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"Wonderful" Linc couldn’t have wished for anythingplace She’s on the phone now if you’d like to chat"

Linc grinned, following Mack to the office, his brothers on his heels

This was finally working out They’d get Mary Jo hoed before Christ at Grace and her fao on to the Christmas Eve service, just like you planned"

"Are you positive?" Grace see her behind

Mary Jo had bowed to their entreaties and been their guest for a truly wonderful dinner, but she had no intention of i

"I am" There was no reason for them to stay home because of her, either This crazy adventure of hers was over; she’d admitted defeat Her brothers were on their way and she’d be back in Seattle in a couple of hours

"I’d like toet here while we’re at church"

"You will meet them," Mary Jo promised "Sometime after Christly attached to both Grace Harding and Cliff Her two daughters, her daughter-in-law, their husbands and the grandchildren had made Mary Jo feel like part of the family They’d welcomed her without question, opened their hearts and their hoiven her a place to sleep, a e, Mary Jo knew that kind of unconditional friendship wasn’t the norm This was a special family and she planned to keep in touch with theht his car around, Grace lingered

"You have our phone number?" she asked as they stood by the front door

"Oh, yes Cell numbers, too" Mary Jo patted her pants pocket Grace had carefully written out all the numbers for her

"You’ll call us soon"

Mary Jo nodded Grace was like theAnd now that she was beco a mother herself, she valued her memory even more profoundly It was Grace who’d re hershe wanted to be to her own child Even though her baby wasn’t born yet, she felt blessed Because of her pregnancy she’d ht her A new e that she could rise to the occasion, that she had the strength to cope This brand-new friendship And, of course, the baby to coet here, there are plenty of leftovers," Grace was saying "Tell theht the car closer to the house and got out to open the passenger door Still Grace lingered

"Don’t hesitate to phone if you need anything, understand?"

"I won’t--and thank you" Wearing her coat like a cloak, Mary Jo walked outside with her into the softly falling snow

"Wait in the house," Grace said

"I’ll be fine in the aparted and Grace slid into the car seat next to her husband Maryellen, Kelly and Lisa, with their families, had already left for the church

Grace lowered the"Thank you for being so patient with Tyler," she said, giving her an apologetic look

Mary Jo smiled, completely enchanted with the six-year-old who’d received a drued to pound away on it incessantly

"He’s a talented little boy" In fact, she loved all of Grace and Cliff’s grandchildren

"Now go inside before you get cold," Grace scolded

But Mary Jo reht Then, pulling her coat ly around her, she strolled toward the barn Several of the participants in the live Nativity scene were inside a corral attached to the barn and she went there first

"Hello there, donkey," she said "Merry Christ to hi range Mary Jo stroked his velvety nose, then walked back inside the barn

"Hello, everyone"

At the sound of her voice, Funny Face stuck her head over the stall door

"Hi there," Mary Jo greeted the mare "I understand you’re very special to Cliff," she said Funny Face nickered loudly in response

Apparently curious as to as causing all the commotion, the camel poked her head out, too "Sorry, Camel," Mary Jo called, "but your reputation has preceded you and I’ you a chance to bitewith the other horses, Mary Jo washed her hands at a sink in the barn and headed up the stairs to the apartain She pressed one hand against it and continued cli with the other

When she reached the apart her coat as she felt a powerful tightening across her stomach

Was this labor?

She suspected itshe’d heard and read stated that contractions began gradually What she’d just experienced was intense and had lasted several long, painful seconds Another contraction caht away

Mary Jo checked her watch this time Three minutes later there was a third contraction of equal severity

Only three minutes

At the class she’d attended, she’d heard that it wasn’t uncommon for labor pains to start at fifteen-minute intervals Perhaps hers had started earlier and she hadn’t noticed That didn’t seeh How could she be in labor and not know it?

The next pain caught her unawares and she grabbed her stoot my attention," she announced to the empty roo on the best course of action Her brothers were due any moment If she told them she was in labor the second they arrived, they’d panic One thing Mary Jo knew: she did not want her three brothers delivering this baby