Edward: BBW (Members From Money Book 17)

by Katie Dowe

  “Sounds good.”

  *****

  It was a boy and he was progressing pretty well. Edward blinked away tears of joy and called his parents right there in the medical center. She could hear her mother in law’s happy squeal as she sat next to her husband as they waited for Dr. Whittingham to talk to them. “They want to talk to you,” Edward said gently as he handed her the phone.

  “We have a tradition in our family, darling, and it goes back to several generations,” Eleanor said in way of greeting.

  “He has to have an ‘E’ name and the day he is born he gets a trust fund of five million dollars,” Edmond continued.

  “What?”

  Edward took the phone from her. “Mother and Dad, stop trying to scare my wife with talks of trust funds and names,” he rebuked them softly. He took Abby’s hand in his and stroked it tenderly. “We will see you next week.”

  “Is it true?” she asked him dazedly.

  “I am afraid so,” he said wryly. “Don’t worry about it.”

  *****

  “He tells me not to worry about it but how can I not think about the possibility of our son becoming a target for would be kidnappers if this ever gets out?” Abby said as she matched the articles of clothing to make a suit. She had come straight from the medical center where Edward had dropped her off telling her that they had plans for the night. She had no idea what he had in mind. Jenny had accepted the offer of employment and had told Abby that she was loving it. She still did her blogging on weekends and when she got home and Abby still paid her half of the rent even though she had said she could manage.

  “Remember the network we were telling you about?” Monique asked her as she stared at the proofs that had been sent to her.

  “Vaguely.”

  Monique explained to her. “Each time one of us has a child it is put into a database with all the information and fingerprints and all that. We keep track of our children, honey. We have to because they are spread out all over and they are visible. Leigh-Ann, Leesa’s daughter is all the way in Europe and Scott and Kadine’s children travels a lot for various reasons. We keep tabs on them at all times so we know what they are up to and who is also keeping tabs on them.”

  “That is a very good idea.” Abby felt her fear going away. She had tried to discuss it with Edward but he did not understand. Her husband had been born wealthy and did not know what it meant to be poor ever! She knew it and she had no intention of taking the money she had now for granted.

  “It’s frightening and overwhelming, isn’t it?” Monique said gently as she leaned back against her chair and looked at Abby. The girl wore her ample weight and her pregnancy extremely well. She was wearing a dark blue pants and a matching blouse that flattered her full figure. She looked lovely and serene and Monique knew what that felt like. She was thoroughly loved! “I remembered when I found out who Lorenzo really was! I was such a naïve English teacher who had no idea about fashion! We met in Italy where I had saved up for a very long time to go for the summer. My friend was supposed to come with me but she changed her mind at the last moment and I went by myself. We met in a café and I sat there struggling to place an order in Italian and that was when he came in.” She smiled gently as she reminisced. “It has been quite a ride but I love him beyond reason. Our children and Lorenzo mean the world to me. I am not saying you will get used to all the glamour and wealth but you learn to live with it.”

  “Happy for me that Edward is quite laid back in certain ways.” Abby was intrigued by the woman’s story. “He had a banker’s dinner all the way in Manhattan and said he was not going and I persuaded him because he happened to be the keynote speaker. We walk the grounds when we get home, Monique, and he would shed the things of work and concentrate on spoiling me. We are going to rebuild the barn and get horses.”

  “Lorenzo is the exact opposite. He grew up around fashion and is used to the limelight but my man has eyes for me alone and it scares me to think that someone as deliciously handsome as he thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world,” she said with a dazed smile.

  “I know what you mean,” Abby said softly.

  That evening as they made their way into the hotel with her hand on his arm Abby felt the glow of love surrounding her as the women turned to stare at them. She was wearing a light floating pearl pink dress that settled over her very pregnant belly and wore the pearls she had been given by her mother-in-law. He kept her close to his side even when he discussed business with some of the men there who were constantly asking his opinion on some financial matter. He made sure she was comfortable at every point in the evening and Abby knew without a doubt that she would never find a love like this, not in this lifetime!

  Chapter 12

  “How about Eric?” he asked her one night as they lay in bed after a very energetic bout of lovemaking.

  Abby wrinkled her nose at that. “I don’t particularly like the name Eric.”

  “Edwardo?”

  “Really?“ She raised up on her elbow and looked down into his dark grey eyes which were alight with amusement. “Just dab on an ‘o’ onto your name and that’s it?”

  “No?”

  She jabbed him in the ribs and he winced. “A definite no.”

  “We could do away with the tradition altogether and start one of our own,” he suggested as she rest her head on his chest.

  “And have your parents crucify me?” she asked rolling her eyes. “I think Edmondson Andrew would be better.”

  “Edmondson,” he tried it out for a moment and then smiled. “Dad is going to love it.”

  “I thought so.”

  “Tell me about your growing up,” he urged. Even though they talked for long hours and shared intimate details she had not revealed a lot about her childhood to him and he wondered why.

