A Place to Rest Part 11

"Help me up, Sawyer," she said groggily.

Sawyer glanced at the nearby crowd of patrons and guessed her sister was embarra.s.sed to be there. But she hesitated to move her until help arrived.

"Be still for a minute. The paramedics are on the way."

"I don't need paramedics, just help to my offi ce."

"Erica, you just pa.s.sed out in the middle of the dining room.

You need to go to the hospital."

"I'll be fi ne."

"d.a.m.n it, Erica," Sawyer burst out.

Brady knelt next to Erica, then met her eyes and touched her stomach. Sawyer watched, astonished, as the look in Erica's eyes changed and the rest of the room seemed to fade away, herself included. "You need to go to the hospital," he said calmly. The bond they'd shared since birth tethered them. His words inspired a trust that Sawyer's never would. She was quite used to feeling excluded, having been in this position her entire life, but she still felt the sting.

Erica nodded, and then the paramedics carted in equipment and began to push their way in. Sawyer and Brady stepped aside.

"Go to the hospital, I'll handle things here," she said without looking at him.

"You can go."

"She needs you more than she needs me."

He took her elbow. "She doesn't-"

"Brady, just go." She jerked her arm away. "Chuck can handle the rest of dinner."

"Okay." He relented. "Come to the hospital when you're done. She'll want to see you."

"Yeah," she murmured as she headed for the kitchen with Jori behind her. Chuck was keeping an eye on a bearnaise that Brady had abandoned, and the other cooks continued to fi ll orders.

"How's she doing?"

"The paramedics are with her now." Jori was standing just inside the door, the rest of the staff trickling in as well.

* 95 *

"Okay, guys, here's how we'll handle this. Wendy," she addressed the s.h.i.+ft manager, "you and the servers keep doing what you do. If you need anything, let me know." She felt a pang in her chest at the concern in Jori's eyes but ignored it, needing to stick to business. "Jori, how are you set for dessert?"

"I'm in good shape. I just have to plate as the orders come in."

"Good. Help Chuck with dinner. And if I can do anything at all for the two of you, yell. I'm not up to your standards but I take direction well, so just make sure it's a simple task."

As the staff dispersed, Sawyer paused to whisper a prayer for Erica and the baby, then got to work.

* 96 *

CHAPTER NINE.

Sawyer headed for the nurses' station, but before she could ask for Erica's room number, she spotted Paige.

"Sawyer, I'm so glad you're here. You need to go talk some sense into your sister."

"Me? She doesn't listen to me." Her pride still stung from the moment at the restaurant. Paige drew her to the side of the hallway. "What's going on?"

"Her doctor says she needs complete bed rest. But she says she won't leave Brady with all the work for the next month."

"We can't make her-"

"Sawyer Drake," Paige said, her green eyes fl as.h.i.+ng. She was using her mommy voice, and Sawyer was surprised she didn't throw in her middle name. Then Paige's expression softened.

"She could lose the baby."

Sawyer remembered the day Erica had told her she was pregnant. She'd been scared and wasn't even sure she wanted to keep it. They'd talked extensively about her options, and for a time she thought Erica would decide on adoption. But over the months something had changed. Erica had blossomed in her pregnancy and glowed with love for her unborn child. Sawyer couldn't let anything happen to her fi rst niece.

"What do we need to do?"

* 97 *

"She can't go back to work until after she has the baby."

Which means I'll be back at Drake's. "Should someone stay with her?"

"It might be better if she spent the month in our guest room.

She'd have to deal with the stairs at her place. And I'm home all day with the boys, so if she needs something I'll be there."

"Okay. I'll take care of it," she a.s.sured Paige. "Did Brady call Mom and Dad?"

"Yes. Erica insisted he tell them they didn't need to come right now."

"I agree. It sounds like she'll be okay, if she'll follow instructions."

"Knowing Erica, that's a big if."

Sawyer had to agree. "Where's her room?"

