“I gathered that.” I shake my head at Winnie. “When are you returning?”
“Not for a week. We just got here. Honey, you should really tell people when you’re stopping by.”
“Starting to understand that. Okay, well . . . I guess we’ll figure something out.”
“Talk to Marybeth at the corner store. She’ll be able to house you.”
“I’m not going to talk to Marybeth, but thanks.”
“She’ll probably give you homemade cookies.”
“Thanks, Mom, love you.” I hang up and lean against the house. “They’re in freaking Scottsdale. God, Winnie, I’m so sorry.”
“That’s okay.” She looks off to the side. “You know, we can find a hotel for tonight and then fly back together tomorrow. At least we’ll have one night together.”
“That works. God, I’m so embarrassed.”
“Don’t be. It was fun flying on a whim and getting out of the house as far away from Katherine as I could get. And we can order in tonight, chow down, talk. Might be good for both of us.”
“Yeah,” I say sadly as I move my way down the stairs with my luggage. “I’m craving some tacos. What about—” My bag wheel gets stuck on my way down, and I trip over it and careen down to the ground. Thankfully, I’m able to roll to my side, so when I land, it isn’t directly on my belly.
“Oh, my God,” Winnie shrieks as she comes to my side and places her hand on my shoulder. “Penny, are you okay?”
“I . . . I think so,” I say, groaning as I place my hand on my pretty prominent stomach. I take a few deep breaths. “Just . . . wow, I feel dizzy all of a sudden.”
“Don’t move, okay?” Winnie says, pulling her phone out.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling 911. What does it look like?”
“Winnie, I don’t need an ambulance. Just give me a second.”
“No way, I’m not chancing anything. You just fell down the stairs. As a pregnant woman, we’re calling an ambulance.”
“It was two stairs.”
“Which is more than enough.” As she speaks to an operator, I feel myself succumb to the dizziness. I’m not sure if it’s the sun beating down on me or the cool sidewalk, or the fall . . . but before I know it, my eyes are closed, and I’m drifting off to sleep.
“Is she in here?” I hear a deep male voice ask.
“Sir, she’s sleeping right now. Can I ask who you are?”
“Eli,” he says. “Can you tell me anything that happened?”
“Are you her husband, boyfriend?”
“Uh . . . what? No . . . I mean, I’m the baby’s dad.”
“Ah, okay. Well, unfortunately, I can’t tell you anything, but you’re welcome to sit next to her until she wakes up.”
“Thank you.”
There’s a soft click of a door, and then I feel a warm presence come closer, only to sit on the edge of the bed. My hand is covered in his.
My eyes slowly flutter open, and Eli’s handsome face comes into view. “Jesus,” he says right before pressing his forehead against mine. “Penny, are you okay?”
It takes me a second to figure out what’s going on. I’m in a hospital bed. Eli is sitting next to me, and beeping machines fill the silence. I look down at my stomach, and that’s when I catch Winnie sitting in the corner, legs drawn into her chest, looking scared.
“Winnie,” I say, holding my hand out.
She’s quick to her feet and takes my hand. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“What’s going on?” I ask her, ignoring Eli for the moment.
“You fell down the stairs at your parents’ house, remember? You passed out, and I called an ambulance. I told Eli because I felt like he needed to know. From what I’ve heard, the baby is fine.” She points at the monitor. “That’s the heartbeat.”
More tears fill my eyes as I stare at the monitor and see the line bounce up and down. My hand caresses my stomach as I glance down at it. “I’m so sorry,” I say to our baby boy. “I’m so sorry I was careless.”
“It was an accident,” Winnie says. “And you actually twisted so you didn’t land on your stomach. You did good, Mama.”
I let the tears slide down my cheeks. Glancing at Eli, I say, “How did you get here?”
“Private jet,” he answers and brings my hand to his lips. “Penny, are you okay?”