Love Me At Sunset (Destined for Love: Mansions)

by Lucinda Whitney

  Anabela grabbed Catarina by the arm, and they walked to the service bathroom off the kitchen. Anabela inspected the interior, then waited outside the door until Catarina was done. On the way back to the kitchen, Catarina stopped and hung on to the wall, posture low and hunched forward, eyes scrunched until the wave of pressure passed.

  When they arrived in the kitchen, Anabela propelled Catarina to the chair. Outside the French door, the storm held strong, wind and rain churning in a show of force. Hopefully it would abate soon. Thinking of Afonso driving in these conditions worried Catarina. But maybe the storm would delay Afonso’s arrival in Porto, raising his chances of foiling Anabela’s plan.

  As soon as she sat down, Catarina cradled her belly. “I need to go to the hospital,” she said through clenched teeth.

  Anabela’s expression hardened. “Whatever for?”

  “I’ve been having regular contractions every five minutes.” Catarina’s mouth tightened in a flat line.

  Anabela narrowed her eyes at Catarina. “Isn’t that just great,” she said in a monotone voice as she stood. “It’s not my problem. I’m not taking you to the hospital.”

  Catarina’s eyes widened. “Why not? The baby is coming whether I want it or not. Are you ready to help me deliver?”

  Anabela made a face, visibly recoiling in disgust at the scenario. She frowned and paused for a minute, then pulled out her phone. “It’s been an hour and a half since Nico left. They’re well on their way to Porto, which means I can get going as well.” She placed a hand on the handle to the sliding door. “I don’t care what you do. It was Afonso I needed.”

  Catarina stood for a moment. “Can you at least give me the phone back?”

  Anabela drew Catarina’s phone from her pocket. “You mean this phone?” She opened the door and hurled it at the patio, where it landed on the granite steps in a heap of little pieces.

  Catarina squinted through the rain as Anabela ran to the garage and entered through the lifted door. In the next minute, Anabela sped away in Filipe’s Audi.

  As soon as she was gone, Catarina straightened and walked to the cabinet drawer past the refrigerator. She grabbed a pen and a pad of paper and returned to the glass door.

  She held her breath, hoping what she was about to do worked. Slowly, she formed an O with her lips and huffed on the glass. The truck’s license plate appeared for a moment, and she copied it onto the paper. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. It wasn’t victory yet, but a start.

  Walking as fast as she could, Catarina climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She’d been having contractions in the past hour, but not every five minutes. Just as Catarina had hoped, Anabela left when she believed Catarina to be in labor, unwilling to drive her or offer any assistance. Even the phone was gone.

  Catarina looked around the bedroom. She spied the tablet under a pillow on top of the bed and retrieved it. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, she tapped on the screen, and hope flared inside her chest. Maybe her half-cooked plan would work after all.

  She navigated to the contacts folder and found the Silvas’ phone number, then called them. The Wi-Fi signal was strong, thanks to Filipe’s zeal, enabling her to use the phone application.

  When Dona Madalena answered, Catarina rushed to talk. “Dona Madalena, I need someone to give me a ride to Castelo Branco, please.”

  “What’s going on?” Worry touched the lady’s voice. “Is the baby coming? Is Senhor Afonso not there? Did something happen to him?”

  “Can I explain on the way to Castelo Branco? I really need to get there as soon as possible.”

  “Of course we’re coming. Hang in there, Menina Catarina.”

  They arrived in twenty minutes. Fortunately, the storm had abated by then, and she urged the couple to hurry.

  By the time Catarina arrived in Castelo Branco, she was already tired. The Silvas wanted to drop her off at the hospital, but she needed to put her plan in motion if she had any hope of stopping Afonso before he arrived in Porto.

  The city was busy as they drove through downtown. When they passed the five-star hotel, the sidewalk was crowded with photographers, and the parking lot full. Hadn’t Anabela mentioned the media was in Castelo Branco for some political event? If the police didn’t move fast enough, maybe Catarina would contact the gossip magazines. The whereabouts of Dulce Vega was still a hot topic, and it would draw attention. Catarina was desperate to stop Afonso and Anabela. Even if she had to talk to the paparazzi—she would do anything.

