Chapter 24
“Mac.” He surfaced from deep sleep to realize Maddie was shaking him awake.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I feel weird.”
That quickly, he was wide awake. He sat up, turned on the bedside light and was startled to find her wide-eyed and pale. She’d been fine at bedtime. They’d both been worn out, so they’d gone to bed right after they got the kids down. “Weird how?”
“My heart is racing, and I feel sweaty.”
“How long?”
“About an hour now.”
“An hour? Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?”
“You’ve been so tired lately. I didn’t want to bother you.”
“Madeline, you know better. If you need me, wake me up.”
“Maybe we can have this fight later?”
Mac nodded and picked up the phone to call Janey since she was the closest.
“Mmm, what?”
“Maddie isn’t feeling well. I need to take her to the clinic. Can you come stay with the kids?”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know. Can you come?”
“I’m on the way.”
Mac ended that call and made another to Victoria, who’d given them her personal cell phone number ages ago.
“This is Victoria.” She sounded alert and wide awake.
“It’s Mac McCarthy. Maddie is feeling strange—her heart is racing and she’s sweaty.”
“Can you meet me at the clinic?”
“We’ll be there in fifteen minutes. I’m sorry to wake you.”
“I’m already there with another patient. I’ll see you shortly.”
To Maddie, Mac said, “Vic is at the clinic and will be watching for us. Let’s get you dressed, honey.”
Maddie’s big eyes filled with tears. “Is it happening again, Mac?”
“No.” It couldn’t happen again. He wouldn’t let it. “Everything is fine. I’m sure of it. Let’s get you to the clinic so Victoria can confirm it.”
She nodded, but he could see that she didn’t completely believe his assurances.
Hell, he didn’t either, but assurances were all he had.
Mac helped her into yoga pants and a sweatshirt of his that she’d “borrowed” from him while pregnant with Hailey and had never given back, which was fine with him.
He loved the way his zip-up sweatshirt looked on her.
After he zipped it over her bountiful breasts, he drew her into his arms. “Breathe, baby. Everything’s okay. ”
“How do you know that?”
“I just have a very strong feeling that I’m meant to be the father of three little girls who will drive me mad the same way their gorgeous, incredible mother does.”
“You feel that? You really do?”
“I really do.” He gazed down at the stunning face of the woman who had changed his life. “Breathe.”
She took a shaky breath and let it out.
“Keep doing that.” Light flickered into the room from headlights in the driveway.
“There’s Janey. Let’s go.” He took Maddie’s hand and led her down the stairs as Janey came pounding up the outside stairs.
Mac released Maddie’s hand to admit his sister, who was wild-eyed and sporting bed head that would’ve amused him at any other time. “Thanks for coming.”
Janey hugged Maddie. “What can I do?”
“Mac might need a bottle around four.” Maddie’s voice sounded shaky.
“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about a thing.”
“Thanks for coming, brat.” Mac led Maddie out the door and helped her into her SUV because it was more comfortable than his truck.
As he drove them through the darkness to the clinic in town, he realized his hands were shaking.
At times like this, island life totally fucking sucked.
He wanted a top-level hospital and had to make do with an island clinic.
Not that Victoria and David weren’t the best at what they did, but what if Maddie needed something they couldn’t provide?
Like the day that Janey had needed an emergency C-section in a clinic not equipped for surgery…
Mac’s own heart began to feel like it might explode inside his chest, which of course his perceptive wife picked up on.
“Take your own advice, Mac. Breathe.”
He tightened his grip on the wheel and focused on breathing. The last thing she needed from him was stress. She needed him to be calm and focused on her, not filled with dread over the thing that was not happening. It couldn’t be. Not when he’d finally gotten his head around the idea of twin girls.
Driving a little faster than he should have, Mac got them to the clinic in ten minutes. In the parking lot were two other cars—Victoria’s and Adam’s white BMW SUV. “What’s he doing here?”
“I was just about to ask you that. I hope Liam is okay.”
Mac hoped so, too. He couldn’t bear to think of anything being wrong with the baby who had made Adam and Abby so happy. After helping Maddie out of the car, he walked her inside with an arm around her shoulders. They encountered Adam walking a squalling Liam in the waiting room.
“What’s wrong?” Mac asked his brother.
“Abby is crazy sick. Can’t stop puking. She’s dehydrated, so Vic put her on an IV. Liam doesn’t appreciate the middle-of-the-night outing. What’re you guys doing here?”
“Maddie is feeling weird, so we came in to get her checked.”
“I hope everything is okay,” Adam said.
“You and me both, brother. Come on, Maddie. Let’s go find Vic.” He led her through the swinging doors that led to the cubicle area, where they were greeted by the sound of violent retching.
