“That’s right,” Laura said. “I need you to feed my hotel guests.”

“I’m on it,” Steph said, “don’t worry. I’m just sorry we won’t be here when the twins are born.”

“We’ll send pictures,” Owen assured her. “I can’t wait to meet these two little people.”

“I can’t believe you guys aren’t finding out what you’re having,” Laura’s brother, Shane, said. “I’d be out of my mind with curiosity. Hell, I’m out of my mind with curiosity about your babies, let alone my own.”

“We can’t wait to know either,” Owen said, gazing at Laura, “but we want it to be a surprise.”

“Who knows what’s going on with Syd?” Abby asked. “They’ve been sticking close to home this week.”

“I heard she had a little scare with the baby,” Linda said, “but all is well.”

“Thank God,” Janey said to agreement from everyone else. “While we’re sharing news, I probably ought to let the rest of you know that Joseph has knocked me up again.”

Her announcement was met with dead silence.

“I know what you’re all thinking, and believe me, we’re thinking the same thing. We’ve got an appointment with a specialist in Providence after the holidays, and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure baby number two’s arrival is far less dramatic than his or her brother’s was.”

“Janey,” Grant said, his expression agonized, “are you sure about this?”

“No,” Joe said, answering for both of them, “we’re not sure of anything other than we’re going to hope for the very best and thoroughly prepare for every possible scenario. I’m going to see to it personally, Grant. You have my word on that.”

The brothers who so loved to razz their sister had gone silent at the thought of the kind of danger she’d faced when PJ was born.

“If I may,” Mallory said, and all eyes turned to her. “What happened to Janey when she had PJ is extremely rare. There’s no reason to believe she can’t have a perfectly normal pregnancy and delivery this time.”

“That’s very reassuring, Mallory,” Big Mac said to his daughter. “Thank you.”

“She’s right,” Katie Lawry said. Shane’s fiancée was also a nurse. “But you’re going to need to be very careful about doing anything too strenuous or lifting PJ in the last trimester.”

“If I have my way,” Joe said, “she’ll be on full bed rest by then.”

Janey’s expression told them what she thought of that.

“We’re going to be overrun with babies around here before long,” Frank said.

Abby got up and went into the kitchen. Adam went after her.

“Is she okay?” Kevin asked.