  When Catarina arrived at the police station, she used the public phone in the waiting room to call Filipe. Dona Madalena dragged a chair, and Catarina sat down.

  He answered with a smile in his voice. “Catarina, how are you? That baby coming soon?”

  “Filipe, Anabela Rialto was at the house.”

  He sobered immediately. “How did that happen? Let me talk to Afonso.”

  “Afonso isn’t here. She threatened me and made him drive to Porto to deliver something to the ship he used to work on.” He tried to say something, and she interrupted. “I think it might be a bomb. There’s no time. We need to send the police after their car and stop them. I’m at the police station in Castelo Branco. Didn’t you and Afonso and Matias talk to a detective here?”

  “We did. Ask for Detective Arantes and mention my name and Matias’.” Filipe gave Catarina more instructions on what to say until he arrived. “I’ll call Matias and tell him what’s going on. Hey, are you okay? How did you get to Castelo Branco?”

  Catarina let out a slow breath. “I called the Silvas, and they brought me here. Okay, I’ll ask for Detective Arantes and give him the license plate numbers to the Ford truck and the Audi.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Filipe promised.

  Detective Arantes was on his day off, but at the mention of Sunset Manor and the Romanos, he arrived at the station within thirty minutes, willing to talk to Catarina.

  By the time they were done, the weariness caught up with Catarina, and she allowed herself to relax in her seat. The false labor contractions hadn’t let up, the flat annoyance of before verging on a dull, intermittent pain. She’d done all she could to stop Afonso from reaching the ship, to stop Anabela and her insane plans.

  It was now out of her hands.

  All she could do was trust and wait.

  Catarina woke to the early sun spreading through the thin blinds, and she grabbed on to the sheet. The events of the previous night came to her.

  Filipe had arrived in record-breaking time, and he’d immediately met with Detective Arantes. Within minutes, the police station came to life with activity, and reporters arrived to wait outside the building. But it wasn’t until much later that she finally got word that the two vehicles had been stopped and the occupants apprehended.

  When Filipe rejoined Catarina in the waiting room, worry filled his expression when his eyes landed on her. He drove her to the hospital, where she was admitted to the labor & delivery floor for overnight observation. The attending doctor explained to her how thirty-seven weeks was not too early to have a baby, and despite Catarina’s concerns, the doctor had her hooked up to the monitors, with an IV in her arm and a promise that Dr. Paula would come see her in the morning.

  After she rested and rehydrated, the early labor slowed down. As uncomfortable as she was with irregular contractions, the physical and emotional fatigue were greater, and she was able to sleep intermittently.

  Filipe had left soon after she was admitted, and Catarina didn’t know where he was. She would have to wait for him to return and tell her about Afonso.

  The attending doctor came in right after the early breakfast, followed by a nurse. “How are you feeling today?” the doctor asked. He pulled out a stool and sat close to her bed. “Did you rest any?”

  “A little,” Catarina replied. “These false labor contractions are pretty tiring.” Not to mention the dull pain she’d been having since the day before.

  The doctor smiled.
“They are tiring because they’re not false labor. You’re actually in labor. The real deal.”

  Catarina’s jaw dropped, and her heart squeezed. “What? I’m not ready to have my baby.” It was happening too soon.

  The doctor chuckled. “Ready or not, the baby is coming. We’ve been monitoring you through the night, and even though the contractions have been irregular, you are in labor. I know I told you yesterday that Dr. Paula would be coming this morning, but she was delayed on a trip. She asked me to go ahead and check your progress so we can decide where to go from there.”

  After the exam, the doctor threw his gloves in the garbage. “You’re dilated to four centimeters. I’m going to talk to Dr. Paula and see what she wants to do. In the meantime, do you need anything? Can we call anyone for you?”

  Catarina sighed. “I think I left my tablet in my cousin’s truck when he brought me yesterday. I don’t have any numbers with me.”

  “What about your file? Do you have an emergency contact written there?” the nurse asked.

