Free Rainey's Christmas Miracle by R. E. Bradshaw

Rainey’s Christmas Miracle
    Christmas Day, 2011
     
    Rainey Bell stood toe-to-toe with some of the nation’s most feared serial killers and several almost killed her. She was always armed, always prepared for the worst. Former FBI Special Agent Bell had faced death and come out the winner, but nothing in her law enforcement background had readied her for the task she was about to face. Rainey thought she would rather be alone in the woods with a madman stalking her, than have to do what was required of her today. At least she would have a fighting chance of coming out unscathed in a life or death situation. Rainey knew this was going to be like walking through a firing range with a target on her back. She was already covered in a thin layer of cold sweat as she sat motionless on the couch in the den, staring into space. The time was rapidly approaching when she would venture forward into the waiting disaster she knew this day would turn out to be.
    “Honey, could you please help me?” Katie Meyers, the extremely pregnant love of Rainey’s life, waddled into view.
    Rainey’s mood lightened at the site of Katie teetering down the two steps from the hall to the den. She was so big now she approached them sideways to keep her balance. Katie was holding one boot in her hand and wearing the other unzipped, the top of the boot dragging on the floor behind her. Rainey broke into a wide smile. It was true what they said about pregnant women; they glowed. Katie was radiant, although she seemed more tired lately. Carrying triplets for thirty-three weeks was beginning to take its toll. The doctor said they would look at a C-section delivery after the Christmas holiday. No way was Katie going full-term. Rainey’s life was about to take a drastic turn and she couldn’t have been happier.
    Katie half sat, half fell down on the couch with a loud sigh. The frustration was evident in her voice, when she said, “I can’t reach the zipper.”
    Rainey knelt in front of Katie, grinning up at her. “You sure you don’t want to wear something you can slip off? Your ankles are going to be swollen by this afternoon.”
    Katie was near tears, as she often was these days. “I’m not wearing bedroom slippers, if that’s what you’re suggesting. I’m big as a house and wearing a tent for a dress. At least I can wear nice shoes.”
    “Okay, okay,” Rainey said, calming Katie before she started crying again. “It’s a very pretty velvet tent and you look beautiful.”
    Katie glared at Rainey, her crystal blue eyes darkening. Rainey recognized the signs. She probably shouldn’t have referred to Katie’s dress as a tent. She tried to recover.
    “How about I zip you into these boots and we go open some Christmas presents? That’ll cheer you up.”
    Katie was not in the mood to be cheered. “If my sister makes one comment about my size, I’m going to belt her.”
    Rainey knew Katie was referring to Maria, her oldest sister, who invariably stuck her foot in her mouth at every family gathering. Maria should be on her toes today, because her baby sister was primed and ready for a fight. Rainey also knew it was best just to let Katie rant and stay out of it, because if she got involved they would turn their attention to her. Rainey preferred to fly under the radar when Katie’s sisters were in the room. The less they noticed her, the better.
    Katie continued her tirade. “And if she starts up again about in vitro fertilization and multiple births and how I should have expected this, I’m going to knock her out. Really, make sure I’m not near anything I could do real damage with. I’m not sure I could control myself if a frying pan was handy.”
    Rainey squeezed Katie’s calf into the boot, zipping slowly, careful not to catch her swollen skin and definitely not going to suggest Katie had grown too large to wear them. Her legs and ankles were already swelling, earlier than usual. Rainey would have to make sure Katie rested with her