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That night Sloane made love to his wife, not one time but three, filled with the energy of a teenager. It was like he couldn’t get enough.
But Melanie was with him every step of the way. And when she finally drifted off to sleep he lay there, just holding her, thanking his lucky stars that of all the women he could have chosen as his wife, she was the one who was in his life.
***
It didn’t take a day before the police advised Melanie that they had Zena in custody. She was asked to return to the station to provide additional details. Of course, Sloane went with her.
And that was when all hell broke loose.
“I didn’t do anything,” Zena spat as soon as Melanie and Sloane walked in the door. She was sitting at Officer Sutherland’s desk but when she saw them she leaped to her feet. “He made this all up to get back at me. He’s the one who should be arrested.” And she launched herself at Sloane, nails bared, a crazed look in her eyes.
He was just in time to push Melanie out of harm's way and grab Zena’s outstretched hands, pushing them none too gently down to her sides. She jerked wildly, trying to break free, but he twisted her around and marched her back to the officer’s desk and slammed her down into the chair.
The policeman chuckled. “Well done, Mr. Quest. We could do with a man like you on the force.”
Zena gave the officer a withering look. “My lawyer will have me out of here in no time,” she sneered. “They have no evidence.”
Sutherland seemed unimpressed by her declaration. He simply waved Sloane and Melanie over to another officer’s desk, picked up his pen and gave Zena an exaggerated look of patience. “Can we continue with your statement, please?”
This time the visit to the police station only lasted an hour and Melanie was glad when she and Sloane were finally given the green light to leave.
“Was she the craziest girl you ever dated?” Melanie smiled as she walked back to the car with Sloane.
He raised his eyebrows. “I should hope so. We don’t need any more of my exes coming out of the woodwork.” At the car he paused and turned her to face him. “I’m sorry I put you through all this.”
She shook her head. “You didn’t put me through anything. Zena’s the one who went haywire and that’s not your fault.”
“She’s my ex and because of that you suffered. I feel bad-”
“Don’t.” She raised her hand and put her finger on his lips. “That’s part of our past now. We have to move on.”
He nodded. “You’re right.” He took her hand, looking relieved. “Let’s go home.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Good grief. Not again. Melanie felt her spirit plummet like a rock flung over into the Grand Canyon. Her period was here. Again.
She’d been married to Sloane seven months now and each month she’d waited in high anticipation of her very first missed period. But, like a curse, the damn thing kept coming, month after month, right on time like clockwork. When was she going to get pregnant?
At this point there was no hope of her giving birth while still in her thirty-fourth year. She was only five months from her thirty-fifth birthday so she’d have to settle for giving birth at thirty-five years of age…if it ever happened.
At the thought, Melanie shuddered. No, she didn’t even want to contemplate it. Not being able to conceive, never fulfilling her dream of being a mother? That would be more than devastating. It would be like her worst nightmare coming true.
Call it irrational. Call it unrealistic and vain, but she didn’t want to spend her whole life building business after business and then not find fulfillment in developing the other aspect her being. Maybe she was being greedy but she wanted a family, too…a family with kids running around and getting underfoot. The whole works.
She scheduled another appointment with her doctor.
“Mrs. Quest,” he said as she walked in, “you’re back. Didn’t I see you a couple of months ago?” He glanced down at her file. “Yes, a physical and a prescription for vitamins.” He looked up again as he waved her over to the chair. “So how can I help you today?”
“I’m still not pregnant,” she blurted out even before her bottom touched the seat. “Doctor, it’s been seven months.”
Doctor Walton gave her a kindly smile. “Now, now, Mrs. Quest. Let’s not be hasty. A couple isn't considered infertile until at least a year without conception. Give it some time.”
“Some time?” Melanie’s eyes widened in horror. “I’ve given it seven months, doctor. And it’s been seven very active months. And nothing.”
The doctor tsk-tsked and shook his head. “I still think you’re being impatient-”
“Look, doctor, I’ll be thirty-five soon and you and I know that fertility declines steadily after that. We have to do something before there's no hope for me.”
“No hope for you.” The doctor chuckled and clasped his fingers over his white-coated belly as he regarded her with amusement. “You have a flair for the dramatic, Mrs. Quest. Things are not as desperate as you make it seem.”
“For me they are,” she insisted. “Is there a fertility clinic you could recommend, a place where they specialize in cases such as mine?”
“I really don’t think we’ve reached that point-”
“I have. I need help, doctor. Please. I’ll do anything.”
It took that urgent plea for the doctor to finally look like he was beginning to understand her desperation. The patronizing smile slid from his lips and his face grew thoughtful. “I can refer you to a clinic downtown,” he said slowly, “but you know how things are here in Canada. It may take months before you actually get an appointment.”
“What about the States?” she asked. “Surely they’d take me right away.”
“Okay, if you want to travel all that way.”
“I want to,” she said quickly. “That’s an insignificant price to pay to get the help I need.”
Doctor Walton shrugged. “Fine. I’ll have my assistant set it up at a clinic not too far from here. Boston, maybe.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
“But, Mrs. Sloane, you do know that your physical body may only be a part of your failure to conceive so far. Have you been under any undue stress lately?”
“No, everything’s fine,” she began and then she paused. How could she have forgotten? The past few months had been the most stressful of her life. There was the disastrous purchase of Rapid Films, the incident with Zena, the desperate efforts to save her film division, the long nights at the office and the endless meetings. All of that must have taken a toll.
“You’re right, doctor, I have been under a lot of stress lately. But things are improving with the business.” She nodded, giving greater emphasis to her words. “I’ve put things in place to get my business back in order. It’s moving slowly but it’s coming.” Thanks to the partnership between Parker Broadcasting and Quest Media, the Rapid Films acquisition was working out to be a viable business with great profit potential. At least that was one burden soon to be off her shoulders.
She didn’t mention her other stress, the one taking place at home. Her relationship with Sloane had been a little strained and, she had to admit, it was mostly her fault. Even though it might make sense to no-one but herself, she was racked with guilt. She couldn’t help it. There were a few times as they lay in bed when Sloane had wondered out loud what it would like to be a dad. Most times his comments were in response to something she’d said about having a baby, but each time his face had taken on a dreamy look and she knew he was looking forward to a family just like she was.
And so far she hadn’t been able to give it to him.
So now, as she sat in the doctor’s office, she began to count the hours until they called and told her she could fly to the clinic in Boston to get specialist help.
Because if this barren spell went on for very much longer there was the frightening possibility that Sloane would want out.
***
It took a week before Melanie heard from Doctor Sutherland’s office regarding the fertility clinic they’d found for her and another week before she built up the courage to tell Sloane what she was doing.
“Why don’t you give it some time?” he asked. “We haven’t even been married a year.”
“Don’t you see? I don’t have time. I’m thirty-four years old.”
“Which is not old,” he said drily.
“For a woman who hopes to have kids, it is.” She threw up her hands in frustration. Why didn’t men get this? Just because they could get kids at the ripe old age of seventy it was like they couldn’t understand a woman’s sense of urgency. Jeez. “I have to do this, Sloane. It might be my only hope.”