Erica had been admitted and was staying overnight so they could monitor the baby. She lay in bed partially reclined, fatigue etched on her pale face. Lines snaked from beneath the sheet and ran to a machine that Sawyer guessed monitored the baby's heartbeat. Brady sat in a chair next to her bed.

"Hey, sis." He stood and offered her the chair.

When he started to drag another chair over, Paige said, "Brady, I'm going to the cafeteria for some coffee. Would you come with me?"

"Sure." He touched Erica's hand and met Sawyer's eyes.

"We'll be back in a bit."

"How are you feeling?" Sawyer asked after they were alone.

"I'll be better when I can get out of here and back home."

"Yeah, about that-"

"The doctor said I could leave tomorrow."

Sawyer hesitated, knowing Erica wouldn't like her suggestion. "He also said you needed bed rest."

Erica dismissed her words with a wave. "Sure, I'll take it easy. But I've got a business to run."

* 98 *

"I'll take care of things at the restaurant. You just do as the doctor ordered."

"But you don't know the fi rst thing about-"

"I've worked there for a month. Brady and I'll manage. If we need help, you can advise us from your bed. Also, Paige and I discussed it and decided you should stay with them."

"I haven't lost the ability to make my own decisions, you know."

Sawyer went on as if she hadn't heard Erica. "Paige and the boys will be home all summer so you won't be alone."

"But-"

"No arguments, Erica." She was beginning to see why her mother favored not letting her children fi nish a sentence. It was quite effective. And an idea occurred to her that might solve more than one problem. "The traffi c has been making me crazy, so I'll stay at your place. I'll be close to the restaurant and won't have to drive to work."

In the waiting room, Jori watched Daniel and Quintin fl ip through a children's book. She'd told Paige she would wait with the boys while she and Brady went downstairs.

She had overheard Paige tell Brady that Sawyer was coming back to Drake's. Though she knew it probably wasn't what Sawyer wanted, she was glad. If Sawyer had refused to help her family under these circ.u.mstances, Jori would have considered her actions unredeemable.

After Brady had left to follow the ambulance to the hospital, Sawyer had automatically taken charge. She had directed the staff and pitched in wherever needed to keep things running smoothly.

Jori had been helping Chuck get the last of the entrees ready when several dessert orders had come in. Sawyer had covered her slacks and b.u.t.ton-down s.h.i.+rt with an ap.r.o.n and, while Jori * 99 *

directed her from nearby, had plated and garnished servings of caramel pie and double-fudge cake.

"Aunt Sawyer," Daniel called as Sawyer entered the waiting room. He rushed over to her and Quintin followed.

Sawyer knelt and draped an arm around each of their necks.

"Hey, boys."

"Is Aunt Erica sick?" Quintin asked.

"A little bit, pal. But she's going to be just fi ne. In fact, she'll be staying with you guys for a while." Sawyer glanced at Jori, but her expression was unreadable. "Thanks for watching them.

Guys, you remember Jori, don't you? She works with your dad and Aunt Erica." She ruffl ed Quintin's red curls.

"Do you make supper, too?" Quintin asked, clearly not satisfi ed with her explanation.

"Better." Jori leaned closer as if she was about to tell him a secret. "I make the dessert."

"Cool."

"Do you make hot-fudge sundaes? They're my favorite."

Daniel bounced on the b.a.l.l.s of his feet.

"I don't make them in the restaurant. But I do make them every once in a while for very special kids."

"We're special."

"Yeah, we are."

Jori smiled at them. "So I've heard."

Paige and Brady returned minutes later, carrying cups of coffee.

"Did you get her to agree?" Paige asked.

"After some discussion, yes."

"Good. Tomorrow after we pick her up here, Brady and I'll help her get some things from her apartment."

"I'm going to stay at her place while she's with you."

"Why?"

"Matt and Davis need some s.p.a.ce. This way they can have it, and I can be closer to work."

* 100 *

"Admit it, sis," Brady teased. "You've always been jealous that she got the loft."

"I have not."

"Don't pay any attention to him, Sawyer. He's just trying to rile you." Paige took the role of peacekeeper.