“Me, too.” Betta said.
“Hold it,” Taylor said. “You don’t have to decide now. Let’s all get used to the idea. And right now, I think we need that bottle of champagne I’ve been chilling, Matteo. We need to toast Betta’s news.”
“And yours,” Betta said as she reached over to hold Laura’s hand. “We have a lot to celebrate.”
* * *
“I think it went well,” Taylor said as he and Laura got ready for bed. “They certainly appear to be pleased. And Rosina’s beside herself at the thought of a baby.”
“We can’t let the girls give up on their plans,” Laura said as she came out of the bathroom wearing green satin pajamas that matched her eyes. “Especially Betta! Taylor, this is a once in a life-time chance for her. Meg might be able to transfer later and can certainly get a good pre-med education here but Betta has to go to Milan.”
Taylor took her into his arms and used one thumb to smooth out the frown between her eyes. “Give them time, darling. It will all work out the way it should.”
“How did we ever get ourselves into this?” Laura asked.
“I think it started this way,” he said with a smile before he kissed her, eclipsing the future with the promise of now.
Chapter 7
Taylor had gone straight to the theatre following an afternoon interview. There wasn’t going to be enough time to go home for dinner with his girls. Girls? Young women, all of them, even his wife, he acknowledged. He’d have to stop thinking of them that way.
He’d asked Matteo to pick up some soup for him and he settled down in his dressing room to answer some of the fan mail Laura had given him a few days before.
When the door opened, he said without looking up, “Thanks, Matteo, just put it on the table.”
“Do I look like a Matteo?”
Taylor raised his eyes to see a woman in the doorway. “Elodie! What a surprise!”
“Hi, Taylor. I had some business in the city and just wanted to say hello.”
Taylor stood and walked over to her, leaning down to give her a kiss on the cheek; a kiss that landed near the corner of her mouth when she unexpectedly turned her head.
“It’s nice to see you. I’m glad you caught me here. I came in a little early this evening. Usually, I’m not here for another half an hour or so.”
“I just thought I’d take a chance.”
Matteo loomed in the doorway behind her. “Taylor, here’s your soup. Hello, Ms. Nee.”
“Thanks, Matteo. You can go on home now, if you’d like. I’ll see you after the show.”
“Not much of a supper, Taylor,” Elodie commented as she took a seat on the couch. “I thought you and Laura had that fabulous housekeeper and cook.” There was a touch of disdain in her voice but Taylor pretended not to notice.
“I was busy with an interview this afternoon and didn’t have time to go home.” He held up his hand to stop her as she opened her mouth to speak. “I know, I know. I’ll have Laura call you as soon as we have a publication date.”
“Well, you know how the members are, Taylor. They just can’t get enough of you.”
“That’s true enough, although I never have understood why,” he said as he opened the soup container. “Would you like some of this?”
“God, no! I have dinner reservations for after the show. I was hoping you might join me?”
“Thanks, but not tonight. I’ll be heading home right after the show. Laura…” He paused, then went on. “Actually, I do have some news for you. I don’t want it to get out just yet, but I do want you to turn that brain of yours into making it a great fund-raiser.”
“Sure, Taylor. What’s the news?”
“Laura may kill me for telling you, but the truth will get out soon enough. We’re going to have a baby in the spring.”
For once, Elodie Nee was speechless. A baby? It was bad enough when he’d married Laura. So many of the fans had left the club then. She’d had to work her tail off to keep it going when he went into seclusion in Italy with his new bride. The man simply did not think about the consequences of his actions.
She managed to summon a smile and, in her best cheerleader voice, said, “A baby? Taylor, that’s wonderful! You and Laura must be thrilled.”
He smiled, a shy smile that quickly turned into a cat-that-ate-the canary grin. “We are. So are the girls.”
“Are you still leaving the show?”
“In March, as planned. The baby’s due in May so we’ll have time to get the girls settled into school. Betta’s been accepted to design school in Milan!” he added.
“What will you do then?”
“I really don’t know. We’d planned on traveling but the baby changes some of that. I think we’re just going to take it day by day, let nature take its course, so to speak.”
This was going to take some damage control, she thought. Major damage control. Her mind was already tumbling with thoughts and ideas of how she would handle this and the reactions it was bound to bring.
Smiling, she got up from the couch. “I know you need some time to prepare, Taylor—for the show and the baby.” She gave him a hug then went to the door. “Keep me posted on how things are going. And be sure and congratulate your darling wife for me.” She blew him a kiss and was gone.
Taylor shook his head. Elodie disliked Laura as much as Laura disliked Elodie. He didn’t understand it; never had, never would. At least they’d learned to work together and play nice in public.
Glancing at his watch, he picked up the phone. There was just time to call Laura before he began make-up for the night.
* * *
As the curtain rose, Elodie Nee leaned forward in her front row mezzanine seat. Taylor didn’t know just how often she came into the city to see him in the show. She always sat in the mezzanine, far enough away to make sure he didn’t see her, close enough to see him and listen to that beautiful voice. As he made his entrance, she gave herself over to the fantasy that he was singing for her alone.
