The words floated toward her like a cast spell… the kind that could spin her right out of her seat wanting to leave him in a cast of a different sort. But her usual rebuttal stayed sealed. Lessons about getting what you want in life luckily had a way of bleeding through when it mattered.

Juniper paused. “That would work great, please and thank you.” Meaning it was the hard part. Her voice knew the difference.

Daniel and Sophia’s heads began an involuntary turn toward each other… then stalled mid-motion, eyes rerouting back to Juniper as if the same question had short-circuited them both.

“See? You two have this handled,” Sophia beamed. “You don’t need little old me. Though this case has me feeling like I know what being in labor feels like.”