Claim

by Janet Nissenson

  He pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’ll just have a glass of wine with dinner,” he assured her.

  She gave him a look of mock chagrin. “You don’t have to abstain from alcohol just because I am,” she argued. “You know it doesn’t bother me in the least if you have a drink.”

  “I know,” he replied easily. “And I appreciate the thought, love. But I truly don’t need a pre-dinner drink every night. I’d much rather enjoy dinner with my two gorgeous girls.” He slid a hand to her belly. “Hopefully in a few months I’ll have three beautiful women in my house.”

  Tessa placed her hand on top of his, smiling serenely. “But you know I want a boy this time, Ian. And you’ve always given me whatever I wanted. So I just know this baby is going to be a little boy.”

  He gave her a playful little chuck on the chin. “Well, by this time tomorrow we’ll know for certain, won’t we? And after your doctor’s appointment I’ll take my girls out to an early dinner. Perhaps to a certain someone’s very favorite French bistro, hmm?” He caressed Gilly’s rosy cheek lovingly with the back of his knuckles. “Would you like to go out to dinner with Mummy and Daddy tomorrow night at Chou Chou?”

  Gilly nodded enthusiastically, bouncing up and down in her father’s arms. She loved going out to dinner with her parents, and was especially fond of the charming, intimate little bistro not far from the house. The owners adored her, and always brought her special treats and dishes that weren’t even on the menu. And since Gilly was really just beginning to learn words and talk, it was easy for her to repeat the name of the small café, sounding it out phonetically as “choo choo”.

  It had been something of a surprise - for both of them - when Tessa had discovered she was pregnant with their second child scarcely a month or so after Gilly’s first birthday. She was almost at the five month mark now, though her baby bump scarcely showed as yet, and tomorrow she was due to have a sonogram that would reveal the new baby’s gender. She’d been convinced for weeks now that she was going to have a boy this time, and Sasha had only reinforced that belief when she’d proclaimed Tessa’s aura was definitely giving off vibes consistent with carrying a male child. Ian liked Sasha a great deal, and still insisted she was the best masseuse he’d ever used, but some of her beliefs and practices were just a bit too “far out” for him to readily accept, like her supposed knack for reading auras. Fortunately, Sasha never took offense to his skepticism, and merely shrugged it off, assuring him that the majority of people she knew felt the same way as he did.

  Ian settled Gilly in her high chair at the dining room table as Tessa brought out their dinner. It had become something of a tradition now for her and Gilly to get dressed up once or twice a month for these more formal little dinners. Tessa would bring out the fine Limoges china, Baccarat crystal, and Gorham silver, as well as the very best table linens. When Tessa had first discovered all of the beautiful things he’d acquired over the years, she’d declared it a total waste to keep them stashed away in cabinets, and had vowed to use them as often as possible. He smiled to notice the lit tapers in their antique crystal candleholders, and the bouquet of colorful autumn flowers that graced the table. She had turned on the sound system, and some soft piano music filled the background discreetly.

  Tessa had first surprised him with this sort of formal dinner back in April, to celebrate his and Gilly’s joint birthday, when she had dressed both of them up in pretty, feminine dresses. It had pleased him so much that she had kept up the practice, and usually prepared a more elaborate meal this way a couple of times a month.

  “Everything looks delicious, darling,” he told her as he prepared to dig into the tender roast chicken, pan roasted sweet potatoes, and glazed carrots.

  Tessa had become a talented, innovative cook over the last two and half years since their marriage, and prided herself on making wholesome but delicious meals. During her pregnancies, she was especially diligent about eating as healthily as possible, staying away from alcohol, caffeine, and too much sugar or processed foods. Ian knew without having to ask that everything on his plate was organic, and had been prepared with a minimal amount of fat and salt.

  Gilly was an excellent little eater, having been brought up so far on healthy, freshly prepared food. Tessa had been almost fanatical about making her own baby food, turning up her nose at the pre-prepared foods in jars or packets, and had steamed and pureed all of Gilly’s meals until she was old enough to eat more adult foods. As Gilly sat in her high chair, she happily swallowed the spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes that Ian placed in her mouth, and instantly clamored for more.

