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.

“The doctors are treating her for the flu and dehydration.” She says, “apparently it’s not unusual for the sickness to come on so fast, but they want to

goodness,” I breathe, looking around for the first

stand on either side of Paisley’s bed, causing her attention to bounce back and forth between them like a ping pong ball. “What was

so they could talk to auntie Linda, but the nurse they had babysitting

we

Ryder.” His brother introduces

bed shares

You already met our

looks like me?!” Paisley

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

mean it?!” Paisley

confidently. “We can bring her by to say hi when she feels better. Why’re

should.” Paisley explains softly. “Does this mean you know

nod vigorously, “And you know our Daddy! Riley told us she met him

right now. Mommy

wonders aloud, “Does that mean Mommy and Daddy will

sorting through her memory.

say she’d come home, she just said she couldn’t be my Mommy.” All three pups exchange

decides. “I wanna be a

Parkey and

suggests. “We

“But how?” Paisley asks.

think 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 and Daddy are both

a genius!” Ryder exclaims, “But

her floor. “Maybe if you spill someting on the