He hugged her, kissed her on the head, then turned to hug Sondra. “Thanks. We can never repay you.”
“This is for me, too. I love them already.”
He stepped out of the room. A few minutes later, Sondra was once again pregnant with twins.
As she was dressing, Nikki asked, “Are we still keeping this from Mom and Dad?”
Sondra nodded. “I really don’t want them to stress about it. It’s enough for us. They can just enjoy the rewards when they return in December.”
“I don’t know about this.” Nikki protested. “I think Mom should know.”
Sondra was firm. “I really don’t want her knowing. I’m the one going through this. And,” She swallowed back threatening tears, “we don’t know that I won’t lose them again. Please, just keep her out of it.”
“If you say so.” Nikki sounded doubtful, but she stepped to help zip up Sondra’s dress. Her voice took on a happier tone. “It’s your birthday. Thirty years old. Funny that the perfect day landed on April 26. And you’re giving me the best gift I can imagine. Let’s go celebrate. Where to?”
* * *
The first two months were the worst for morning sickness and exhaustion. By the third month, Sondra already looked six months pregnant. Just as she’d imagined the day Nikki had first suggested the idea, she waddled through the day. When she called to announce her condition, Jake didn’t say one word about the fact that Zack was gone and she somehow ended up pregnant. He probably assumed Zack had come home a few times during his Germany trip.
She showed up in court in one of the maternity suits she had purchased when she’d gone shopping with Zack during the first pregnancy. After the case was heard, Jake pulled her aside. “I think it would be best if you kept working from home during the next few months, don’t you?”
Sondra’s brows drew together in a puzzled frown. “What do you mean? I work from home right now.”
Jake blew out a frustrated breath. “Of course you do. I mean, one of the other attorneys can handle your cases in court. It must be tiring standing in court arguing in your condition.”
Sondra stared at him in shock a moment. Her first inclination was to charge him with discrimination, but she remembered how willing he had been to let her work from home. If things didn’t work out with her and Zack like she wanted, she couldn’t risk her job.
Shouting discrimination wouldn’t keep her job, and another law firm wouldn’t be willing to hire her if they knew she was a lawsuit risk. Attorneys were too cautious about working with someone who might sue them. She’d be shooting herself in the foot economically if she took a stand. Instead, she said, “You’re right. I do get tired. When do you think I can start arguing in court again?”
“I’m not sure. Let’s see how you feel. You’re doing great work for the firm right where you’re at. You don’t need to be attending court to be an asset.” The unspoken message from Jake was don’t make waves and I’ll take care of you, and they both knew it.
Chapter Twenty-Two, Hummer
By the time November rolled around, Sondra was feeling like a beached whale. She could hardly move. But when Zack called to announce his flight, she knew she wouldn’t miss meeting him at the airport.
Not wanting to ride the shuttle, she pulled into the cell phone waiting area while she waited for him to call after he landed. The lighted board listed the flights. Her heart sped as he explained which number he was waiting under in the passenger pick up lane.
Her smile could’ve lit up the night sky when she saw the face she’d desperately missed. Climbing out of the car, she slowly waddled to him and waited for his look of astonishment at her size. Instead of registering any surprise, she was pleased to see only a warm welcome.
“You are just as beautiful as I remembered.” He stepped over and dipped his head for a thorough exploration of her mouth. Astonished at his reaction, she responded in kind. After they pulled apart, she asked, “Were you expecting me to be this big?”
“Jade had twins, remember? I was pretty much planning on it.” He grinned. “And I love how you look.”
She blinked. Despite the fact that she missed him, she was dreading his reaction. This wasn’t something she’d expected.
“Any news on your stalker?” He asked as he loaded his luggage in the back seat.
Sondra shook her head. “I’m hoping he or she has lost interest.”
His face was serious. “Given how much thought was put into the other attacks, I wouldn’t count on it. Have you sold your townhouse yet?”
“I haven’t even been back since…” She couldn’t go on.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t. I’ll take care of things.”
“Thanks. I’m just trying to be careful.” She maneuvered into the passenger seat and Zack closed the door. When he settled into the driver side, she continued, “The twins are doing great.”
“I’m glad to hear that. How is Brad?” He looked over his shoulder and pulled into traffic.
“They’re expecting a full recovery.”
“I’m glad Nikki won’t be a single mother.” He glanced at Sondra and then back at the lighted freeway. “Parenting is hard enough with two.”
“It is.”
They drove in silence for a few minutes. “Would it be alright to stay in my condo for the night? I can deliver you back to Nikki’s tomorrow. There are a lot of deer running into the highway. I’d rather you not risk driving back until tomorrow. They don’t tend to run out during the day.”
“That’s fine. I’ll just need to let her know.” She called Nikki before they headed into the canyon.
While she stared out the window, watching the glare of oncoming lights, she wondered how she was going to keep herself from throwing herself at him. Then she stifled a giggle after imagining her huge self trying to do anything romantic. Not happening. “Will you be going back to Germany any time soon?” She didn’t turn to look at him, afraid of what she might see.
