Page 126 of Scarlet Promise

He nods as a young nurse comes in and takes me off the drip. “Then you can go. Don’t need that stuff anymore. We just wanted to give you a boost of vitamin Bs and fluids.”

He peers at me.

“Actually,” he adds, “you look healthier and more relaxed than you did when I first saw you. Keep it up.”

“Yes, Doctor,” I say.

He smiles. “Although, I’m still prescribing plenty of bed rest. You don’t strike me as someone to step on a toy on a step… Your brother said it wasn’t overly small, so I’d put some of that down to exhaustion, and the further along you get, the more exhaustion you’ll feel. And as I tell new moms, get in as much bed rest now as you can because there’s a solid year at least of lack of sleep coming.”

I nod, smile, and tuck that information away because it will never see the light of day. If Ilya and Demyan hear about it, they’ll probably chain me to the bed or something. Poor Erin went through hell with Demyan fussing every second of her pregnancy with Nadya.

She claims it was because he missed being around for Sasha, but I’m not so sure. Demyan with me is bad enough, so of course he’s going to be a mutant mother hen with his own kids.

Erin never stood a chance.

I intend to.

By withholding the information from him and Ilya.

The doctor’s beeper starts up, and he takes off, muttering to himself. He almost runs into Erin and Isla.

They both grin, and Isla makes sure the door’s shut before Erin puts a big moving bag down on the bed.

Excitement fills me from all angles. “Is that…?”

A small bark erupts. I clap my hands, grinning. Erin laughs, unzipping the bag, and Albert wriggles out. He scampers up to sit on me and lick me wherever he can reach.

“Erin’s softer than me,” Isla says. “She let him out immediately, but it’s back in the bag if someone comes in, okay?”

Albert looks up at me and then gives another small bark.

“I swear that dog understands,” Erin says.

“He does,” I say. “Did you speak to Demyan?”

She rolls her eyes and nods. “Yes, and that idiotic man sounded happier than he has since he got it into his head to cut out Ilya.”

“Men.” Isla grins. “You’ll be pleased to know Sasha and Maize and Poppy are playing… Poppy? Or Nadya?”

“Both,” Erin and I say at the same time.

Erin takes over. “Her real name’s Nadya, but Sasha named her Poppy.”

“So cute.” Isla sighs. “I can’t wait until the two girls have their new baby girl to play with.”

I sit up on the bed as I point to my clothes. Erin fetches them for me, and I start to pull them on. I’m so ready to go. I want to spend as little time here after I get my release papers as possible.

“I told you,” I say to Isla, “the baby’s just dividing cells right now. So we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. Are the kids at home alone?”

Isla laughs and pets Albert. “They’re with Olga, and I’m pretty sure Magda’s making pancakes.”

“Sasha just ate,” Erin mutters.

I look at her. “And you’re shocked?”

“No.”

“So what did the doctor actually say?” Isla asks.