Clare brushed a tear from her cheek and read several entries about the girls’ activities that summer. Jill had babysat for a neighborhood family, and Kate had gone to sleepaway camp for the first time. They went to the beach a lot, and Jamie took them out on the sailboat he owned with Jack.

August 19

Jill is sweet sixteen today, and it’s her first birthday without her mom. She was weepy during the day but enjoyed the party we had for her after dinner. The nurses who care for Clare have become part of the family, and Jill invited them to have cake with us.

Enough, Clare thought as she closed the book and wiped her tears. That’s enough for today.

Chapter 2

Jack brought Maggie in for a visit, and she burst into the room, chatting a mile a minute while her father hung back.

Clare hugged Maggie and waved him in as her heart hammered. How long will it take for that to stop? Tall with thick dark hair and gray eyes, he looked exhausted but happy. In fact he looked terrific, but then he always did. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” he said. “How are you?”

Before Clare could answer, Maggie picked up the stream of chatter again in an obvious attempt to offset the awkwardness between her parents. She had gotten tall over the summer, and her sleek dark hair—so much like her father’s—hung down her back. “You’re not going to believe who showed her face at the beach today.” Maggie rolled her blue eyes as her parents looked on in amusement.

“Who?” Clare asked.

“Hailey Harper. Ugh, we’re all so over her. After what she pulled in school last year…” Maggie shook her head with disgust.

“Maggie, be nice,” Jack said.

“Whatever. She’s the one with the problem. Hey, can I get ice cream?” Her eyes lit up, and Hailey was forgotten.

“Sure.” Jack took a ten-dollar bill from his wallet. “Get Mom some, too.”

“Rocky road?” Maggie asked Clare.

“But of course,” Clare said with a smile. “Thanks.”

“Whew,” Jack said as Maggie flew from the room, headed for the hospital cafeteria. He came in to sit with Clare. “She’s a whirling dervish these days.”

“She always was.” Clare noticed his new platinum wedding ring and wondered what he’d done with the gold one she’d given him. “Some kind of excitement for you this week. Everyone’s doing well?”

“Yes, but I haven’t slept in four days,” he said with the wry grin that was all Jack. It had never failed to stop her heart. “The one-two punch is something else. It’s nonstop.”

“I can only imagine.” Clare forced herself to be cheerful. “And Andi? She’s well?”

“She’s tired and sore, but she’s doing fine, considering she’s had no sleep and seems to be feeding one baby or the other around the clock.”

“Hell of a honeymoon, huh?” Clare joked.