Another Dawn Read Online Free Page B

hospital.
    “It’s always good to have an extra set of hands when working with babies.” She looked toward Dylan. “Or two. He’s so cute with them, and I can’t believe how much he has grown.”
    “Yeah, way too much, if you ask me. It’s amazing how fast it goes by. You keep that in mind and enjoy this time while it’s here.”
    “Believe me, I am. I am.” Her voice, its cherubic sweetness, was intensified. “She’s such a gift, I’m not going to take one single minute for granted.” Jana and Rob had spent years and thousands of dollars, and more heartbreak than most people could bear, in an effort to become parents.
    I looked at Hannah’s tiny fingers, her chubby little cheeks, and love welled up in me with the same intensity I felt toward my own son. “I’m so glad to finally see my beautiful niece in person.”
    “I wish you could have come sooner.” Was there an inflection of accusation in her tone? She had asked me to come after Hannah was born and “help her figure this baby stuff out.” Jana had always been so self-assured, I’d never really considered that she might have been serious. Until now. I began to wonder just how many times I’d let her down over the last few years.
    “I . . . wish I could have, too.”
    Jana put Kelsey into a bouncy seat and began to twirl a butterfly on the bar in front of her. “So how’re things going with you and Dad?”
    I looked at my sister’s too-innocent face. The usual wavy strands of blond hair had escaped from her ponytail and danced around her eyes as if they, too, were enjoying the joke.
    “Here, I’ll do it for her, Aunt Jana.” Dylan dove into position and began to simultaneously bounce Kelsey and twirl the toys on the rack. Kelsey cackled and Dylan worked all the harder.
    “How do you think it’s going?” I asked, trying to keep my voice low enough that Dylan wouldn’t hear too much, but not so low as to make him think there was a secret and maybe he should pay attention.
    He did glance my way for just a second before turning back to his charge. “Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy,” he singsonged as Kelsey cooed.
    I leaned closer to Jana and whispered, “If he tells me my son needs a haircut one more time, I swear I’ll . . .” Truth was, I didn’t know what I’d do. Probably nothing, as usual.
    She looked toward the door, the dark circles beneath her eyes not quite concealed under her makeup. “I wish Steve could have come with you. He and Rob get along so well.”
    “Yes, they do.” I swallowed hard and pointed at my empty left finger. “Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the two of us.”
    “Oh, Gracie.” Jana put her hand to her throat. “I can’t believe I didn’t notice that.”
    I couldn’t believe it, either. The words Jana and details were practically synonymous. The poor thing really was exhausted. “You’ve got a lot on your mind.”
    “Yes I do, but still . . .”
    I shrugged. “You’ve never seen me wearing it, so it wouldn’t seem that strange to you that it is missing, I suppose.”
    She was shaking her head as if trying to return things back to their proper order. She reached over and took my hand then. “I am sorry. I had no idea. I wouldn’t have called and gone off on—”
    I squeezed her hand. “I’m glad you did. We need to talk through some things during this visit. I’m just glad you told my oblivious self that there was a problem.”
    “Obviously, I fall into that oblivious category, too, although I’d never realized just how much so until this very moment. What happened? When did it happen?” Her voice had picked up a bit of its usual perk now. She was Jana the mender, ready to tackle my problems. It was good to see a bit of the old spark.
    Knowing that she would pry the answers out of me eventually, it was likely better to go ahead and get it done with. I had finally told Dylan about the breakup, but I hadn’t shared details. At this point he was occupied with Kelsey, so it