  As he sipped the one glass of wine he was permitting himself this evening - wanting to be as supportive as possible of his pregnant wife - he encouraged Gilly to tell him about her day. She babbled excitedly in her thoroughly adorable baby talk about having gone to the pool for a swim - which Ian knew to be the large indoor pool at the company’s Nob Hill hotel where Gilly was taking swimming lessons twice a week. After that, Auntie Julia had brought Justin and Noah over to the house for lunch, and afterwards Gilly had played with the boys - otherwise known as the twin terrors.

  Ian glanced around the formal dining room. “Well, so far as I can tell, nothing’s broken. The chandelier is still in place. And there are no holes in the walls. So I suppose we’ve survived another visit from the devilish duo.”

  Tessa laughed. “The twins aren’t that bad. And we were all downstairs in the playroom most of the time. Not as much trouble for them to get into there.”

  A few months after Gilly had been born, they had converted the downstairs game room - which Ian admitted he’d only used twice since living here - into a more child friendly playroom. Gilly adored spending time there, playing with her dolls and blocks and the miniature kitchen set that had been a birthday gift from her grandparents.

  He arched a brow in their daughter’s direction. “Well, I’d wager a guess that after a swim lesson and a playdate with Julia and Nathan’s little devils that our princess here is going to sleep very, very well tonight.”

  “I agree. Especially since she didn’t nap very long today. I expect that right after dessert she’s going to crash. But she was such a good little girl today. Weren’t you, my silly Gilly?” cooed Tessa, as she playfully tickled her baby, causing Gilly to giggle in delight.

  Ian observed the two most important women in his life indulgently, noticing for perhaps the thousandth time how closely mother and daughter resembled each other - and how very much they looked like Tessa and her own mother did in one of the photos Glen Rockwell had given them.

  Gilly, of course, had been named after her maternal grandmother, though it seemed that they had always called her by the abbreviated version of her full name - Gillian. And at nineteen months, she already looked so much like Tessa that it was a bit startling at times - the curly blonde hair, big blue eyes, rosy cheeks. She also had her mother’s sweet, passive disposition, and had been such an easy baby that Ian had acquiesced to Tessa’s insistence that she neither wanted nor needed to hire a nanny to help out.

  “I want to raise my children on my own, Ian,” she’d told him quietly after he had brought the subject up. “And I realize that you and your brothers grew up with a nanny, and that both Victoria and Selina employ one, but that’s not what I want. Please? I promise that if it gets too much for me I’ll consider the idea, at least to have someone in part time. But otherwise I’m very happy to take care of my baby without any outside help.”

  And Tessa had proven to be a wonderful mother - patient, devoted, loving. It helped, of course, that Gilly had been so placid and happy, and hardly ever kicked up a fuss. She was their pride and joy, the very light of their lives, and was infinitely precious to them. Their little girl had brought Ian and Tessa even closer together, had forged a familial bond between the three of them that was unbreakable.

  His Gilly was most definitely a Daddy’s girl, especially since they shared the same birthday, and she would squeal with delight
whenever he entered the room or arrived home from work. She was affectionate and good-natured, and so well behaved that they never thought twice about bringing her with them to elegant, five-star restaurants. Other patrons would stop by their table from time to time, marveling at her good manners, and also complimenting Tessa and Ian on what a beautiful child she was.

  Tessa took Gilly with her almost everywhere, utilizing the childcare facilities at both the gym and yoga studio, so that they were rarely separated. The only times they used a babysitter were on those evenings when they attended social events or went to the ballet or theater. Simon, who was as enamored of the baby as they were, often volunteered to stay with her on those occasions, and Gilly adored him as though he was her surrogate grandfather.

