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"Do you think it could be true?"
Somehow, Roberta knew that he was not referring to Cynthia's departure, but rather asking if his deepest desire could possibly be growing inside her at this very moment. She looked down at him.
"Yes" was her simple reply.
Jeremy embraced her with gentle strength. He kissed her forehead and whispered "thank you".
"Cynthia", she whispered and Jeremy shared her sorrow. "She didn't have to leave."
"She is a woman who knows what she wants. That's why she left us so suddenly," He laughed. "To think, I wanted to throw her a surprise wedding, when all along she had been planning the biggest surprise of all."
Roberta kissed away Jeremy's tears, and he kissed away hers. They made love again, in the same spot that they had been with Cynthia the night before. It was a sacred spot, christened with the spirit of the woman that had orchestrated their love. She had known that they were what each other was looking for, before they even knew that they were looking. This time their bodies intertwined more tenderly. Jeremy was gentle with her this morning when last night he had been aggressive and rough. Roberta was again satisfied, in a way that was so different from the irresistible, almost uncontrollable climax. Today they swayed together softly and took their time. They held each other for a long while afterwards.
"We have to find her" Roberta interrupted their mutual reverie.
"We have to at least try." Jeremy agreed.
Roberta went back to her bedroom and gave a start when she saw her cell phone lying on the made up bed. She had missed several calls from Marianna. It was a jolt to be reminded of her previous life, before she had felt whole and complete. She checked her voicemail. There were three in a row, all from Mariana.
"Hi Bertie, I've only just arrived. I thought that I would let you know that I landed safely. My hotel is so opulent, you would love it. We will have to come back for a girl's weekend when you complete your mystery assignment. I am going to head down to the pool and see if I can spot any bronzed bodies that look a little lonely."
"Bertie, I just met the most gorgeous man. He looks like he could be on the cover of a romance novel. He is all bronze skin, brown eyes and muscle. I am going to meet him for drinks right now, I thought I would catch you to see if you thought it was a good idea. We only just met and it's against my rules, but I kind of feel like I need to see where this is going. If I don't hear from you in the next five minutes, I am on my way."
"Bertie. He's the one. I don't know how to explain to you how I know he is the one, he just is. I am deeply and madly in love with him. I want to have his little bronze babies. Bertie, I think that I might not come home, or rather, I think that I have found my new home. It is here with him. Don't kill me, but I have to resign. Maybe we can work something out. St. Bart's is a perfect place for destination weddings. We could expand. Let me know what you think. Love you girl.
Roberta smiled to herself. It looked as if cupid was saving the two friends arrows to be used in tandem.
Roberta settled into her new life with Jeremy with surprising ease. She sold her wedding practice to a competitor and then bestowed the money upon Marianna so that she could start up her own business in St. Bart’s. Henderson made sure that she had every comfort. He fed her food that was so delicious, she swore it could not be healthy, but it was. Best of all, she had seen Jeremy's private physician who confirmed what they had hoped. She was expecting Jeremy's child. Roberta was so happy that she felt like she could burst with joy. There was only one sadness in her life now. One hole that had been left vacant, and would not be filled until they found out what had happened to Cynthia.
Jeremy tried everything in his power to trace her trail, but Cynthia was so meticulous that she had not left any breadcrumbs. He hired an onslaught of private detectives who continued to follow false trails until they reached dead ends. They had been searching for months, but had no luck. Roberta and Jeremy did not speak of it. Instead, they spoke of their plans for the baby. They decided to wait and not find out the gender of their child. They wanted it to be a surprise.
Roberta decided to enlist the help of Henderson. He had patiently admitted every detective into Jeremy's office, and lurked in the background. He never seemed shocked when they reported that the trail they had been following had come up cold. Roberta decided that he was too calm. Henderson was a professional who would die before he revealed any of his master's secrets, but Roberta knew that he also wanted Jeremy to be happy. She knocked on his office door.
