Page 113 of Into the Storm

ChapterForty

It wasn’t the most comfortable night’s sleep, but Audrey didn’t care. Hearing Xavier’s steady heartbeat all night long was exactly what she needed.

Undine arrived early the following morning with clothes and toiletries for Audrey. Xavier insisted that she break another hospital law and use the shower in his room rather than leaving to get cleaned up. After all, she had a history of making good use of his shower.

Clean and changed at last, she left Xavier’s room while his doctor checked in on him during the morning rounds.

She and Undine went to the cafeteria, where Audrey filled a paper cup with decaf coffee for herself and bought a bran muffin for boss baby. They settled at a small table in the corner.

She let out a long breath. This was all so normal—coffee and muffins with a friend—and yet all so surreal.

“So, it appears you and Xavier have reconciled.”

She smiled. “That’s one word for it.”

“I’m glad. Luke said he’s a good guy. I mean…he rode a mudslide for you.”

“For everyone. But yeah. For me too.” She lowered her voice to the merest whisper. “I can’t tell you why he did what he did…but I get it. It’s okay.” This was her first time saying this aloud, and as she said the words, she knew they were true with her full heart. She could let all the anger and pain go. More important, she trusted him again in a way she’d never thought she’d be able to.

Undine nodded. “Yeah. Luke said that too.”

“I can’t believe he and Jae were there. They saved Xavier’s life. He’d have drowned in the mud if he was on his own.” She placed her hand over her friend’s. “They saved the life of the father of my unborn child.”

Undine’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “Get out!”

Audrey laughed. “I guess Luke didn’t tell you.”

“Nope.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t guess when I got my coffee from the decaf carafe.”

Undine took a sip of her tea. “I didn’t notice. I’m sure Luke thought it would be more fun if you told me yourself. Especially since, if you’d been paying attention, you’d have seen that I skipped my usual Earl Grey and am drinking a caffeine-free beverage myself.”

Now it was Audrey’s turn to let out an excited squeal. “No way! When?”

“Mid-August. You?”

“End of July. Holy crap, we’re just two weeks apart.”

Audrey thoroughly enjoyed the conversation that followed. Not only was it not about mercenaries, explosives, or violent acts of nature, it was also the first time since she’d learned she was pregnant that she simply got to share the excitement and joy and talk about the wonders of it all, and that it was with a friend who was on the same wild, yet oh-so-common journey made it all the sweeter.

She walked Undine to the front of the hospital and hugged her tight as she thanked her again for bringing clothes and toiletries.

As she headed to Xavier’s hospital room, she felt different. More herself now that she was in her own clothes and clean and relatively rested. But also, she touched the waist of her jeans, which were now snug, and thought about the fact that soon, she and Undine would be shopping for maternity clothes together.

For the first time since she’d learned she was pregnant, she knew she’d be able to enjoy sharing each milestone with not just her friends and family, but with Xavier’s as well.

There was so very much joy and excitement ahead of them.

She reached Xavier’s room, and the door was closed. Knowing the doctor would have finished at least twenty minutes ago, she knocked. The door was opened by the Navy captain she’d met last night. “Oh. I’m sorry. I’ll go to the waiting room.”

The man pulled the door wide. “Please, join us, Dr. Kendrick. This involves you too.”

She stepped into the room and saw the solemn expression on the admiral’s and Xavier’s faces. She braced herself for whatever they had to say.

The captain cleared his throat. “Petty Officer Third Class Collins had surgery yesterday afternoon. It went well and his prognosis is good, in spite of the delays. Medic Smith is to be commended for managing to keep infection at bay under difficult conditions.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” she said, seeing the same relief in Xavier’s eyes.