She could hear the smile in his voice. “No. The office is running smoothly. I hired someone who is handling the day-to-day operations, and one of the engineers has relocated with his entire family. His wife has relatives in Germany, so it all worked out.”
She couldn’t hide the relief in her tone. “I’m glad.” Then she remembered where his home office was. “When are you flying back to San Jose?”
“I won’t be going back until the New Year. I’ll be working from my condo until the babies are born.”
“Can you do that?” She turned to look at him in astonishment.
He shrugged, a movement she could just make out in the darkened car. “If they need me for anything, I’m just a phone call away, and most of my work is on the computer, anyway. I’m done with the office setup.”
“I’ll bet that’s a relief.”
“I’m just glad to be home.” He said that with such enthusiasm, she hoped it meant he was glad to be with her.
They stopped at a restaurant in Park City. Sondra ordered an appetizer since she’d already eaten with Nikki and Brad earlier.
She was at the point in the pregnancy that she was no longer exhausted. Instead, she had a hard time sleeping. The babies crowded her lungs.
* * *
“Hush. Hush.” Zack wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. Everything is fine.”
Sondra focused on his face, tears streaming down her own. “I’m sorry. I had a bad dream.”
“You’re okay. I’m here. Everything is fine.” He reassured her again.
She buried her face in her hands and broke out in fresh sobs. “I’m such a horrible person. I just can’t do this.”
Confused, he asked, “Is it the Stalker?”
She shook her head, unable to speak, wracked by sobs. She curled over her huge belly. “I…I wish it was the Stalker. Then I wouldn’t feel so awful.”
“I can’t imagine you doing anything wrong. You’re the least self-centered person I’ve ever met.”
“Oh, Zack. I feel like su
ch a traitor.”
He shook his head, trying to clear it. “What are you talking about?”
“I keep having the same dream over and over again, and it’s eating me alive.” She reached for a tissue from the box next to her bed. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “The hard part is I don’t know what’s a dream and what’s reality.”
“I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She broke out in fresh sobs. “I’m a horrible person.”
“You keep saying that, and I don’t see any evidence that’s true.”
“If you knew what I was thinking, dreaming about, maybe you’d agree.”
“Give me a chance. I’d like to hear what’s on your mind.”
She peeked at him between the fingers covering her face, her lashes wet with tears. “You’re going to hate me.”
He snorted. “I guarantee that’s not going to happen.”
“But you don’t know what I’m thinking.”
His eyes closed a moment, and his lips moved as if he was silently praying. “I’m here to help. Just tell me what’s wrong.”
She drew in a trembling breath. “I keep dreaming I won’t hand the babies over to Nikki.” She shook her head. “No. It’s bigger than that. I can’t hand the babies over to Nikki.” She cried into her hands again and then whispered, “I love them too much, Zack. I can’t do it.” She met his eyes to see how he reacted to the news.
He was silent, obviously trying to think through his response. This was too much like her asking if a dress made her look fat. No matter what he answered, he was dead, and they both knew it. Instead, he wordlessly wrapped his arms around her and let her cry herself back to sleep.
He spent a sleepless night. All he could do was pace the floor.
* * *
When she made it to the kitchen the next morning, he asked, “How did you sleep?”
Neither of them mentioned that she had woken him up in the middle of the night. “Fine, thanks.” She ate the scrambled eggs he’d prepared and wondered what he thought of her. Did he hate her for her feelings? She felt like a fraud. All her talk of sacrifice meant nothing if she tripped on the finish line, but her feelings were out in the open and she couldn’t take them back.
“Brad and Nikki are planning on Thanksgiving Dinner around 1:00. They want us to bring rolls and a salad.”
He glanced at the clock. “We have just enough time to stop at the store. The local stores that are open are closing by noon.”
“And then they’ll open again around six for the early shoppers.” Her voice was dry.
“Different stores, though. Were you planning on shopping?’
She indicated her enormous belly. “I can’t walk very far these days.”
His lips twitched. “I didn’t think of that.” He reached for her plate, rinsed it, and put it in the dishwasher. “By the way, when are your parents coming home?”
“They’re being released a little early. I think they said they’d be back next week.”
“Are they excited about the babies?”
Pink stole up her face. “I haven’t told them yet.”
His brows rose in surprise. “That’s a pretty big secret to keep. Haven’t you been having skype visits?”
She nodded. “I’ve just been careful to keep the camera on my face. If Mom has noticed any extra weight there, she’s been kind enough not to say.”
“What are you going to say when they get off the plane?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I was going to fake an illness or something until the babies are born.”
“You’d miss seeing your parents? Don’t you think you’re taking this too far?”
She glared at him. “What do you suggest?”
“I think you should tell your parents before they get home. They need some time to adjust to the situation, and it’s not fair that you’ve left them in the dark.”
She looked mulish. “After miscarrying the first set of twins, I just didn’t want to put Mom through that heartache while she was serving the Lord.”
He stared at her a moment and then said, “I think you’ve carried enough of this burden all by yourself. At this point, the babies would be safe if they come too early. There are a lot of preemies surviving just fine. You’re past the risky part. Maybe you should tell your parents.”
