CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

 

 

 

Like Texas sunsets, their honeymoon might’ve been short – but it was spectacular.

After celebrating with their friends, Benjen took his love in his arms, and carried her to his bed.

“This seems like a dream, doesn’t it?” she whispered as he undressed her with the utmost care.

“What can I do to make it real for you?” he asked before placing her gently in the middle of his big sleigh bed.

“Oh, this is real. You’ve made all my dreams reality.”

Lying back on his bed, looking like a wet dream, she watched him hungrily as he shed his clothes. “I want you to repeat what you said in our vows.”

“Which part?” he asked, never taking his eyes off her. Watching the rise and fall of her lush breasts, his heart thundered in his chest like a herd of stampeding buffalo. Coming to the bed, he laid down beside her, trying to figure out what she was asking.

Apple licked her lips. “The worship part.”

Benjen’s eyes flared. “Oh, my favorite. You mean this?” He rose over Apple, capturing her hands to hold above her head. His body loomed large over hers, his erection massive between them. “With my body, I thee worship.”

The way he said the words, the meaning behind them – Apple shivered with delicious anticipation. “Yea, say it again.”

Benjen chuckled. “You remind me of that scene in the lion king. Mufasa!”

Apple giggled so hard, she almost dislodged him from atop her. “Are you calling me a hyena?”

“Never.” He loved how comfortable she seemed playing with him. “I have so much fun with you.”

“Yea, we’re about to have more fun.” She lifted her face to join their lips. “Now, say it again.”

Benjen’s eyes darkened with passion. “With my body, I thee worship.” After whispering the sensual words, he brought them to life. Moving down her body, Benjen took great care to kiss every precious inch of her. Beginning at her feet, he let his lips and tongue linger over the delicate curve of her ankle. Lifting her leg, he left a trail of hot kisses up the smooth skin of her calf. As she writhed in pleasure and anticipation, he placed an open-mouth caress on the pearl of her clit, then another in the valley between her breasts. By the time his lips joined hers again, she was clinging to him and moaning, her body vibrating with white hot electric need.

A rush of heated desire coiled tightly in her body. The sensitive nub of nerves he’d kissed between her legs pulsed with aching need. Apple shifted, rubbing her legs together, endeavoring to give herself a modicum of relief. “This is amazing. I feel like I’m on fire.”

Benjen pressed his face to the curve of her neck as she sprinkled kisses all over his shoulder and face. “Married sex is the best sex.”

Apple giggled. “You just like having sex with me.” Thank God.

“Gets better every fuckin’ time,” he groaned as she lifted her hips, letting him know exactly what she wanted. “Easy, baby, you’re tempting me to end this much too quick. I want to make your wedding night good for you.”

“It’s already good.” She nipped his earlobe. “I can’t wait too much longer. Don’t make me cum without you.”

Her sweet threat spurred him on. With a growl of pure lust, his mouth crashed to hers, his tongue thrusting past her lips, his kiss wild and hungry. Apple whimpered as his fingers feathered along her side, stroking over the dip in her waist, and dancing over the swell of her hip.

His sweet caresses caused her to melt—soften. When she spread her legs wide, he moaned at the invitation, nipping at her tongue. The sound of his need set her blood on fire as he trailed a tender touch up her thigh. The longer they kissed, the more ravenous he became, eating at her lips, claiming her with deep drugging kisses.

But his touch. God, his touch was gentle. Almost reverent.

“With my body, I thee worship,” he whispered again, causing Apple to close her eyes in ecstasy. With expertise beyond his experience, he brought her to the heights of pleasure, his lips on her breast, drawing her nipple between his lips and sucking until she was shaking. “Benjen,” she keened as he cupped her mound, sliding between the tender petals until she could feel her own wetness coating his finger.

“I love how you want me,” he ground out the words, his own desperation apparent in every word.

“So much. Please don’t stop,” she begged as she lifted her hips in supplication, whimpering in gratitude when he answered her plea by pushing a finger inside her pussy. Her sheathe tightened around it in immediate response.

“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he muttered as he plunged his finger repeatedly into her creamy heat. “I love you so much. I bless the day you walked into my life.”

With her nails digging deep, she gripped his shoulder, her face pressed against his chest. “Love you,” was the only answer she could manage, the pleasure was just too great. When he slid a second finger in with the first, using his thumb to swirl around her clitoris, she bucked beneath him.

“Easy, baby, I’m not through.”

