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seed that blossomed in her heart—she and Nick planning something, to be together and to share something special. The way they used to do when they were married.
    They rarely spoke of it now.
    “But he encouraged me to enter.”
    “That was before all his therapy problems. Look, I hate to say it, but I understand—he’s afraid he’ll be half a man.”
    “I would never look at him that way!”
    Joe hiked a shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. I bet that’s how he’s looking at himself. What if it was you, if something happened and they told you you’d never be able to swim again?”
    Carly huffed. That thought had occurred to her earlier. She sometimes felt the need to be in the water as strongly as the need to breathe. A good, hard swim cleared her mind, filled her with energy and ideas.
    “Of course,” she said finally. “It would bug me, hurt me, but I can’t believe I’d shut him out like he’s shutting me out.”
    “You’re not a guy.”
    Carly said nothing as frustration bubbled up. Joe was right: Nick had always been a jock. It’s a no-brainer that his lack of mobility would frustrate him. But why did he take it out on her? And if it did become permanent, did that mean they didn’t have a chance? The thought froze her heart. I don’t want to let him go. I want him to snap out of it. But what if he can’t?
    The emergency beep of their radio split the night and changed the subject. “1-Adam-7.”
    “Adam-7,” Carly answered.
    “Adam-7, respond to Memorial Hospital and copy the message being routed to your computer.”
    “10-4,” Carly acknowledged, and she turned her attention to the computer and punched the message button.
    Joe started toward the hospital. As passenger, it was Carly’s place to read to him what the computer said. But she stayed silent.
    “What’s up? What are we going to?” Joe asked.
    “Well . . .” She hesitated and turned to look at Joe as he cast a questioning glance her way. “It’s Christy. She’s been admitted to the hospital. They say she’s okay, but they don’t say what’s wrong.”

4
    CARLY WATCHED THE COLOR drain from Joe’s face. He reached down and flipped on the emergency light and siren. Traveling code 3, they were at the hospital a minute later. Joe leaped from the car and Carly ran to keep up with his long strides. Sergeant Barrett, their supervisor, was waiting for them at the emergency room entrance.
    “What is it, Sarge? What’s happened?” Joe frantically approached the sergeant.
    “Calm down. It looks like some kind of allergic reaction. I happened to be here on a station stop when they brought her in, so I had dispatch call you.”
    “When they brought her in? How did she get here? And why didn’t she call me?”
    “I guess she felt bad enough to call for paramedics. They brought her and the baby in as a precaution. I can’t answer your last question. Try to relax. They’re in exam room D.”
    “Thanks.” Joe bolted off into the emergency room.
    “Is it serious?” Carly asked the sergeant as Joe disappeared into the hospital.
    “I don’t know. I know the doctors are running around like they do when things are bad. Maybe you should go in there with him.” Sergeant Barrett looked at Carly with tired, worried eyes. Things were probably a lot worse than he let on to her partner.
    She hurried after Joe.
    “Do you know of any food allergies your wife may have?” an emergency room doctor questioned Joe outside a closed exam room door.
    “No, to my knowledge Christy isn’t allergic to anything. Can’t I see her?” Joe was fidgeting with his gun belt, snapping and unsnapping his keepers.
    “Yes, you can see her. They’re drawing blood right now; give them a minute.”
    “Where’s the baby? Where’s A.J.?”
    “He’s been taken to pediatrics. He seems fine, perfectly normal. But since your wife is still breast-feeding, we’d like to keep him for observation.”
    Just then the door opened, and a lab tech rushed out with a