by Pamela Bauer
“Why do you say that?”
“There are books everywhere.” She picked up one that was on the top of the stack next to his favorite chair and read the title aloud. “The First Nine Months?” Then she sifted through the rest of the pile. “I think you have all the bases covered when it comes to babies.”
“It’s new territory for me.”
“Me, too.” She rolled her eyes. “Oops, already broke the rule.” She pulled a face, then looked around and spotted his chess set carved out of wood. She fingered several of the pieces saying, “A game for thinkers. Maddie says you’re really good at it.”
“What? Thinking or playing chess?”
She grinned. “Both.”
“Maddie plays a pretty mean game of chess herself. What about you?”
She shook her head. “I never learned how.”
“I could teach you,” he offered.
She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think so.”
“It might be good for the baby,” he said in a tempting tone.
“Why do you say that?”
“You know how they say reading to the baby in utero stimulates the brain? Well maybe hearing her mom and dad discussing chess moves will give her an edge intellectually. As you said, this is a game for thinkers.”
“But what if I’m horrible at it?”
“You won’t be.”
“You sound pretty sure about that.”
He shrugged. “Just a hunch I have.”
“We’re doing it again,” she told him.
“Doing what?”
“Breaking the rule.”
He gave her a weak smile. “Sorry. But as long as it’s broken, let me add very quickly that I’ve arranged to be at your doctor appointment next week. You did say you didn’t mind if I was there, right?”
“No, I want you to come. We’ll find out whether you’re right.”
Puzzled, he asked, “About what?”
“Always referring to the baby as a girl.”
“That’s because it is a girl.”
“We’ll see,” she said with a playful grin.
Then her stomach growled and he said, “We need to get you something to eat. Should we walk or drive?”
“Walk. I need the exercise.”
It was a beautiful autumn day with temperatures un-seasonably warm—so warm the restaurant’s patio was open for dining. He was pleased when she said she’d like to sit outside. Although they sat in the shade of an umbrella, when she tipped her head a certain way her red hair caught the sunlight.
She’d always been stunningly beautiful, drawing the attention of many male eyes. Today was no different. He didn’t miss the looks of envy that came his way when they’d walked in together. She was by far the most beautiful woman he’d ever escorted anywhere and, like the night of the hospital ball, he found himself wishing that she wasn’t with him out of a sense of duty.
Then he had to stop himself. He didn’t need a beautiful wife. He needed a woman who loved him.
When he glanced across the patio he noticed Samantha at one of the tables. She wasn’t alone. She sat next to a man he recognized as a lab technician from the hospital.
Krystal noticed something had distracted him and asked, “What’s wrong? Is your mother here or something?”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing.”
She dropped her napkin on purpose so she could turn around and see what it was that had captured his attention. When she sat back up she said, “That’s hardly nothing. It’s your girlfriend with another guy. We can leave if you want.”
“There’s no need to leave. She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Because of me. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t need to apologize, Krystal.”
“Yes, I do. If I hadn’t…if this hadn’t happened, you’d be with her right now. It just seems like a cruel twist of fate. I mean, the reason we went to the ball together was for you to get her attention and then you did and now this…” She shook her head in regret. “How can I not feel bad about that?” A tear escaped, trickling down her cheek.
He reached across the table to stop it with his finger. “You don’t need to cry for me, Krystal.”
“I can’t help it,” she said on a broken voice. “It’s so sad.”
“What’s sad is you crying over nothing. The reason Samantha and I aren’t together has nothing to do with you or the baby.” Although that wasn’t quite the truth. He’d often found himself thinking about Krystal when he was with Samantha. He signaled for the waiter. “We’d like our food to go,” he told him when he appeared, then said to Krystal, “We’ll eat at my place. It’ll be much more comfortable for both of us.”
“I don’t know why I bother with eye makeup,” she said as she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.
“I don’t know why you do, either. You certainly don’t need it.”
“Yes, I do. My eyelashes are so light you can hardly see them.”
“That’s what makes your face so interesting. You have red hair yet your lashes are blond.”
“Interesting?” She looked at him as if he’d just told her he liked her shoes because one was for the left foot and one was for the right.
The waiter came with their order, boxed and ready to go. Garret settled the bill, then ushered Krystal from the restaurant, grateful they didn’t need to pass by Samantha and her companion.
For the first time since the night they’d spent together, he felt as if their relationship was back to where it had been before they’d made love. Instead of being uncomfortable around him, she seemed to enjoy his company. It was a good sign and gave him hope that by the time the baby arrived, they might actually be very good friends instead of acquaintances.
After they finished eating they took a walk down by the river, where they sat on a park bench and watched the barges slowly navigating the water. When a paddle wheeler went by with a load of passengers who waved at them, they waved back.
“That’s the Jonathan Padelford. I haven’t been on that since I was a kid and we went with our Cub Scout troop,” he remarked.
