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She wasn’t feeling any better for knowing she didn’t have the flu. Added to that was the stress that grew as she contemplated telling Trace he was going to be a father. Nothing had been said in all the times she saw him about a long-term affair and especially not children.
“Tell me how you’re feeling. When is it due? When will you know the sex? Have you thought of any names? I can’t wait to see you. Oh, honey, I’m so delighted for you. I never thought—Wait until I tell your father.”
Ginny’s enthusiasm came across the lines like a balm to Cath’s jangled nerves. She began to relax as her mother started to admonish her about eating well, sleeping extra hours and keeping up an exercise program. She urged her to take time away from work as much as possible to store up sleep—she’d need it when the baby came.
The two chatted for almost an hour. At the end of the conversation, Cath extracted a promise from her mother not to tell anyone else in the family—she wanted to share the news in a few weeks at the Thanksgiving holiday when everyone would be together. Reluctantly Ginny agreed.
“But how I’m going to keep this from your father, I’m not sure,” she said.
“Please, Mom. This is so special. It may never happen again. I want to be there when they hear it. I want to see their expressions as well.”
“I’ll do it. Call me right away if you need anything.”
Cath agreed and hung up. She still felt surreal. Her hand went to her stomach in the instinctive manner of all pregnant mothers.
“Hello, little one,” she said softly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Tired, Cath went back to her room to lie down. She was too keyed-up to sleep, however. She began to make plans. As soon as she felt up to it, she’d visit a bookstore to get as many prenatal and newborn baby books she could locate. Then she’d have to go online and check out rentals in Brussels. The apartment Thomas Vintner had found for her wouldn’t do. She needed more room.
She’d have to get baby furniture, find child care and decide what to do about school when the child was older.
And in the meantime, she had to find a way to tell the baby’s daddy.
Chapter Three
Trace hung up the phone and looked at his watch. It was after two. He’d asked Ellie to check on Cath for him when she hadn’t come into work today. She was supposed to be seen by her doctor. He wondered if she kept the appointment.
He had a few minutes before the next department head was scheduled. Unable to concentrate on the report in front of him, he dialed Cath’s number. A moment later she answered.
“Did you see the doctor?” Trace asked without preamble.
“I did,” she said. “You woke me up for that? I said I’d go.”
“And? What was the prognosis? Could he do anything for the flu?”
“Actually he gave me some medicine for the symptoms. I’m already feeling better.”
She sounded much better, he noted. Her voice had an inflection he hadn’t heard for a while.
He remembered their frequent talks on the phone. Before he’d go to bed many nights he’d call and they’d ramble about any and everything. He remembered each conversation, how they’d good-naturedly argue about silly things.
They rarely talked seriously. Once she’d told him she had a broken engagement behind her and that she couldn’t have children. That would have been the perfect opening to tell her about Zach. But the pain was still sharp when he thought of the boy, so he had kept silent.
Not that it mattered. It happened so long ago. He had to keep moving, tried to forget Cynthia’s betrayal and focus on the present.
Most of the time, however, their late night phone sessions had been lighthearted and fun. A welcome change from the stress and cutthroat business at hand. He had welcomed the diversion when negotiating this position and winding up his chief operating officer position at his prior company.
The way he calculated it, he owed Cath. More than he’d given her when he’d stopped seeing her so abruptly. They had no commitments. No long range plans. But it still had to have hurt when he stopped seeing her with no word. He could have said business was too intense and he had to call a halt. It would have been better than silence.
“That’s good.”
I was worried about yousounded too personal. Yet he had been. He’d never seen her look so frail as she had on Monday.
“Thank you for your concern. I’ll probably take the rest of the week off and be back on Monday,” she said. “I have lots of sick leave on the books. I’m never sick.”
“Get better. Call if you need anything.”
He knew she had an exemplary attendance record as well as outstanding performance reviews. She hadn’t risen as high as she had in the company without a strong work ethic.
