The barely five-foot cook swung to face her, knuckles white around the handle of the spatula. Her short gray hair was cropped around a thin face in a way that gave her a hawkish appearance. Ursula’s less than friendly demeanor put off a lot of people, but Calliope had known the older woman long enough to recognize that look was more defense mechanism than bad temper. There was no one in town more protective of those they loved than Ursula Kettleman.
The harrumph Calliope received in response would have made her smile if she hadn’t noticed Holly’s colorless face. In that instant, Calliope understood precisely why Paige was concerned about their friend. There was a dullness in the diner owner’s eyes, like a specter of fear had taken up residence and she couldn’t quite shake it loose. Holly’s hands trembled as she swiped tears off her cheeks before she turned her back on both Calliope and Ursula.
“I’m taking a break,” Ursula muttered and tossed her spatula onto the counter beside the griddle. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her.”
“What kind of sense would she be needing?” Calliope kept her voice light. She didn’t want Holly to walk away as well.
“Thinks she’s superwoman,” Ursula mumbled. “She can’t keep working herself into the ground because she’s too scared to face what’s worrying her.” The cook whipped her apron off her waist and tossed it onto a hook before she slammed out of the kitchen.
“Sorry about that.” Holly managed a watery smile as Calliope turned back to her. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her all of a sudden. She hovers around me like she’s...” Tears exploded in her eyes before she set down the rolling pin and sank onto the tall stool next to her workstation.
“Like she’s your mother, I know.” Calliope walked over and wrapped an arm around Holly’s shoulders. She squeezed hard, partly to push the fear coursing through Holly to the surface, partly to see if she could sense what was beneath the avalanche of emotions. “In a lot of ways she is. That’s quite a badge of honor if you ask me.”
“I know.” Holly nodded and let out a shuddering breath. “She stepped in when my grandmother died. I need to remember she thinks she’s responsible for me.”
Something sparked under Calliope’s fingers. Something unexpected and... Calliope circled around her friend, took one of Holly’s hands in hers and squeezed. “You’re scared. And no, this isn’t me and what you call my woo-woo feelings. You never cry, Holly. Even when you should. What’s going on? Paige said you cancelled your doctor’s appointment this afternoon. Why?”
“I can’t explain it.” She pressed a hand against her rounded stomach. “I’m—I’m afraid something’s wrong with the baby.”
“And you’re afraid to find out for sure?”
“No. Well, yes. Dr. Oswald doesn’t really listen to me. He thinks I’m overreacting. But something’s off.” She gripped Calliope’s hand so hard Calliope winced. “Nothing is the same this time. Simon was easy to carry. I can’t sleep because I’m worried and I can’t talk to Luke—”
“Of course, you can talk to Luke.” Calliope’s heart constricted. “There’s no one in this world who loves you more than that beautiful husband of yours.”
“He wants this baby so much. I wasn’t sure at first, you know, because of his history with his own father. That he’d be afraid about being a father.”
“Anyone who sees Luke with Simon knows that isn’t true, or wouldn’t be true,” Calliope assured her. “He’s been a wonderful dad to him from day one.”
Holly nodded, her lips curving slightly. “I know. And in the last couple of weeks, he’s really been embracing the idea. He’s hoping for a girl. He gets this goofy grin on his face whenever he talks about the baby and I can’t bear the thought of him worrying.”
“But it’s all right for you to worry for both of you?” Calliope sighed. Why were all her women friends so incredibly stubborn? “So is Ursula upset because you won’t go to the doctor or because you won’t talk to Luke about this?”