The Runaway Groom

"Of course," Irene replied. "There's Mrs. Watson too."

Her mother Sheryl Harris had babysat a lot over the years, so Irene sent her on a trip around the world.

Sheryl had been working hard for so long that it was time for her to enjoy herself.

Naturally, Isaac arranged for tour guides for her, though it would be more precise to call them bodyguards. As they were multilingual, they could both keep Sheryl safe and plan her trip.

She basically had nothing to worry about aside from enjoying herself.

"I'm always getting sleepy lately," Erin said.

"That's normal in pregnancy," Irene replied.

"Did the same happen to you when you had Tommy and Baby?"

Irene thought about it. "Not so much, though I did get morning sickness."

Erin rested her chin on her hand. "Why do pregnancies last for ten months? It's so taxing, and I was so shocked when I read about the potential risks pregnancies pose to the mothers' health. And there are stretch marks that look like cracks... Do you have those?"

Irene shook her head. "A little."

There was a difference between women who had children and those who did not. Moreover, Irene did not go through any special regimes and relied entirely on natural recovery. Still, she was a doctor and more or less healed well since she knew what to watch out for.

"There's nothing to worry about either," she assured Erin. "Stretch marks vary according to the person, and some people have them while others don't."

to play, Erin sat beside Irene, leaning in to ask adorably into

actually bewildered. "Don't

Erin smiled.

was once again how she had been-bright and

better when they are in the company of good people, and James Cross' care helped her find her

crave strawberries," Erin suddenly

got up. "I'll

were out of season, and hefty prices came

it was no issue for them-Isaac was rich, and they had all the money they

the

rooms in the castle. Why don't James and

not

can be rowdy," Irene said as she passed

that doesn't

you

can move in

don't think I can do it..." That gave Erin pause, and she was actually a little scared considering there were two kids. Irene grinned.

now," Erin said as

else would you like? I'll have someone bring it

head. "This is

blissful, she leaned on Irene. "You're

and tousled