Oops. Shouldn’t have brought up the M-word.

Steve stood nearby, ears perked. He meowed, clearly concerned.

“I know.” She gave him an exasperated look. “I’m trying.”

A quick check of the time told Bea they still had about fifty minutes to go. Her throat constricted, but she swallowed hard and steeled herself. She would not cry. She. Would. Not. Cry. The last thing anyone needed right now was more tears.

Hunter’s wail raised itself an octave, and she winced. “Hot coffee.”

Her back and shoulders ached from holding him. She eyed the couch. If he was going to cry whether she was holding him or not, she might as well put him down for a minute. Just to stretch.

She laid him on the couch and raised her arms over her head. Ooh, that felt good. She twisted her torso back and forth. How did Amber do it? She pulled her phone out to check the time. Thirty-eight more minutes. She saw a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye, followed by a soft thud. Her heart stopped beating.

Hunter.

A piercing scream rent the air. Bea dove for the baby. He was on the floor. What had she been thinking setting him on the couch? She’d only been two steps away from him, but he had rolled onto the carpet.

“Are you okay, buddy?” Every muscle tensed as she scooped him up and examined him. “Are you hurt?”

She should’ve never agreed to watch him. Should’ve never turned her back. What kind of babysitter was she?

Oh, God, let him be okay. Let him be okay. Oh, Lord. Oh, God.

His face was red. Giant tears rolled down his cheeks. The screaming continued. She couldn’t see any visible injuries, but how would she know if he was okay or not? Tears formed in her eyes, as well. This time she didn’t fight them. Let them come. She was going to be a horrible mother just as she’d long suspected.

“Yoo-hoo. Bea?”

She knelt on the floor, rocking Hunter as he cried. Should she take him to the doctor? How was she going to explain this to Amber?

“Bea. My goodness.”

Bea looked up. Marge stood in the hallway, hand on her chest. Where had she come from?

“I knocked, but no one answered.” Marge took a step closer. “Then when I heard screaming . . .”

“He f-fell off the c-couch.” Bea’s chest heaved. Never in her life had she been so happy to see her neighbor. “I only looked away for t-two seconds.”

“Oh, honey.” Marge scurried over and joined her on the floor. She gently pulled Hunter from Bea’s arms and kissed him on the forehead. “Who do we have here?”

Bea sniffled. “H-Hunter.”