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“How was your afternoon?” he asked.
“Wonderful.” She pulled his head down for a kiss. “Exactly what I needed.”
“Are you ready for part two?” He took her hand and guided her to an area near the lake shore. A dressing area had been curtained off, and camp chairs were set up next to a cooler. A small table held a tray of fruit, cheese, and crackers.
“Jules, meet Leah Wallis. She’s our photographer.”
“Oh my.” Leah, a young woman in her mid-twenties or so, wore a red bandana, jeans rolled up over her ankles, Converse high-tops, and a white t-shirt knotted to reveal a couple of inches of smooth, flat stomach. With a head full of honey-blonde curls and wide blue eyes, she looked like a grown-up Shirley Temple. “You are stunning, Mrs. Rosner. I don’t think we’re going to need much makeup. Maybe just a bit of mascara to highlight your eyes and some lipstick.”
“Uh, thanks?”
“First photoshoot?” Leah asked, walking around Jules, as if considering different angles.
“Yes.”
“Relax. There’s no pressure to pose or get a certain look.” Leah gestured to the three other individuals milling around. “Bo, Mitch, and Delia will take care of all the details. If you feel self-conscious and want more privacy, just you two and me, they can step away. The whole point is to have fun and celebrate this moment in your life.”
Jules liked the young photographer immediately. She provided enough direction so Jules didn’t feel awkward yet wasn’t intimidating.
“Dad, why don’t you go change while Mom puts her feet up for a few and hydrates. We can talk about where you want to shoot and if you have any special requests. We have the whole afternoon blocked out for you so plenty of time. If you get tired, just say so and we’ll take a break.”
Three hours later, Ben and Jules sat side by side in camp chairs, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Lake Smith shimmered with the last of the golden rays, and the mid-August air was slowly starting to cool.
“I can’t wait to see how the—” Jules paused.
“Photographs,” Ben said.
“—turn out.”
This routine of her blanking on a word and Ben filling it in was becoming second nature. She no longer became angry or resentful when it happened. She’d become accustomed to leaning into Ben’s strength and sent up a prayer of thanks every day she had a devoted husband to rely on.
“Thank you, honey. I can’t believe how much I enjoyed this afternoon.” Her mouth tilted into a smile, remembering Ben’s expression when she stepped out of the dressing area wearing a sheer green gown and wreath of daisies, the subtle pressure of his hands on her belly as they posed back to front, the warmth of the sun and earthy scent of damp soil as they knelt together beside the lake, eyes locked, lost in the moment together.
“Leah’s amazing.” Ben reached into the cooler and pulled out another bottle of Pellegrino for her. “After a while, I forgot she was even there.”
“I love this. Just being with you. Not having to explain anything or hide anything. Just appreciating this. Us.”
“Enjoy it while you can, babe.” Ben lifted his bottle in a toast. “In a few weeks, you’re going to have to share me with another girl.”
8
36 Weeks
Won’t bein
Jules having bad day
Have A finish the Hardwick Cadillac
Ben texted Vickie then shoved his phone into his back pocket. It was a yellow star day, but he didn’t know if Jules would be in any condition for what he had planned. Three days ago she’d started experiencing dizziness and loss of balance. She was forgetting to check the whiteboard and had gotten lost in the neighborhood again.
The brain tumor symptoms were worsening. Faster than Dr. Navi had anticipated. Both he and Dr. Kettner were worried.
“Keep her calm,” Dr. Kettner had stressed. “We need two more weeks to minimize any problems with the C-section.”
Easier said than done when the memory issues and other side effects were putting her in a panic. Friends and family volunteered to stay with her so Ben could get to work. Going out disoriented her, but she resented needing a babysitter. This morning she woke up and launched into a crying jag that was just tapering off.
“Ben? Where are you? Ben?” Her voice went up, hinting at hysteria.
