Practice Makes Pregnant

by Lois Faye Dyer

  “Because I watched the two of you during your wedding. He couldn’t take his eyes off you. The guy is head-over-heels, completely zonked, crazy about you. Trust me, I know when a guy’s hooked. And Jorge is.”

  Allison was unconvinced, but Zoe was adamant. They finished their tea and Zoe returned to pouring coffee after getting a promise from Allison that they would get together for lunch the following week.

  Slightly reassured by Zoe’s comments, but still not sure of Jorge, Allison returned to the office and tried to focus on work. But she achieved little, for she couldn’t put the image of Jorge’s powerful presence in court out of her mind. As an attorney she admired his work, but as a woman she felt threatened by the possibility that he might apply that same ruthlessness to his personal life.

  Late that afternoon someone rapped on her door.

  “Yes?” Allison called.

  The door opened partway and Josie poked her head in. “Eloise wants us all in the main conference room for a meeting in ten minutes.”

  “Okay. Do you know what it’s about?” Allison asked.

  “Nope. She just buzzed me and asked me to round up everybody in the office. She stressed ‘everybody’ so I’m guessing that she has an announcement of some sort.”

  “Okay, I’m on my way.”

  Josie whisked away, and Allison closed the open file on her desk and made her way to the conference room. Eloise stood at the far end of the long table. Allison took a seat halfway down, next to the heavily pregnant Leah. The chairs quickly filled with the rest of the staff. Josie came in last and dropped into the empty seat next to Allison.

  Eloise glanced up and down the table, silently counting bodies, and with a decisive nod, rapped on the walnut tabletop to gather everyone’s attention.

  “I asked you all here to share some unfortunate news with you.”

  The staff exchanged worried glances. Eloise’s normally upbeat personality was muted, and her obvious concern was felt by everyone in the room. Allison felt a chilling sense of foreboding.

  “I’ve exhausted the last of my hopes for alternative funding,” Eloise continued, her voice heavy with defeat. “And I thought it best that I tell you sooner rather than later. It seems inevitable that when our current funding from the city expires, Manhattan Multiples will have to close its doors.”

  Lara Mancini, seated across the table from Allison, gasped, her green eyes round with shock.

  For Allison, already feeling frazzled and upset by her morning spent watching Jorge in court, Eloise’s announcement was one unexpected blow too many. Her usual calm control disintegrated.

  “But you can’t close our doors. I’m pregnant!” And to her horror, she burst into tears.

  Startled, her co-workers were shocked into silence for one brief second.

  “You’re our mysterious pregnant person?” Eloise’s stunned comment was echoed around the table.

  “No way!” Josie burst out, then winced and wrapped an arm around Allison’s quivering shoulders. “Sorry, Allison, it’s just that you’re the last person I’d ever guessed to be our mystery woman. You spend all your time working and studying, who’d have thought it was you?”

  “So that’s why you were married so quickly!” Leah exclaimed, then clapped a hand to her mouth.

  Allison wanted to respond, but she was incapable of speech. Instead she cried harder.

  “Come with me, dear.” Eloise rounded the table and gently urged the still-sobbing Allison out of her chair. Wrapping an arm around her, she guided her away from the sympathetic but amazed fellow employees and into the privacy of her office.

  Chapter Eight

  “Sit here, I’ll find a box of tissues.” Eloise gently urged Allison to a seat on the sofa in her office and left her for a moment.

  Allison was appalled at her outburst, but she couldn’t seem to stop crying, although the sobs had diminished to a trickle of tears. She looked up when Eloise returned with a box of tissues and a glass of water.

  “I’m sorry, Eloise—I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately,” she managed to say, pulling a handful of tissues out of the box and dabbing at her eyes and damp cheeks. “I just can’t seem to stop crying. I feel like a leaky faucet.”

  Eloise smiled and held out a glass of water. “Don’t worry, Allison, it’s perfectly normal for a pregnant woman to feel weepy. Lots of women go through this, and hopefully your emotions will calm down in the second trimester.”

