Free Under the Same Sun (Stone Trilogy) by Mariam Kobras Page B

mouth turned down. “And I did. I drank champagne with him on the plane. He was quite cute. Fun.”
    “He’s a clown.” Jon put the phone back on the table and held out his hand. “I’ve changed my mind. It’s too late for coffee; let’s be reckless and go out for a drink. Come on. We’ll get Alan to drive us. I’m in the mood for a stroll along the Embankment.”

chapter 7
    “ H e bought you champagne?” Jon asked while they were waiting for the elevator. “He chatted you up in the plane and then offered you champagne? Everyone drinks champagne on a long flight. How unoriginal.”
    He really liked the dress she was wearing. It reminded him, in a way, of the evening gown they had bought for her when they had been in London more than a year ago, when he had asked her to marry him; and he smiled at the memory.
    “Maybe not for him.” Naomi shrugged. It was the same, small, disdainful movement of her shoulder that had made him wilt so often, and now, seeing it directed at another man, Jon felt a surge of elated pride.
    She was searching for something in her purse, not even looking at him, and had said it in an absentminded, negligent way, just as if now that they had talked about it, the entire thing didn’t matter anymore.
    “Now, if he’d gotten them to serve you fresh oysters with the bubbly, that would have been a feat.”
    This made her look at him in surprise. “But there were no oysters. I’ve never heard of oysters on a commercial flight. Do they do that? Really? I would have loved some!”
    Jon laughed. “Yeah, I can see how you would have loved that. Come on.”
    The elevator was opening for them, but just as he was about to usher her in, one of the room doors flew open. Russ stormed out, cell phone in hand, his eyes wide in panic.
    “The baby,” he stammered, “now. My baby. Now.”
    “Ah, there goes the drink,” Jon mumbled, his hand on Naomi’s back. “This sounds like an emergency.”

    S olveigh’s father had called to tell Russ they were taking her to the hospital. Her labor had started, and yes, they all knew it was a couple of weeks early, but what were they supposed to do? The baby was calling the shots, and it wanted to be born, now. And Russ had better move quickly if he wanted to be present for the birth.
“What do I do, what do I do?” Panicked, Russ was pacing the carpet while Naomi tried to calm him. She could see Jon and Sal at the other end of the hallway, consulting, signaling LaGasse to join them, and then Sal taking out his phone. Half the band was there by now, surrounding her and Russ, shouting encouragement, slapping his arms or shoulders, showing him that they were there for him.
    Naomi, in the center of it all, looked at the familiar, friendly faces around her and felt the love these people held for one another include her, wrap around her like the softest shawl. There was Art, his Irish accent broad and loud in excitement; Sean, his fine smile like the steady shine of a candle in a dark room; Jones, exuberant and loud as always; the others, a happy, cheering group, nearly as flustered as Russ himself.
    She wanted to kiss every one of them, tell them how much she loved them, right then and there.
    Jon came over, a wide smile on his face. “Okay, here’s the deal. A limo is waiting for you, Russ. The plane is ready at the airport, and it will take you straight to Halmar. We picked a small one that will be able to land at that tiny airport there. Get going! And good luck!”
    Confused, Russ looked from one to the other.
    “Go!” Jon pushed him forward. “Don’t dawdle! Your wife and baby are waiting for you! Don’t worry, we’ll take care of your stuff. Just go!”
    He turned to Naomi. “And you? Aren’t you going to go and be with your best friend? Get a jacket and go with Russ! LaGasse will accompany you!”
    “But Jon!” She didn’t know what to say.
    Tenderly he brushed her cheek with his fingers. “Solveigh would never forgive me if I didn’t let