The Surprise Triplets

by Jacqueline Diamond

  “That would be great.” Even in midsummer, an ocean breeze cooled the house, especially at night.

  While her friend bustled around the kitchen, Melissa closed her eyes, hearing the distant murmur of the ocean and the call of night birds from the estuary, her mind wandering to the conversation she’d had with Edmond last night and the mixed emotions she’d experienced. Observing how much he cared about Dawn had reawakened her belief that Edmond had a deep capacity for fatherhood. Yet people could only be pushed so far outside their comfort zone, and Edmond was already way past his.

  Karen returned with two aromatic cups of cider enhanced by cinnamon sticks. Melissa inhaled with pleasure. “That smells fabulous.”

  “Netflix just posted new episodes of one of our favorite series,” her friend said. “You in the mood?”

  “You bet.” After double-checking that she’d copied the email to Edmond, she hit Send.

  Wednesday morning

  Sender: Isabel Everhart

  Subject: From Dawn

  Hi, Uncle Eddie and Aunt Lissa,

  My favorite food is peanut butter sandwiches with grape jelly. I love Grandma Isabel’s fried chicken with peanut butter, too. It’s supposed to be spicy but she takes the hot stuff out. I like bacon, freezer waffles and shredded-wheat cereal and orange juice. Artichokes are disgusting.

  I’ll read picture books to you and the babies. I’ll sing to them, too. My favorite song is “The Wheels on the Bus.”

  Can I play with my new friends Tifany [Isabel: unsure of spelling] and Amber? They’re nice.

  Love,

  Dawn (and Isabel)

  Note from Isabel: As soon as I get a chance, I’ll write down the chicken recipe and send it to you.

  Wednesday afternoon

  Sender: Edmond Everhart

  Subject: We got the house!

  Cc: Melissa Everhart

  Dear Dawn and Isabel,

  I signed a lease today for our house. I’ll move my furniture in on Saturday, and I’ll pick you up on Sunday afternoon, if that’s okay.

  Aunt Lissa will help me figure out what groceries and other items to buy. Also, don’t forget I’ll be there tomorrow (Thursday) at 5:30 for our 6 o’clock appointment with Dr. Brightman.

  I enrolled you in sports camp starting Monday morning. I’ll talk to Tiffany and Amber’s parents about a playdate.

  Love,

  Uncle Eddie

  Arriving “home” from work, Edmond slid his car into a parking space between a station wagon with an Arizona license plate and a hybrid sedan from Utah. The Harbor Suites rented rooms and one-bedroom apartments—furnished or unfurnished—by the day or week. During his yearlong stay, he’d noticed that many occupants or their relatives appeared to be undergoing treatment at the hospital.

  When Edmond had moved in, he’d planned to find a better place within a few weeks. However, the rent was reasonable, with Wifi included, and what more did a guy need than a bedroom, living room and kitchenette? After he sporadically checked rental listings the first month, inertia had set in.

  Walking between one-story buildings to his unit, Edmond had to admit he wouldn’t miss the courtyard’s squatty palm trees and nondescript shrubbery. Nevertheless, the prospect of renting an entire house and supervising a child elevated his stress level.

  What was the big deal? he wondered as he unlocked the door of his apartment. He hadn’t been nearly this uneasy about transitioning from a big L.A. law firm to Geoff’s small office.

  Inside, he flicked on the lights. At five-thirty the summer sky was still bright, but the unit had a gloomy air. He set his container of take-out pasta in the kitchenette for later and wedged his briefcase against the small table.

  Melissa had texted that she was leaving the hospital shortly and would be stopping by on her way home. They’d agreed to split the shopping duties. Despite his aversion to cooking, Edmond was more comfortable buying groceries than towels and other household items, perhaps because he’d had to learn his way around a supermarket by necessity.

  He hadn’t realized how much he’d valued having a teammate at home. During their marriage, he and Melissa had divided responsibilities smoothly, both pitching in, planning little surprises, always homing in on exactly what the other person would enjoy. What a relief it was, knowing he could count on her.