  “Really?” Allison fervently hoped Eloise was right about this. Normally calm and collected, she was mortified by her emotional outburst in the meeting.

  “Yes. I have a very good pregnancy information book with a section on the emotional impact of pregnancy. I’ll be glad to lend it to you, if you’d like.”

  “I bought four books on pregnancy and childbirth,” Allison confessed. “But I’ve been so busy with exams that I’ve only read a few chapters.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m going to be a terrible mother, Eloise. I haven’t even read all the books yet.”

  “Nonsense.” Eloise patted her shoulder. “You’ll be a wonderful mother. And you have months still to find time to read the books.” She shook her head. “I must say, Allison, I’m amazed that you’re my mysterious pregnant employee. Why didn’t you tell me? Was there a reason you felt compelled to keep this a secret?”

  Allison lifted her head. “I’m terrified, Eloise.”

  “Terrified? Why, for heaven’s sake?”

  “Because everything happened so fast.” She waved a hand, and dabbed at the tears that kept overflowing and trickling down her cheeks. “It was such a shock when I discovered that I was pregnant. And then Jorge found me, and I accidentally told him that I was pregnant, and he insisted we get married, and then we did get married, and—” she paused to draw breath “—and I feel as if I’ve been caught up in a whirlwind. Not to mention…” She paused, her worried gaze searching Eloise’s sympathetic face.

  “Yes?” Eloise prompted.

  “I’m terrified that something’s wrong,” she whispered. “I’m only two months along and my body is changing so quickly. Yesterday I noticed that my tummy is already visibly growing and my skirts are too tight at the waist. I can’t button them or my slacks.” She pressed a hand to her stomach where her skirt, always discreetly loose, was now snug, the caramel wool stretched across the outward curve.

  Eloise lifted a brow as she followed the movement of Allison’s hand, her eyes widening. Then a delighted smile formed on her lips, and she beamed at Allison. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong, Allison. I think you’re carrying more than one baby.”

  “No.” Allison shook her head vehemently. “No, that’s not possible. I can’t imagine having one baby, let alone two.” Her eyes widened in panic. “Or more.”

  “Trust me,” Eloise said comfortingly, patting her hand once more. “You’ll adjust. Two or three babies aren’t that much more difficult than one, especially since Jorge can afford to have a nanny in to help you. And they’re two and three times the joy as they grow, so it’s a blessing, really.”

  Eloise had the experience to know, given that she was the mother of triplet sons, but Allison still wasn’t convinced that she herself would handle multiple babies as well. Goodness, she wasn’t sure that she could handle a single baby with any degree of competency.

  The mere thought of giving birth to more than one child had her hyperventilating.

  “How long before I’ll know for sure if I’m carrying more than one baby?” she asked.

  “Call your doctor and ask her,” Eloise advised. “I don’t remember how far along I was before I found out, but your doctor can tell you if having an ultrasound can tell you immediately.”

  “I’ll go call her now.” Allison stood, clutching a handful of soggy tissues, her expression both determined and worried.

  Eloise rose with her, smiling warmly. “I think that’s an excellent idea, Allison. And try not to worry,” she added. “Whether it’s one baby, or
more, you’re going to be a terrific mother.”

  “How do you know?” Allison asked, unconvinced.

  “Because I know you,” Eloise spoke with conviction. “Now go call your doctor. The sooner you know, the sooner you’ll relax.”

  Allison doubted that she’d relax, regardless of the outcome of the ultrasound, but she murmured her thanks and left Eloise’s office for her own. Fortunately for her peace of mind, her doctor was able to fit in an appointment for her the following afternoon.

  Jorge knew that Allison was worried about something. Despite her repeated, rather distracted, assurances that she was “fine,” he didn’t believe her.

  Standing at the sink, rinsing dishes after dinner, he glanced sideways at her. She stood beside him, taking the rinsed plates, glasses, silverware and miscellaneous chinaware from him and slotting them into the dishwasher.

  Normally this part of the evening was relaxed and easy, since they’d both had time to unwind after a long day at the office, had filled hungry stomachs and were looking forward to a quiet evening. Tonight, however, he could see the tension in her shoulders and the tiny frown lines between her brows.

