Love Conquers All
Page 18
Chapter 15
Jonathan was abroad on business when Talia discovered she was pregnant again. For some reason, she did not have the courage to tell him the news on the phone. A vague misgiving gnawed at her. Ditty was even more sarcastic than usual, “You’re like an ultra-orthodox woman. Haven’t you heard of birth control?” Her mother, too, bawled her out, “You didn’t even have time to get back to wearing normal clothes! Du bist scon wieder schwanger? You’re so primitive...”
Jonathan came home from Zurich on a night flight, and slipped into bed quietly so as not to wake her up. He slept for a couple of hours, spooning her close. Talia awoke and could not get back to sleep, agonizing over how to break the news to him. Morning sickness hit her earlier than usual. She crept out of bed and took a shower, then went downstairs to the kitchen to make coffee for herself and Jonathan. When she came back to the bedroom, he had already showered, shaved and dressed, and had briefcase in hand.
“Jonathan, there’s something I have to tell you,” she confessed softly. He put his briefcase on the floor and peered at her curiously. “What happened Lambkin, you look so worried... did you do something terrible? I can hardly believe it, you’re incapable of doing anything bad!”
“Jonathan, I’m pregnant again!”
He froze, stunned. Then he kicked aside the briefcase and stretched out on the floor, kissing her toes, her ankles, rising slowly to kneeling, hugging her waist. “Talinka, sweetheart, this is what you were afraid to tell me?” There were tears in his eyes. “What have I been telling you all along? I want a large family! One son is great, but two kids, that’s a real family!”
“So you’re pleased with the news? It’s okay?” She was almost choking, barely able to believe her ears.
“Okay? Just okay? It’s absolutely wonderful! I know what it means to be an only child. It’s no pleasure, believe me. And now you and I are going out to celebrate. I’ll call Ora and tell her I’m not coming into the office today, and the two of us will have some fun! We’ll take Udi-Dudi for a walk, then we’ll have lunch at the America House. Remember? That’s where it all started. In the afternoon, we’ll catch a matinee. Something sentimental, after your own heart; then we’ll celebrate at home, you know how...” Jonathan was excited, as she’d never seen him before, not even when she’d told him of the first pregnancy.
She never knew he could be so gentle. He practically carried her in his arms throughout the pregnancy, showering her with presents, pampering her, giving her all his time. Once in a while she remembered the evil fairy and grew nervous, but she did her best to chase away that morbid thought.
A month before the due date, she sensed a change in his mood. Locking himself in his study, he stayed on the phone for hours, only to emerge distant and depressed.
She longed to ask him what the matter was, but she knew he’d dodge the question. At any rate, Udi was walking earlier than most toddlers, and this, coupled with the impending birth, kept her distracted.
It was about this time that Talia’s friendship with Ditty began to deteriorate. Ditty was now married to Micah, a childhood friend and close aide to Jonathan. The two met at Talia and Jonathan’s house, and decided to get married after a short romance replete with crises, separations and reconciliations. Talia tried to be happy for her friend, but the latter’s decision seemed fraught with trouble and doomed to failure. “Handsome Micah” was a ladies’ man, whom many found charming, passionate and seductive, but not Talia. She made no secret of her opinion. “I’m against such charmers on principle,” she told Ditty. “Once you strip them of their Don Juan personae, there’s very little left. They’re just boring and self-centered.” She found it hard to believe her friend the psychologist, a dark-skinned, black-haired beauty, could have fallen for such a fellow. Ditty was usually quick to detect and avoid phony behavior and hypocrites. Micah’s seductive smile and skirt-chaser’s charm seemed to have won her heart, however.
“But Talia, you don’t really know him. With me he’s a different person, gentle and mild-mannered. After all, love brings out the best part of everybody,” Ditty tried to convince her.
“I’m afraid you’ll find that Micah has no such part, even if you look deep down inside. But I’ve said what I had to say. Now you’ve made your bed, you’ll have to lie in it.” On this somber note, Talia finished their long conversation.