Apple did her best to obey, and when she did, he rewarded her by bringing his head to her breast and tonguing her nipple while he continued the erotic strokes both in and out of her body. When the bliss became too much, Apple surrendered, arching her body as an intense orgasm raced through her. Benjen cradled her while she came, his own desire mounting to overwhelming proportions. “See what you do to me.” Taking her hand, he moved it down his body until she could grasp his cock.

“I love how you feel.” She caressed his manhood as she stared up into his perfect face. His hair was longer now. As far as she knew, he hadn’t cut it since the day they met. “There’s no part of your body I don’t worship. From those sapphire blue eyes to that sexy tight ass I love to look at. But this part of you…” Holding him, she could feel his urgency. As her fingers grasped the thick stalk of his cock, his body trembled in her arms. Wrapping her hand as far around the thick shaft as she could, she rubbed him up and down, squeezing, watching him react with controlled desperation, loving how he moaned at her touch. “This part of you brings me untold pleasure.” Kissing him on the chest, she locked her gaze to his. “Make love to me, husband.”

Benjen took a few deep breaths, fighting for clarity and control. He wanted her so damn much, he was afraid he’d combust the moment he slid into paradise. “This is our wedding night. It has to be perfect.” His wife deserved every consideration. Slow. Thorough. But what he ached to do was drive into her and pound until he could find sweet relief.

Apple moved her hands up to frame his face. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to be you.”

“Fuck, baby, I love you.” Sitting back, he took his cock in hand, spread her wide, and watched, mesmerized, as he stroked the sensitive head through her wetness.

Apple trembled when the tip nudged her clitoris. “Now!” she cried, canting her hips in desperation. “Please, Benjen!”

Locking his eyes to hers, he relished her reaction as he placed the head of his cock to her opening and pushed. His chest swelled as Apple shut her eyes and keened with pleasure. Benjen pushed farther, working his way in, moaning when his cock was fully seated.

Apple could feel her muscles tingle and burn as they sought to accommodate his size. “Oh, this is good. So good.”

As always, Benjen was overwhelmed with ecstasy as her warmth enveloped him. The viselike snugness of her clenching muscles was so perfect he had to muster every bit of control he had to keep from coming right then and there.

Seeing him in such turmoil, Apple stroked his arm. “It’s okay. Go fast. Cum for me. I want it as much as you do.”

A wave of tenderness swept over him at her consideration. Pulling out, he gently worked himself back in, rewarding her generosity with butterfly kisses all over her face and neck as he buried the full length of his shaft into her pussy again and again. “Being with you is fuckin’ awesome, I just want you to know.”

“Fuckin’ awesome?” She giggled. “You’re so eloquent.”

“No blood in brain,” he growled as he worked through the urgency to begin thrusting in and out – faster and faster – his balls making a slapping sound as they made contact with her perfect ass.

Once he adjusted to the bliss, he set a tantalizing rhythm, closing his eyes to concentrate on pleasing the one he loved. “You’re it for me, baby. The center of my world.”

“You make me so happy,” she whispered, tightening around him.

He threw his head back and bellowed, “God, what you do to me!”

She loved pleasing him. Placing her arms around his neck, she kissed him at the base of his throat, while he shuddered in her arms. “Want me to do it again?”

“Please.”

Apple did as he asked, clamping down tight while he moved in and out of her. Needing more, he eased to his knees, bending her legs up so he could go deeper, his eyes taking in every inch of her beautiful body. Her breasts were magnificent, the nipples luscious, puffy, and pink. Even though she didn’t think so, there was no part of her he didn’t find perfect. “I’ll love you every day of my life.”

“Forever?”

She milked his cock again and he knew their time had come. “Forever.” Knowing he could last no longer, Benjen pinned her hands over her head and drove in deep, pounding into her body until the friction made him lose his mind. As he took her, Apple lifted her hips to meet every thrust. When she was nearing her release, he knew it. Her pussy began to flutter around him as he pumped inside of her – over and over. The euphoric expression on her face and the sweet sounds she made would be with him for the rest of his days. He’d never forget the way she trembled, how frissons of excitement bloomed on her skin. She was the most beautiful woman in the whole world to him.

Beyond the pleasure he was experiencing as he loved her, there was everything else – excitement, happiness, a hope for the future. All of these emotions coalesced together in one great burst of ecstasy and Benjen flew apart. With one final deep thrust into her creamy heat, he exploded, his entire body growing rigid as he jetted his seed into her body. “Oh, my love,” he chanted. “I worship you.”

