Free Homecoming Day by Holly Jacobs Page A

to do this by myself.”
    â€œNo, you don’t.” He reached for her hand.
    She pulled her hand away. “You don’t understand.”
    â€œSo explain it to me.”
    â€œMy water broke and you want to do an in-depth psychological assessment of me?” She no longer sounded panicked or as if she were going to cry.
    â€œLaura, I’m not going anywhere except with you to the hospital, so like I said, you might as well explain it to me. I want to help.”
    â€œBut we’ve both learned that what you want isn’t always what you get. Now, if you don’t mind…”
    Seth wasn’t biting. “I do mind.”
    â€œYou’re a pain in my butt, Keller.” There was no heat in her accusation.
    Despite the fact he was scared to death that he was arguing with a woman in labor, he managed a halfhearted chuckle. “You are definitely not the first person to tell me that. I had three sisters who never used to put it that politely. And my brothers were even more graphic and free with their descriptions.”
    â€œYou’re not going to go until I tell you something.”
    â€œNot only something, the truth.” What he didn’t say was that he wasn’t going anywhere even after she explained herself.
    â€œFine. How’s this for the truth? I was supposed to say, ‘Honey, my water broke,’ and have Jay run around the house like a madman because he was so nervous, even though he was trying to be tough-guy cop cool. He’d speed trying to get me to the hospital and I’d laugh and say one of his buddies was going to ticket him if he didn’t slow down. And when I was in labor, in the middle of a bad contraction, I’d look at him and he’d be suffering for me, and I’d know how it hurt him to think I was in pain, so I’d try to be stoic for his sake.”
    She definitely was crying. Seth grabbed a napkin and handed it to her.
    Laura wiped her eyes and continued. “And when I gave birth, he’d hold our baby first and he’d have tears in his eyes, knowing that the two of us brought this tiny being into this world because of our love.”
    She wiped her eyes again. “Don’t you see, Seth? I’ve had this baby with him in my dreams and fantasies a thousand times since we found out I was pregnant. Even after he died, I couldn’t stop imaging how it should be.Even though it won’t happen that way. And the truth is—the utter truth of it is—if I can’t have that, I don’t want anything or anyone else there with me because there is no substitute. I’ll be raising this baby on my own, and that seems ever so much harder than giving birth on my own.”
    Seth wanted to reach out and hold her more than he’d ever wanted to do anything, but he knew she wouldn’t allow it. That she couldn’t allow it. She needed to feel in control. She needed to feel confident that she could do this on her own. And he, more than most, could understand.
    So he simply said, “Let’s compromise. You go change and get your stuff, and let me drive you.”
    She tried to look disgruntled, but the napkin she was using to blot her eyes ruined the effect. “That’s not a compromise.” She sniffed. “That’s you getting your own way.”
    â€œLike I said, three sisters. I learned at an early age how to cope with girls.”
    â€œI—” He thought she was going to tell him no, or yell about his use of the word girl, but she simply shook her head in exasperation, much like his sisters used to, and said grudgingly, “Fine. You can drive me, but then you have to go.”
    He didn’t agree, and didn’t disagree. He shooed her toward her room. “Change.”
    Laura muttered her way down the hall. She gave up on muttering and was silent on the ride to the hospital.
    Seth tried to think of something to say, but kept drawing a blank. Eventually, he hit