  “It was a bit rough.” She moved her shoulders restlessly as she propped her chin onto the hands she had folded on his chest. “Dad died when I was two and Mom had a hard time taking care of both of us on the salary she earned as a kindergarten teacher but she never complained and I never lacked for food. I was by myself a lot but I never minded. It was my chance to be by myself and get away from being teased because of my weight. I became immune to it after a while and did not pay it any mind.”

  “Do you still have contacts for those who used to tease you?” he asked her seriously.

  She looked up at him in amusement. “What are you going to do? Beat them up for me?”

  “No, but I would rub the fact that you are now married to a stunningly handsome man who adores the ground you walk on,” he said, his grey eyes twinkling.

  “Not to mention the fact that you are loaded.”

  “That too.” He grinned down at her. “I never want to see you unhappy again,” he told her soberly as he touched her cheek lightly. “Not even by me.”

  *****

  She had to stop going to Romano’s when she reached seven months. June had come in with scorching heat and very humid temperatures which made it difficult for her to move around as she usually do. The pool had been cleaned and the grounds were immaculate. Her birthday was the twelfth of the month and Edward was planning something for her. His was on the tenth of July. Abby hated inactivity for any long period of time. After her husband went to work she would go into the vast closet and rearrange his clothing as well as hers. They had functions to attend but lately she had been feeling sluggish and very sleepy. She would sleep after he would leave for work and wake up some three hours later to get something to eat. She would sit by the pool during the afternoons but the intense heat would drive her indoors sooner than she wanted to go in. It was two days before her birthday that she felt the pains starting. She and Edward had been going to Lamaze classes as well as making sure that they checked in with Doctor Whittingham two times for the month. He had just left for work smiling as he thought about the surprise birthday party he had in store for her. Lisa had been making all the plans and invitations had been sent out like thre
e weeks ago.

  Abby felt the sharp pain as soon as she climbed off the bed to go to the bathroom. She had been spending time in the cool blue nursery rearranging the furniture and the toys on the shelves. She gasped as the pain tore through her and stole her breath! She waited the pain out and made her way to the bathroom. It did not come back again so she ignored it and thought that maybe it was her stomach acting up. She had taken a shower and was putting on her clothes when the pain came again this time more intense! She bent over and clutched her belly, closing her eyes as the pain lingered.

  “It can’t be,” she muttered as she hurried to put her clothes on again. She was sitting by the vanity stool combing her hair when it came again. This time she could not ignore it! She reached for the phone and called the doctor.

  “Abby, you are not due for the next two months!” His voice sounded tense.

  “That’s what I was thinking and that was why I did not call you when it first started.”

  “How long?”

  “Half an hour ago.”

  “Have you timed it?”

  “Ten minutes each time. The last one was not so long.”

  “I am on my way.”

  She called Edward next but as soon as he answered the phone the pain came again, causing her to double up and cry out sharply.

  “Abby!” he cried out in panic.

  She waited out the contraction and spoke to him. “I am in labor.”

  “I will be right there.” He hung up immediately. Her husband never asked unnecessary questions!

  “Abby is in labor,” he said tersely as he pulled on his jacket on his way out. It was mid-afternoon and he had meetings until late this evening but none of those mattered now!

  “She is two months early.” Lisa reached for the phone and called one of the drivers to pull the car around. “You need your head clear and your hands free to make calls,” she told him.

  He looked at her gratefully and left.

  Lisa called Leesa Wellington to let her know so she could inform the other wives. Next she called his parents knowing that it was the last thing on Edward’s mind right now. She called and canceled his meetings for the next couple of days.

  *****

  “I am just turning into the driveway, Edward. I have been coaching her on the phone. Your housekeeper is with her.”

  “How is this possible? She is not due until August.”

  “Either premature birth or her time of pregnancy was miscalculated.”

  “I am half an hour away. Dammit!” he bit out. “How can there be so much traffic at three in the afternoon?”

  “I am at the house now so don’t worry.”

  Doctor Whittingham bounded inside and made his way into the master bedroom. He had brought a nurse with him in case he needed one. “How far apart?” he asked as he entered the bedroom.

  “Two minutes,” Florence said looking up at him in relief. “For a minute I thought I was going to have to deliver the baby.”

  “You did well so far. Abby, just hang on, Edward is almost here and I am just going to wash up and give you something for the pain.” He hurried into the bathroom while the nurse checked her blood pressure.

  “Her blood pressure is dropping,” the woman told the doctor quietly.

  He nodded and set about giving her the painkiller. It started working immediately and Abby sagged back against the pillows. The pain had been horrendous and she had thought she was going out of her mind!

  Edward hurried in just as they were getting her ready to deliver their son. “Baby, I am here.” He shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to Florence before going behind her.

  “Finally,” she whispered wearily as she dropped her head back against his chest.

  “Push when I tell you, Abby,” Doctor Whittingham said to her. “Now!”

  Abby raised her body up and pushed with all her might falling back as she heard the cry of her son. Doctor Whittingham handed the baby to the nurse to clean up and told her: “We have something else to do, my dear, so I am going to give you a minute to rest and then you push again. It is almost over,” he reassured her. Abby felt the dizziness swamping her but when he told her to push again she did falling back against her husband and going into unconsciousness!