Apple held him to her, basking in the perfection of the moment. “We’re going to be happy, aren’t we?”

“Absolutely.” Knowing what she needed, he eased down on top of her, letting her feel a small portion of his weight. Resting on his forearms, he kissed his wife tenderly, wanting to prolong their amazing connection for just a little longer. “I’ll do everything in my power to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

She believed him.

“Beegee! Apple!”

Instead of disturbing them, Apple and Benjen looked into one another’s eyes and smiled. Someone was awake.

“I’ll go,” Benjen said as he rose to grab a pair of lounge pants. “You rest.”

Hurrying to Nita’s room, he found Sara standing over the crib, trying to coax the child to lay back down. Seeing Benjen enter, she apologized. “Sorry. We didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“Beegee!” Nita stood on the bed and held her arms out. “Bad. Bad. Dweam.”

“Aww, come here, munchkin.” He picked her up and kissed her on the cheek. “You can go lay back down, Sara. Thanks for everything.” He kissed his sister-in-law on the cheek too.

As Sara trundled gratefully back to bed, Nita touched Benjen’s cheek. “Will you sweep wif me.” She pointed to her bed. “It’s big nuff.”

Benjen eyed the single bed. “I’m not sure it is. How about you sleep with me and Apple tonight?”

Her eyes widened with excitement as he carried her from the room.

In bed, Apple lay staring at the ceiling, grinning from ear to ear. She was so happy. Benjen Blackhawk was her soulmate. If Nita could get well and her baby be okay, the world would be a perfect place.

“Hey, we’ve got company.”

Apple glanced at the door just in time to see her new husband coming into their room with Nita in his arms. “Oh, my goodness.” She grabbed a gown and slipped it over her head. “Get in this bed, little one.” She pulled the covers down and moved to one side to make room. As they all cuddled down together, the adults facing one another over the head of the child, Apple sighed in contentment. “Best honeymoon ever.”

 

* * *

 

 “I wish last night could’ve lasted forever.” Apple held Nita close as they waited to see Dr. Dolman.

Benjen put his arm around her shoulders. “I know. Me too.” He knew she wasn’t just talking about their wedding night, she meant the contentment and peace they’d felt together. Today, they would face whatever truth awaited them – but they would face it as a family. “Have faith.” He tugged at a lock of her hair.

“Do I haf to get stuck agin?”

“No, baby. He’s just going to run some tests, but no sticking.” Apple hoped she was telling the truth. “This doctor is going to help you feel all better.”

“Nita, we’re ready for you.”

The nurses voice caused them to jerk their heads around. Nita tensed in Apple’s arms and she kissed the top of her head to calm her. “We’re right here. We’re not leaving you.”

They stood and Benjen placed his hand in the small of her back, guiding her as they followed the nurse down a long hallway and into an examining room.

“If you’ll put this gown on her, we’ll begin the tests Dr. Dolman ordered.”

Apple’s hands shook as she undressed the little girl, her heart aching to see how tiny she still was. “We’ve got to fatten you up.”

Nita giggled. “Okay.”

Her happy, trusting voice made Apple’s heart ache. For the next hour, she clung to Benjen’s hand as their little charge was subjected to one test after another.

After what seemed like an eternity, the ordeal was over and they sat in front of the doctor’s desk to hear the verdict. Nita wasn’t with them. One of the nurses had led her off with the promise of a cookie.

“Well…” Dr. Dolman leaned back in his chair, the expression on his face unreadable. “We all knew Nita’s situation was serious. Like we suspected, she needs a bone marrow transplant sooner rather than later.”

“Okay.” Benjen leaned forward. “We’ll find a match in the register.”

The doctor dry-scrubbed his face and brought his feet to the ground. “It’s not like the old days, things don’t take as long as they used to. We’ve already been through the registers and there is no perfect match.”

Apple gasped. “What will we do?”

The doctor held up a broad, callused hand. “We don’t give up. We’ll look harder. Let me explain something to you. What we look for is HLA markers, Human Leukocyte Antigen. It’s a protein found on most cells in the body. Our immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which don’t. The more markers, the better. However, I’ve been working with a new method which allows the use of less markers. Instead of twelve, I can work with six.” At their confused expressions, he sighed. “Well, sum it up to say that the game isn’t over yet. Alivia promised me she’d turn over every stone to find a good match.”

“What are our odds, Doctor?” Benjen dreaded asking the question.

