“She sounds smug,” Mormor said after the directions told us to take a left. “Why do British people sound smug?”

“Why do Swedish people sound like that Muppet?” Mom asked.

“Excuse me! I will have you know—”

“STOP. TALKING!” Rarely did I raise my voice to the women in my family. Even less rare did they listen. In that minute? They stopped talking. They went stone silent, and the last five minutes of the car ride became so much more bearable, it wasn’t even funny.

Mom pulled Mormor’s SUV up to the double doors of the hospital. Mormor grabbed my bag and helped me hobble inside. I sat down while Mormor went to talk to the front desk. I was so focused on waiting for my next contraction I didn’t see Devi across the waiting room.

I heard her, though.

“SARA. YES. YOU’RE HERE. OKAY.”

I looked up. There she was, resplendent in forty-five layers of winter clothes and silver snow boots that looked more like moon boots than anything. Her father stood behind her in his black woolen coat and a ridiculous-looking hat with a fuzzy ball on top. Beside him was a police officer with a mustache holding a cup of coffee in his gloved hand.

“Dad called in a favor to get me here,” Devi said, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. “You don’t know exciting until you’re in a cruiser in a foot of snow going too fast to get to the hospital. That was better than a roller coaster. I think I’m going to puke.”

“Don’t puke on me, please. I am so...so glad you’re here,” I said, taking the fierce hug she offered and burying my face in her neck. She smelled like Devi always smelled—like flowers and soap and all things good. It was another comfort I hadn’t known I needed until I had it. “So, so glad.”

“Same, wifey. Same. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“You nearly did,” I said.

“Well, yeah. Okay, sure, but that’s on the blizzard not on me. How are you feeling?”

“Ehhhhh,” I said, warily watching the clock. I was due for another contraction. I dreaded it because the pain was amping up. I eyeballed the woman at the counter who was taking her sweet time addressing Mormor.

At least I knew Mormor wouldn’t allow the situation to continue long. Her fingers were already tapping on the countertop.