by Thianna D
Or…?
After her long day, her imagination failed her, and as she sat in the uncomfortable chair, her head fell onto her chest, her eyes closed, and she fell asleep, too tired to do anything else.
* * * * *
X-ray took longer than he’d expected, but the technician had shaken his head, finger to his lips when he asked if there was a break. “I’m sorry, I am not allowed to discuss the results. Your doctor will go over them with you, Mr. Simms.”
Subtle, but sufficient. No break.
Roy rode back to the cubicle in the wheelchair, making casual conversation with Nurse Bradley about the weather and how snow in the City compared to their neck of Colorado. But his mind was on Teri.
He wanted to ask the nurse what he’d meant about taking care of them both…hesitated. If Teri had conceived, she’d have told him, right? She hadn’t noted it on a medical form. And if she was, he wanted to hear it from her, not Nurse Bradley. A stranger.
When the curtain opened, he saw his wife huddled in the chair, eyes closed and for a second he was alarmed, but then a small snore reassured him she was sleeping. Poor girl. She’d been anticipating a nice vacation, a cruise, a trip to breathe ocean air and have lots of sexy romantic encounters—spanky encounters—with him in the privacy of their cabin. He’d booked a nice one on an upper deck with a small balcony and special valet service. Heck, they’d never even have had to leave their cabin unless they wanted to.
He’d been as excited as a newlywed over it. They’d hoped to start a baby—but it seemed pregnancy was already a done deal. Why hadn’t she told him? Was it possible Teri didn’t know?
Nurse Bradley moved the footrest aside and helped him back onto the exam table and he groaned when his injured ankle bumped the table leg.
Her eyes flew open. “Roy, are you okay?” She jumped up and stumbled a little in her drowsy state. “Whew, I must have drifted off.”
He grabbed her arm and steadied her. “I’d say so.” She looked flushed, her hair mussed like after they made love and his heart swelled with warmth toward her. “Teri, is there something you need to tell me?”
She straightened her sweater and glanced up at him. “I haven’t seen the doctor yet. They’re waiting for the…” She swallowed hard and her eyes filled with tears.
“What’s the matter, baby?” He cupped her cheek and caught a drop of moisture on his thumb.
“Roy, I might be…”
“Pregnant,” they said together.
Nurse Bradley had disappeared, taking the wheelchair with him, but a bustle in the hallway preceded the doctor back into the room. Roy stared at her face, trying to make out what she had to tell them. Teri squeezed her eyes closed.
“I have Mrs. Simms’ test results.” The doctor’s expression was steady, but a twinkle in her eye gave her away. “You’re going to be parents.”
He clutched Teri tight to him. After the day they’d had, what a change.
“I understand that’s good news?”
Teri beamed up at him through tear-sparkling eyes. “The very best news. Ben is going to be so excited.”
“Ben?” The doctor frowned.
“Our son.”
“According to your file, Mrs. Simms, you’ve never had a child before.”
“He’s my late sister’s son,” she sniffled. “She died in a car accident this past summer. That’s how we came to live in Colorado. Corbin’s Bend.”
The doctor paused, making notes on her ever-present tablet. “Corbin’s Bend. I’m moving into a nice house there next month.” She smiled at them. “It seems like a very friendly community.”
Roy shifted Teri in his arms. “It is, Doctor. Let me be the first to welcome you to the neighborhood.” He wondered for a moment if she knew what she was getting into, whether she was a spanko then dismissed the thought. If she’d already bought into the community, she knew. Small world.
“Why, thank you. I hope to find people I have a lot in common with there.” After a moment, she set the tablet down and approached them. “Let’s get the two of you bandaged up and out of here to make room for real sick people.”
Roy did indeed have a bad sprain and the doctor treated it and instructed him to see his regular physician as soon as possible for follow-up care. Teri’s forehead required only an antiseptic and a small bandage, and the doctor assured her that her fall probably hadn’t affected the baby but referred her to a local obstetrician for follow-up care.
