Maternal Harbor Read Free Page A

hip even more.  In fact, she felt stark naked without it.  She also felt broad and pregnant.  She cursed.  Paunchy or wide-hipped officers were a blemish on the department.  For eighteen years, she worked hard in the gym to keep her five-foot, nine-inch frame sharp.  Mere pregnancy wouldn’t be allowed to change it.  During the first trimester she’d added tortuous cross-country miles, but even with that, her body spread.  A light workout at the gym before heading to the cleaners sounded better than pruning the marigolds along the back fence.  A frown tightened between her eyes.  The blossoms were too tall again; one reached all the way up to the fourth slat.
    Erica rubbed her forehead.  What’s the hurry?  You have all day; that’s plenty of time to do both.
    A tremor fluttered below her right rib, and she placed her hand over it.  “Are you awake, Derek?”  She pressed her palm against the bulge of the baby and waited for an answering thump, but none came.  “Derek,” she repeated, enjoying the strong sound of the D and the K.  After spending hours with a stupid name book, she’d thrown it away.  Only Derek worked.  There was none better.
    She patted her tummy.  “It’s okay.  You sleep now.”
    Erica pulled from the curb, liking her new Blazer almost as much as her squad car.  It prowled the blacktop with solid power.  Yesterday, she bought it off the show room floor, before realizing what she’d done; the salesman might have pressured her, or her mood simply needed something new.  She had planned to show it to Teagan, Pai and Doretta at the clinic, but was glad they hadn’t recognized her.  Some things should be kept private; at least until Derek and the boys needed a ride to ball games.  She chuckled at thinking of the unborn babies as boys, teammates, and buddies.
    Erica noticed Teagan’s illegally parked pickup and considered giving her a ticket.  “Erica, why would you do that?” she scolded herself.  “Just once in your life relax.”
    But it was just like Teagan to push the rules.  And the cleaners better do a good job.
                               
                  After Pai disappeared down the hall, Teagan stayed rooted in the maroon office chair, wondering how her friend could suddenly be in so much pain.  Labor wasn't supposed to start like that.  What if sudden labor hit her?  For the first time, Teagan realized the dangers of living alone.  How could John do this?  Risk his baby?  His unexpected, hurtful words, when she’d told him, still riled her with helpless frustration at his unexplained selfishness.  He was self-absorbed, but she had overlooked it until the day she told him about the pregnancy.
    “ Damn, Teagan, how could you do this to me?”  He appeared so indignant, like he suffered great betrayal at her hands.
    Hiding the unbelievable hurt at his reaction, Teagan said evenly, “I seem to recall your presence.”  He couldn’t possibly think she was punishing him with a baby.
    “You’re on the pill.   How can you be pregnant?”
    “ Is it so awful?” she shot back.  “You’ve always said you wanted children.”  The word children broke and trembled.
    “ That was an abstract in the very distant future.”
    Anger burned in Teagan’s chest as his rejection slammed into her, hard and quick, spreading in all directions.  “Did you lie about getting married too?”
    John flushed.  “Okay, the doctor bills are mine, but I can’t be involved.  I’ll leave tomorrow.”  He took her hand, looking at her with seductive eyes, willing her to give in.  “One more night is all I ask.”
    “ Get out!”
    “ You know, I can’t be worried about a baby and travel too.  And I am not changing jobs.”
    “ Just leave.”  Teagan motioned toward the door.
    “ You’ll miss us twisting the sheets.”
    Teagan tried not to throw his clothes from the drawers, but took unadulterated joy in dumping his stuff