Dr. Dolman shook his head. “I’m not putting a number on it. We may have to use some unorthodox methods – go door to door.” Seeing Apple’s eyes widen, he chuckled. “I’m exaggerating…but not by much. What’s tragic is how few people register to be a donor. Every year thousands of people don’t find a match. If those who need a transplant don’t have a relative who can donate, they’re at the mercy of strangers who are generous enough to give of themselves.”

“I feel so helpless,” Apple admitted.

“I understand. If you’re a praying person, this would be a good time to start. But God helps those who helps themselves. There are so few folks of her ethnicity in the register. If there’s any way you can find out if there’s someone back in Honduras who’s related to her – even remotely – that’s the kind of miracle we’re looking for.”

Benjen nodded. “We have someone looking now.”

This was news to Apple. “We do?”

“Yea, Zane is making sure there’s no one in her family who would fight the adoption.”

“Good. You’re thinking about adopting her.” Dr. Dolman observed. “That’s wonderful.”

Dr. Dolman stood. “Okay. Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m sending her home with some Droxia and some pain meds – just in case she has another crisis. Keep a close watch on her. I’ll get with Alivia and have her branch out the search. If worse comes to worse, we’ll put out a notice on the television, radio, and social media to ask for anyone who might be compatible.”

“Thanks, Dr. Dolman.” Benjen shook his hand. “You’ll be in touch?”

“I will. At the first hint of a match, we’ll get Nita started on her low dose chemo. Just keep your ears open. My best advice is to go home and have a good time together as a family. This will all work out, you’ll see.”

 

* * *

 

On the way back to the Rock House, they stopped at Apple’s house to pack some more of her things. “What will we do with this place?”

“Oh…I don’t know,” Benjen said mysteriously. “We don’t have to decide anything right away. Let’s give it some time.”

“Time.” She threw a few more items in the suitcase. “I feel like we’re running out of time.”

“Hey.” He caught Apple to him, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Nita was still playing with a ball of yarn in the living room. “Stop it. Dr. Dolman will find a match. You need to keep a positive outlook.”

“Can I have dis?” Nita ran in to the room waving the yarn over her head, a long string trailing behind her.

“Yes. You can,” Apple told her, turning away so the child wouldn’t see her tears.

“I’ll have to teach you how to knit. We can make some hats for little babies. Keep their tiny heads warm.”

Nita’s eyes grew wide and bright. “Si. Yes. Si!”

“That settles that.” He picked her up. “Ready?”

“Yea.” Apple shut the case. “Let’s go home.”

On the way, Benjen could tell his wife was subdued. He knew she was worried about Nita. “Have you thought of a name for the baby?”

She turned her head to look at him, slow to answer as if collecting her thoughts. “No. Not yet. I suppose after we know what the sex is, we’ll have to start thinking.”

“Let’s look at some baby name sights on the internet tonight. It’ll be fun.”

“Yea.” She smiled. “Let’s do that.”

“It’s a date.” He took her hand. “Do you want me to cook on the grill tonight? How does steak sound.”

She blinked her eyes a couple of times, obviously deep in thought. “Good. Sounds good.”

“Do you feel okay?”

“Oh, yea. I feel fine.”

Pulling into the driveway at the Rock House, Benjen saw they were alone. “I guess Easy’s taken off for Louisiana. Daniel and Sara have returned home. Poor Sam is out tending the stock. Tomorrow, I’m going to have to get back to work. He can’t handle everything by himself.”

“Yea, you need to.” She got Nita from her car seat. “We’ll be fine. I’m going to take care of everything.”

Benjen frowned a bit. Apple sounded funny. He grabbed her suitcase from the back seat and followed her inside. She went straight to Nita’s room and laid her down. “She’s worn out. I bet we’ll have to wake her up for supper.”

“Maybe.” He stepped into their room and placed the case on the bed. “Is something wrong?”

Apple didn’t say anything at first, she just stared at the floor. Finally, she spoke softly, “I think I should be the one who gives Nita her bone marrow transplant.”

“What? No!” Benjen’s reaction was emphatic and instantaneous.

“Yes, I am,” Apple’s response was calm and even. “I was a match for Alan’s kidney transplant. I gave him bone marrow when he needed it. I’ll be a match for Nita also. She’s his child.”

“Alan!” He spat the name out. “Fuck, Alan!”

Apple blanched. “You don’t want me to help Nita because you hate Alan!”

“Nonsense. Why would you think you’d be a match anyway? Dr. Dolman didn’t say it had anything to do with blood type. You have to have HLA markers in common.”