A true friend, Ronnie drove them home through the thankfully lessening storm and assisted Roy into the house and up the stairs. As soon as he left, they fell into bed, exhausted. Roy cuddled her close and watched the sunrise outside their window.
Valentine’s Day, they’d thought to greet the dawn on shipboard and instead they were home in their bed in Corbin’s Bed. The bed where their new son or daughter had been created, and he liked that so much better than having him or her conceived elsewhere.
And Ronnie and Kirsten were going to hang onto Ben until the day after Valentine’s Day so he and his wife could properly celebrate the holiday. The Corbin’s Bend way.
Chapter Eight
The storm abated by the time Teri awoke. Bright, late-morning sunshine beamed through the window, making a path of light across the foot of their bed. As if the storm the night before had been a dream. Beside her, Roy slept, safe at home.
What better way to start Valentine’s Day than with breakfast in bed for her honey. An omelet—cheese not peanut butter—and toast. Maybe bacon, although her last effort in that regard had set the smoke detector off and she didn’t want the arrival of fire engines to disturb his sleep. But she’d been learning more about cooking every day and she felt up to the challenge
Sitting up, she stifled a groan. Her tumbles on the roadside had left her with sore muscles and, of course, the scrape on her forehead, but she’d be fine in a day or two.
Roy, on the other hand…well, it was a sprain but seeing him wounded had scared her more than she’d wanted to admit. The light from outside brightened and she shoved her feet into slippers and grabbed her big fluffy robe, shoving her arms in on the way to peek outside and see the storm’s aftermath.
Her mouth dropped open. Every branch of every tree sparkled under a coating of ice. The sidewalk, cars, mailboxes…The roof across the street. An amazing silent beauty after the violence of the winds and storms of the night before. She rested a hand on the glass and pulled it back. So cold. She supposed it had gotten that cold in the City, but somehow the towering buildings had muted the effect. She’d waited in the lobby of their building while the doorman hailed a cab and then dashed out and hopped in the warm car. At the office, another thirty seconds and she’d been indoors again. Sure, like most New York residents, she’d walked a lot, but as a relatively affluent person, she did it only when the weather cooperated.
And…she’d been so focused on business, both their careers and racing the other rats, she’d never taken the time to notice the weather there. What else had she missed? She’d been too busy to make the trek out to Colorado to spend time with her sister…and then she was gone. Years of life wasted in pursuit of the kind of success she didn’t want anymore.
Wow. Not that she didn’t enjoy her work or the money it brought. She liked being able to drive a nice car and not worry about everyday bills. And making the deals that brought financial gain to her clients was a kick. She liked using her talent for finding the best stocks and investments, and telecommuting made it even better. She was not looking forward to her upcoming trip to New York for a series of meetings regarding changes in company policy and a whole list of complaints from dissatisfied co-workers who still fought and clawed like rats in a too-small cage.
Maybe she should consider opening her own firm. In Colorado. Out of her kitchen. She grinned and traced a finger over the fog her breath made on the windowpane. A dollar sign followed by a smiley face. Maybe a home office in the guest room would be better than the kitchen. Or she could rent an of
fice near Roy’s…or that small extra office he used for storage. Hire a personal assistant. The possibilities for success on her own terms sent her business side soaring. Why with hard work and a little bit of overtime she could…
Roy moaned and she jerked around to face him. He turned on his side and then flopped onto his back. He was still asleep, thank heavens. The more rest he got the better. And when he woke, she’d have his breakfast ready and insist he stay in bed and rest all day. Maybe she’d even join him…if he was up to it. She swiped out the dollar sign and added two more smiley faces…then one more little one. Resting a hand on her stomach, she gave a little pat.
Family first. Then business. Roy and Ben and the teensy person in her womb would keep her from going off the deep end into career craziness. Her new focus: achieving balance. With another look at her sleeping HoH, Teri tiptoed out into the hallway and closed the door on her way to the kitchen to prepare a fabulous feast to begin their Valentine’s Day at home.