Chapter 8
The Morgan’s annual New Year’s Eve party was an event that their friends always looked forward to. Taylor had given up some other perks to have it written into his contract that he did not perform Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day. This year, Laura’s parents would be with them. As a surprise, Taylor had arranged for Beth to come as well. Jason sent Beth out the day after Christmas and would join them with the twins on the thirtieth. Now near the end of her fourth month of pregnancy, Laura was finally past the morning sickness. Her energy levels had returned and she seemed to be the picture of the perfect pregnancy.
Taylor looked up from his book when he heard the apartment door open to the sounds of laughter. Had Betta and Meg not been in Florida visiting Meg’s other grandparents, he might have thought it was them. With a smile, he went down the hallway and looked into the foyer. The two women were removing coats, hats, and gloves, with dozens of shopping bags at their feet. They had set out to shop for the nursery and, from the look of things, managed to find what they’d been looking for.
“You know,” he said with a smile, “the room is only so big. You are going to leave room for the baby, aren’t you?”
“Oh, Taylor! We had such a good time. Wait until you see all the things we found.” Laura came over and kissed him before pulling him over to the packages. Diving into one of them, she came up with a multi-colored caterpillar. “Isn’t this just the cutest thing? Since we’re doing the nursery in bright colors, it will be just perfect.”
“We bought a few practical things, too,” Beth said. “Just in case you’re wondering.”
“You two? Practical? That will be the day!” he said then laughed as they stuck their tongues out at him.
“We bought lots of pink,” Beth said with a wicked grin. Everyone knew that Taylor was sure the baby would be a boy. He was the only one who thought so and the rest of them were having fun teasing him about all the girl things they were buying.
“My son isn’t weari
ng pink,” Taylor said with mock indignation.
“Then it’s a good thing Laura’s having a girl!”
“I hope you kept receipts,” he said as he leaned down to pick up a number of shopping bags. “It will make returning all this useless pink stuff so much easier.”
“A girl, Taylor,” Beth said. “I’m sure of it. And I am going to be the most indulgent aunt you ever saw!”
The two of them laughed as Taylor shook his head and rolled his eyes, before they proceeded down the hall to the nursery-to-be.
* * *
Matteo had made numerous trips to the airport but, finally, everyone was home. Meg and Betta complained about the cold after their trip to Florida. Laura’s parents had arrived laden with insulated containers of Mexican food. Rosina had matched their offerings with Italian specialties and the table now almost literally groaned with food. Jason had arrived with the twins, who now sat between their mother and their Auntie Laurie, so it was a large and noisy group that sat down to dinner.
“I will make the posole in the morning, Laura,” her mother said as they all began to eat. “It will insure good luck for you and your friends.”
“I can hardly wait, Mom! And these tamales are heavenly. I miss the food at home so much!”
“I hope you brought biscochitos, Maria.” Taylor had developed an addiction to the anise flavored sweet that was the official cookie of the state of New Mexico.
“Would I forget you, Taylor?” Maria laughed. “I knew I wouldn’t be welcome without them,” she teased.
“Just more welcome with them, Maria.”
There were several conversations going at once and Taylor listened in as he continued his dinner. The women were talking about the nursery and baby clothes. Sean and Jason were discussing art with Matteo and Betta. There was a lot of laughter and he was glad to feel their home full of happiness.
“So how many people are coming to this party this year, Laura?” her father asked.
“I have no idea, Dad. The usual and all of Taylor’s cast and crew once the performance is over.”
“You’ll not be letting yourself get too tired over this, will you?” Sean tended to allow his Irish roots to creep into his voice when he was concerned about something.
“Not a chance, Sean,” Taylor answered.
Laura shook her head. “Taylor’s right, Dad. None of them will let me do anything. You’d think I was the first woman to be pregnant the way my gang is acting.”
“As it should be,” Sean said, refilling his glass.
“See, Laura, even your father thinks I’m right,” Taylor said.
“Well, I might not go that far, Taylor,” Sean said as everyone laughed. They all knew he was teasing his son-in-law. Maria and Sean loved him as dearly as if he were their own.
Sean turned to the girls, “So, which one of you is going to give up these wild plans of yours and come to the University of New Mexico?”
Betta smiled at him. “Not me, Abuelo. Milan is waiting. I wanted to stay here and help with the baby but Laura and Taylor won’t let me.”
“Me, neither,” Meg added. “I’ve applied to schools here in the northeast to be closer but if Stanford says yes, I’m going to have to take it.”
“Fine, maybe my new grandson will come when it’s his turn.” Sean was the only one to share Taylor’s conviction that the baby would be a boy. “He could play for the Lobos.”
“Your new granddaughter,” Maria said, “can be a Lady Lobo, you know.”
“Not the same,” Sean muttered.
“With Laura and Taylor for parents, she can pretty much count on doing something with words,” Meg said. “How about she becomes the next Sarah Bernhardt?”
“Or Jodi Picoult? We can always use another writer,” Laura said.
“Maybe you’ll have twins,” Jason threw in. “Then you can have one of each.”
“Not twins!” Beth said as she cleaned Tomás’ face. “I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, let alone my best friend!”