  Had Catarina even put down an emergency number? “I can’t remember.”

  “I’ll go check for you,” the nurse said.

  She returned a few minutes later. “I looked at your file from the last time you were here, and I called the number under the emergency contact. He said he’s on his way.”

  Catarina sat up in bed. “He did? Who did you call?”

  “It said Afonso Cortez. Is it not right?”

  Afonso was coming. Catarina swallowed the emotion in her throat and nodded. “No, it’s right.”

  After the nurse left, Catarina wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. If he said he was coming, then he must be free to do so. She’d feared things would go wrong and he’d been detained again, but he was coming. She still had no idea where Afonso was traveling from and only hoped he could make it before the baby arrived.

  Catarina waited all morning. The nurse brought her a light snack, but after lunch time, neither Afonso nor Dr. Paula had shown up.

  After being in the same position all morning, Catarina asked to leave the bed for a respite. The contractions were still coming, bothersome and increasingly painful, but she needed a change. Waiting had worn out her patience: waiting for Dr. Paula, for Afonso, for the baby.

  She dragged the IV stand and walked to the window with the nurse’s help. A soft knock sounded at the door.

  “Is it safe to come in?” a male voice asked.

  Catarina covered her lips with her fingers. He was here. Afonso was here.

  “It’s safe,” the nurse replied. She turned to Catarina and smiled. “Looks like your emergency contact finally made it.”

  The nurse opened the door to leave, and Afonso stepped in, timidly looking around. When he found the bed empty, he frowned.

  “Afonso,” Catarina said.

  He looked in her direction, and a smile split his face, relief in his expression. In three large strides, he crossed the room to her side. “Catarina,” he said in a low voice. Gingerly, he draped his arms around her shoulders and brought her closer to him.

  Catarina inhaled deeply, relishing the embrace. She’d missed him so much.

  Catarina let out a sigh. “You’re here.”

  He pulled out to look at her. “Are you in pain? The nurse said you’re in labor.”

  “I’ve been so worried about you,” they both said at the same time.

  Afonso chuckled and passed a hand through her hair. “You’re the one having the baby. Truly, how are you?”

  Catarina couldn’t stop smiling. “I’m better now that you’re here.” A stronger contraction started in her lower back and she closed her eyes, hanging on to Afonso’s arm. When it passed, she took a breath and reopened her eyes. “That was a big one. I think the baby knew I wanted you here before it started for real.”

  “Do you need to sit down?” His expression was full of concern. “What can I do for you?”

  Catarina perched on the edge of the upholstered chair and held her breath as another wave of pain and pressure started. A bead of sweat rolled down her back.

  “I’m getting the nurse,” Afonso said. Worry laced his voice.

  The nurse arrived within minutes with Afonso right behind.

  “Okay, Catarina, let’s get you back in bed and hooked to the monitor,” the nurse said.

  Catarina didn’t protest.

  With Afonso helping on one side and the nurse on the other, Catarina climbed back in bed. The nurse wrapped the monitor band around her belly and turned on the monitor as another contraction seized Catarina.

  Catarina fell back against the pillows after it passed. Things were definitely moving quicker now.

  Dr. Paula entered and pulled on a pair of gloves from the box on the counter. “Catarina, I heard your baby is ready to come.” She eyed Afonso and smiled. “Awesome. The dad is here. Are you going to stick around?”

  “Afonso Cortez. How are you?” Afonso didn’t correct Dr. Paula.

  “I’m great. Let me check Catarina and see how she’s doing.” She pulled a stool to the end of the bed, and the nurse dropped the footboard for better access.

  Afonso turned toward the door, his neck red. “I’ll come back in a few.” Before Catarina had time to reply, he was out the door.

  The nurse and Dr. Paula laughed. “Guys are so funny when it comes to childbirth,” Dr. Paula said.

  The doctor threw the gloves in the garbage after the exam. “You’re at a tight six. We can wait to see how it progresses, and we can also help it along with some Pitocin which helps labor move faster.”