“I have to try.”

“No! I’m putting my foot down.” Benjen sliced his hand through the air. “I don’t want you to do this. You’re in no condition for extra stress and strain. Do you want to endanger our baby?”

This suggestion seemed to make her angry. “Of course not. But, Nita…”

“No buts.” He folded his arms over his chest. “End of discussion.”

“You’re so bull-headed!” She fumed.

“We were just married yesterday!”

“So?” She raised her chin. “We were married yesterday and we’re having our first fight today!”

“I’m not fighting. I’m being reasonable!”

“Ha! You are not! I have a solution and you don’t agree.”

He raised a hand, raising one finger for every point. “You’re pregnant. You have Asherman’s. And you have one kidney!”

She raised her hand and followed his lead. “I’m young. I’m strong. And I may be a match!”

“Doesn’t matter. The answer is no.”

“You can’t tell me no! You’re not the boss of me!”

“You wanna bet?”

“Oooooo!” Apple squealed in frustration and stomped her foot. “This is my body and I’ll do what I think is best!”

“Oh, really?” Benjen drew still and quiet. “What about those vows you took yesterday. You gave yourself to me. Doesn’t that count for anything?”

When she didn’t answer, he threw one hand up in the air and stalked out.

Apple stood still, listening. When he didn’t come back, she walked to the window. When she saw him stalking off toward the barn, she tapped the glass – but he was too far away to hear her. “Well, I guess you’ll make a habit of this, Blackhawk. Walking away when you’re mad.” She turned around and sat on the bed, wondering how things could’ve gotten out of hand so fast.

“Was I wrong?” She mulled the notion. “No, I’m not wrong. A mother takes care of her children.” Just saying the words out loud made her pregnancy more real. She placed a hand over her tummy. “I love you completely, baby. I love Nita too. I can do this. I’m strong. I may not be a match, but I can’t rest until I find out. I promise I’m not trying to hurt you.” Apple hung her head. “This is so hard.”

…Outside, Benjen rode hard. He gave Zeus free rein and they ran like the wind. His heart was hurting so bad, he thought he might die. What was Apple thinking? Why couldn’t she understand how much he loved her? What she was proposing was just too dangerous. Too risky. If anything happened to her or his baby…

Closing his eyes, he let the horse carry him where he willed.

God, he hated they fought.

A smiled played on his lips. “She was a little hellcat,” he said to himself as he rubbed his chest, trying to ease the twinge of pain. “She meant no harm to me or to our baby. Apple just went all mama bear over Nita.” Benjen shook his head. “Why should I be surprised? She goes all mama bear over a stray dog.”

When he’d calmed enough to think straight, he knew where he belonged.

Benjen turned Zeus around and headed home.

…Upstairs, Apple tucked Nita in. She’d fed her, bathed her, played a few games, and read a few books. Now, the tiny girl was sleepy eyed and ready for bed.

“Stay wif me till I fall sleep?”

“Sure.” She pushed her hair over the baby’s damp forehead and kissed her brow tenderly. “I’ll sit right here.”

“Sing to me.”

Apple frowned. “I don’t have much of a voice.”

“I can hear you.”

She grinned at Nita’s logic. “Oh, okay.” She thought a few seconds and then began to sing a lullaby her mother used to sing, Hush Little Baby, Don’t Say A Word. The song rambled through several verses depicting how far a mother would go to give her child what she needed.

Apple knew the feeling.

Once Nita was asleep, she sat for a few more minutes watching her chest rise and fall – wondering why little innocents were called upon to suffer.

“Hey.”

Looking up, she saw Benjen standing there looking grim.

“Hey.”

When he didn’t say anything else, Apple looked back down, certain he would walk away. What she didn’t expect was to be picked up and tossed over his shoulder. “Hey!”

“You’ve said that already.”

“Well, I’m saying it again! What are you doing?”

Benjen popped her on the butt. When she stiffened in his arms and began to wiggle, he popped her again. “Be still.”

“You put me down. If you think you’re going to get away with this just because you disagree with me – well, you’ve got another think coming!”

Pop!

Apple steeled herself not to moan. She couldn’t let him know she was sort of enjoying those spanks. “You walked away from me! Is this how it’s going to be? Every time we disagree are you going to leave? Do I have to worry that one day you won’t return?”

“Yea, sometimes I may walk away to cool down, to think, to…pout – whatever. But rest damned assure, little lady, I’m not going far and I will always, always come back to you.”

