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Cath laughed.
“Gee thanks, Mom, that makes me feel really good. Truth is I am so tired I can hardly see straight. As I told you, I took off time last week and slept round the clock. I thought I was ready to return to work, but now I just want to sleep again for a week.”
“I remember that feeling well. I had three pregnancies to get through. This is just your first.”
Cath hadn’t thought about it that way. If she could get pregnant once, she could get pregnant again. How lucky could one woman get?
Her mother looked closely.
“You are okay, right?”
“I saw the doctor again today and he said I’m doing fine. I’m not sick every moment, just tired.”
“So go change into something more comfortable and lay down for a little while. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”
Cath didn’t need to be told twice. She headed for the bedroom already unbuttoning her blouse and ready to shed all of her business attire. She put on her long flannel nightgown, and over that she threw on her chenille robe. Crawling onto the bed she planned to just close her eyes for a few minutes. Mitzie jumped up beside her, stretching out along Cath’s side. She relished the cat’s warmth.
Laying back against the pillows she relaxed and felt her body give way into sleep.
It seemed like only seconds later the doorbell sounded. The noise jarred Cath awake. Mitzie jumped off and headed regally toward the living room. Cath sighed, then threw back the afghan, slipped her feet into warm fuzzy slippers and headed for the living room.
Glancing back at the clock near her bed, she realized she’d been asleep almost half an hour. She heard her mother answer the door a moment later.
“May I help you?” Ginny asked.
By then Cath was far enough into the living room to see Trace standing in the doorway. He looked startled to see her mother.
“Is Cath here?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m here,” Cath said before her mother could reply. “Mom, This is Trace Williams,” Cath said, self-conscious of her attire.
Trace would think this was all she wore when home.
“He’s the new CEO at Signals, Inc. My new boss. Come in, Trace. What can I do for you?” she asked.
Why was he here? She glanced at her mother, wondering if she’d pick up on anything. She did not want her mother getting involved at this stage.
Trace stepped inside and raised an eyebrow as he took in Cath’s attire.
“I didn’t mean to get you out of bed,” he said. “I thought you were feeling better.”
Cath shrugged. “I was just resting before dinner. Have a seat.”
“Dinner will be ready in ten minutes, Cath. Would you like to invite Mr. Williams to join us?” her mother asked.
No. The last thing Cath wanted was Trace and her mother becoming chummy.
Yet her mother had instilled polite behavior in all her children. She couldn’t very well refuse without raising more questions than she wanted to deal with.
But before she could figure out how to refuse without giving her mother ideas, Trace smiled at Ginny.
“That would be delightful, however, I have made other plans.”
Cath’s mother smiled warmly. “Another time, perhaps.”
Cath waited until her mother returned to the kitchen before she sat on a chair near the sofa and looked warily at Trace.
“What do you want?” she asked quietly, keeping an eye on the kitchen door.
