Baby, Come Back by Erica Spindler

don’t...let...”
    Her words trailed off as she saw Hayes for the first time. The blood drained from her already pale face. She shifted her gaze from Alice to Hayes and back, a look of shock crossing her features.
    Alice dragged a hand through her tangled hair, imagining how she must appear, but too worried about Sheri to really care. “Hayes came searching for Jeff. We were having a cup of— ”
    â€œJeff?” the girl squeaked, shifting her frightened gaze to Hayes. “Has something happened? Is something wrong— is he— ”
    â€œHe’s fine,” Hayes interrupted quietly, obviously hearing the note of hysteria in the girl’s voice and wanting to reassure her. “He left without telling me where he was going. I thought maybe he’d come here. That’s all.”
    Alice shot Hayes an appreciative glance as she led Sheri to a chair. Beneath her hand, Alice could feel the girl tremble. She eased her onto the seat, then met her eyes. “I’m going to call Dr. Bennett.”
    The teenager caught her hand. “You think something’s wrong, don’t you?”
    â€œOf course not.” Alice squeezed Sheri’s ice-cold fingers and forced a reassuring smile. “But we need to make sure. And you know Dr. Bennett. She’ll have our heads if we don’t call.”
    Sheri nodded miserably. “If you have to.”
    Alice called the doctor’s service, and within minutes, Sheri’s physician had returned her call. Alice quickly explained Sheri’s symptoms, and the physician told them she had better examine the girl.
    Heart thundering, Alice turned back to Sheri. She forced another calm smile. “Dr. Bennett thinks you should come in for an examination. She’s going to meet us at the hospital.”
    â€œHospital?” Sheri repeated, her chin wobbling, her eyes flooding with tears. “She thinks I’m...losing my baby, doesn’t she?”
    There was a chance. But how could she tell Sheri that? Alice took a deep breath. “It’s a precaution. She doesn’t want to take any chances, that’s all. I’ll get your robe and slippers— ”
    The phone rang, and Alice grabbed it, thinking it might be the doctor. It was Jeff; he’d returned home and found Hayes’s message. Alice filled the boy in on what was going on, then handed the receiver to Sheri. While the teenagers talked, Alice retrieved the robe and slippers, quickly threw on street clothes then grabbed an afghan to wrap around Sheri.
    She returned to the living room. Talking to Jeff had seemed to calm Sheri, and Alice said a silent thankyou. The calmer Sheri remained, the better. She knew that from experience.
    â€œI’ll go start the car,” Hayes said suddenly, stiffly.
    Alice turned to him. He stood as still as a stone, his expression almost forbidding. “That’s not necessary,” she said. “I can drive.”
    â€œSheri may need you.” Hayes slipped into his wet jacket. “I’ll drive.”
    Unfortunately, Alice couldn’t argue with that. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”

Chapter Six
    T he drive to the hospital took only a matter of minutes. Hayes navigated the slippery streets with a breathtaking combination of daring and caution. Save for Sheri’s occasional whimper, they all remained silent.
    Alice glanced at Hayes’s profile, reflected in the rearview mirror. Even though she called herself an idiot, Alice couldn’t help wondering what he was thinking. His expression told her nothing. His mouth was set in a grim, determined line; a muscle worked in his jaw.
    Was he remembering, as she was, a night like this twelve years earlier? Only she’d been the one huddled under the blanket. She’d been the one whimpering with a combination of fear and pain.
    She tore her gaze from his reflection, disappointment and hurt barreling over her. She thought not. He seemed as