“I’ve never been on it,” she told him.
“You’re kidding.”
“No. You’re forgetting I didn’t grow up here. Where does it dock?”
He pointed to his left. “Over there at Harriet Island.”
She shaded her eyes with her hand. “There’s another paddleboat there now.” She continued to gaze at the landing. “It looks like people are getting on. Do you need to buy tickets ahead of time?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think so.”
She jumped to her feet and stretched out her hands to him. “Then let’s go take a ride.”
“Now?”
“Sure, why not?” When he hesitated, she pleaded with him, “Come on. I’ve never been on a paddle wheeler. Please?”
The smile she gave him reminded him of the one she’d lured him to bed with. He knew he shouldn’t respond to it, but he couldn’t help himself. He had thought that because he’d slept with her, he’d destroyed the fantasy. Now he knew it wasn’t true. She would always be a temptation for him.
“It’s a bit of a hike,” he warned. “And we might get there just as it’s leaving.”
“Then we’ll have had a walk on a beautiful day.” She tugged on his hands. “Please say yes.”
He couldn’t disappoint her. “Sure. Why not? There probably won’t be many more September days like this.”
They walked the short distance and discovered that the Harriet Bishop would be making one more trip on the Mississippi that afternoon and there were still tickets available. Garret thought Krystal was like a little kid, nearly jumping up and down with excitement at the thought of getting on the boat.
“Let’s sit on the top,” she said, then led him by the hand up the narrow staircase to the upper deck.
“It’ll be sunny,” he warned.
“I know but I don’t want to be indoors.” She found two chairs at the back of the boat whe
re they could see the big wooden paddle wheel turn. “Isn’t this great?” she said as the engine started and the wheel began to spin.
“Great,” he agreed, and he didn’t mean the boat ride.
It was the most pleasant hour and a half Garret had spent in a long time and he was sorry when the boat returned to the dock. He wanted to prolong their time together and suggested they get an ice-cream cone on the way back to his apartment. As they walked he told her he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a relaxing afternoon.
“You work too much,” she told him, licking chocolate from her fingers. “I know you’re a dedicated doctor, but you need to make time for the fun things in life. You’re far too serious.”
“Doctors aren’t supposed to be clowns, Krystal.”
“Patch Adams was and his patients loved him.”
He smiled. “That was a movie.”
“Based on a real person.”
“You love movies, don’t you?”
“Mmm-hmm. Now that I’m pregnant my ideal job is being a taster for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. But when I was a kid I used to dream about directing movies. I wanted to travel all over the world and say, ‘Lights! Camera! Action!’” There was a wistful gleam in her eyes.
“How come you never went to film school?”
“When you grow up in Fergus Falls, you don’t think about going to film school.”
“So you became a stylist instead of a cinematographer?”
“Mom said it was more practical than trying to make movies.”
There was no regret in her voice and he knew it was because she liked styling hair. She’d told him that when she’d cut his hair for him that day of the hospital ball. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep his thoughts from returning to that night. But then, why shouldn’t they? With the wind blowing the fabric of her shirt against her body, he could see the gentle swell of her stomach where his baby was growing.
“Did I tell you I like that outfit on you?” he asked.
She looked down, as if she’d forgotten what she’d put on. “I guess the one nice thing about my pregnancy no longer being a secret is that I can now wear my maternity clothes and be comfortable.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “I did it again, didn’t I?”
“Considering we’ve been together all afternoon and there have only been a handful of references to—” he deliberately omitted the words “—I’d say you’ve done quite well.”
She grinned. “I have, haven’t I?”
“Want to talk about it now?”
She shook her head. “Why spoil a good day?”
He stopped and had her face him. “I don’t want it to be a negative in my life, Krystal.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t want it to be a negative, either. It’s just that lately I feel talked out on the subject.”
He wanted to remind her that it was probably because she’d had over four months to talk about it. He’d only known about the baby for a few weeks.
He decided to let the subject rest. There would be plenty of time for them to discuss the issues that needed to be resolved. For now it was enough that the awkwardness between them was now gone. Because of the baby, their lives were forever going to be entwined. They needed to be friends. He wanted them to be friends. Not just for the baby, but for himself as well.
IT WAS MONDAY MORNING and Krystal’s first appointment of the day was Ida Longley. Wash, blue rinse, set, dry and comb out. Krystal had the routine down. Ida had been one of her first clients when she’d started at the salon. Like her friend Gladys, she was more than a customer to Krystal. She was like the grandmother she no longer had, and Krystal took great care to make sure she was satisfied each time she came in for a wash and set.
“So tell me the news. Is it a boy or a girl?” Ida asked the minute she saw Krystal.
“I don’t know. They couldn’t tell.”
“What?” she squawked. “I thought that’s why they did an ultrasound.”
“Actually, they do it to check to make sure the baby’s developing as it should. Getting to know the sex is just a bonus. And in our case, we did get the good news that the baby is right on schedule, but no bonus information. The legs were crossed.”
