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love you, Katie. I love you, Ian. My babies.”
    â€œI love you, Mom,” Tony said, understanding she thought he was Katie’s brother. “I love you,” he repeated, because he did.
    â€œWe’ll have a picnic in the park later, but … No, no, storm’s coming. It’s coming with it. Red lightning, burns and bleeds. Run!” She shoved herself up. “Run!”
    Angie dissolved into a violent coughing fit that sprayed sputum and phlegm on the curtain.
    â€œTake her out!” Rachel ordered, pressing the button for the nurse.
    â€œNo! Mom!”
    Over her protests, Tony dragged Katie from the room.
    â€œI’m sorry. I’m so sorry, but you have to let them try to help her. Come on.” His hands shook as he helped her take off the gown. “We’re supposed to take all this off here, remember?”
    He pulled off her gloves, his own, disposed of them as the nurse rushed into the room to assist.
    â€œYou have to sit down, Katie.”
    â€œWhat’s wrong with her, Tony? She was talking crazy.”
    â€œIt must be the fever.” He steered her—he felt her shaking against him—back to the chairs. “They’ll get the fever down.”
    â€œMy father’s dead. He’s dead, and I can’t think about him. I have to think about her. But—”
    â€œThat’s right.” He kept his arm around her, drew her head to hisshoulder, stroked her curly brown hair. “We have to think about her. Ian’s going to be here as soon as he can. He may even be on his way. He’s going to need us, too, especially if Abby and the kids can’t come with him, if he couldn’t find enough seats on a flight back.”
    Just talk, Tony thought, just talk and keep Katie’s mind off whatever just happened inside that horrible plastic curtain. “Remember, he texted back he’d managed to book a hopper to Dublin, and got a direct from there. Remember? And he’s working on getting Abby and the kids on a flight out of London as soon as he can.”
    â€œShe thought you were Ian. She loves you, Tony.”
    â€œI know that. It’s okay. I know that.”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    â€œAw, come on, Katie.”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry. I’m having contractions.”
    â€œWait, what? How many?”
    â€œI don’t know. I don’t know, but I’m having them. And I feel…”
    When she swayed in the chair, he gathered her up. He stood—holding his wife and their babies, feeling the world fall apart under him—and called for help.
    They admitted her and, after a tense hour, the contractions stopped. The ordeal following the nightmare, and the conclusion of hospital bed rest and observation, left them both exhausted.
    â€œWe’ll make a list of what you want, from home, and I’ll run and get it. I’ll stay right here tonight.”
    â€œI can’t think straight.” Though her eyes felt gritty, Katie couldn’t close them.
    He took her hand, covered it with kisses. “I’ll wing it. And you have to do what the doctor said. You have to rest.”
    â€œI know, but … Tony, can you just go check? Can you go see how Mom’s doing? I don’t think I can rest until I know.”
    â€œOkay, but no getting up and boogying around the room while I’m gone.”
    She worked up a wan smile. “Solemn oath.”
    He rose, leaned over, kissed her belly. “And you guys stay put. Kids.” He rolled his eyes at Katie. “Always in a hurry.”
    When he stepped out, he just leaned against the door, struggled against the gnawing need to break down. Katie was the tough one, he thought, the strong one. But now he had to be. So he would.
    He made his way through the special care section—the place was a maze—found the doors to the waiting area, check-in, elevators. Tony suspected Katie would have to stay long enough for him to