  Edmond went into the bathroom to clean his glasses and brush his hair. He contemplated changing into a fresh shirt, but decided not to risk getting caught half-dressed.

  Returning to the front, he took a hard look at the room. When they’d divided the furniture, his wife had taken a love seat rather than the full-size couch and a white wrought-iron ice cream set over the bland kitchen table. It wasn’t until he arrayed everything around his new apartment in L.A. that Edmond had been struck by the coldness of his impersonal furniture.

  He’d believed it didn’t matter, since he spent such long hours at work. The only thing he’d posted on the walls, there and here, was a photo montage from his and Melissa’s trip to Italy. The happy memories the photos stirred outweighed the tinge of sadness he experienced about what he’d lost.

  A tap at the entrance spurred Edmond into motion. When he opened the door, soft light haloed Melissa, highlighting the green and gold glints in her hazel eyes.

  “Congratulations,” she said.

  “I’m sorry?” Standing close to her, he remembered that, in flat shoes, she only came up to his nose. In heels, she matched his five-feet-ten-inches.

  “On the rental.”

  “Oh, right.” He’d scored a victory in the housing market. “They received three applications. Luckily, your receptionist vouched for me with the landlord. Apparently her word carries weight.”

  “Caroline arranged for another renter a couple of years back, and that turned out well.” Melissa stepped inside. “In fact, I was going to mention her. Harper Anthony, one of the nurses, has a daughter about a year older than Dawn and she’s in sports camp, too. Harper’s new husband Peter is the assistant director of the camp. Being a stepfather, he’s sympathetic to kids in transition.”

  “I’ll make a point of introducing myself. I presume the director will be there early.” Sports camp opened its doors at 7 a.m. for the extended day program, which was convenient for working parents.

  “Probably. Peter’s very conscientious.” Producing a pad and pen, Melissa prowled into the kitchen. “Shall we start in here?”

  “Be my guest.” Edmond opened one of the cabinets to reveal its limited contents. “I already have peanut butter, soup and canned vegetables.”

  “You should buy more of all. Also fresh fruit and vegetables.” While jotting notes, she poked through the other cabinets and the fridge. “Stock up on nonperishables such as instant mashed potatoes, pasta and tomato sauce, and frozen meals. You’re low on eggs and milk, too.”

  Edmond had had no idea how much food he’d need to stock in the house for him and Dawn, since as a bachelor he often grabbed a bite on his way to work or ate something from the vending machines. “I appreciate this. Dawn’s list wasn’t exactly comprehensive.” The prospect of planning meals for the whole week intimidated him.

  And not just one week. Week after week. Month after month, unless Barbara successfully appealed. He ran his hand through his hair, scarcely caring that he was mussing it.

  “Take Dawn shopping with you next week. I’m sure she’ll have ideas.” Melissa’s sensible suggestion restored his equilibrium. “I read on the website that sports camp includes a segment on nutrition. Still, you should buy her favorites to start, including bacon.”

  Bacon was one of the foods that Edmond ate only at restaurants. “What’s the best way to fix it?”

  “You can fry it in a pan or bake it in the oven,” she said. “The internet’s full of directions for cooking practically
anything.”

  Ah, yes. “I’m good at searching.”

  “And you’re a quick study.”

  “About some things.” Edmond had soaked up information in school and he enjoyed exploring the law as it evolved. Cooking was another matter. When he’d been newly single, he’d learned the hard way that mistakes in cooking resulted in a pan full of charred ingredients.

  As they proceeded through the apartment, the length of Melissa’s second list surprised him. He’d figured he’d have to buy more towels, but hadn’t considered a range of other items, including extra blankets, more pots, pans, flatware and kitchen utensils, and a stool to help Dawn reach higher shelves.

  “After you’re in the house, I’m sure there’ll be additional shopping,” Melissa advised.

  “For what?” Edmond asked.