“Have you noticed anything unusual about your breasts?” Ida asked her.
From anybody else it might have been an embarrassing question, but Krystal had become accustomed to hearing off-the-wall remarks from her. “They’re larger, which is to be expected.”
“Yes, but is one bigger than the other?” Ida asked as she handed Krystal her walking stick.
Krystal frowned. She hadn’t really noticed. “Is that normal during pregnancy?”
“Oh yes,” she said with a wave of her fingers. “And if it’s the right one that’s larger, it means you’re having a boy. If the left one is bigger, you’re having a girl.”
From the way Ida was staring at her, Krystal was relieved she had put an apron on over her regular clothes and her breasts were well hidden. “I’ll have to remember that,” she said, helping her into the styling chair.
“Personally, I think it’s more fun when you don’t know the sex of the baby. You get a big surprise.”
“That’s true, but it would have been nice to know. Want me to take that for you?” She reached for Ida’s purse so she could set it on the counter.
“Yes, but before I forget, I have something for you.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a small plastic bottle. “They’re papaya tablets. I read they’re good for indigestion and they’re all natural.”
“Why thank you. That is so sweet of you,” she said, examining the label on the jar. She opened her cupboard and set them inside.
Now that most of her regular clients knew about her pregnancy, she’d been getting advice on everything ranging from how to prevent stretch marks to what drugs to take during delivery.
“I don’t know if they work or not, but I thought it was worth a try. I know how you like taking natural remedies,” Ida told her.
“I’ll give them a try,” Krystal told her, draping the plastic cape over Ida’s shoulders.
“Did you buy the support hose I told you about last week?”
Krystal lifted her long skirt to reveal a length of her leg. “Got them on today.”
“Good. You don’t want to have trouble with varicose veins.”
“I try to sit with my legs up during my breaks,” she said, snapping the cape in place.
“You must be taking good care of yourself. You look great. You’ve got that healthy pregnant glow.”
Krystal glanced in the mirror and knew what her client said was true. She did look good and, to her amazement, she felt even better. It was as if she’d crossed the midway point in her pregnancy and a switch had been flipped. She went from feeling terrible to feeling fantastic practically overnight.
“I’m doing all right.”
“What about that feller of yours?”
Although it was no secret that she was a pregnant single woman, only a handful of people knew Garret was the father. Ida was one of those people. That’s because on Monday mornings there was seldom anyone else around and she was a good listener.
“You know I don’t have a feller, Ida,” she gently chastised her.
“When a man wants to marry you, he’s your feller,” Ida told her with a wag of a finger.
“Yes, but if he’s in love with someone else, he’s her feller,” she argued.
“But he didn’t ask her to marry him. He asked you.”
“Only because of the baby. I don’t want a man marrying me out of a sense of duty,” she said as she backcombed Ida’s curls.
“Why think of it as a duty? Why not think of it as a gesture of love—love for a baby? You said he’s a good man.”
“He is.”
“And that you trust him.”
“I do.”
“And he’s very concerned about the baby.”
“He is.”
�
��So what’s the big obstacle?”
She sighed. “His mother for one.”
She flapped her hand. “Don’t pay any attention her. She’ll get over it.”
“You think I should accept his proposal, don’t you?”
“Hell, yes. Good men are hard to find. At my age, they’re practically extinct. I’d settle for one that was alive,” she said with a chuckle.
Krystal smiled and handed Ida a mirror, then swiveled her around so she could see the back of her hair. “What do you think of that?”
“Perfect, as always.” Ida handed the mirror back to her. “Now I feel as good as you look.”
“You look good,” Krystal told her, handing her the walking stick and the purse.
“Thank you, dear, and I’ll see you next Monday,” Ida said, pressing money into her hand. “Take good care of yourself until then and try not to worry. Things have a way of working out for the best.”
Krystal hoped she was right.
ALTHOUGH KRYSTAL KNEW that one of the things she needed to work out before the baby was born was housing, she hadn’t given it too much thought until she came home after work one night and found Carly’s suitcases in her room.
“Are you leaving?” she asked her sister.
“We’re going to Grandma’s,” Emily answered.
Krystal looked at Carly. “Are you?”
She nodded. “First thing in the morning. I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”
“Did Leonie say something to you?” She couldn’t believe that her landlady would do such a thing, but she needed to ask.
“Well, she’s not exactly kicking us out. Apparently she has a tenant for that room who’ll be moving in the first of November. When she told me I took it as a hint that I should find another place to live, like ASAP, which is just as well. I really don’t feel comfortable here anymore anyway.”
Krystal heard the implication in her tone. “I suppose you think that’s my fault.”
“Well, she was a lot friendlier before she found out about you and Garret, but I’m not blaming you. It’s time Emily and I found our own place anyway.” She shoved a manila envelope toward her. “This came today.”