Let It Snow (Sue Thomas FBEye)

Chapter Three

"It's okay, Abigail." The cries subsided as Sue gently rocked on her heels while rubbing her back.

The doctor was glad to see the baby calm down quickly as the young woman cuddled her and murmured sweet words to her ear. "I will forward the results to your family doctor."

Since Sue had been gazing at Abigail, Jack tapped her forearm before repeating what the doctor had said.

"I didn't realise you were deaf. Do you read lips?" The man in scrubs looked impressed when Sue nodded. "That's remarkable. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to do a quick exam, starting with your blood pressure."

Sue frowned. "But I'm fine."

Ignoring her objections, the doctor strapped the cuff around her arm. " It would help if you gave the baby to your husband and he waited outside."

"Hold on, Doc." Time had come to straighten out the misunderstanding. "Sue didn't give—"

"Doctor Brent!" A female voice resonated in the hallway. "An ambulance just arrived. It's urgent."

"I'll be right there." The doctor quickly removed the cuff. "Promise me you'll go see your family doctor as soon as possible."

To appease the doctor, Jack promised they would.

***

Sue whispered in disbelief inside the empty hospital elevator. "Did I misread him or did he think I was Abigail's mother?"

"Well, you do make a great mom. And we weren't that forthcoming with him, though we tried. Listen." Jack placed a tender kiss on her lips in the hope of erasing the worry lines from her face. "Maybe it's for the best. I promised you last night that I wouldn't call children services until the team finished investigating Abigail's birth. The doctor would have been bound to report her."

"But doesn't that complicate—"

She paused when an elderly couple entered the elevator. Her head against Jack's shoulder, Sue smiled at them, but refrained from resuming their conversation.

The woman peeked a kind winkled face inside the blanket. "A boy or a girl?"

"Maggie!" Her husband, or companion, shook his head.

"What? I love babies. We have fourteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren."

"A little girl, Abigail." To allow the proud great-grandmother to see her, Sue lowered the blanket.

"She is beautiful. Yes, you're a little beauty." The woman cooed and somehow managed to coax the baby to open her eyes. "And you look just like your mommy."

The door opened and the elderly couple wished them Merry Christmas as they exited the elevator.

"You know, Sue, that woman was onto something." Jack's deep brown eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Besides the fact she needed glasses?"

"Well, she did say you were both gorgeous, which I totally agree with. And come to think of it, Abigail has your temper... especially when she's hungry."

She tried to look offended but couldn't quite stop the corners of her mouth from curling up. "Jack Hudson! You're... you're... impossible." This wasn't the right adjective, but in the spur of the moment she couldn't think of a better one.

"And irresistible." As he said it, he deployed the Hudson charming. "Which is why you couldn't help but fall in love with me."

"Good thing I'm deaf, Abigail." She whispered loud enough for Jack to hear. "That way I can pretend I never heard that." The little girl closed her eyes on the remark and Sue kissed her forehead. "Smart girl."