“Oh God,” Maddie whispered. “Poor Abby.”
Victoria came out of a cubicle, saw them and directed them to the room on their right. “I’ll be there in one minute.”
“I hope you don’t get whatever she has.” Mac felt like a caged tiger in the small room. He wanted Victoria to come in there and tell them they had nothing to worry about. Until she said those words, he wouldn’t be able to relax.
From her perch on the exam table, Maddie held out a hand to him. “Come here.”
He went to her, took her hand and let her tug him into her embrace.
She ran her fingers through his hair. “You’re not breathing.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No, you’re not.”
“How’s your ticker?”
“It’s not racing like it was, but it still feels faster than it should be.”
Mac rested his head against her chest, listening to the rapid beat of her heart and wishing he knew what it meant.
Victoria came in five long minutes later. “So sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Is Abby okay?” Maddie asked.
“She will be.” Victoria waved her hand under the sanitizer dispenser and rubbed the liquid gel into her skin. “Now what’s going on with you?”
“My heart has been racing, and every time it happens, I break into a sweat and my chest feels tight.”
“How many times has it happened?” Mac asked, alarmed.
“This is the third time.”
“Maddie! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t think anything of it at first, but this time was worse than the others.”
Victoria reached for a stethoscope. “Let me have a listen.” She closed her eyes and listened intently, moving the device around on Maddie’s chest until Mac was certain he was going to lose his mind if she didn’t say something soon.
Another minute passed before Victoria opened her eyes. “I don’t hear anything unusual, but I’d like to put you on a monitor for a couple of hours, just to be sure.”
“What about the babies?” Mac asked.
“I’ll put a monitor on them, too.”
“You don’t think…” The fear was so intense, he couldn’t find the words to articulate it.
“We’ll know much more in an hour.”
He would lose his shit by then.
Victoria left the room, saying she’d be right back.
“Mac.”
Raising his gaze from the floor, he found his wife watching him in that knowing way of hers. “Come here.”
“I’m here.”
“Closer.”
He did as directed.
She grabbed a handful of his T-shirt and brought him in close enough to kiss. “Relax, would you?”
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“Go get your nephew so Adam can be with his wife.”
Mac stared at her until she poked him in the chest to get his attention.
“We need the distraction, and Adam needs to be with Abby.”
“I don’t want you to catch what she has.”
“I was with them yesterday. If the baby is carrying it, I’ve already been exposed. Go get him.”
Mac went to the waiting room, where Adam continued to pace back and forth with Liam, who was now quiet and sleepy-eyed. “Maddie says to bring Liam to her so you can go to Abby.”
“She doesn’t need to do that.”
“I told her that, but she’s insisting. If you guys have cooties, I don’t want her getting it.”
Adam snorted out a laugh. “Cooties? What’re you, eight?”
“She doesn’t need the stomach flu, Adam.”
“Abby doesn’t have the stomach flu, Mac.”
“Then what’s wrong with her?”
“She’s pregnant.”
At first, Mac thought he’d heard him wrong. “She’s…”
“Pregnant. By now, you should know what that word means.”
“But, I thought she couldn’t.”
“So did we.” Adam blinked and swallowed hard. “Turns out we were wrong. Victoria confirmed it earlier and put her on an IV for dehydration.”
“That is the best news I’ve heard in, well, ever. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Adam’s jaw clenched with tension as he glanced at the doors to the treatment areas. “I just hope she’s not going to be sick like this the entire time.”
“Some people are. Laura was.”
“I know, but hasn’t Abby been through enough already? She’s due for a break.”
“I’m sure Vic will have her feeling better in no time.” Mac reached out to take Liam from his father. “Go see her. Maddie and I will keep an eye on him.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. She’s on the monitor for the time being, and it was her idea to come get Liam so you could go to Abby.”
“Thanks, Mac.”
Mac snuggled the now-sleeping baby into the crook of his neck and shoulder. “No problem. Go take care of your wife. We’ve got your little man.”
Adam went through the double doors to the room where he’d been forced to leave Abby alone when Liam started fussing. He’d never felt so torn between the two people he loved best, but when Abby had told him to take Liam for a walk, he’d taken Liam for a walk.
He stepped into the exam room to find her dozing, her face so pale as to be alarming. Standing at her bedside, he reached over to brush the dark hair off her forehead.
Her eyes popped open. “Where’s Liam?”
“With Mac.”
“What’s Mac doing here?”
“Maddie’s not feeling well either.”
Abby closed her eyes and licked her dry lips.
“How’re you doing, honey?”
“Awful.”
“What can I do?”