Little Black Dress

by Sarah O'Rourke

  “O-okay,” she stuttered, stiffening against him. “How bad is it, Whit? You said there were no other women but me. Was that just a line to get us into bed one last time?” she questioned anxiously, silently wondering if she needed to start reaching for those scissors her sister had suggested what seemed like a lifetime ago. God, bloodstains would be a real bitch to get out of their damask bedspread, she thought a tad hysterically.

  “What?” Whit balked, his face clouding as his eyes grew angry. “No!” he exploded as his own body tensed. “Damn it, Abigail! I am not having an affair!”

  “Don’t you dare yell at me, Whitlock,” Abby shouted back. “You’ve obviously been keeping secrets from me for months! Your behavior has been what I’d call distant at best and cold at worst! What am I supposed to think here?”

  Hanging his head in defeat, Whit squeezed his eyes shut. He saw her point. Christ, how he saw her point! Truthfully, if the shoe were on the other foot and he was sitting in her position, he would have a hard time believing him, too. But he’d been faithful, damn it! Always.

  “Abby, I’ve never cheated on you, and I never will. Please, baby girl, get that thought out of your beautiful head,” he begged, lifting his head to stare at her with soft eyes. “Why the fuck would I ever touch another woman when I’ve got everything I want in a wife and lover right here beside me?”

  “I dunno,” Abby mumbled, leaning toward her bedside table to jerk a tissue from the box beside the bed and wiping her watering eyes.

  “That’s because I wouldn’t. Look, Abigail, I have been keeping a secret from you. A secret. As in, only one secret. It’s a big one,” he conceded gently. “It isn’t, however, anything that is bad or nefarious.”

  “Then why…” Abby began, trailing off when he lifted a hand to silence her.

  “Just hear me out, sweetheart. Then, after I’ve finished, you can scream and curse me to hell and back. You can have any reaction you want – except one,” he said, pausing. “I won’t let you leave me. We’re married. ‘Until death parts us.’ That was the vow we took, Abby. We’re keeping it.”

  Growing more and more uneasy, Abby stared at her husband’s resolved face. He meant every word he said; he would never allow her to leave him. He’d fight her with everything he had if she tried. “Whit, you’re scaring me,” she informed him apprehensively.

  “I don’t mean to, Abby. I truly don’t. As I said, I’ve only been keeping one secret…”

  “Are you sick? Is that it?” she asked him rapidly as the horrible thought occurred to her. Clutching his hand violently as her stomach clenched at the very thought of Whit dying on her, she held her breath staring at her husband’s blank face. Screw that, she thought desperately. She was making the executive decision to go first. He didn’t get to keel over on her!

  “Abigail, take a deep breath for me, baby,” Whit demanded sternly, cupping her pale cheeks and forcing her to look at him as he worried she’d hyperventilate. “I’m not sick. I’m fine, sweetheart. I swear to you that I’m as healthy as any forty-one-year-old horse can be,” he soothed her as speedily as he could.

  “You’re sure?” she questioned fearfully, still holding his hand tightly in hers.

  “I’m positive. No affairs. No health crisis, Abigail. I told you, my secret wasn’t exactly of the bad variety.”

  Slicing her free hand through the air, Abby leveled her spouse with a furious glare. “Enough bullshit, Whitlock Evanston Lehigh. You tell me what you’ve been hiding right now!”

  “A baby,” Whit blurted clumsily. “I’m hiding a baby…. actually, a pair of babies.”

  Jaw dropping, Abby could only stare into her husband’s emerald green eyes. “What?” she finally breathed hoarsely.

  Gripping her hand when Abby would have recoiled from him, Whit held firm. “Do you remember a few months back when I got that call on my cell phone in the middle of the night?” he asked, knowing she’d remember since they rarely received any phone calls after ten at night.

  “Yes,” Abby answered through barely moving lips, still unable to wrap her mind around the fact that her husband had just confessed that his big secret – the secret he’d been hiding from her for months – was a baby! No, scratch that. A pair of babies! How the hell did her supposedly faithful husband have a couple of children?

