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Seven

Carol was almost afraid to believe what Dr. Stewart was telling her; her hand flew to her heart. “You mean, I’m pregnant?”

The doctor looked up at her over the edge of his bifocals. “This is a surprise?”

“Oh, no … I knew—or at least I thought I knew.” The joy that bubbled through her was unlike anything she had ever known. Ready tears blurred her vision and she bit her lower lip to hold back the tide that threatened to overwhelm her.

The doctor took her hand and gently patted it. “You’re not sure how you feel—is that it?”

“Of course I do,” she said, in a voice half an octave higher than usual. “I’m so happy I could just …”

“Cry?” he inserted.

“Dance,” she amended. “This is the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me since …”

“Your high-school prom?”

“Since I got married. I’m divorced now, but … Steve, he’s my ex-husband, will marry me again … at least, I think he will. I’m not going to tell him about this right away. I don’t want him to marry me again just because of the baby. I won’t say a word about this. Or maybe I should? I don’t know what to do, but thank you, Doctor, thank you so much.”

A fresh smile began to form at the edges of his mouth. “You do whatever you think is best. Now, before we discuss anything else I want to go over some key points with you.”

“Oh, of course, I’ll do anything you say. I’ll quit smoking and give up junk food, and take vitamins. If you really think it’s necessary, I’ll try to eat liver once a week.”

His gaze reviewed her chart. “It says here you don’t smoke.”

“No, I don’t, but I’d start just so I could quit if it would help the baby.”

He chuckled. “I don’t think that will be necessary, young lady.”

Carol reached for his hand and pumped it several times. “I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made me.”

Still chuckling, the white-haired doctor said, “Tell me the same thing when you’re in labor and I’ll believe you.”

* * *

Carol watched as Lindy entered the restaurant and paused to look around. Feeling a little self-conscious, she raised her hand. Lindy waved back and headed across the floor, weaving her way through the crowded tables.

“Hi. Sorry, I’m late.”

“No problem.” The extra time had given Carol a chance to study the menu. Her stomach had been so finicky lately that she had to be careful what she ate. This being pregnant was serious business and already the baby had made it clear “she” wasn’t keen on particular foods—especially anything with tomatoes.

“Everything has been so hectic lately,” Lindy said, picking up the menu, glancing at it and setting it aside almost immediately.

“That was quick,” Carol commented, nodding her head toward the menu.

“I’m a woman who knows my own mind.”

“Good for you,” Carol said, swallowing a laugh. “What are you having?”

“I don’t know. What are you ordering?”

“Soup and a sandwich,” Carol answered, not fooled. Lindy wasn’t interested in eating, she wanted answers. Steve’s sister had been bursting with questions from the moment they’d met in the Boeing parking lot.

“Soup and a sandwich sounds good to me,” Lindy said, obviously not wanting to waste time with idle chitchat.

Shaking her head, Carol studied Lindy. “Okay, go ahead and ask. I know you’re dying to fire away.”

Lindy unfolded the napkin and took pains spreading it over her lap. “Steve didn’t come home Christmas Eve…. Well, he did, but it was early in the morning, and ever since that night he’s been whistling ‘Dixie.’” She paused and grinned. “Yet every time I said your name, he barked at me to mind my own business.”

“We’ve seen each other since Christmas, too.”

“You have?” Lindy pinched her lips together and sadly shook her head. “That brother of mine is so tight-lipped, I can’t believe the two of us are related!”

Carol laughed. Unwittingly Lindy had pinpointed the crux of Carol and Steve’s marital problems. They were each private people who preferred to keep problems inside rather than talking things out the way they should.

“So you’ve seen Steve since Christmas,” Lindy prompted. “He must have contacted you after Rush and I moved.”

“Actually I was the one who went to him.”

“You did? Great.”

“Yes.” Carol nodded, blushing a little at the memory of how they’d spent that weekend. “It was great.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense here. Are you two going to get back together or what?”

“I think it’s the ‘or what.’”

“Oh.” Lindy’s gaze dropped abruptly and she frowned. “I don’t mind telling you, I’m disappointed to hear that. I’d hoped you two would be able to work things out.”

“We’re heading in that direction, so don’t despair. Steve and I are going to talk about a reconciliation when he returns.”

“Oh, Carol, that’s wonderful!”

“I think so, too.”

“You two always seemed so right together. The first time I saw Steve after you were divorced, I could hardly recognize him. He was so cynical and unhappy. He’d sit around the apartment and watch television for hours, or stare out the window.”