LOST AND FOUND HUSBAND

by Sheri WhiteFeather

“Will you let me know how it turns out?”

  “I’ll bring you the picture if you want to see it.”

  “When you first told me about the ultrasound, I thought about what the fetus was probably going to look like.”

  “What did you envision?”

  “I figured it would look like a peapod or something.”

  “A peapod. Oh, that’s cute. Maybe I’ll start calling it Sweet Pea.” She glanced down at her stomach. “What do you think, little one? Do you like Sweet Pea?”

  He watched her with a kind of strange wonder, and she realized that this was as new to him as it was to her. He had a child, but he’d never been through a pregnancy.

  He said, “Sweet Pea sounds like a girl. Do you think it’s a girl?”

  “I have no idea. But the Sweet Pea in Popeye was a boy.”

  “Ah, that’s right. The cartoon baby. Maybe ours is a boy, too.”

  “We’ll be able to find out later. Would you want to know ahead of time?”

  “Would you?” He returned the question.

  “If you do.”

  “We’ll decide when the time comes.”

  “There are a lot of things to decide.” First and foremost if she was going to accept his marriage proposal. “I better go now for sure. I really am tired.”

  She said goodbye and exited his car, taking what was left of her milkshake. When she got in her car and backed out of the parking space, Eric remained inside his vehicle, watching her as she drove away.

  * * *

  “Are you nervous?” Candy asked Dana, as they waited in her doctor’s office.

  “A little.” But she knew that the ultrasound wasn’t going to be painful. The only discomfort was her bladder. She’d been instructed to drink several glasses of water ahead of time because in first-trimester sonograms, a full bladder made the baby easier to see.

  “Just don’t think about Tinkle during the procedure,” Candy said, teasing her.

  They grinned foolishly at each other. Clearly, the last thing she needed was to put the sound of the fountain in her head.

  After the nurse called Dana’s name and she was settled onto the examination table with her abdomen exposed, she glanced over at Candy. Her friend sat in a chair on the other side of the table.

  The technician stood beside the computer, preparing to get underway. Soon Dana’s stomach was covered in a cool gel, and while the technician slid the transducer back and forth, Dana watched the monitor.

  Then there it was. Her baby.

  She covered her mouth and stifled a laugh. It looked more like a kidney bean than a peapod. But she would be darned if she was going to start calling it Sweet Bean.

  “Look at that,” Candy said.

  “I know. Sweet Pea is having its picture taken.”

  The technician smiled. She was young, probably about Dana’s age.

  “Do you have kids?” Dana asked her.

  “Not yet.”

  “This is my first, and my friend Candy is going to be its godmother.”

  “I am?” Candy asked.

  Dana turned away from the monitor to look at her. “Yes, you are. I couldn’t be doing this without you.” The drug store test, the doctor visits, the conversations they’d had. “You earned your godmother status.”

  “Then I’m honored to accept it. But don’t downplay your strengths. You’re doing just fine, mama, and you’ll continue to do just fine. I’ll bet Sweet Pea thinks so, too.”

  They both returned their attention to the screen and marveled at the baby.

  When the ultrasound ended, Dana was given two black and white photos of her little angel. She and Candy chatted about the baby on the way home. They talked about Eric’s proposal, too, even though they’d already discussed it at length earlier. Candy wasn’t much help in that regard, other than telling Dana “to do whatever feels right.”

  After Candy left for work, Dana spent the remainder of the day milling around, then got a brainstorm. She drove to the pharmacy—the same one where she’d bought the pregnancy test—and purchased two pictures frames.

  Once she was back home, she framed Sweet Pea’s photos and placed one of them on her dresser. The other one was for Eric. She had no idea how he would feel about a receiving a framed image of a fetus, but she suspected that Kaley would appreciate it. She was grateful that his daughter was excited about the baby.

  Dana still wasn’t sure what to do about Eric’s proposal.

  She honestly didn’t know what felt right. If she called her family for their advice, they would tell her to marry the father of her child. For them it would be a no-brainer.

  Shouldn’t it be a no-brainer for her, too? She’d promised her mom and grandma that she would never give birth to an illegitimate child. She’d made that same promise to herself.

  So why was she dragging her feet? Was it because the proposal had been Kaley’s initial idea and not Eric’s? Or was it because there was no love involved?

  Really, though, why should that matter? Dana wasn’t expecting Eric to fall in love with her nor was she planning to fall in love with him. The idea was to give their baby a name and do the best they could to raise it together, for however long their union lasted.

  So do it, she told herself. Go to his house, give him the picture and accept his proposal.

  Having made her decision, she sat on the edge of the bed and laughed at the craziness of her situation. Go to his house? She didn’t have his address. She didn’t even know where Sweet Pea’s daddy lived.

  Dana glanced at the clock. It was after four. Was Eric home from work by now?

  Instead of calling, she texted him: Can I stop by tonight to talk?

  Soon her phone bleeped, signaling a reply: Yes. When?

  You pick the time.

