by Mimi Barbour
Finally, this evening, everything wound down. She had time to think and her thoughts went directly to Miguel. Unable to understand her longing to see her husband, she put it down to not being comfortable with the whole outdated, ridiculous scenario. Hell, if anyone had told Sheri in advance that she’d marry a man from half way around the world, whom she neither knew well nor loved, she’d have offered to make them an immediate appointment with a reputable shrink.
Then again, who would have believed she’d end up the mother of twin babies? Add in the facts that there wasn’t a father in the picture and that she would soon be moving thousands of miles from her home and it boggled the mind. She stood still, contemplating for a minute and then gave it up. Life sprung surprises. Maybe that’s what made it exciting.
She picked up Carrie-Anne and smooched her neck, enjoying her daughter’s giggles of delight. “Beddy-byes for you little girl. Since Auntie Charly isn’t here to hassle your poor old mom, I think I’ll have me a nice long, hot bath and an early night. What do you think? Mommy deserves some spoiling, right?” Her little angel cocked her head to one side and gave Sheri the adorable open mouth gummy smile that had the power to twist her into a marshmallow.
A knock at her door interrupted. She held Carrie-Anne over her shoulder and headed down the hallway. Surrounded by the sweet smell of baby power, Carrie-Anne lay contentedly in her mother’s arm, her rosy cheek on her mother’s shoulder. The child’s hair, a halo of golden softness curled around her face, giving her such an appealing look that Sheri had to stop and kiss the plump cheeks before another knock reminded her where her she’d been going.
“Charly, I thought--”
“You were expecting Charlie?” Miguel’s rough voice startled her, made her jumpy.
“Actually, no. We’d packed up the van earlier and decided tomorrow would be soon enough to haul the last of the boxes to where I’m going to store them.” She stood in the middle of the doorway blocking his entrance and wearing a silly grin. Now why in the world did seeing him please her so much?
He stood in front of her and grinned back. Neither moved until Carrie-Anne decided enough was enough. Past time that the big dude paid some attention to her, she reached out her chubby hand toward him. It caught his attention and Sheri watched his whole face undergo a metamorphosis from flirty to, well enchanted. She’d seen it happen before. Her daughter had a coquettish way of enthralling adults and used the charming card whenever it suited her purpose.
The pizza box he’d been holding, wafting with delicious scents got exchanged to her for her daughter, who, by leaning toward Miguel, showed clearly her decision to trade places. Both little arms extended while her tiny hands opened and closed. He hurried to accept their invitation.
Almost as if she knew she belonged, the baby first stared into his eyes, smiled her delight and then laid her head on his chest and sighed. Her thumb made its way home, straight into her mouth.
Perhaps Carrie-Anne’s instant acceptance or maybe her innocent trust brought the yearning to his features. Sheri couldn’t tell because Miguel soon hid his face against the baby’s curls to conceal the look in his eyes. All she knew was she had a lump in her throat big enough to make swallowing difficult and a few more pieces of the ice encasing her heart peeled off.
“Come in,” she said, stepping back and out of his way. “How did you know I hadn’t eaten yet?”
“I just took a chance. When I talked to you earlier, it sounded like you had so much on your list of things to get done, I didn’t know if you’d take the time to fix yourself a meal. I won’t put up with you starving yourself. My mother would have me drawn and quartered.” His smile mellowed his words, and the offhand kiss he placed on Carrie-Anne’s cheek melted Sheri’s instant animosity.
“Can you stay and share this with me?” She waved the large box between them.
“I’d like to if it’s okay. I figured you’ll be having some questions by now, and it’s easier to talk face to face than over the phone.”
“I do have questions, lots of them. I’ll put Carrie-Anne in her crib and dish up the pizza. Make yourself at home.”
“Look, why don’t you set up the food and let me deal with this angel? I promise not to drop her.” Can a grown man well over six feet beseech? He could and did.
A nervous giggle broke out before Sheri even knew it had formed. “Sure, go ahead. She’s all ready for bed. I’ve fed and bathed the little monkey as you can tell by looking at my wet clothes.”