  “Curtains, for one thing. As I recall, the blinds in that house provide privacy but they aren’t decorative.”

  “Where does one buy curtains?” That was alien territory.

  “Kitchens, Cooks and Linens sells ready-mades,” she advised. “And don’t forget gardening equipment. I’ll bet Dawn will enjoy planting flowers.”

  “There are flowers there already.” He’d noted a lively array near the front steps.

  “Not in the backyard,” Melissa said. “Then there’s the lawn.”

  “The lawn,” Edmond repeated in dismay. He hadn’t mowed a lawn since his teen years.

  “You can hire a gardener,” Melissa assured him with a hint of a smile.

  “Oh, right.” While he’d considered the cost of child care, he hadn’t factored in yard care. “And a cleaning service, too. Any recommendations?”

  “We clean our own house, so I’m not sure. Just ask at work. You’ll be inundated with suggestions.” She was grinning widely.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You’re usually on top of every situation.” She slipped her pad into a pocket. “It’s refreshing to see you out of your element.”

  “Refreshing?” That wasn’t the word Edmond would have chosen. “Awkward, maybe. Embarrassing.”

  “No, it’s cute.” She’d never called him that before. “Human.”

  “As opposed to my usual robotic self?” he asked.

  “In a sense,” she teased. “It’s fun to watch the ice melt.”

  He traced her temple with his thumb. “Only with you.” Her radiance drew him in, drew him close. He tilted his head, longing for her, but holding back.

  And then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she looped her arms around his shoulders and their mouths met. Edmond pulled her against him, shifting slightly to accommodate her midsection, and got lost in the joy of holding and treasuring this incredibly lovely woman.

  Chapter Eleven

  Edmond’s spicy scent replenished Melissa’s soul, while her body responded with a glorious ripple of desire. This was what home felt like.

  She rubbed her cheek over the end-of-day stubble on his face, hardly daring to ease back enough to meet his gaze. When she did, she nearly got lost in the passion blazing from his eyes.

  Breathing hard, he rubbed his chest over hers, arousing delicious sensations in her ultrasensitive breasts. Eagerly, Melissa angled her hips against him, and relished his hard response. Heat flashed through her.

  His mouth claimed hers again, and they shifted through the bedroom door. Such a tidy room, yet infused with his male essence. Melissa unbuttoned his shirt, a shade of light blue with a pin-stripe, just like the ones she used to pick out for him.

  Edmond caught her wrists gently to stop her. “Could this hurt you?”

  “My doctor said it was okay at this stage unless there’s bleeding.” She hadn’t thought she’d need to pursue any further information.

  “I’d hate to cause you problems.” His hoarse voice vibrated through her.

  “It won’t.” She refused to stop now. Her usually guarded self had transformed into a driving force, fueled by three years of longing. No matter what issues divided them, Edmond had always been the standard against which she measured all men.

  He nibbled her earlobe. With a sigh of surrender, Melissa buried her nose in his neck.

  His hands caressed her as he unzipped her dress, a rose-colored maternity outfit she’d worn today to please him. But she’d never imagined this would happen.

  When his hands cupped her bare breasts, Melissa gasped. “That’s unbelievably intense.”

  “Does it hurt?” He paused, his eyes large and dark now that he’d removed his glasses.

  “No, no.”

  “You’re incredibly voluptuous.” His gaze trailed down her nude, enlarged body.

  “Does that mean coarse?” She’d been uncertain how the changes in her body might appear to him.

  Edmond’s palm stroked her stomach. “Just the opposite. It’s as if you’re complete, the way you were meant to be.”

  That was the sexiest thing he could have said. Melissa reached for the buckle on his pants. “Take those clothes off, mister.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Edmond grinned.

  When they were both splendidly naked, they went to the bed. He yanked down the comforter and lowered her to the sheets. “Side, back, front, or some of each?” he teased.

  “All of the above.”