  “Abby, baby, you did well.” Edward kissed the top of her head. “Abby?” He eased her away and looked down at her. “She is not moving!” he shouted in alarm.

  “Stand back, Edward,” Doctor Whittingham came forward swiftly.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “She had been in labor for far too long and it affected her blood pressure.” He and the nurse quickly set up an IV to give her some fluid. “Go see to your son, Edward, and let us deal with this.”

  “You think I am leaving my wife now?” he asked the doctor incredulously, his body shaking with fear.

  “You need to give us some space, she is going to be okay.”

  He went to the sofa and Florence handed him his now silent and clean son. Edward stared at the beautiful boy in his arms with the head of ash blonde curls and dark brown eyes. He stroked the soft cheek as his lashes drifted over his eyes. “Hey there, Edmondson,” he whispered. “Your mother is going to be okay.” He lifted his head and stared at his wife as both the doctor and nurse tended to her.

  “Her blood pressure is back up again but she is exhausted and will be asleep for a little bit,” Doctor Whittingham told him with a tired smile.

  “Are you sure?” Edward handed his son to the nurse as he went to his wife’s bedside.

  “She is okay. Just need some rest. I have brought some liquid formula with me and I have instructed Florence to prepare some for your son. Abby will probably be asleep for a few hours and Edward? Your son is full term. The date of the pregnancy was off.”

  He nodded as he looked down at her. He stroked her arm and pushed the wisps of hair clinging to her damp cheek. He bent and kissed her before stepping back to allow the nurse to clean her up. He went to get his son and held him while Florence prepared his meal. He fed him and smiled dazedly as he drank every ounce. “You were hungry weren’t you, my little man?” he said softly as he held him up and rubbed his back so he could burp. The doctor had told him that he weighed eight pounds! He brought in the cot and placed him in there for him to sleep and spent the next few hours watching his family sleep!

  *****

  “Would you like something to eat?” Florence whispered later that evening. The doctor and nurse had left two hours ago and both of them were still sleeping. Edward had gone into the bathroom to take a quick shower not wanting to stay away long in case anything happened.

  “I thought you had left for the evening.”

  “Not a chance. Who is going to take care of you and your family?”

  He smiled at that. “Thanks, Florence. A sandwich would do.”

  “Coming right up.” She turned to leave. “Your parents have been calling on the house phone and saying you are not picking up.”

  “Oh Christ! I forgot to call them.” He reached for his phone and smiled his thanks as Florence left.

  “Finally!” his mother said in a rushed anxious tone. “How is my daughter-in-law and grandson?”

  “They are both sleeping,” he told them what had happened and about the miscalculation.

  “Thank heavens they are okay,” she said.

  “We are coming over as soon as we can son,” his father told him.

  “I look forward to seeing you guys.”

  “Give Abby our love as soon as she is up,” his mother told him.

  *****

  She came out of the very deep fog she had fallen into. She had heard the doctor and her husband talking and she had tried to reach out to her son but her lids had been too heavy and her body had felt as it weighed a ton. She opened her eyes slowly and the first person she saw sitting on the sofa was Edward. He had his head back and he appeared to be sleeping. She looked over and saw that her son was sleeping and wondered how long she had been out of it!
She moaned unconsciously as she moved and he got to his feet immediately. “Abby!” he cried out softly as he came towards her.

  “Edward.” She reached out a hand and he took it in his. “How long-“

  “Four hours.” He kissed her hand happily as he looked down at her. “How do you feel?”

  “I am starving,” she said ruefully.

  He laughed softly at the clear indication that she was feeling much better! “What do you want to eat? Anything!”

  “Some soup.”

  He grabbed the phone and called to Florence in the kitchen and relayed the order. He climbed onto the bed carefully and pulled her to him. “You had me scared,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

  “I am sorry.” She hugged him tightly, glad to be alive and in his arms. “I can hardly see him from here, but is that blonde hair I am seeing?”

  “I am afraid so,” he said with a chuckle. “But he has your beautiful brown eyes.”

  “I am not in the least bit mollified.”

  “I promise that our daughter will be the spitting image of you,” he said solemnly.

  “Stop making promises you cannot keep, buster.”

  “Baby.” His arms tightened around her and she snuggled. “You went through all that and I only caught the tail end of it. I was not there for you from the beginning.”

  “It’s not your fault. I am just so happy it is over. How is it that he arrives so early?”

  “Your pregnancy was miscalculated. You got pregnant sooner-“

  “The first time you made love to me at the office,” she ended softly.

  He eased away to look down at her. “How do you know?”

  “I felt it.” She stroked his jaw. “When you made love to me it touched something inside me and I should have known but I have irregular periods and it never occurred to me.”

  “I am just happy you were not on the road or anything like that.”

  “So am I.”

  They looked up at the knock on the door and a beaming Florence came in with a tray laden with two bowls of soup, homemade raison bread and glasses of fruit juices. “I figured you would be hungry too, Mr. Moore.”