He tried. "Pippa ... no, I--" Rory haltingly tried to interject, to explain that he was in Montana with his family, awaiting the imminent birth of Laine and Anraí's baby. He couldn't just vanish right then, but maybe in a few days, between the birth and the time he had to leave on tour ...

But she hung up before he could get a word in.

After long seconds spent swearing at the phone as if it were somehow at fault, he hastily pressed the buttons that would dial her back.