Where is your brother? Is he okay? Where’s Georgie?”
“George is with Genny right now,” Guthrie said. “She’s going to make him get his arm taken care of, and then we’ll see what we can do about getting him up here with you. You’ll be okay, I promise. We’ll get to see if this one looks like me, okay? I just want one niece who looks like me. That’s all.”
“I’ll see… what I can do. Love you. All of you. I love all of you. And my… family… Make sure they all know…” Ronnie was fading out. Right before his eyes.
They needed to act fast. He nodded at Dr. Lewis. “Let’s get her upstairs. I’m going in with her. She’s my brother’s wife.”
“Understood. We’ll take care of her now.”
The stretcher moved swiftly as nurses wheeled her toward the elevator. Guthrie walked alongside. He would never forget how his brother’s beautiful, amazing, wonderful wife looked in that moment.
Aubrey had somehow beaten them upstairs.
Aubrey waited just outside of the OR, already dressed in fresh, sterile scrubs. Guthrie would need to be ‘dressed’ in sterile gear, too. But for now… “Ronnie, focus on your breathing. In and out, nice and slow. We’re going to get you through this. Aubrey is going to stay right next to you while I get into my cool doctor gear, I promise.”
Guthrie finally let go of Ronnie’s hand. Aubrey took it instead.
Ronnie nodded faintly, gripping Aubrey’s hand with surprising strength. “The… bab—need to tell… can’t… remember…” she whispered. Guthrie could barely understand her at all. “Where’s Georgie? Is he here? He promised to always be here. Is George okay?”
“George is probably getting stitches in the ED right now. Getting an X-ray on his arm. That’s all. He’ll be up here when he can. The baby’s going to be fine, and so is my brother. You just focus on staying calm. We’re taking you upstairs now.”
The elevator doors opened, and they moved her into the sterile hallway of obstetrics. A team of nurses and a surgeon who sometimes assisted with cesareans, Dr. Laird, were already waiting.
“We’ll take it from here, Dr. Hiller. You and Dr. Fisher both scrubbing in?” Dr. Laird asked. “Heard she’s a relative.”
“Yes. My brother’s wife. This is their fifth.”
“Five is so much more work than four. Trust me, I know.” Dr. Laird was a single father—of five. He would know.
“Patient is prepped,” one of the nurses, who had been there longer than Guthrie had been alive, said. “Heart rate stable but elevated at—” she gave the rest of the necessary stats.
Guthrie listened. He knew what they all meant.
His brother’s baby was about to make a grand entrance into this world. Guthrie was going to be ready for whatever that meant for them all. But now… now he was giving a prayer that his niece or nephew was going to be okay.
“Aubrey? You still here?” Ronnie asked.
“I’m right here. We’re going to do the C-section now. I can’t wait to meet this little Hiller to see if he or she looks like Guthrie,” Aubrey leaned down. Guthrie just watched her, watched her with his brother’s wife. Had he ever really thought this woman was cold and unfeeling? He had never been more wrong about a woman in his life. “Everything is going to be okay.”