  His long, lean frame fitted against her, each brush of his skin over hers arousing a cascade of sparks. Because of her size, front-to-front didn’t work, so they shifted into a position they’d never before tried, his larger frame spooning hers from behind. When he entered her, a wave of joy carried her above her own body. Edmond’s moan indicated his disbelieving pleasure.

  Slowly, carefully, he probed her until excitement overwhelmed them and they thrust, writhed and clung to each other. Melissa lost track of her separateness, entangled with him in spirit as well as flesh.

  They lingered in a state of bliss. After it ebbed, she nestled into him, wishing she could stay there forever. But unless Edmond’s heart had room for three babies, that was impossible.

  Gradually, she grew aware that it was getting late and she was hungry. She scooted up, her hair tumbling around her shoulders. “I’d better go.”

  Sitting beside her, Edmond kissed her temple. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Me, too.” She ran her palms over his chest.

  “Losing you cut me off from so many things. Even aspects of myself.” His voice grew hoarse. “Melissa, what we had should have been enough. Why’d you have to throw it away?”

  Her happy mood evaporated. “I’m not the one who threw it away, Eddie.”

  He raised his hands in a stop gesture. “Let’s not get into that. I only meant—well, that our marriage was everything to me.”

  And to me...when we were younger. But she’d changed. Still, she’d have worked with him, delayed having children for a while and tried to find a way to satisfy both their needs, had he met her halfway. But much as she’d loved him, in the end, he hadn’t been everything to her. “I wanted more,” she said. “A family.” A family that should have included him.

  “I understand, or at least I’m trying to.”

  She moved to the side of the bed. “By the way, my housemates offered to help you move on Saturday. I can’t do any lifting, but I’ll bring the towels and stuff to your new place.”

  “Thank you,” Edmond said. “For that, and for today.”

  Despite the pain he’d reawakened with his comment, Melissa didn’t regret making love with him. Tonight had been an unexpected gift from life. Even though he couldn’t make room in his heart for her babies, she doubted she’d ever find anyone who aroused her this way. With the babies due and her own activities soon to be limited, their moments together were precious.

  When she stood up, Edmond hurried around to l
end a hand. In the bathroom, Melissa washed up quickly. Returning to the living room, she paused in front of the photo collage.

  Earlier, she’d been too busy to spare it more than a passing glance. Now, she took in the scenes with enhanced emotion: a picture of her looking radiant that Edmond had shot in Pompeii; a romantic image of them against the Bay of Naples, snapped by a tour guide; a photo of Edmond gazing in awe at a jewel-like stained-glass window in a church on the Amalfi coast. She’d never have believed on that trip that their marriage wouldn’t last.

  “Do you ever wish we could go back and stay in Italy?” Edmond murmured beside her.

  Sometimes. But that was her alternate life, and she’d chosen this one. “Since it’s impossible, why worry about it?”

  “Because we still mean something to each other,” Edmond said. “But you’re right.”

  After a brief hug, Melissa went out to her car. A part of her yearned to remain in Edmond’s bed, curled against him until the rivers all ran dry. But then, in Southern California, the rivers ran dry every summer.

  As she angled into the driver’s seat, flurries in her abdomen reflected the babies’ activity. Her daughters. Ironically, if Edmond had agreed to have a child three years ago, these babies would have been implanted in someone else. Yet she was convinced they were meant to be hers.

  At her first meeting with Nell and Vern Grant, Melissa had experienced a strong sense of recognition. Although the two were a few years older than her and Edmond, their coloring and builds were similar. Nell, a kindergarten teacher, was more emotional than her husband, with a bubbly sense of humor. Vern, an accountant, appeared earnest and almost humorless, yet his loving glances at his wife reflected his devotion to her.

  She’d followed their journey through in vitro more keenly than with most clients, sharing their heartbreak when the first attempt failed. After they’d undergone the stressful process of egg harvesting a second time, she’d rejoiced when they produced six viable embryos. What a miracle it had been when the first three implanted. Nell’s pregnancy had flourished until she suffered a dangerous rise in blood pressure several weeks before her due date.