It was quiet Matteo who brought the discussion to a close, “Whatever the bambino is, may it be healthy and as good as the parents that brought it into the world.”
Murmurs of agreement were heard as glasses were raised around the table. “To Taylor and Laura,” Meg said, “the best parents anyone could have.”
Taylor’s eyes met Laura’s and he raised his glass to her with a smile. Boy or girl, there was no doubt that this baby would be loved.
Chapter 9
The party was well underway when Elodie Nee stepped out of the elevator wearing a slinky black dress and heeled sandals, her black hair, worn short now, perfectly coiffed. Her fur coat was draped casually over her shoulders and she carried a ribbon-bedecked bottle of champagne. She looked, and felt, as if she belonged in this rarified world of theatre and music—a world she felt was rightfully hers.
Taylor saw her come through the door and went to greet her. “Hello, Elodie. I’m glad you could make it.”
“You know I wouldn’t miss it. How’s our little mother? And when are you going to let me announce the baby to the fans?”
“Laura’s fine. And we want to keep the news among friends bit longer,” he said as he took her coat. “You know most everyone. Get yourself a glass of champagne and join the party.”
Spotting Laura across the room, she said, “Thanks, I see someone now.” It was time to pay her “respects” to the mother-to-be. Snagging a champagne flute from the tray offered by a passing waiter, she made her way through the crowd.
Laura was wearing a green pantsuit that matched her eyes. The crystal pleats of the top hinted at the round of her pregnancy just beginning to show. Her face was fuller, too. If she weren’t careful, she’d look like a pig soon, Elodie thought. She certainly wasn’t going to look like Taylor’s perfect little wife for much longer.
“Laura!” Elodie called when she got close enough. “You look positively radiant!”
Laura’s heart sank when she saw who was talking. She really didn’t want to make nice with Elodie Nee tonight. But she put on her best hostess smile and said, “Elodie. So nice to see you. I wasn’t sure you’d make it this year.” Wasn’t sure and had been hoping you wouldn’t, Laura thought.
“I wouldn’t have missed this. If it hadn’t been for your red hair, I might not have recognized you…the new roundness, you know.”
Oh, I know, it’s your catty way of saying I’m getting fat! “It goes with the territory. But you’ve never had children, have you?”
Meg could see what was happening and stepped in before Laura and Elodie could progress to name-calling. “Laura, your mother was looking for you. I think she and Rosina are in the kitchen.”
“Thanks, Meg. You’ll excuse me, Elodie?”
“Meg, you look so grown-up!”
“I am grown-up.” Meg had always found Elodie to be cloyingly sweet. And clueless about her and Betta. She’d given them dolls for their sixteenth birthdays—dolls, for heaven’s sake!
“Of course you are, dear.” Elodie looked past Meg. “Why there’s dear Michael,” she said. “I haven’t seen him in ages.” She walked away from Meg without so much as a goodbye, heading for Michael Crawford, who was trapped with no way to get away from her.
“Thanks, Meg.” Laura came up behind her and gave her a hug. “You saved me. Too bad Michael doesn’t have you in his corner,” she went on as they watched Elodie take over the conversation in the little group she had invaded.
* * *
Taylor had watched the scene from across the room. Since Laura couldn’t stand Elodie, he made an effort to keep them apart. This was one of those events he couldn’t manage, since he couldn’t not invite her to the party. Thank heavens Meg had been there to separate them. With any sort of luck, they’d avoid each other for the rest of the evening.
* * *
The party began to wind down after the traditional count-down. Taylor had been with Laura as the New Year arrived and they greeted it with a kiss. Neither
of them saw the look on Elodie’s face as she watched the man she adored kissing another woman, even if she was his wife.
Taylor tapped on the glass he was holding to get everyone’s attention after the traditional singing of Auld Lang Syne. When the room had quieted, he said, “Thank you all for joining us once again as we bid farewell to an old year and its problems and welcome the new with its possibilities. It will be a year of changes for the Morgans. Betta and Meg will graduate this spring and go off to find their own lives.” A spattering of applause greeted this announcement. “Laura and I will begin anew when I leave the show in March and we welcome our son in May.”
A resounding chorus of “It’s a girl!” came from the women in his life and the guests all joined in the laughter. “Whoever our child is, he—or she—will be surrounded with the love of our friends and we look forward to this new adventure. Please don’t forget it’s a secret for now! Happy New Year, everyone!” Applause and cries of “Happy New Year” filled the room as Taylor kissed Laura once again.
People began to leave. By one a.m. most were gone. Laura’s mother and Rosina were picking up from the party. Beth and Jason had gone downstairs to Rosina’s to relieve the babysitter. Meg and Betta headed for bed. Finally, Elodie was the only one left. Laura wished her a terse “Happy New Year” then escaped to her bedroom.
“Lovely party, as usual, Taylor.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it. And I’m glad you came.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”
Taylor was aware that she was a little drunk and more than a little maudlin. “Let me call down to get you a cab,” he said. He arranged for the doorman to call a taxi then walked her to the elevator.
In the Fullness of Time Page 3