  “That’s the last dirty dish,” he announced, turning off the water and drying his hands. “What do you want to do tonight? Watch TV or a movie maybe?”

  “No, I don’t think so.” Allison gave him a small smile, dropped a tablet of soap into the dishwasher’s compartment and closed the door. She frowned at the settings, then pushed the appropriate buttons.

  “How about poker?” Jorge crossed his arms over his chest, leaned his hip against the counter and eyed her. “I’ll let you cheat all you want,” he teased.

  “Thanks, but I don’t feel like playing cards tonight.”

  She drifted toward the living room, and Jorge followed, watching her settle on to the sofa, pull a fat velvet pillow onto her lap and stare unseeingly at the blank television screen.

  Frustrated at her unwillingness to talk to him, he shored up his patience and followed her, dropping on to the sofa to face her.

  “Hey,” he said gently, waiting until she looked at him before he continued. “Are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”

  She gave him yet another of those worried, faintly fearful glances that he’d been receiving all evening. Her fingers nervously twisted the fringe edging the soft pillow, twining it through her fingers.

  What the hell is going on? Tamping down his inclination to demand an explanation, he covered her fingers with his, gently stilling their movements. When he stroked the smooth skin on the back of her hand with his forefinger, she trembled, gradually easing as he threaded her fingers through his. He lifted her hand and trapped her palm against his cheek, his gaze searching hers.

  “What’s wrong, sweetheart? You’ve been worried about something all night, I can tell.” He smoothed his free hand over the silky fall of her hair from crown to cheek, then tucked the satiny strands behind her ear.

  Her eyes softened, the tension easing from her slim frame. “I am a bit concerned about something Eloise told me today. I didn’t want to tell you until I know for certain if we have anything to worry about.”

  “Tell me now,” he murmured. “I hate to know you’re fretting about something all alone. Isn’t that what marriage is about? Sharing?”

  She gave him a small smile and nodded. “Yes, you’re right of course. I’m not used to having someone to talk to when I’m worried.”

  He smoothed a forefinger between her brows, easing away the little frown lines. “Well now you have someone. So tell me, what did Eloise tell you that has you so concerned?”

  Allison bit her lip uncertainly, a small silence falling between them. Jorge waited patiently.

  “A couple of things, actually,” she said at last.

  Jorge was silent, hoping his patience would encourage her to confide in him, and was rewarded when she drew a deep breath and continued.

  “She called a staff meeting this afternoon to announce that there’s a very real possibility that Manhattan Multiples will have to close its doors when the current funding expires.”

  The little frown lines appeared again between her brows. Jorge restrained the urge to smooth them away once more.

  “So I may be unemployed in a few months. And I don’t know how I’ll pay for law school tuition without an income.”

  Jorge gave up the battle and leaned forward, gently kissing the spot between her brows where the tiny lines puckered her smooth skin. He felt them ease away under his lips. He lifted his head to look at her.

  “Honey, I can afford your tuition.” Her gaze searched his and he spoke quickly, forestalling the protest he felt sure she was about to voice. “And if you won’t accept it as an outright gift from your husband, then we can call it a loan, and when you’re a very rich, very successful, very famous attorney, you can pay me back, okay?”

  She stared at him, undecided for a long moment. Jorge knew the moment he won, for her mouth quirked into a small smile just before her nod confirmed his reading of her expression.

  “Okay.” The word was soft, husky with appreciation.

  “What else did Eloise say today that you’re worried about?”

  Swift apprehension darkened her amber eyes, and Jorge almost groaned at the quick return of worry to her delicate features.

  “Well—” she hesitated, her lashes lowering, concealing her thoughts from him “—I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve gained several pounds in the past two weeks.”

  Jorge managed not to give in to the delighted grin that threatened. He glanced down at her midriff, where one slender hand lay over the shirt that he knew covered jeans with the top button undone. “No,” he lied. “I hadn’t. You look perfect to me.”