Including bacon! Smoke detectors be damned, salt and fat sounded amazing and if Kirsten was any indication, morning sickness could rear its ugly head at any time and make things like crispy strips of fried anything nausea inducing.
She glanced at Roy’s suitcase as she passed, and gave it a nod. After breakfast, she wanted her surprise.
* * * * *
Roy stumbled out of bed before he had a chance to think. The shrill alarm cut through his head and his second step put weight on his injured ankle. His leg buckled and he sprawled across the floor, bumping his knee on the hardwood floor. His good knee. Groaning, he sat up and tried to figure out what was going on just as the shriek cut off.
Smoke detector.
Thudding footsteps pounded up the stairs, and the door flew open. “Roy, honey, why are you on the floor?” She clutched a singed potholder in one hand and wore an apron—one she’d bought in a fit of housewifeliness—coated with some sort of white goo across the breast area.
He blinked at her as she raced to his side. “I don’t know, baby. I thought I’d start the day with some pushups.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea with your ankle, you’d probably…” Narrowing her eyes, she shook her head. “The smoke alarm startled you?”
“Yeah, I hopped up before I had time to think.” Accepting her arm, he struggled to his feet, relieved that the knee he’d bonked would support his weight. “Bacon for breakfast?”
She shrugged. “No, probably not. I did manage to salvage some of the pancake batter. I knocked it over after the frying pan caught on fire…but I did remember not to throw water on it this time. I used the salt from the cabinet over the stove.”
Roy sat on the edge of the bed and rolled up his pajama leg to examine his ankle. Still swollen, but he didn’t think he’d damaged it any further. “So the bacon is ruined.”
“I think so, yes.” She fetched his robe from the back of the bathroom door and held it while he thrust his arms into the sleeves. “Just pancakes.”
Sometimes Teri’s cooking attempts worked out fine. Other times… “When did you learn how to make pancakes?” He stood again and accepted the crutch the hospital had provided, instructing him to take it easy on the ankle for a few days. Tucking it under his left arm, he headed for the bathroom.
“It’s a mix. Add water only.” She stayed at his side, going toward the stairs, but he understood and didn’t bark at her to get out of the way before he went down again. She needed him to be solid now more than ever. Her fluttery behavior told him how upset his competent, intelligent wife was over the events of the past twenty-four hours. At the top of the stairs, he grasped the banister, moving down one step at a time in a slow, methodical way, trying not to put his whole weight on the sprained ankle or tumble to the bottom. Teri seemed content to hover in front of him, arms outstretched in case she needed to catch him. She was more likely to trip him up, but he didn’t have the heart to stop her.
Finally they got to the bottom and he repositioned the crutch and hobbled toward the kitchen, stomach growling. And no wonder. “I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning, except those vending machine crackers in the hospital. Did you get any lunch or dinner?”
She shook her head. “I was too worried about you.”
They’d had pancakes since their arrival, but he’d made them. He didn’t think he could comfortably stand long enough to do it at the moment. “Let’s forget the pancakes and have toast and coffee, or maybe an egg?” She’d become pretty deft with those, making fluffy scrambled eggs and luscious omelets. Often. He looked forward to the day she expanded her repertoire.
She followed him in. “I came down to make omelets, but then I wanted pancakes.” She came around in front of him wearing such a crestfallen expression, he couldn’t deny her.
Sinking into a chair at the small table, he exhaled in relief. Trying not to walk much on one leg was harder than he’d anticipated. Lucky he had the week off. “How about this? I’ll direct and you execute.”
She beamed at him and scurried over to the counter where a pottery bowl sat in a puddle of batter. A streak of dark smoke stained the backsplash and a pan handle poked out of the sink. Probably the dearly departed bacon. What a mess, and he was in no shape to help her clean it up.
“I can make more bacon, too!” She started for the refrigerator, but he waved her off.