His words took her breath away, but she didn’t get time to respond. When he reached the bed, he unceremoniously plopped down and transferred her over his knee.

“Put me down!” she demanded.

“Nope!” He popped her again. And again.

And then she felt his face pressing against her back…and his body began to shake.

He was crying!

“Benjen?”

“God, I love you. What would I do if anything happened to you? Don’t you understand? You’re my world.”

Apple got to her feet and went to her knees in front of him, taking Benjen into her arms. “Hush.”

“You’re the air that I breathe, baby.”

She hugged him tight. “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

“Please. Just give this a chance to work out. Don’t think about endangering yourself.” He knew her being a match wasn’t a sure thing – but he couldn’t even bear thinking about her going through the ordeal and agony of a bone marrow transplant. “You’re so precious to me. So precious.”

Apple captured his hands and brought them to her lips for a kiss. “Okay. I won’t. Not now. Just promise me this one thing.”

“What?”

“In my eyes, you can do anything.” Deep inside, Apple knew she was being unreasonable. Still, she couldn’t help telling him how she felt. “I have faith in you, cowboy. Fix this. Please?”

“You know I’d turn the world upside down for you if I could.”

“I know.” She kissed him again.

…That night, after they’d made love. Benjen stared up at the ceiling. Her request weighed heavily on his mind. He felt so inadequate. So desperate. Benjen felt the urgent need to form a roadblock on the highway and stop everyone who went by to ask for help. Checking the clock, he saw it was after midnight. “Hell.” He rolled out of bed and padded over to his desk to turn on his laptop. Glancing back at Apple, he made sure she was asleep. To keep from waking her up, he angled the monitor screen away from her. Opening his email, he messaged Alivia Abbott.

I know you’re asleep, but I’m worried. We went to see Dr. Dolman today and he told us there was no ready match on the bone marrow donor’s register. He said not to give up, that you’d be looking every place you could look. I don’t know if this is possible, but I want to help. Apple’s got it in her head to be tested. She was a match with her ex-husband and gave him a kidney when they were children. She thinks she could be a match to help Nita. I’d be all for that – but she’s under too much stress now with the pregnancy. I don’t know if she told you, but she has Asherman’s Syndrome. Her doctors had told her years ago that she couldn’t get pregnant. This baby – our baby – is a miracle. I’m at the point where I’m ready to run screaming down the street for someone to help. Is there any way I can help? Anything I can do? Once I told her to lean on me, that she could depend on me. Tonight, she asked me to fix this. I’ve got to try, but I need for you to tell me how.

After he hit send, he stared at the screen. Almost absentmindedly, he began surfing the web, reading articles on Asherman’s syndrome. The stories about women who were going through a pregnancy while suffering with the condition were heart-wrenching. How had he lived this long and missed knowing about Asherman’s. One post drew his attention.

Hi. I just wanted to tell you all what’s going on. I’ll be 26 weeks pregnant tomorrow. When I discovered I was going to have a baby I was terrified. The doctors told me I probably wouldn’t be able to carry the baby to term, BUT I PROVED THEM WRONG! Since my last doctor’s visit, I’ve been released from high risk care. The last ultrasound I had revealed the baby had pushed the bands out of the way. Isn’t that neat? One band has dissolved and another is only about the thickness of a pencil, but it’s far enough away from the baby that it shouldn’t be a problem. My baby girl is developing normally and on schedule. My next ultrasound will be in four weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for us! They told me we couldn’t do this, but me and my girl are proving them wrong!”

After reading the article, he felt better. “Well, that gives me hope.”

He was just about to check out some articles on Sickle Cell when there was a small beep on the computer. “I have an email.”

Turning back to the right page, he saw it was from Alivia.

“I’m up too. Researching for our Nita. Why don’t you come over? Saxon and I are night owls. We can work together.

The offer made him smile.

“Great. Thank you. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Not wanting Apple to worry, he kissed her on the cheek to wake her up. “Love?” As she rolled over to look at him, his heart almost stopped when he saw how sleepy and snuggly she looked. Grabbing his clothes, he pulled them on.

“Where you going?”

“Over to Hutto to be with Alivia and Saxon while they look for a match for Nita. I need to do something.”

She pulled him down for a kiss. “Be careful.”

“Always. I’ll be back before you wake up, beautiful.”

“Okay.” She rolled back over and promptly went back to sleep.

As Benjen headed out, he looked in on Nita to make sure was resting. “See you later, angel.”