by Diana Orgain | Mar 30, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss Chapter Two? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter Three Continued… RECOVERY/DISCOVERY Jim shrugged, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “All my life everyone has tried to help George. Growing up, my mom told me to take care of him. Your best friend for life, she always said. I did my best, but nothing was ever good enough for him. He always demanded more, giving nothing in return and managing to poison everything and everyone around him.” His face contorted in anger, then turned to sadness. “I didn’t want the joy of Laurie’s birth clouded over by news about George.” After a moment, he said, “I took down the guy’s phone number. I’ll call him when we’re home, make sure I’m really reaching the medical examiner’s office.” We sat in silence for a moment. I put my arms around him and pressed my cheek against his. I understood his desire to postpone bad news. As the sun came up, the room began to glow. I glanced at the clock and realized Laurie was due back at any minute. “Sorry I woke you,” I said. He stroked my hair. “Try not to worry about George. I’m doing it enough for the both of us. You focus on Laurie and on recovering.” <><><> THE DAY NURSE WHEELED IN OUR LITTLE BUNDLE, WRAPPED IN A PINK and blue striped swaddling blanket with a pink cap on her head. She looked like a tiny cherub with rosy cheeks. I noticed a scratch on her face. Laurie’s itty-bitty nails were extremely long. The nurse explained that...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 30, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter One? Did you miss Chapter Two? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter Three RECOVERY/DISCOVERY We were moved to a bright recovery room with a view of Saint Ignatius Church. Jim slouched in a corner of the room on a hospital cot. Mom had left for the day, ticketless. It was only 5 P.M., but felt much later. I held my sleeping pumpernickel in my arms. I was told that newborns mainly sleep the first week. It’s difficult to wake them even to nurse. Right now sleep sounded great. Jim and I were exhausted. “I wish I had space in this stupid hospital bed for you,” I said, raising the bed slightly, then lowering it again. Who could ever get comfortable in one of these? “Don’t worry, honey, I’m fine,” Jim grumbled from the corner cot. “I miss you way over there.” He stood, stretched, and hobbled over to me, his legs cramped from a long night of worry and catnapping on a bad cot. “Let me hold her awhile.” I handed the baby to him. He settled himself against the windowsill and admired her. “Hope for the next generation.” I knew, of course, that his remark was connected to George. But I didn’t have the energy to think about that. “I need to sleep awhile, honey . . .” I was already drifting off when I felt the covers being tucked against my chin. “Take care of Laurie,” I mumbled. “Is that her name?” “If you like it,” I said, drifting to sleep. “I do. Get some rest. I promise to take good care of...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 29, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter one? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter Two pt. 2 Delivery Mom patted my hand. “Well, that’s normal. Everything is going to be fine. When did your labor start?” “Around nine last night. Didn’t you get our messages? Jim must have called at least three times. Where were you?” Mom settled herself in the chair next to my bed. “I was at Sylvia’s. She had a dinner party. There was a lady there who wanted to take home some leftover crackers. Can you imagine? They had sat out all night on an hors d’oeuvres plate. And she wanted to take them home!” Mom knew me too well. She was making small talk, trying to distract me from thinking thoughts full of doom and gloom. It was working. I was actually laughing. I peered over at Jim. His eyes were closed, a grimace on his face. He wasn’t listening to Mom. He was stressed out. Mom followed my gaze. “Now, what’s happened with George?” Jim flinched. “Let’s not go there, Mom. We got a phone call, right, Kate? Just a call—” I clutched Mom’s hand. “Not just a call! It was a call from the medical examiner. They found a body in the bay and George’s bags on the pier.” Mom eyes turned into saucers and she gasped. “We don’t really know anything yet,” Jim said. “Let’s not get all melodramatic.” Mom and I exchanged looks. “Everything will be fine, you’ll see.” She gave my hand a squeeze, then released it and folded her hands into her lap. An awkward silence descended over us. Just then the...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 26, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss Chapter one? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter Two Delivery After checking into the hospital and spending several hours in “observation,” we were finally moved to our own labor and delivery room. “When can I get the epidural?” I asked the nurse escorting us. “I’ll call the anesthesiologist now,” she said, leaving the room. Jim plopped himself onto the recliner in the corner and picked up the remote control. “Hey, I’m having contractions here . . . they’re starting to get strong. Aren’t you supposed to be breathing with me?” “Right,” he nodded, flipping through the channels. “He he he, ha ha ha,” he said in an unconvincing rendition of Lamaze breathing. “Jim!” “Hmmm?” “I need your help now.” His eyebrows furrowed. “No TV?” “Get me the epi . . . oooh.” He pressed the mute button. I sighed and gave in to the contractions. GRAB YOUR COPY OF BUNDLE OF TROUBLE HERE 7Another hour passed before the anesthesiologist walked in. I was horrified to see that he looked all of about seventeen. “Sorry to make you wait,” he said. “There was an emergency Csection.” “I’m just glad you’re here now,” Jim said. The anesthesiologist laughed. “How are we doing?” “She’s doing great, really great,” Jim said. I would have told him to shut up, but that would have taken more energy than I had. Was this teeny bopper qualified to put a fifteeninch needle in my spine? What exactly could go wrong with the epidural? I was about to chicken out when the nurse rushed in. “Oh, here you are,” she said to the anesthesiologist. “Let’s...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 25, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
Did you miss part one? From Bundle of Trouble Chapter One (Continued) Jim expertly navigated the San Francisco streets as we made our way to California Pacific Hospital. Even as the contractions grew stronger, I couldn’t stop thinking about George. Jim’s parents had died when he was starting college. George, his only brother, had merely been fourteen, still in high school. Their Uncle Roger had taken George in. George had lived rent-free for many years, too many years, never caring to get a job or make a living. Jim and I often wondered if so much coddling had incapacitated George to the point that he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, stand on his own two feet. He was thirty-three now and always had an excuse for not holding a job. Apparently, everyone was out to get him, take advantage of him, “screw” him somehow. At least that’s the story we’d heard countless times. The only thing George had going for him was his incredible charm. Although he was a total loser, you’d never know it to talk to him. He could converse with the best of them, disarming everyone with his piercing green eyes. Uncle Roger had finally evicted George six months ago. There had been an unpleasant incident. Roger had been vague about it, only telling us that the sheriff had to physically remove George from his house. As far as we knew, George had been staying with friends since then. I glanced at Jim. His face was unreadable, the excitement of the pending birth diluted by the phone call we had received. I touched Jim’s leg. “Just because his...
by Diana Orgain | Mar 25, 2021 | Maternal Instincts Mysteries, Sneak Peek, Uncategorized
I’m so excited to share with you the first chapters in Bundle of Trouble. It’s one of my best-selling mysteries and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! From Bundle of Trouble Chapter One The phone rang, interrupting the last seconds of the 49ers game. “Man!” Jim said. “Final play. Who’d be calling now?” “Don’t know,” I said from my propped position on the couch. I was on doctor’s orders for bed rest. My pregnancy had progressed with practically no hang-ups, except for the carpal tunnel and swollen feet, until one week before my due date when my blood pressure skyrocketed. Now, I was only allowed to be upright for a few minutes every couple of hours to accommodate the unavoidable mad dash to the bathroom. “Everyone I know is watching the game. It’s gotta be for you,” Jim said, stretching his long legs onto the ottoman. I struggled to lean forward and grab the phone. “Probably your mom,” he continued. I nodded. Mom was checking in quite often now that the baby was two days overdue. An entire five minutes had passed since our last conversation. “Hello?” A husky male voice said, “This is Nick Dowling . . .” Ugh, a telemarketer. “. . . from the San Francisco medical examiner’s office.” I sat to attention. Jim glanced at me, frowning. He mouthed, “Who is it?” from across the room. “Is this the Connolly residence?” “Yes,” I said. “Are you a relative of George Connolly?” “He’s my brother-in-law.” “Can you tell me the last time you saw him?” My breath caught. “The...