She hadn’t meant to bring his attention to her silky blue blouse now plastered to her lacy bra. Seeing his eyebrows rise and a dangerous smile appear, she quickly lifted the box to cover herself. Flustered, the nerves in her lower body began a dance of delight. To get both their minds back on the matter at hand, she cleared away the dryness in her throat and said. “Her crib is in my bedroom next to my bed, and there’s a pink fuzzy blanket folded on the end that you’ll need to give her, the one with the satin edging. She likes to cuddle the woolly part and rub the sleekness over her face.”
Chapter Fifteen
Miguel nodded and went in the direction her finger pointed. Between the narrow bed and the rather large crib was a small space he had to weave through. A window decorated with crossed sheers gave some light for him to negotiate his way, and a small nightlight near the crib guided him.
The baby, now sleeping, stirred when he laid her down, but as soon as she felt the texture of her blanket, she snuffled, curled into a ball and drifted back to dreamland. While he stared at the gorgeous creature, Miguel gently touched her curls. If hearts could melt, his pooled into a puddle somewhere inside his chest. This tiny baby looked so much like her beautiful mother that she delighted him, and a rush of awe made him catch his breath.
In soft whispers, his words formed, “Felipe, your babies are wonderful. They will be well looked after and loved as if they were my own. You have my promise.” Like a prayer, he spoke his intentions, and the pledge settled into his soul.
After a last caress for the sleeping child, he let his gaze roam the small area. Aware of details, part of his training, he took in each corner of the room. Not an inch wasted, the two dressers took up what little space the beds didn’t use, which left only a small walkway to get to each piece of furniture. Tidy, but nevertheless full to bursting; he didn’t know how Sheri could stand living this way.
He noticed a bouquet of flowers, very like the ones he’d bought his wife for their wedding day, displayed in a pretty vase, the lingering odor a reminder of his home in Chile. It thrilled him that she must have returned to the courthouse and retrieved his gift.
On his way out of the room, he passed the tall dresser where a photograph of Felipe posing between a joyful Mary-Anne and a glowing pregnant Sheri took precedence. All three looked so happy that he had to swallow hard more than once before he could trust himself to return to his wife.
Just as he entered the living room, she called him to come to the crowded kitchen area where a newly opened box and discarded wrapping sat in the corner. She’d set the Danish-styled wooden table in the corner. Placemats, candles, and flower-patterned dishes added a festive touch to the simple meal. Plus a surprising bottle of good Chilean red wine finished off the pleasing picture.
His size tended to overcrowd the space, but he tucked himself into the back corner, thoughtful to leave her working space.
***
Sheri saw him eying the label of the bottle, and she admitted. “Felipe brought three bottles of this wine to celebrate Mary-Anne’s birthday. It was the last occasion they ate here. Because he knew I’d never drink while pregnant, he wanted me to have a good stock for after the babies were born. Actually, I really think this being his favorite he just wanted to make sure there’d always be some here when they came over.” Her tender smile told Miguel how much she’d liked his brother.
“It’s my favorite, also. An old friend of our family actually owns the winery where this beverage was produced.” Miguel quickly removed t
he cork for Sheri and poured some into both glasses. “Did Felipe and Mary-Anne spend a lot of time here?” He folded his hands under his chin and watched the expressions flip-flop on her face, happy then sad, glowing and then weepy.
“Yes. Especially toward the end of my pregnancy. I’d have to sit in-between them on the couch so they could both touch my stomach and feel their babies move. I used to tease them that they should move in here and sleep on each side of me at night.” Her bottom lip wobbled, she shook her hand as if to shoo something away and the reminiscing came to an end. “Can’t go there just yet. Not without breaking down anyway. But I’ll get stronger, and one day I’ll tell you all about how happy they were.”
“It’s a deal. Here, have some pizza.” He cut a huge piece and placed it on her plate. “You look as if a strong wind could pick you up and blow away with you.”
“Don’t you mean pick me up and blow me over?”
