Christmas in Texas by Rebecca Winters, Tina Leonard Read Free Book Online

wife thing, I guess.”
    “But you’re not worried about Daisy anymore now, are you?”
    “No.” Capri shook her head. “I think she moved on to Jack, just
like you said.”
    “I know,” Kelly said, “and it makes me want to pinch her head
off.”
    Capri smiled. “I remember that emotion.”
    “So, what are you going to do now? You’re not really going to
go through with the divorce, are you?”
    Capri could barely focus on her friend’s question. The pain was
getting worse; it was harder to hold back a groan.
    Something was different; she knew it. “Kelly,” she said,
forcing her voice above a whisper but having to push against the pain, “having
never experienced pregnancy I’m no expert, but I think these babies want to be
here in time for Christmas.”

Chapter Five
    Seagal figured he’d set a new record for speed by the
time he got to the hospital. He sprinted inside, leaving Jack at the curb to
park the cruiser.
    Capri looked pale, tired and in pain when he jogged into the
room the nurse led him to. “I thought I told you to stay still,” he said to his
wife, trying to make light of the situation to calm his heart, which was trying
to beat out of his chest.
    “I listened,” Capri said. “Funny how your children didn’t.
Maybe a case of like father, like babies.”
    He glanced at the doctor. “What’s happening?”
    Dr. Blankenship finished looking over the charts he held.
“You’re about to meet your children, Seagal.”
    Seagal’s gaze locked on his wife. He’d never wanted to hold her
and comfort her so badly. “This is it, lady. There’s no turning back now. We’re
going to be parents.”
    Capri gave him a very slight smile. He could tell she was
really hurting. “There was no turning back when I first met you, Seagal,” she
said, then groaned and closed her eyes.
    Nurses hustled Capri onto a gurney. He followed helplessly, not
sure what to do. His heart thundered. No one seemed to care whether he went in
to the big room that looked like an operating room, and then suddenly, a nurse
helped him into something she called a birth coach’s shirt. She showed him where
to wash and made him put sterile covers on his shoes.
    “Are you all right?” the elderly nurse asked him.
    He was pretty sure he’d know her if she’d take off her mask,
but at the moment his brain was short-circuiting. “I’m fine. Is she going to be
all right?”
    “Your wife is going to be fine.”
    The nurse left him, and Seagal hung at the back of the huge
room, watching everything. He didn’t want to get in the way of the medical
personnel; he felt so useless. Was he supposed to take pictures? He and Capri
hadn’t discussed his role.
    Someone nudged him over to Capri’s side, and told him to talk
to her in soothing tones.
    He wasn’t usually a soothing presence for Capri. But once upon
a time, he had known just the right words to say to her.
    “Hey, babe.”
    Capri’s eyes were huge in her face. He could hardly bear to see
her like this. Taking her hand in his, he said, “You’re the most beautiful woman
I’ve ever known.”
    She made little short puffing breaths, and then suddenly she
relaxed.
    “A local anesthetic,” the doctor explained.
    They were awfully busy under the green sheet. Capri had told
him he wasn’t to approach the sheet in any way, so he remained by her side,
letting her squeeze his fingers bloodless. He welcomed the pain; it wasn’t
nearly what she was going through.
    “Seagal,” Capri suddenly said, startling him.
    “Yes?” He leaned close to hear her.
    “Mrs. Penny called.”
    He blinked. “Can we talk to her later? I know she’s one of our
town’s revered grapevines, but—”
    Capri squeezed his fingers to shush him. She was so pale he
sent a worried glance the doctor’s way. Dr. Blankenship seemed busy with
whatever he was doing under the green sheet thing, so Seagal looked back at
Capri.
    “Okay,” he said, “was there something special on her mind?”
    “She