Sydney found Maddie still at the clinic, where she was spending the night for observation, and leaned over the bed rail to hug her. She was surprised when Maddie held on tight.

“I’m going to kill him,” she whispered.

“Who?” Sydney asked.

“My husband.”

“Oh.”

Maddie finally released her just as Mac came into the room, his eyes crazy and his stride determined.

“I contacted the head of obstetrics at Women and Infants in Providence. She said we can come over in the morning, and she’ll see you at noon.”

“No,” Maddie said.

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “What’d you mean ‘no’?”

“Sydney, will you please tell my husband what the word ‘no’ means?”

“Um, I’d rather not get involved. I’ll just wait outside.”

Maddie’s hand clamped down on her arm. “If you leave, I’ll kill you after I kill him,” she said through gritted teeth.

Sydney suppressed a chuckle.

“Maddie, listen to me,” Mac said, clearly working at keeping his tone calm.

“I’m not leaving the island. I’m in perfectly good hands with Cal, and if you don’t quit telling me what to do and relax, I’m going to lose it. Do you hear me?”

“How can I relax when you almost went into labor three months early and won’t let me take you to a specialist to make sure everything is okay with you and the baby?”

“The stress of what happened today triggered the early labor, and avoiding stress will keep it from happening again. So if you don’t want more early labor, stop stressing me out!”

“Maddie—”

“Mac.”

They were so caught up in glowering at each other that Sydney thought she might have a chance at escaping, but when she tried to break free from Maddie’s grip, she just tightened her hold. Foiled.

“Fine,” Mac said through gritted teeth. “But don’t try to tell me—”

“Will you please go pick up Thomas from Tiffany’s? I need to see him.”

Hands on hips and a stubborn set to his jaw, he said, “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Syd will be here, won’t you?” Maddie asked, looking up at Sydney.

“Of course. I’ll stay until you get back.”

“If you’re sure,” Mac said.

“Go!” Maddie said. “See your father and then go get your son.”

“You’re reminding me of the day I met you,” Mac said.

Something about the way he said that told Sydney he wasn’t complimenting his wife.

Maddie’s eyes narrowed. “Ditto.”

He moved to the other side of the bed and bent to give her a lingering kiss.

Feeling like she was intruding, Sydney looked away.

“We’ll talk more about this when I get back.”

“No, we won’t. Subject closed. Now go get our son.”

Mac shook his head in frustration and stalked from the room.