The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 19 The Pups Meet

Jane

When Linda calls me at work, telling me Riley has a fever of 103 degrees fahrenheit and they’re on the way to the hospital, I drop everything.

Worry consumes me completely. I was already dealing with the stress of coping with Paisley’s imminent surgery, I can’t bear to have another pup on the verge of death. It’s not as if my kids have never had high fevers before, but a mother’s mind never rests, and no matter how hard I try to stay calm, my protective instincts are thrown into instant overdrive.

I race to the hospital as fast as I can, literally running into the emergency ward and crashing head first into the very last person | wanted to see.

Ethan catches me just before our bodies collide, “Elise!” He murmurs urgently, taking my face in his hands “What’s wrong?”

Abruptly shaking off his touch, I gasp, “What are you doing here.” Of course I already know the answer to this question, but I have to keep up the act.

Ethan looks as if he’s already guessed this much, “My daughter is having surgery tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry.” I reply stiffly, “I hope she does well and has a fast recovery, but I really have to be going.” If I have to talk about Paisley for another moment I’ll begin to cry, and I’m still petrified for Riley

“Are you ill?” Ethan asks anxiously, looking me over in far too much

detail, turning me back and forth in his hands as if he’s expecting to find a bleeding gash somewhere on my form.

“I’m fine. Just visiting.” I explain, pushing him away for the second time. It doesn’t escape my notice that he keeps reaching towards my hair, and somehow I instinctively understand that he might be thinking of stealing a DNA sample to test my relationship to Paisley. I know how suspicious he is of my identity, and we may be divorced, but there is still a bond between us. I know how Ethan thinks, I understand how he does business.

Pulling away from him for the third time, a wave of pure relief washes over me when a nurse walks up behind him with a stack of papers in hand. “Alpha?” She says loudly, calling his attention.

When Ethan turns to face her, I dart away towards the room number Linda texted me on the drive over, careening into the room and finding my little girl sleeping peacefully on the bed. “What happened?” | inquire, not pausing to greet my friend.

of her bed, “The doctors are treating her for the flu and dehydration.” She says, “apparently it’s not unusual for the sickness to come on

looking around for the first time, “Where are

bed, causing her attention to bounce back and forth between them like a ping pong ball. “What was that all about?” The sleepy little girl

out so they could talk to auntie Linda, but the nurse they

so we came ‘sploring.”

His brother introduces himself,

Paisley.” The girl in the bed shares shyly, “You guys look

grins, “We should. You already met our sister,

looks like me?!” Paisley chirps

confirms, “we’re triplets, least we thought we were…

it?!” Paisley

by to say hi when she feels

explains softly. “Does this mean you know my

vigorously, “And you know our Daddy!

‘n’ seek.” Paisley confides, “Daddy’s it right now. Mommy told me she could only be my Mommy if she

mean?” Parker wonders aloud, “Does that mean Mommy and

Paisley shrugs, sorting through her memory.

just said she couldn’t be my Mommy.” All three pups exchange

want them to be together.” Ryder decides. “I wanna be a family.

Parkey and Paisley

make it happen.” Ryder suggests. “We can get

“But how?” Paisley asks.

through their options, all wearing the same pensive expression their mother gets when she’s faced with a difficult problem. Finally Parker raises his head. “Paisley, the nest time your Daddy comes to visit, call room 100.” He instructs, “That’ s Riley’s room. We just have to figure out when Mommy

genius!” Ryder exclaims, “But will

spill someting on the floor, then Mommy will slip and Daddy