  “I told you that it was my brother calling from his hunting lodge in Alaska, remember?” Whit continued, watching Abby’s face grow paler with every word he spoke. “I lied to you that night, Abigail.”

  Abby’s blood froze at that confession. “So in addition to having this secret between us, you’ve made a habit of lying to me,” she laughed hollowly. “Yeah, this gives me great hope of saving our marriage,” she scoffed as she tried to pull her hand from his.

  “Just listen, Abby. Please. The call was really from Evelyn Sullivan.”

  Abby stilled at that admission, as she descended into some of the most painful memories of her life. “The social worker we worked with when…”

  “Yes, baby girl…the same one we worked with when we were adopting Theo.” Whit nodded. “The call was from her.”

  “Why?” Abby whispered, equally afraid and eager to hear his explanation.

  “One of her clients was in the hospital. The girl was having a difficult pregnancy and went into labor several weeks too early. The birth mother was carrying twins. One of the babies was born with Down Syndrome and a host of other problems exacerbated by their prematurity. The other twin was born relatively healthy, but small. Entirely too small. It was touch and go for them both and none of the doctors were sure either child would live. The adoptive parents backed out. It seemed that they didn’t want less than perfect children – especially one that would have a lifelong disability.”

  “Oh my God!” Abby whimpered, horrified at the selfishness of the people her husband described. She and Whit would have taken their Theo any way he came. Deaf, blind, mentally impaired… it wouldn’t have mattered to either of them. They would have loved him regardless of any challenges. It’s what a true parent did.

  “Anyway, after they backed out that night, Evelyn called me. She wanted to know if we’d be interested in stepping in and adopting the babies. Their birth mother and father had both already signed away their rights and the twins were officially wards of the state. Provided they lived, they were available to be adopted. We were the first couple she thought of contacting.”

  Abby’s heart lurched in her chest. Eyes wide, she fought to get her words out. “What? She did? Why didn’t you tell me! What did you tell her?” she questioned in quick succession, her voice rising as she leaned toward Whit, smacking his chest when he didn’t answer her fast enough. “Tell me, damn it!”

  “Abby, you were still reeling from Theo’s death. We both were. She’d already informed me that both babies were doing poorly and their odds of survival were fifty/fifty at best. That night, I told her I needed to think. I stayed up that whole night watching you sleep, thinking about all we’d been through in our quest to have a family. I wanted to say yes to Evelyn instantly, but I couldn’t risk asking you to potentially watch not one, but two innocent babies die. Not again. So, when I got to work the next morning, I called her and told her that we were in. We’d adopt either one or both babies provided they lived, but I didn’t want you to know until I was completely sure I’d be bringing you home at least one of those infants.”

  Abby felt tears welling in her eyes. “And? How are they? Did they live, Whit? Are we finally going to bring children into our nursery?” she whispered tearfully, afraid to hope as she stared into Whit’s own equally watery eyes.

  “According to the phone call I received from Evelyn this morning, both of our baby girls will be ready to come home to us by the middle of next week. My original plan was to wait to tell you until I carried them through the door, but I knew when you sent me that text
this afternoon that you were at the end of your rope. It was time to come clean.”

  “Actually, that text was from Lucy,” Abby muttered.

  “Lucy,” he repeated, confused. “As in, your baby sister, Lucy?”

  She nodded ruefully. “When you missed our session with our marriage counselor today, she came over so I could vent. Sending you that text… getting you home so that we could… reconnect… it was all Lucy’s idea,” Abby explained truthfully.

  “Remind me to tell her that her next semester of college is on me,” Whit replied with a slight smile.