  The glance she shot him was skeptical. “You haven’t noticed that the baby is growing and that my tummy is bigger than it was last week?”

  Carefully he moved her hand from his cheek and laid it against his thigh. Then he leaned closer and placed his palms on her midriff, just below her breasts, and smoothed them out and downward, past her waist, then inward until they lay over hers and the growing small bulge beneath.

  “Hmm,” he commented, his voice slightly rougher, his pulse throbbing harder at the feel of her beneath his hands. “You’re going to need some new jeans soon.” He glanced up to find her cheeks faintly flushed with color and knew a fierce satisfaction that placing his hands on her affected her as strongly as it did him.

  “Yes,” she murmured. “Eloise thinks I might be carrying more than one baby.”

  He stared at her, astounded. “Twins? Are you sure?”

  “I don’t know.” Her voice was anxious. “But I’m growing faster than I think I should be at this stage. I know from talking to expectant mothers at Manhattan Multiples that twins or triplets tend to run in families. Are there twins in your family?”

  Jorge paused to think, a small smile breaking over his face. “Yes, there are. In fact, there are two sets of twins on my father’s side of the family.”

  “Oh, my goodness.” Distressed, Allison pushed at his hands. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t think of it,” he said reasonably. “Besides, there isn’t anything we can do about it at this point, is there?”

  “No, but you could have warned me. I would have been more prepared. I’m not sure I can be a good mother to one baby, let alone two. And what if there are more than two?”

  The sheer panic on her face sobered Jorge. Without pausing to think about it, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap, tucking her head against his shoulder.

  “Sweetheart,” he murmured, concerned. “You’re going to be the world’s best mom, no matter how many babies we have.”

  “How can you know that?” she nearly wailed.

  “Because—” he tilted her face up to his “—you care. And you want this baby, just as badly as I do.”

  “You’ll help me, right?”

  “Absolu
tely.”

  The panic in her amber eyes subsided, but worry still lurked there. Baffled, Jorge searched her face, his thumb smoothing over the soft skin of her cheek. “Honey, is there something else bothering you? Something about the baby that you haven’t told me?”

  “Can we keep her safe?” Allison whispered. “I don’t want anyone to hurt her.”

  Her fingers gripped his T-shirt, the soft cotton bunching in her tight grip.

  “I’ll guard her with my life, Allison, I swear,” he said solemnly, a sense of foreboding filling him as he watched the fear in her eyes. “Who hurt you, Allison?” Her gaze flickered away from his and she buried her face against his chest, the soft silk of her hair brushing the underside of his chin. “Tell me, sweetheart.” Silence followed and he added softly, “Hey, we share, remember? You’re not alone anymore.”

  Slowly, her voice at times so soft that he could barely hear her, Allison told him about her lonely childhood. When she reached her teenage years and in halting words related the details of the night she was forced by a career-conscious young actor prominent in her parents’ world, Jorge swore, his arms tightening protectively as her tears soaked his shirt.

  “No wonder you’re worried about our baby,” he growled, furious that the vulnerable girl she’d been at seventeen had been treated with so little care and protection. His hand closed gently over her hair, and he tugged her face up to his. “I swear to you, Allison, I’ll never let anyone harm you or our baby. Never.”

  The fierce words slowly erased the last remnants of fear and worry lurking in her eyes. Jorge gave a deep sigh of relief when she released his shirt, circled his neck with her arms and let her eyes drift closed as her mouth sought his.

  Allison felt so cherished by Jorge’s response to her worries that she floated on air the next day. Although neither of them had said “I love you,” she felt immeasurably reassured that their marriage and life together had a chance of being happy. When he learned that she’d scheduled an ultrasound with her doctor the following afternoon, Jorge had insisted on being present.

  Dr. Kenyan’s office was closer to Jorge’s office than hers, so Allison left early and caught a taxi, intending to surprise him. She paused at the reception desk, waiting patiently as the receptionist dealt with a difficult phone call while other lines rang incessantly. At last the young woman disconnected the call, quickly put several others on hold and looked at Allison. “Sorry to keep you waiting. Whom are you here to see?”