  He came back with: 6 or so?

  Ok. Need ur address.

  The next reply took a little longer because he included directions, with a side note that said: So you and Sweet Pea don’t get lost.

  She answered with a smiley face. She was touched that he’d included the baby. She actually pressed the phone against her heart.

  Refusing to make a fuss over her reaction, she lowered the phone. She had a right to be happy that Eric was starting to take an interest in their child. It made her feel better about bringing him the framed photo.

  And it made her feel better about her decision to marry him, too. A bit more certain. A tad more convinced. A scooch more ready.

  Lord, she was scared. But she wasn’t going to back out. It would be far scarier to raise the baby by herself. Besides, now her family would be proud of her, the way Kaley would be proud of Eric. They would have everyone’s blessing.

  Dana reached for her phone again, only this time, to text Candy. The other woman wouldn’t receive the message until after her classes ended, but Dana wanted to share her news just the same.

  She wrote: Going to Eric’s tonight. Going to accept. Think good thoughts for me. Will call Mom and Grandma tomorrow.

  Around five o’clock, Dana got ready to go. Determined to look pretty for her acceptance speech, she blushed her cheeks, applied lipstick and fluffed her hair. Next she brightened up her outfit with a colorful scarf that she used for a belt, looping it through her jeans. Since it was a chilly day, she slipped on a pair of suede boots and an old fringed jacket she’d bought at a garage sale.

  As she stood in front of the mirror, she thought about what Eric had called her on their date. The bohemian bride. Only when he’d said it, he’d been referring to her as someone else’s future wife.

  What kind of wedding would they have? How many guests would they invite? Would Mom and Grandma fly out to attend? Surely, they would find a way to afford the trip. Dana couldn’t imagine them missing her nuptials.

&nbs
p; Then, of course there was the matter of a dress. She would definitely shop for something vintage. Something wild and free. Something that reflected her style.

  She was going to suggest that they get married sooner rather than later. She didn’t want to have a swollen belly when she walked down the aisle. The bohemian bride didn’t want to look like a pregnant bride, even if that was what she was.

  At five-forty-five, she left for Eric’s house. She hit a bit of traffic on the way, arriving late. But not too late, she surmised. He’d said six or so, and she was still within the “or so” range. Plus, she hadn’t gotten lost. His directions were spot on.

  His single-story dwelling was located in a properly maintained, typically suburban tract-housing neighborhood. The lack of individualism disappointed her, but she wasn’t surprised by it. She’d pictured him in an area like this. What she hadn’t pictured, up until this strangely reflective moment, was living here with him. But the white-and-gray house with its brick planter and neatly mowed lawn was going to be her home, too.

  Dana rang the bell. She’d put Sweet Pea’s photo in a previously used gift bag. She recycled ribbons and bows, too.

  Eric answered the door, and her heart fluttered, like little feet bumping at her chest. Was that how it was going to feel when the baby was bigger and kicking against her belly?

  “Come in,” he said.

  The house was painfully quiet. She would’ve preferred background noise, radio or a TV. But it was just the two of them, their voices echoing amid the silence.

  Immediately, she glanced around, taking note of the polished oak furniture, surrounded by beige and blue accents. She suspected that a woman had originally decorated it, a woman who was neat and tidy and traditional.

  “Is this the house you had with Corrine?”

  “Yes. We bought it a few years after we were married.”

  “So this is where Kaley was raised?”

  He nodded. “She still has a room here. There are four bedrooms altogether. One of them is my studio. I’ve always done a little freelance art on the side. Illustrations, logos, that sort of thing. We used to make Native American crafts and sell them at powwows, too.”

  “We?”

  “Corrine, Kaley and me.”

  “Was Corrine Native, too?”

  “No. She was Anglo, like you. Blonde, blue-eyed.”

  “Has that always been your type?”

  He roamed his gaze over her, and she got tingly, her skin going warm, her attraction to him as strong as ever.

  “I never really considered myself as having a type,” he said. “But apparently I do.”

  Sexual tension. This was definitely an inopportune moment for it. Neither of them seemed to know what to say while it was happening.

  When the eye contact got too uncomfortable, too quietly awkward, Dana glanced around again.

  Amid the strained silence, she noticed that the fireplace mantel held a grouping of framed photographs. She wasn’t close enough to see who was in them, and now didn’t seem like the time to wander over there.

  Instead, she handed Eric the gift bag. “I have something for you.”

  He peered inside and removed the baby’s picture. He studied it carefully, gauging it from every angle, the way an expectant father should. He even traced the image behind the glass.

  Finally he said, “It looks more like a kidney bean than a peapod.”

  “I know. That’s what I thought, too. But I’m not calling it Sweet Bean.”

  He cocked a half smile. “I like Sweet Bean.”

  “No way.” She stifled a laugh, just as she’d done when she’d first seen the baby on the sonogram monitor. “It will never live that down. Besides, Sweet Pea was its original name.”