“Don’t you go getting finicky about my language skills. I’ll have you know I’m a graduate of Harvard.”
“Whoop-de-do!” Teasing sarcasm suited her.
He loved the wicked gleam in her eyes. “Woman, have some respect for a scholar who received top marks.”
“Excuse me, your smartyness, I apologise...”
The knock at the door stopped her from finishing the sentence. “I’ll be right back.”
Miguel heard a male voice drown out Sheri’s, but he couldn’t make out the words. Just as he rose to check, she returned carrying another pizza box. “That darn Charly doesn’t trust me to eat when I’m alone.” She put the box on the side counter and opened the top. “Oh, it’s my favorite. Lots of pineapple and ham.”
First Miguel looked at his own offering and swore very low. There wasn’t a piece of ham or pineapple in sight. He’d asked for one smothered in mushrooms, olives and feta cheese. Then he swore because he’d finally gotten a chance to meet this Charlie and he’d blown it by not following Sheri to the door.
Losing his appetite, he stood and wiped his hands. “I just remembered that I need to make a long-distance call. I must go.”
“You can use my phone, Miguel. I don’t mind and I do have some questions that I need to ask you.”
“I have my cell-phone with me. It’s the number I don’t have. It’s back at the hotel room. Look, I’ll call you tomorrow, and you can ask me whatever you need, or even send me an e-mail, and I’ll answer.” He withdrew his wallet and pulled a card out from a side pocket. “Here’s my personal e-mail address.” He left the room and knew she trailed close behind. With the open door in his hand, he turned in time to see the distress she couldn’t hide. “You want me to stay?”
“No, I’m being silly. It’s just that we’ve had so little time to get to know each other. Sometimes, when I’m alone, you seem like such a stranger.”
“It will change once we go home, little one. I promise.” His lips brushed hers before he could put on the brakes, before he even knew of his intentions but once aware, he backed off.
As soon as he got her away from her damn Charlie, when he had her all to himself, he’d start winding his way into her affections and his nemesis could go straight to hell.
Chapter Sixteen
A few days later, Philip Knowles stood with his hand stretched toward Sheri as she approached his desk. His height might have intimidated if she hadn’t gotten accustomed to Miguel’s tall stance. She’d met this man once before and found it easy to relax under his caring persona and kindly manners. With one hand, she supported her front-carrier where Carrie-Anne lay fast asleep cuddled toward her, and the other she reached out for him to shake.
“Philip, how are you? Thanks so much for making time to see me today.”
He leaned over to peek under the covering blanket. “She’s a beauty, your little replica,” he said, pointing to the sleeping baby whose long dark eyelashes shadowed her pink baby cheeks.
“Everyone says she looks like me, but she does have her father’s gray eyes, they both do.” Sheri fondly stroked the sleeping baby’s head and brushed at the slight golden wisps of new growth.
“Please sit.” He pointed towards the chair in front of his desk and waited until she’d settled. “How is Rafael since I saw him the other day at the hospital?”
“His surgery went very well. It’s amazing how quickly he’s gaining strength. Still, he misses his sister, looks around all the time. I swear he actually listens for her. Miguel thinks he’ll do even better once they’re back together again.”
“Ah yes, Miguel. How is he?” Philip’s anxious look made her hesitate.
“Fine.” She sensed his concern but didn’t understand it. Shrugging, she continued. “As I told you on the phone, I’ve recently married Miguel and shortly we’ll be moving to Santiago.”
“Yes, so you mentioned. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. We had to rush everything because his mother is ill. We hope by bringing the twins home, she’ll come to accept Felipe’s death and recover more quickly.”
“I’m sure you’re right. I know from the way Felipe talked about her, that she must be an incredible woman, strong and supportive. You know, when the terrorists held Miguel prisoner in Colombia, and the American government wanted to write him off as a dead man, it was Andrea who took a team and went after him. I believe she got shot during the rescue attempt, and—”
“What?! How do you know all this?” Sheri’s shocked expression stopped his rambling.
