“I mean that in the best possible way.” He cradled my cheeks and kissed my forehead. “Ye are going to be an amazing mother to these big, strapping lads.”
“It’s the big and strapping I’m worried about.” I gestured up and down his torso. “Look at you? How am I supposed to give birth to all of that…times two?” I started to cry, terrified of giving birth. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to be pregnant with your Sasquatch cubs.” I was blubbering. “No, wait, I don’t want to give them back. Maybe you can have them for me. You’re a legend, after all.”
He shook his head, and what I could see of his eyes through my tears grew tender. “All of this didn’t happen overnight,” he said gently, gesturing to his torso. “Me mammy is no bigger than ye, and she did just fine. I get me size from me da’s side of the family. Just look at Uncle Liam.”
That only made me cry harder.
Matt looked at me with a helpless expression, at a loss for words for once.
“Get used to it.” Dr. Joy patted his massive arm. “This is only the beginning. Just wait until the last trimester.”
“Ah, Chapters Eighteen through Twenty.” He shuddered.
“And now you passed me in the book.” I sniffled. “You’re the super parent. I’m the screwup. I can’t even make lunch.”
“Tiffany, look at me.” Dr. Joy waited until I complied.
Was there ever any doubt?
I felt like I was in the principal’s office…not Brimstone’s. I would have rolled my eyes, but I didn’t dare. Instead, I focused on Dr. Joy and listened intently to what she had to say, hoping she would restore my useless brain.
Pregnancy brain was real, and it was scary as hell because my thoughts were definitely not my own. They belonged to a mad woman who clearly needed help…if she could even remember to go to her appointment.
“Women have given birth for centuries.” She patted my hand. “Our bodies are designed for exactly that. To reproduce. It’s nature’s way. Freedom of choice allows us to decide whether we want to have children or not, but our bodies are ready either way.”
“My body’s not ready.” I shook my head hard. “I worked hard for that body. It’s meant for other things. Not childbirth. Definitely not childbirth. What if it fails me? I can’t fail at another thing in this town. Grammy was not a failure.”
A brief expression crossed the doctor’s face, but it was gone before I could analyze it. “You are not your Grammy, Tiffany.” She held up her hand before I could speak. “I’m not saying that’s good or bad. I’m simply saying you need to stop trying to be your grandmother, and just be yourself. I, for one, think your self is pretty impressive.”
And that was as close to a compliment anyone would ever get from Dr. Joy.
“You’re right. I can do this.” I inhaled a deep breath.
“Exactly. You’re a woman. You can do anything. In fact, one woman in the United States alone gave birth to octuplets in California not that long ago. If she could do it, then you can definitely give birth to two babies.”
“Eight babies at one time?” I looked at her in horror.
“I was just using that as an example of what is possible in nature.”
“Bad example, Doc.” I could feel the blood drain from my face. “They’re probably like one or two pounds each. I’m going to have two babies who will probably weigh eleven pounds each. Maybe more. I mean, look at their father. What was I thinking?”
“Clearly, neither of us were, love,” Matt pointed out logically.
“Not helping, Sasquatch!” I wailed.
Dr. Joy raised a brow at me, then looked at Matt, and then shrugged. “Good luck with this one.”
Just then Fire Chief Wendy Monroe walked in, glanced at all of our faces, and said, “Am I interrupting something? Because I can come back.”
“No!” we all yelled.
“Perfect timing, Chief.” Dr. Joy grabbed her chart and stood. “I’m finished here. She’s all yours.” I heard her whisper, “Meet you at the pub later? You might need a drink by the time you’re done.”
The fire chief gave her a knowing look and nodded.
“What—” I started.
“Am I doing here?” The fire chief took the seat next to my bed on the other side of Matt. “Good question.” She looked at Matt and then back to me. “Is this something you wish to discuss around other people? It pertains to your business and home.”
“Former home,” Matt clarified.
“I rented my apartment to my office manager, but it’s still my place. My business as well,” I said. “And yes, you can say whatever you need to in front of Matt. He knows all about my ex.”
Matt frowned. “Yer ex?” I saw a muscle in his jaw flex. “What does he have to do with the accident at yer spa?”
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all.
“Oh, that was no accident,” Chief Monroe said.
“How do you mean?” I refused to meet Matt’s eyes because I was afraid of what I would see.
“Someone knew exactly where your security cameras were, and they disabled them. Made it look like a mechanical malfunction, but our experts could tell it was deliberately tampered with.”
Bud was a former construction worker and a damn good mechanic.
“How was the fire started?” I asked.
“It was an electrical fire,” the chief said. “This building is old, so the wiring is often faulty. The culprit knew that. A space heater was plugged in. It was only a matter of time before it ignited. Did you use a space heater recently?”
