Part 33 (2/2)

”The last thing I want is to get into another bed.”

”Come on in and sit then, and Uncle Johnno will fix you a nice cup.”

”Beautiful.”

”I'll go up and put the baby down.” Brian grinned at the way P.M.

stood back and gawked. ”He doesn't bite, old man. He doesn't have

teeth.”

P.M. grinned and stuffed his hands in his pockets. ”Just don't ask me

to touch him for a while.”

”Entertain Bev. She really had a rough go of it. We've got a nurse

coming in this afternoon, but I don't want her doing anything strenuous

in the meantime.”

”That I can handle.” He wandered back toward the parlor.

”We'll put the baby to sleep,” Emma announced and kept one hand on the

edge of the blanket. ”I can show you how.”

They started up the stairs with Emma leading the way.

The nursery had been finished with frilly white curtains and rainbows

painted on the pale blue walls. The ba.s.sinet had a skirt of snowy Irish

lace dotted with satin ribbons of pink and blue. An old-fas.h.i.+oned pram

stood in the corner guarded by a six-foot teddy bear. An antique rocker

waited by the window.

Emma stood beside the ba.s.sinet as her father laid Darren down. Once the

little cap was removed, she reached in to carefully stroke his downy

black hair.

”Will he wake up soon?”

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