  Ian had cut back significantly on his business travel, having allocated a good two thirds of the trips to Andrew and another member of his management team, but when he did travel Tessa and Gilly always accompanied him. Gilly loved to fly on the corporate jet, and had already been to hotels in a dozen different states. At the hotels, she was fussed over and treated like a little princess by the staff, though Tessa in particular was very careful not to spoil or indulge her to excess.

  But Ian was happy to note that his daughter was the least spoiled child he’d ever been around, and that she happily shared her toys with her playmates and rarely if ever pitched a fit or threw a tantrum when she didn’t get her way. Thus far she’d seemed excited at the prospect of having a baby brother or sister, though Ian wasn’t quite sure Gilly fully understood what that would entail. But given her sunny disposition, and loving nature, he doubted there would be any sibling rivalry or jealousy once the new baby arrived in late March.

  He still wasn’t quite sure how he felt about having another baby so soon after Gilly. He rather liked their little family just the way it was, and the uncertainty of how a new addition would affect that harmony was a bit unsettling. But Tessa seemed so happy, so thrilled, that he didn’t have the heart to mention his doubts. And she was such a wonderful mother, really a natural, that Ian was confident that she could easily manage a newborn and a toddler at the same time.

  They had both been startled, however, when she’d become pregnant with Gilly so soon after their first wedding anniversary. In fact, if Ian’s calculations were correct, then Gilly had been conceived during that week they’d spent up at the beach house.

  When her pregnancy test had come back positive on the first attempt, and Jordan had estimated her to be at approximately the six week mark, Ian had teased her a bit.

  “You’re very fertile, aren’t you, darling?” he had told her laughingly. “I’d be willing to bet you got pregnant within days after stopping your birth control pills.”

  Tessa had smirked. “It takes two, you know. And if you weren’t quite so potent, it probably wouldn’t have happened this quickly.” She’d grown quiet then, thoughtful, glancing down at her clasped hands uncertainly. “You - you are pleased, aren’t you, Ian? About the baby.”

  “Of course I am, darling!” he’d exclaimed, pulling her into his arms. “I’m thrilled that you’re expecting. It’s just a bit of a surprise that it happened quite this fast.” He’d given her a reassuring kiss. “But I couldn’t be happier, Tessa. Especially if it’s a little girl. One who looks exactly like her Yummy Mummy.”

  She’d wrinkled her nose. “No one says that anymore, Ian. It’s a very nineties term, you know.”

  He had grinned at her mischievously. “Well, you know how hopelessly old-fashioned I can be, so consider me a little behind the times. Besides, you’re the yummiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Tessa had trailed her fingers down the front of his shirt, toying with the buttons. “Well, I’ll just have to think up a comparable nickname for you then,” she’d teased. “Something like - I know. I’ll call you Dreamy Daddy. Because you’re the dreamiest man I’ve ever seen.”

  Ian had tenderly brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. “I don’t know if you’ll remember this, but when you were so sick in the hospital that time after your surgery, I told you I wanted our first child to be a girl. And I promised that we could name her after your mother if you’d like.”

  She had nodded enthusiastically. “I’d love that, Ian. Though Gillian sounds a little old fashioned for a baby. But we could call her Gilly for short.”

  “Perfect,” he’d agreed. “And I already know that she’s going to look exactly like her yummy mummy. I’ll be the luckiest man in the world to have two beautiful women in my life.”

  Tessa had sailed through her pregnancy with ease, experiencing very few of the normal symptoms like morning sickness or fatigue, and gaining only a modest amount of weight. Julia, who’d suffered all of those side effects and more when she’d carried the twins, had teasingly called Tessa a freak of nature and groused that it just wasn’t fair for someone to look so good when she was seven months along.

  His family had been thrilled to learn of Tessa’s pregnancy, and even more so when the sonogram had revealed that she was indeed expecting a daughter. Joanna in particular had been overjoyed to hear that she would finally have the granddaughter she’d always longed for, and had promised that she and Edward would fly to San Francisco to help out with the newborn when the time came.

