Chapter 123

  BECAUSE LITTLE RUBY¹ ROSE was premature², we all wore sterile³ pink paper hospital gowns, hats, and masks for the occasion. Claire looked like she’d been dragged a quarter of a mile in a tractor pull, but the baby-glow was there under her pallor. And since baby-glow was contagious⁴, we were all euphoric and giggly⁵.

  Cindy was crowing about her interview with Hans Vetter’s uncle, and Yuki, having put on a couple of ounces since recovering from being drugged with LSD and almost killed by Jason Twilly, chortled at Cindy’s jokes. The girls told me that I looked hot and possibly happy, the way I should look, since I was living with the perfect man.

  “How long is she going to keep us waiting?” I asked Claire again.

  “Patience, girlfriend. They’ll roll her in when they’re good and ready. Have another cookie.”

  I’d just folded a gooey double chocolate chip with walnuts⁶ into my maw when the door to Claire’s room opened - and Conklin came in. He was wearing matching gown, hat, and mask in blue, but he was one of the few men I’d ever known who could look goofy and great at the same time. I could see his gorgeous brown eyes, and they were shining.

  Rich held a big bunch of flowers behind his back, and he went around the room saying hello, kissing Cindy and Yuki on their cheeks, squeezing my shoulder, kissing Claire, and then he dramatically produced red roses.

  “They’re ruby roses,” he said, with a shy version of his brilliant smile.

  “My God, Richie. Three dozen long stems. You know I’m married, right?”

  When the laughter stopped, Claire said, “I thank you. And when my little girl gets here, she’ll thank you, too.”

  Cindy was looking at Conklin like she’d never seen a man before. “Pull up a chair,” she said. “Richie, we’re going to Susie’s for dinner in a while. Why don’t you come with?”

  “Good idea,” I said. “We’ve got to toast our little associate member of the Women’s Murder Club - and you can be the designated driver.”

  “I’d like to help you guys out,” Rich said. “But I’ve got a plane to catch in” - he looked at his watch - “in two hours.”

  “Where’re you going?” Cindy asked.

  I wondered, too. He hadn’t mentioned a trip to me.

  “Denver. For the weekend,” Rich told Cindy.

  I looked away, my eyes sliding across Claire’s face. She caught it. Saw that I’d taken an unanticipated blow.

  “Going to see Kelly Malone?” Cindy asked, the reporter in her refusing to just shut up.

  “Uh-huh,” Rich said. And unless he’d caught the baby-glow from Claire, he was excited.

  “I’d really better go. Don’t want to get caught in traffic. Claire, I just wanted to congratulate you on this great news. I’ll want a picture of Ruby as a screen saver.”

  “Sure thing,” Claire said, patting Conklin’s hand, thanking him again for the flowers.

  I said, “Have a good weekend.”

  And Rich said, “You too. All of you guys.”

  And then he was gone.

  As soon as he was out of the room, Cindy and Yuki started talking about what a rock star Rich was and wasn’t Kelly Malone his high school sweetheart? And then the door opened again. A nurse rolled a tiny cart up to Claire’s bed and all of us peered inside.

  Ruby Rose Washburn was a beauty.

  She yawned, then opened her dark, long-lashed eyes and looked straight at her mom, my glorious, beaming friend Claire.

  We four held hands, made a circle around the cart, each saying a silent prayer for this new child. Claire released our hands so she could hold her baby.

  “Welcome to the world, little girl,” said Claire, hugging and kissing her everywhere.

  Cindy turned to me, asked, “What did you pray for?”

  I snorted a laugh. “Is nothing sacred, you bulldog? Can’t I even talk to God without you asking for a quote?”

  Cindy cracked up, put a hand over those cute overlapping⁷ front teeth of hers. “Sorry. Sorry,” she said, tears coming out of her eyes.

  I put my hand on Cindy’s shoulder and said, “I prayed that Ruby Rose would always have good friends.”

1 ruby   

n.红宝石，红宝石色

参考例句：

• She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
• On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。

2 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

3 sterile   

adj.不毛的，不孕的，无菌的，枯燥的，贫瘠的

参考例句：

• This top fits over the bottle and keeps the teat sterile.这个盖子严实地盖在奶瓶上，保持奶嘴无菌。
• The farmers turned the sterile land into high fields.农民们把不毛之地变成了高产田。

4 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

5 giggly   

adj.傻笑的，吃吃笑的

参考例句：

• She wasn't so giggly anymore and she had never looked better. 她不再傻笑，而且看上去比以前更加完美。 来自互联网
• Another one is Giggly. example, I sometimes get giggly when I watch a funny movie. 下一个是“傻笑”，例如，当我看笑片的时候，我有时会傻笑。 来自互联网

6 walnuts   

胡桃（树）( walnut的名词复数 )； 胡桃木

参考例句：

• Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗？
• We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋，火腿，腌胡桃仁和干酪。

7 overlapping   

adj./n.交迭（的）

参考例句：

• There is no overlapping question between the two courses. 这两门课程之间不存在重叠的问题。
• A trimetrogon strip is composed of three rows of overlapping. 三镜头摄影航线为三排重迭的象片所组成。