“Right. Sorry. You weren’t aware of what went on, were you? I remember Felipe saying that he didn’t think the disturbing news should be shared with Mary-Anne or yourself. He wanted you both to be happy waiting for the birth of the babies. Being Felipe, he couldn’t help but protect you both from the upset.”
“Now I understand why he seemed so jittery the last few days before the accident. Even Mary-Anne commented on his behavior. We put it down to him worrying about the approaching delivery.”
“That excited him, made him happier than I’d ever seen him, but this news about Miguel unbalanced him. Then just before their crash, Felipe mentioned a phone call he’d had with his mother, Andrea. They’d both been worried sick about Miguel’s disappearance and had been badgering the State Dept. to do something, send in a team, or try negotiating with the terrorists. But the government had accepted his death, and continually put them off. When Andrea talked about taking things into her own hands, Felipe couldn’t coax her out of it. He’d made up his mind to return to Chile and take charge himself. Unfortunately, a few days later, he and Mary-Anne were killed.”
“That’s why we couldn’t contact Miguel or his mother about the funerals. She must have left to go to Colombia by then.”
“Yes and her long-time employees had sickness in their family and it was decided that they would go to visit relatives in Spain”
“My goodness. Everything went wrong, didn’t it? The poor dear, it must have been horrible for her.”
“She’s a headstrong woman who loves her family. I have no doubt her knowing that you’re bringing those two beautiful grandchildren home will be the best medicine in the world. Especially since Rafael is now the rightful heir. In Chile I believe that kind of tradition is still important to an old, wealthy family like the Riveras.”
“Except that Rafael can’t be the heir. As Miguel is the oldest, won’t his first born son have the right to that title?”
Philip looked shocked for a moment, and then his pale complexion turned bright pink. He swung his black leather office chair to contemplate the garden scene outside the window. His sigh made her uncomfortable.
“What? What’s wrong? Philip you’re not telling me something here. I think you need to. Is there a problem with the settlement?”
The brooding man faced her and leaned over to take her hands in his across the cleared wooden surface of his rectangle desk. “No, the settlement is all but finalized and will be deposited by the end of the month. Look, Felipe promised me he would tell you the truth. I guess he n
ever got the chance.”
“What truth? Philip, you’re scaring me.”
Philip leaned back, palmed his forehead and rubbed back and forth. She recognized he was in conflict and sat waiting quietly. Finally, he spoke. “Before he left on that mission, Miguel flew to Washington for the sole purpose of banking his sperm with us.” Again, he stopped and she got the distinct impression he searched for the right words.
“Go on.”
“Sheri, you can’t imagine how much I dislike being the one to tell you this.” He rubbed his hands together nervously. “When your insemination process started, one of our newer techs had mistakenly chosen the wrong specimen. He mixed up Miguel’s with Felipe’s. Probably because of the same last name. Instead of Felipe’s deposit being sent to the other clinic for insertion, we actually forwarded Miguel’s. It wasn’t until a few days before Felipe’s death that we found out the error. Those babies you gave birth to are Miguel’s direct descendants.”
“Oh, no!”
“Oh, yes. Felipe had promised to explain everything to you and Mary-Anne. For him, there wasn’t a problem. As it turned out, when we’d tested his own sperm, chances were, you’d never have conceived because his count had dropped quite low. He’d deduced from taking anabolic steroids when he’d run the Boston marathon. After the news leaked of Miguel being missing, Felipe had decided to accept fate. Raising his brother’s child would be a blessing.”
“Why have you not told Miguel?”
“I honestly thought you both knew. To make matters worse, when Felipe ordered his own bad sperm to be destroyed, we thought all along because of the mix-up that we’d destroyed the last of Miguel’s deposits. But the same incompetent tech by then had realized his mistake and secretly reversed them, trying to cover up his error. Therefore, we disposed of Felipe’s. Miguel’s deposits are safe, and we’ll hold them until he himself tells us otherwise. Since you’re now his wife, I’ll leave the telling to you.” He smiled, leaned back in his chair, and shrugged, as if a big weight had been lifted.