8 Chapter 8

Ben shuddered, and then regretted the act. He ached all over. He needed pain meds, but more than that, he needed to be able to think clearly. “Is Tyrell all right?”

“We stopped at the nursery to see him. He looks fine. I just don’t understand why they didn’t take him as well.”

“I know why,” Phil stated flatly.

He would, if any of them did.

Ben started to raise his hand to rub his face, but then winced as pain sliced through him. He lowered his arm cautiously.

“Yeah. Dad, don’t blame Maggie. I made a promise to her, and I broke it. You should have heard the words she was screaming when she realized…” On second thought, it was better if his father and brothers never discovered the knee-jerk reaction she’d had to this baby. He shook his head, and regretted that movement, too. Even his eyelashes hurt. “I knew we were pressing our luck when we had Beth, and even though everything worked out okay, I was going to make sure she was our last.”