  “In the old Native way, names are easily changed. And Sweet Bean isn’t something to live down. It’s who he or she is right now. Later, it will become something else.” He followed the outline of the fetus again. “It won’t always be a bean.”

  How could she argue with his gentle enthusiasm? Supporting his decision, she said, “Sweet Bean it is. Until it becomes something else.”

  He carried the picture over to the fireplace mantel and placed it among the photos that were already there.

  She followed him, pleased that he was giving their baby what appeared to be a place of honor. She was also curious to see the other pictures since she’d already wondered about them.

  Most of them were of Kaley throughout the years, starting in childhood and up to what she looked like now. She was an adorable kid and a lovely adult.

  The only picture of Eric was from his wedding, on the beach with his bride in his arms. He was young and dashing and looked madly happy, the way Dana would have imagined him. Corrine appeared just as happy. She was lithe and tanned, draped in satin and lace, with her veil billowing joyfully in the breeze.

  “You were a beautiful couple,” she said.

  “Thank you. It was one of the best days of my life. Along with the day we adopted Kaley.”

  And here he was, all these years later, having a baby with someone he barely knew. But Dana couldn’t alter what was. She couldn’t bring Corrine back or arrange it so that Sweet Bean had never been conceived. All she could do was move forward and try to make a go of things.

  “Eric?”

  “Yes?”

  She turned away from his wedding photo, not wanting to look at it when she said this. “I made a decision.”

  He turned away from it, too. “About my proposal?”

  “I’m going to accept, if the offer is still on the table.”

  He didn’t respond right away, and she wondered if he was going to ask her to reconsider, to take more time to be absolutely certain. But then he softly said, “Of course it’s still on the table.” He finished his statement by adding, “I’m glad you’re going to marry me. And I meant what I said about doing whatever I can to make it work. I’m going to try to be the best husband I can be to you and the best father I can be to our baby.”

  “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

  He reached forward, and they embraced. She put her head on his shoulder and clutched his shirt.

  Holding on for dear life.

  Chapter Six

  Eric felt as if he were having an out-of-body experience, holding the woman he was going to marry and feeling her heart beating against his.

  When they separated, a stream of silence engulfed them, the moment turning intimately quiet. They stared at each other, the gravity of their engagement bouncing between them.

  Because he didn’t know how to cope with the tender feelings she incited, he steered the conversation in a practical direction. “At least now we don’t have to worry about the medical stuff. Once we’re married, I can put you on my health insurance.”

  “That’s good.” She seemed relieved that he’d broken the ice. “It will save me the trouble of looking for another policy.” She fussed with the scarf/belt thing she was wearing, twisting the ends of the printed fabric. “It will probably save you money, too, from having to pay more than necessary.”

  He nodded, grateful that they both were making an effort to talk. It was certainly better than standing here in silence. Keeping the discussion going, he said, “When should we set the date?”

  “If it’s all right with you, I’d like to get married as soon as we can arrange it. It will make me too nervous to drag it out. But mostly I don’t want to be showing when we take the plunge.”

  “What about the rings? Should we shop for those soon?” He glanced at his left hand where his ring used to be. He’d removed it soon after Corrine had died. It had been easier than strangers thinking he was still married. He returned his gaze to Dana. “I’d prefer to have a plain band. That’s what I wore last time. But I can get you someth
ing fancy if you want.” He’d given Corrine a diamond and it didn’t seem fair not to give Dana one, too.

  “Fancy rings are expensive, Eric.”

  “I can make payments on it.”

  “I don’t think you should do that. Not with everything else we have going on. A plain gold band is fine for me, too. We can even shop online for a good deal.”

  The internet barely existed the first time he’d gotten married. He remembered walking into a jewelry store to buy the rings he and Corrine had chosen. It had been a major part of the engagement process.

  She said, “We should probably keep the wedding itself simple, too. Of course there is a lot to consider. Where we should have it, who we should invite, the type of food we should serve, the cake, our wardrobe. I’ve already been thinking about a dress. Something just a little wild.” She smiled. “The bohemian bride. Remember when you called me that?”

  He smiled, too. He definitely remembered. “You can go as plain or wild as you want. Not just with your ring or your dress, but with everything. You can arrange the entire thing.”

  She tilted her head. “You’re not going to be part of the planning?”

  “I’d just cramp your style.” He preferred for it to be her vision. Besides, he was too overwhelmed to tackle the details.

  “It’s going to be a lot of work on my own.”

  Was she trying to coax him into being part of it? Or was she just concerned about getting everything done in time? Either way, he thought of a solution. “I can ask Kaley if she can come over to meet you, maybe sometime next weekend. Then while she’s here, she can help you plan it.”

  “That’s a great idea. I’d love to have her help.”

  “I’m sure she’ll make herself available whenever you need her.”

  “What are you going to do while your daughter and I are figuring out the arrangements?”

  “I’ll sit off to the sidelines and listen.” And try to keep from floating into space.

  “I’ll do some wedding-planning research ahead of time so I’m prepared when I meet Kaley. What a first meeting, huh?”