“Maybe I’d better wait out here.” Fred pointed to a room where several people sat watching a TV bolted high on a side wall. Below the TV was a large window with a closed Venetian blind.

“Well, come on speak to Debbie first.” Henry pointed to the waiting room. “I’ll bring David Anthony to the room next door as soon as Debbie’s held him and loved him some. They’ll open the blinds and you can see them weighing him and putting the drops in his eyes.”

I squeezed Fred’s hand. I had seen Haley bring the twins, Fay and May, out when they were born. But Fred had been out of town. He had no idea what a thrill he was in for.

Walking into the birthing room was like walking into a posh bed and breakfast run by Laura Ashley. Except for a few discreet monitors and beeping sounds and the fact that Debbie was squeezing on the neutercal and told Henry to go to hell, this could have been any romantic hideaway.

“Okay, sweetheart,” he said. “Your Aunt Pat and Uncle Fred are here. You want some more ice?”

“No. Hey, y’all.”

I went over and kissed her; Fred waved from the doorway.

“Where’s your mama?” I asked.

“Out in the hall or somewhere talking to that Virgil guy. I’m on the verge of having this baby and Henry’s out getting snacks and Mama’s sweet-talking some man.”

“I’m here, honey.” Henry smoothed her hair back from her forehead. “I won’t leave again.”

Tears oozed from the corners of Debbie’s eyes.

“I’m acting horrible, Aunt Pat. Did I act this bad when the girls were born?”

“Sure you did,” I assured her.

A woman dressed in a delicately flowered Laura Ashley granny dress brushed by Fred who was still standing by the door. She smiled at all of us, checked the monitors, said, “Doing fine. Love that stress ball,” and left.

Damn. A delivery theme park.

Debbie groaned and squeezed the neutercal.

“Honey,” Fred said, backing out of the room. “Your Aunt Pat and I are going to wait down the hall. Okay?”

“Okay. I’m really not hurting much, though. I just feel these urges.”

Urges? That was when Fred disappeared. I was about to follow him when Mary Alice walked in.

“Did you see those heavy Birkenstock sandals that nurse was wearing with that cute Laura Ashley dress? Ruined the whole effect. Hey, Mouse. I saw Fred skedadlling down the hall.”

“Hey. How’s Virgil?”

“Fine. He’s found out some stuff. I’ll tell you later.”

“Has he found Virginia?”

“Maybe.”

“I want some ice,” Debbie said.

In a few minutes I joined Fred in the waiting room where he was watching a basketball game on TV.

“Who’s playing?” I asked.

“I’m not sure. The ones in the blue are winning.”

I sat down beside him and took his hand.