“Perhaps if you gave her a couple days to cool off she’d talk to you.”

Jacob kept shaking his head no. “This is making me nuts.”

Obviously.

“One of Nina’s concerns in counseling is that you don’t communicate effectively.”

“I can’t communicate at all if she won’t pick up the phone or tell me where she is.” He spat out the word communicate as if it left a sour taste in his mouth.

“She told you her needs, Jacob. Time to think. If you are listening to her and trying to meet her needs, which you tell me you want to do, then you’ll give her some space.”

He ran his fingers through his hair. “Space. Fine.”

“Good.”

Jacob turned a full circle before twisting toward his car on the other side of the lot.

Mary scrambled a little quickly inside hers and locked the door. She knew a conversation about her personal boundaries was in order, but she didn’t dare have it while standing alone in a parking lot.

The drive home helped clear her thoughts. It would have been nice to drive by her favorite beach spot, but the text from Dakota had pushed her to get home before the in-laws made a frazzled time even worse.

Mary made quick work of dropping off her car, her notebook, her briefcase holding her laptop, and the leftovers from lunch at her place before heading across the street.

After a single knock, Mary let herself in as she had for years.

Something savory cooked in the oven, filling the house with a scent Mary had never experienced in Dakota’s place.

“Biscuits are about the easiest thing to cook, JoAnne,” Elaine was scolding the other grandmother.

“Mine come from a box.”

“That’s a shame.”

Mary poked her head into the kitchen. “Hello.”

“Hi, Mary. I didn’t hear you knock.” JoAnne was one for propriety.

“She doesn’t have to knock.” Dakota sat perched on the couch, her cast leg elevated on several pillows on the coffee table.

Mary did a quick head count. She saw the men outside in the backyard. A tiny bassinet sat beside the sofa. Inside, a sleeping Leo puffed with pink lips. She moved beside Dakota and sat next to her. “So how is Grace doing today?” She stared at the cast as she spoke.

“It feels better now that I can’t move it.”

“Blue suits you.” The baby blue cast looked like Leo’s blankets.

“I thought it worked.”

Mary ran her thumb under Dakota’s left eye. “You’re exhausted.”

“He’s up every two hours needing a boob.”

“Then you should try sleeping now.”

Dakota glanced toward the kitchen. Both Elaine and JoAnne were huddled around the stove, their backs to them. “Need I say more?”

“What is Walt saying?” she whispered.

“That it will only be a couple of days. But they keep talking like they will be here for weeks.”

Yeah, but Dakota needed her rest now. “Where is Monica?”

“She and Trent went to visit Monica’s mother today. She’s going to stop by tomorrow before flying home.”

“This should be ready in fifteen minutes,” JoAnne said.

Dakota’s strangled smile told Mary she was more tired than hungry.

“When will Leo wake up?”

“I don’t know. Seems like he was just feeding.”

Mary stood and pulled the blanket up around Dakota’s legs. “I’ll be back.” She didn’t offer an explanation and walked out the back door to the men.

They stopped talking and greeted her in unison.

She did the rounds and got straight to the point. “Walt, Dr. Eddy . . . Mr. Laurens. I have a favor to ask.”

They waited.

“I need one or two of you to help get Dakota up to her bed so she can sleep.”

Walt looked over his shoulder inside the house and stood. “I knew she was pushing herself.”

Mary stopped him from opening the door. “Dinner is almost done, but my guess is Dakota would covet an hour of sleep and she can eat later. Which means you men need to help your wives understand it isn’t personal.”

Dr. Eddy followed his son’s lead and stood. “C’mon, Dennis, it’s time to remind our wives what it was like those first weeks after our kids were born.”

They filed into the room together.

Walt beelined to his wife and whispered in her ear before removing the blanket from her lap.

She offered a tired nod and buried her head in his shoulder.

“Dinner’s not quite ready,” Elaine told them.

Everyone spoke in softer tones than normal and occasionally glanced over at Leo to see if they woke him.

Walt lifted Dakota off the couch and carried her.

“Don’t drop me,” Dakota teased.

“Have some faith.”

Walt was walking Dakota up the stairs before the conversation in the kitchen began. “She’s exhausting herself, JoAnne. Keep a plate for when Leo wakes up.”

JoAnne had an expression of shock before pulling it in. “Bless her heart, she should have told me. I could have waited to put the roast in.”

“Sleep when the baby sleeps, remember?” Elaine said, wiping her hands free of the biscuit mixture.

“I understand there is some debate on who is staying around to help.” Mary glanced at both women.

“Well, I should,” Elaine said first. She left the notion that Dakota was her daughter unsaid.