  “So, all those times that you disappeared from Berkley and your secretary couldn’t find you…”

  “I was at the hospital, Abigail. While I haven’t held either of the babies yet — I wouldn’t ever take that privilege without you there to experience it with me — I would go and sit with them as much as I could. I couldn’t stay away. Every free lunch break or moment I had, I’ve been there. I spent hours just watching their tiny bodies breathe in those damn incubators. I’d tell them about how they were going to be the biggest surprise when they came home to their mother. That you’d want them without even knowing them. I’m sorry for keeping this secret, Abigail,” Whit apologized emotionally as he stared into her dazed eyes. “Please, believe me. I was desperate to protect you from any more pain. I knew if you had to stand there while we lost another child, it would cripple you. Taking the risk that it could happen with both of the girls…no. I couldn’t chance telling you until I was sure our girls would come home.”

  “Girls,” Abby breathed brokenly. “We have daughters. Did you name them yet?” she asked tremulously.

  Whit nodded. “I used the two names we’d picked when we thought Theo was going to be a girl. Amanda Rose and Amelia Iris Lehigh. Amanda now weighs 5 pounds 2 ounces and Amelia, our special girl, is still hovering just below five pounds. She was 4 pounds 15 ounces when I talked to Evelyn this morning. Other than Amelia’s Down Syndrome and a slight delay in Amanda’s development, our girls are almost completely healthy.”

  Abby choked on a sob. “Oh, my God, Whit!” she cried happily, nearly vibrating with excitement. “We’re actually going to have the family we’ve been dreaming of for years, and it comes with not just one baby, but two!” she exclaimed, finally throwing herself toward him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “Tell me I did the right thing for us, Abby,” Whit begged brokenly, tears sliding down his own cheeks as he wrapped his arms tightly around a crying Abigail. “I was trying to spare you any further pain while getting you the family you wanted. I know what I chose to do was unorthodox, but…”

  Lifting her hands to cup his damp cheeks, Abby shook her head, overwhelmed with happiness. “You found a way to give us a family, Whitlock. Unorthodox or not, you did that for us! You’ve always been my hero, but I never realized you were a miracle worker, too. Thank you so much!” She pressed a grateful kiss to his lips.

  “Did I do the right thing by not telling you?” he asked gruffly as Abby tenderly wiped away his tears with one of her tissues.

  “I want to say that you should have told me, but honestly, Whit, I was so fragile after Theo died. If something had happened and I’d had to endure another loss… Well, truth is, I don’t know if I could have handled it. So, in hindsight, I’d say yes, you did the right thing,” she professed truthfully. “I can’t absolve you of any guilt you feel, but I can definitely tell you that it was worth all the pain I’ve felt these last months to receive this kind of gift. I don’t know how I’m ever going to show you how truly grateful I am to you for being strong enough to make the decisions that you did. What can I ever offer you that would come close to this gift?”

  Leaning his forehead against hers, Whit smiled. “You already gave me that gift, Abigail. It was your love,” he declared softly before covering her lips with his and kissing her deeply.

  Groaning as his phone rang from the pocket of his slacks on the floor, Whit frowned as he drew back and glanced at the clock beside the bed. “It’s after midnight,” he heard Abby declare worriedly as he scrambled to grab his pants off the floor and get to his phone.

  “Please God don’t let that be bad news,” he heard her praying out loud as he swept his thumb across the screen to accept the call. Pressing the phone to his ear, he stated tersely, “This is Whitlock Lehigh.”

  Abby continued to watch her husband closely as he preceded to listen intently to whatever the caller was saying to him on the other end of the phone for several minutes. Barely resisting the urge to scream when she heard him say, “I understand completely. We’ll be there bright and early. Thank you.”

  Waiting until he lowered the phone from his ear to pounce, Abby immediately asked, “What? Is it our girls? Did something happen?” she asked already worrying like the mother of two very special little girls should. “What’s going on, Whit?”

  Beaming at his wife, Whitlock’s green eyes sparkled like chips of jade in the sunlight. “Well, Mrs. Lehigh, it appears as if you’ll be becoming a fulltime mother a bit sooner than we anticipated.”

  Squealing with glee, Abby threw herself at Whit’s chest. “When? When do I get my babies?”

  “Let’s just put it this way,” Whit returned with a sly grin. “I’ve got less than eight hours to put together the extra crib I’ve been carrying around in the trunk of my car for the last month. Evelyn just told me that we’ve got the all clear from the neonatologist to take our girls home in the morning. You need to sign a few documents, and then we pick up our babies at the hospital at 9 AM.”