Tears welled up, and she whispered, “What if I can’t give them up?”
He took a deep breath. “All I can say is that your parents are going to love you no matter what your choice is. And you aren’t the only one able to sacrifice. Nikki has a heart, too, you know.”
“I know.” Tears spilled over. “I just wanted to do this for Nikki and Brad. Here I am after all these months, and I feel so tied to the babies, I’m not sure I can really do it.”
Zack reached out to pull her close. “All I know is that when the time comes, I believe you’ll make the right decision.”
“But what’s that? What’s the right decision?”
He pulled her closer and didn’t offer any more advice. This wasn’t his decision to make.
Sondra drove her car behind Zack’s Hummer as they drove back to Salt Lake. She wanted her own car at Nikki’s place, and Zack wanted the Hummer close just in case his four-wheel drive was needed to get her to the hospital. They tried to be cheerful at dinner, but there was a strain that couldn’t be ignored.
After dinner was finished and put away, Nikki announced, “I’m going to talk to Mom and Dad. Did you want to join me?” She had been trying to get Sondra to tell their parents the good news for months. After Zack’s discussion that morning, Sondra decided it was time to let them know. She wasn’t quite sure how she was going to break the news.
The conversation started out normally with everyone in the room talking as if they weren’t halfway around the world.
“We’ll be arriving next Friday.” Maggie’s excited voice filled the room.
“A big storm is supposed to be hitting this week.” Brad said. “I hope it won’t delay your flight.”
“It should be fine.” Ben said. “They usually keep the runways clear.”
Sondra reached for Zack and pulled him to her as she stood in front of the camera. “Hey, Mom. I have an announcement.”
Maggie blinked. “Um. Well. Why didn’t you tell me you’re expecting?”
“We wanted to surprise you when you got home, but Zack convinced me to let the idea sink in.”
“Who is Zack?” Ben demanded.
“He’s my husband, Dad. We were going to surprise you with the news of the wedding, too, but Zack thought you’d be happier if you knew ahead of time.”
“When did you get married?” Maggie’s voice shook with betrayal.
Sondra dropped her eyes and mumbled, “December.”
“I don’t know what to say.” She paused, and the glisten of tears in her eyes was visible on the screen. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you. What are you having?”
“Twins.”
Brad and Nikki were staring at Sondra. Nikki’s mouth had dropped open. She shut it and then said, “Their names are Gwennyth and Jennifer.”
“Pretty names. I like that.” Maggie approved.
Ben asked, “Where do you live?”
“I’ve been living with Nikki and Brad while Zack was working in Germany.” She glanced at Zack and wondered if he was mad at her for her continued deception. “We haven’t bought a home yet, but Zack owns a condo in Park City.”
“Well, that’s convenient. At least I’ll get to enjoy the grandbabies when I get home.” Maggie’s feelings of betrayal were quickly replaced by the joyful prospect of grandbabies. Twins.
* * *
“I’m going to look over the townhouse and see what needs to be done to take care of your things.” Zack informed Sondra. He’d just arrived at Nikki and Brad’s house, something he’d done on a daily basis since he’d come home from Germany.
Despite her announcement to her parents, as far as Sondra knew,
their marriage was still a temporary arrangement. She had been living with them since shortly after the implantation and didn’t think she should push for anything more than he’d promised until after the babies were born.
“I really appreciate it.” She shuddered. “I can’t bring myself to walk in there again.”
“Do you want your furniture and other items?”
She nodded. “I have some nice pieces I don’t want to get rid of. I just can’t bring myself to go there.”
“I don’t blame you.” He looked out the window at the falling snow. “Your parents’ flight is coming in today. I hope the bulk of the storm waits until they land.”
“Me too. Thanks for talking me into telling them. I really want to see them as they get off the plane.”
“I just thought it would be better to give them some idea of what’s waiting over here.” He sent her a sideways look. “I wasn’t too sure on how you delivered the news, but it certainly gives you the ability to make a decision.”
She bit her lip. “Please, I don’t want to go there.”
“Nuff said.” He saluted her and then bent down to kiss her before he headed to his Hummer. The brake line had been replaced after the failure, but Sondra hadn’t driven it since.
Sondra’s townhouse was a few minutes from Nikki’s. As he stepped out of his Hummer, he noticed Scott, who had stopped as he was stepping into his truck to glare at him. Zack waved and then headed into the townhouse, looking over the items Sondra had left there to gather dust. He had spent nearly an hour going through cupboards and closets, trying to decide what needed to be stored and what could fit into his condo when the phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Is this Zack?”
“It is.”
“This is Brad. Maggie and Ben have landed. I’m not sure our car can handle the volume of snow that’s coming down. Can we borrow your Hummer to pick them up?”
“Sure. I’m at Sondra’s place. We can just trade cars.”
“Thanks. We’ll be right there.”
A few minutes later, Brad knocked on the door and exchanged keys. Zack shut the door and went back to his inventory assessment.
Lined With Silver Page 22