  Catarina’s stomach churned. She’d already asked the other doctor, but she had to know. “So it’s not too early for the baby to be born?”

  The doctor consulted Catarina’s chart. “You’re past thirty-seven weeks, which is considered full term.” She flipped through a few pages, then looked to Catarina. “You’ve been measuring small throughout your pregnancy, but your baby’s last measurements showed consistent growth, and he or she looks to be doing great.” She smiled. “Everything will be fine.”

  Catarina released the breath she’d been holding in and nodded. “If you say so.”

  Dr. Paula patted Catarina’s leg. “I definitely say so.” She looked back through the chart. “We talked about you getting an epidural. Are you still interested?”

  “Yes, please,” Catarina replied without hesitation.

  “All right then. I’ll get the anesthesiologist to come first. I’ll check back with you soon to decide about the Pitocin.”

  The anesthesiologist came thirty minutes later, and while the experience of receiving the epidural was less fun than Catarina had hoped, the prospect of unmedicated labor was something she didn’t want to deal with.

  Afonso returned half an hour after that.

  “You’re back,” Catarina said.

  “I’m back.” He smiled and handed her a paper gift bag. “I got you a few things.”

  She peeked inside. “My tablet.” It was actually Filipe’s tablet, but she’d been using it for a while.

  “Filipe asked me to return it.”

  Inside the bag there was also a pair of white socks, a packet of mint gum, a pen and a small pad, and her favorite brand of flavored water. “Thank you, Afonso. This is so thoughtful.”

  His neck reddened. “I know you didn’t get the chance to bring anything, but Luciana said she’ll pack a bag for you when she gets here.”

  “Did you call her?”

  “Yes, she’s driving to Porto to bring your parents, possibly later today or tomorrow morning. Tiago said he’ll come on Saturday with your grandma and aunts.”

  “How did you talk to Tiago?”

  He nodded. “I met him, plus your dad, granddad, and some other cousins, aunts, and uncles.”

  “How did that happen? You need to tell me everything.” She still didn’t know what had happened after Afonso had left with Anabela’s brother.

  Afonso chuckled. “Are you up for it?”
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  “I got the epidural.” Catarina smiled. “Now I’m just waiting.”

  Afonso stood and watched the monitor to the side of the bed. “Your contractions have picked up quite a bit.”

  Catarina craned her neck. “Really?”

  He gestured at the screen. “Look at the peaks.”

  “I can’t feel anything. It’s great.” Thank goodness for modern medicine. “Start with what happened after you left the house.”

  Afonso sat back down. “I tried to speed every time I saw another vehicle, hoping someone would report us, or a highway patrol car would pull us over, but Anabela’s brother wouldn’t let me. I kept trying to talk him out of it, which didn’t work either. Fortunately we ran out of gas, so we had to stop to fill up, and when we were about to leave, three patrol cars cut us off.”

  “What about Anabela?”

  “She was pulled over for speeding, and when they ran her driver’s license, the warrant for her arrest came up.”

  Dr. Paula and two nurses entered the room. Catarina looked up in surprise. She’d been so focused on listening to Afonso that, for a moment, she’d almost forgotten the baby was coming soon.

  “Let’s see if you’re ready,” the doctor said.

  Afonso stood to leave again, but this time Catarina latched on to his hand, holding him in place. The nurses moved to each side of Catarina, and one of them draped a sheet from Catarina’s belly to her knees. The other dropped the footboard and lifted the stirrups. Afonso looked at Catarina, then squeezed her fingers. He sat back down and scooted his chair closer to the head of the bed. The nurses bent Catarina’s legs at the knee, holding them in position for the exam. Afonso focused on Catarina’s face, blushing furiously in his attempt to give her privacy.

  Dr. Paula peeked over the sheet. “You’re dilated to ten, one hundred percent effaced, and your contractions are coming in every two minutes. When the next contraction starts, I want you to push.”

  Catarina’s eyes widened. “Already? I can’t feel anything. How do I know when to push?” This was happening too fast. She still hadn’t wrapped her brain around the idea of having her baby at thirty-seven weeks, and now the baby was coming.