  And as Abby dove into her husband’s arms, she knew she’d never been happier to go to the hospital in her life.

  Maybe that little black dress of hers had been lucky all along.

  ***

  Ten Days Later

  Snuggling Amelia to her chest, Abby looked down at her new eldest daughter and felt herself fall a little more deeply in love with the drowsy infant. Smiling at where her husband sat in the recliner with their equally new daughter, Amanda, cozied in his arms, she knew simply by the wondrous smile painted across his lips that he, too, had fallen under their children’s spell.

  It was an amazing feeling… being a mom, and she wanted to bask in the glow of new parenthood.

  Unfortunately, duty still called.

  And today’s duty was named Lucy.

  “Sis, seriously, I know my new nieces are beyond precious, but I need you to focus. Just for a minute,” Abby heard her baby sister continue to yammer in her ear as she shifted in her seat, trying not to disturb her napping child and keep the cell phone held to her ear.

  “I’m focused, Luce,” Abby whisper-hissed into the phone, more than a little anxious to get back to admiring her new offspring. “Of course you can borrow my dress for Josh’s wedding.”

  “You’re sure?” Lucy asked again.

  Abby rolled her eyes as Amelia let out a tiny baby yawn and blinked sleepily in her arms. “Yes, sweets. That dress was nothing but lucky for me almost two weeks ago. Heck, it brought me back to my husband and got me the two sweetest angels on earth. I think you need to take it for a test drive next. Let’s see what that little black dress scores you.”

  “Ugh… all I want it to do is spare me a trip to the mall, big sis. I don’t think I’m ready for either a husband or babies… but a man might be nice. One with a nice smile and a big…”

  “Okay, gonna stop you right there,” Abby interrupted with a soft chuckle. “I do not wanna know how big you want anything on your man. Just come get the dress, sweets, and let it work its magic mojo.”

  “I’m on my way,” Lucy replied eagerly, not even bothering with a goodbye.

  Sighing, Abby dropped the phone back to the couch beside her as she stared into Amelia’s deep blue almond-shaped eyes. “Something to know about your auntie, Melly. She’s a nut.”<
br />
  And Melly’s gurgle assured Abby that the baby understood her.

  And completely agreed.

  Chapter Five

  Epilogue

  One year later

  Standing in the doorway to the nursery while staring at the pair of sleeping fourteen-month-old toddlers resting peacefully in their respective beds, Abby sighed happily as she softly stepped back and gently closed the door to the room behind her. Carrying the baby monitor down the hallway toward her and Whit’s bedroom, she heard the ensuite shower running as she came into the room. Dropping the monitor on her dresser, Abby stared at her reflection in the mirror and marveled at what a difference a year could make.

  Twelve months ago, she’d been uncertain her marriage to Whitlock Lehigh was going to survive. Now they were parents to a set of happy, healthy twin girl toddlers. Mandy and Melly were growing like little weeds, each one doing something new and different every day, and despite Melly’s Down Syndrome, she flourished under the care of her parents and the therapists they’d hired to work with her.

  Smiling, Abby truly believed they’d been blessed beyond words. Picking up her hairbrush, she quickly ran it through her hair, anxious to look her best when Whit came out of the bathroom. They always tried to spend at least an hour of quality time together every night after the girls went to sleep, but the last few nights had been rough. The twins were going through a growth spurt, and their sleep patterns had been a little off. Time together had been sparse for Abby and Whit over the last week. Today, however, Abby had purposefully kept her two little angels active and moving all afternoon and both girls had gone down easily.

  Now, it was time for Mommy and Daddy to play, Abby thought mischievously as she dropped the brush back to the dresser and reached for her perfume. She was already wearing her new lucky little black dress. Since Lucy’d borrowed her old one a year ago, Abby had taken her baby sister’s advice to spruce up her wardrobe a little, and this little frock was a lucky new addition.