  But Ian had forestalled his parents’ arrival until two weeks after Gilly’s birth, wanting to have that time at home alone with his wife and daughter. He’d taken the time off from work so that he could help take care of them, and that quiet time together had laid the groundwork for the close knit bond that the three of them shared now. Ian wouldn’t have missed those two wonderful weeks for anything, and was looking forward to doing the same when the new baby was born.

  They had just finished dessert - a delicious bread pudding served with a warm vanilla sauce - when Gilly began to yawn, rubbing her eyes tiredly

  “Poor sleepy baby,” crooned Tessa, as she began to lift Gilly from her high chair. “You had a very busy day, didn’t you? Time for bed now, baby girl.”

  Ian stood, pushing his chair back. “I’ll clean up the dishes while you get her ready. Or I can take her up, whichever you prefer.”

  Tessa cuddled Gilly close for a moment before handing her into Ian’s arms. “Why don’t you bring her upstairs then? You haven’t had much time with her today, after all. You don’t mind?”

  Ian smiled as their daughter rested her curly blonde head trustingly against his shoulder. “I never mind a chance to spend time with one of my two favorite girls,” he replied, kissing the top of Gilly’s head tenderly. “We’ll see you up in her room shortly.”

  Tessa cleaned up the dinner dishes fairly quickly, since she’d already washed and dried the various pans and utensils that had been used in preparing the meal. And this was such a dream kitchen to work in, equipped with every imaginable gadget and convenience, that cooking always seemed like fun to her. She’d already begun to instill that sort of work ethic into Gilly, keeping her daughter close at hand when she fixed meals, and letting her help in small ways, like dumping a teaspoonful of seasoning into something she was preparing.

  Gilly had been an absolute joy from the moment she was born - after a relatively brief and very easy labor and delivery. Jordan had joked that Tessa’s labor had been so easy, in fact, that she could have handled the entire process without any medical help at all.

  “Just like the pioneer women of the Old West,” he’d joked. “Or the cavewomen, for that matter. You made all of this look so easy that I didn’t even need to be here.”

  “Maybe I’ll just have a home birth next time then,” she had teased right back. “One of Sasha’s friends is a doula. And one of her students is a midwife. I’ll just hire them on next time so you can hang out on the golf course.”

  “Hell, no,” Ian had declared firmly. “You’ll have any future babies right here in the hospital, Mrs. Gregson. I’m not sure I’d survive if you tried to give birth at home.”

  Tessa chuckled as she finished loadin
g up the dishwasher at that recollection. Her big, tough, strong husband had looked more than a little queasy in the delivery room, his tanned skin having paled noticeably during the birthing process. She could only imagine how much worse he would have coped with things if she had in fact opted for a home birth.

  She slid a hand to the modest curve of her belly as she felt the baby kick ever so slightly. At barely five months, there wasn’t a lot of activity as yet, but she knew from past experience how quickly that would change.

  And she knew, just knew, that the baby she was carrying now would be a boy. Just as she’d known all along that Gilly was going to be a girl. And while she was well aware of Ian’s desire for another daughter, Tessa longed to give him a son - a son who would resemble his handsome father, who would be as smart and strong and athletic, who would always remind her of Ian.

  Before heading upstairs to help tuck Gilly in, Tessa glanced at the leather bound day planner that she preferred to any sort of electronic calendar app or program to see what the day had in store for her tomorrow. Beside her four o’clock doctor’s appointment, however, there was very little else on her schedule. Though with Thanksgiving just over a week from now, she needed to make sure everything was in order for the holiday that they would be spending, as usual, at the beach house.

  It was a tradition that had begun the first year of their marriage - heading up the coast for several days and cooking Thanksgiving dinner at their second home - and Tessa was determined that the tradition would continue for many years to come. Gilly loved going to the beach house, adored digging in the sand and finding tiny shells to bring home, and especially watching the herd of deer who grazed among the tall grasses on either side of the house. They tried to get up to the house as often as possible, even if it was just for a weekend, enjoying the peace and serenity that awaited them there.