“Baby, I can’t move fast enough to escape from a fire.” He ignored her frown. “But pancakes sound great. Let’s start fresh…do you have any more mix?”
Teri reached into a cupboard and pulled out the box. She soon had a new batch mixed—she could do that part fine—and while he supervised, she heated the griddle and tested it by dropping a bit of water which danced all over the hot surface. From there it was a matter of adding a little butter then spooning batter into circles and waiting while bubbles formed at the edges. And while she did have a little trouble flipping them, one pancake folded in half, she did an admirable job. He wondered why she had such difficulty with cooking. His wife had far above average intelligence and he suspected in time she would master it as she had everything else she’d ever had interest in.
The key. Interest.
Maybe if she stayed away from frying for a while, their home would remain intact. When Teri brought the stack of hot, fluffy pancakes to the table along with butter and syrup she’d warmed in the microwave, they dug in.
“Great job, baby!” he said around a mouthful. “You’ll make a cook yet.”
Tears formed in her eyes and dripped down her cheeks as she chewed a bit of pancake. She set the fork down on the plate and drew a shuddering breath. He remained still, waiting to see what she needed, how he could help. Her face crumpled and her lip trembled. A sob came from way deep inside her, ripping his heart open. “I could have lost you like I lost Melinda.” Teri dropped to her knees and buried her head in his lap. “When I saw the car in the ditch, my heart broke. What would I do if something happened to you? I can’t raise Ben alone. I’m not good enough, not strong enough and now we’re having another baby, and what if something else happens to you? It’s still winter and you have to drive to court at least a couple of times a week and next time…” She wrapped her arms around his thighs and held on tight.
He’d known this might happen, in fact had been amazed she’d held it together so long. The baby coming had been a distraction, but she’d lost her identical twin, the other half of her soul. In a ditch. At the side of the road. Although his own accident had been blessedly minor, it had ripped the scab off the healing wound in her heart.
He stroked her hair and let her cry it out. She’d been so tight with her emotions before they arrived in Corbin’s Bend, she’d rarely cried or even laughed. Now, although he was glad to have her sharing her feeling with him, sometimes they ran away with her. After ten minutes, when her sobs didn’t slow, he took matters into his own hands.
“Teri, I’m going to spank you.”
She lifted her head, hiccupping. “I’m sad, and you�
�re going to punish me?” Her face was blotchy, her eyes red and lips trembling. “How could you!”
Guiding her across his lap, he pinned her hands against her lower back. “Not punishing you, baby, but we need to get some control here. And since you don’t have it, it’s going to have to be me.”
Grief shifted to anger and she struggled against him. “No, I won’t let you. Let me up. I can’t!”
Pinning her with one hand, he rested his injured leg around her thighs and stilled her fighting. “Do you want to safeword?”
“No,” she murmured. “No.”
Roy lifted her robe, exposing the long flannel nightie she’d worn in deference to the cold night. He caressed her bottom through its softness. “I love you so much.” He folded the nightgown up to expose her bare buttocks. Teri never slept in panties. One of her many good points.
She’d fallen on her seat, the day before, and he carefully looked over her bottom and thighs for bruising, glad to see none. That didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt and he resolved to go slowly and accomplish his task without causing any harm. Her body shook with her weeping.
After Melinda and Shane’s accident, she’d cried more than he was used to, but nothing like this. How deep had her fears gone? How could he reassure her, that he was there—and staying there? Bending, he pressed a kiss on each cheek, wincing as her weight sent a twinge through his ankle and he adjusted his footing to ease it. But he didn’t matter.
He lifted his hand and brought it down with a sharp smack and she sucked in a breath and wailed. “Go ahead, baby, just let it out.” He slapped her bottom and again and again and she kept crying and after eight or ten swats, as the lovely faint pink began to appear, she hit on a new reason to be upset.
“I…I didn’t listen to Ronnie, and I fell. I might have hurt our baby.”