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“That is very upsetting, but again, he was probably concerned because you gasped and you aren’t supposed to be bending and lifting. You have an appointment Wednesday, right?”
“Yes, the doctor will see if I’m dilating at all. If there is a God, then I will be and we can have the babies and start getting back to normal.”
“Well, I hate to tell you this, but you may not see normal for quite some time. Babies change lives, Sally. You, Mason, and Steven are bringing two lives into this world and having two men to help you is going to be wonderful. They’re good men. They’re strong and loving and they will make wonderful fathers.”
“I know they will and I love them. I should make up with Mason. He was only showing concern. What a
bout me? Do you think I’ll make a good mommy?”
“Oh, most definitely. And the babies will have lots of aunts and uncles to spoil them, too. Our family is expanding, Sally,” Ava said. Then they both smiled just as Mason eased his way into the room.
“Here, honey, I got you two more bottles of water. Where would you like them?” he asked. Sally looked at Ava, winked, then looked at Mason and curled her finger for him to move closer.
“Well, I’m going to get going. You take care, and I’ll stop by toward the end of the week. Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” Sally said. As Ava left the room, she saw Mason lean down closer to Sally and then heard Sally tell him, “I love you, Mason. Sorry for this morning.”
“I love you, too, Sally.”
Ava smiled as she headed down the hallway.
“Hey, Ava, how are you?”
“Good, Matt. How are you doing with the nursery?”
“Oh, it’s coming along. How is Sally?” He squinted his eyes as if he wasn’t certain what she might say. Ava laughed. Sally sure did have a temper on her in her present state of frustration. Apparently Matt knew what was happening around here, too.
“She’s doing great. She’s just a bit frustrated, that’s all. It’s tough lying around all day when you’re a person who is used to working all the time. I bet you wouldn’t be able to sit around all day for a month, every day.”
He nodded his head. “I never thought about it like that. The poor woman must be about to lose her mind.” Just then Mason came out smiling.
“Hey, is that a smile I see? How did that happen?” Matt asked.
Mason winked at Ava.
“This isn’t easy, Matt. You’ll see when Paula’s pregnant with your baby.” He turned toward Ava as Matt suddenly looked a bit shocked.
Mason smiled.
“Thanks for visiting with her, Ava. Whatever you talked about seemed to help.”
Ava smiled. “No problem. You take care of my girl and I’ll see you in a few days.”
They waved good-bye, and Ava left. From the stairs she could see the multiple teddy bears sitting on the floor. It was such an exciting time. Ava felt her belly tighten as the tears reached her eyes. She prayed that she would get some good news from the doctor about the mammogram she had gone for.
Chapter 1
It was Friday night and Dixie Chix was crowded. Cowboy Up was playing something fast, and the crowd of people were dancing and having a great time.
Ava Donaldson loved watching the couples on the dance floor, doing the two-step and adding their own fancy moves into the mix. Cowboys and cowgirls were decked out in Western skirts and cowboy shirts, and some couples had coordinating outfits.
Ava loved the whole setup of Dixie Chix and how the largest bar sat in the center of the dance hall and the dance floor wrapped around the outer area. There were high bar tables and a whole shelf surrounding the perimeter of the dance floor so people could stop and enjoy a drink or just watch the talented couples enjoying the music.
Glancing around, she recognized so many people from Delite as well as from Cellar County. She remembered when she hardly knew anyone at all and how in the past year she had made friends with many of the community members. She spotted Jeremiah and gave the man a wave as he seemed to spot her at the same time. He was a nice man. She had met him at Dr. Nickles’s office last week by coincidence, as he was volunteering with patients at the hospital. She swallowed hard. She really didn’t want to be thinking about the visit right now. Focusing on work all weekend would make the time pass and the appointment come soon enough.
Ava stood by the front entrance near G-Force and watched as people entered and no one exited. They were once again nearly at capacity, and Ava was trying to stay focused on her job. There really wasn’t anything more she could do right now. All the employees knew the routine, and the few new ones hired on to cover for Sally and Elise were cousins to Tye and Clifford, so they were able to show their cousins the ropes. Everything was great, but Ava felt on the verge of vomiting all night. Getting through the weekend was going to take some major strength. She feared what Monday morning might bring. She sighed as she stared around the room. She loved this place. She couldn’t believe how much the Dixie Chix had accomplished in the past year and a half. She loved the summertime. It was her favorite time of the year, and now she couldn’t help but wonder if it would be her last. She felt her throat clog up. She looked around making sure that no one was watching her. She couldn’t tell Susanna or the others what was going on. Everyone was so excited about Sally’s babies coming and then Elise’s baby. This was supposed to be a happy time and not one to bring sadness. She wouldn’t be part of bringing any sadness to the family. Maybe everything would be just fine? Maybe, the results of the mammogram would prove to be nothing at all. She couldn’t have breast cancer. She just couldn’t. Why would God do this to her? He took her husband and best friend, and he took her baby. Wasn’t that enough?
She wiped the tear that escaped her eye and straightened her shoulders. Her burden was her own now. Let the others enjoy life and this happy time. She could handle this alone.
