Annette Broadrick

by What's a Dad to Do (lit)

  "That's all the doctor said? You're fine?"

  She grinned. "Actually he did add another word."

  Craig walked around the bar and gave her a hug,

  another thing she was getting used to. "What word?" "Twins."

  She watched his face as the word and its meaning registered. He sat on the stool beside her, just staring at her. The silence stretched between them. "Twins?"

  he finally said slowly. "Uh-huh." "Oh my God."

  "My sentiments exactly."

  They sat there staring at each other in silence. Then he grinned. "He's sure?"

  "Positive."

  "Wow," he whispered after another long pause. "You know what this means, don't you?"

  "We double everything we have on the list for a newborn?"

  take advantage of the fact that they were now sharing a bed.

  She seemed to be more affected than he was. Sharing the bedroom had increased the intimacy between them, even though Craig was considerate about allowing her privacy. He, on the other hand, didn't appear the least self-conscious about her seeing him in all stages of undress. He slept in a pair of jogging shorts, he explained, since he didn't own a pair of pajamas and didn't intend to buy any. That was his only concession to her modesty.

  She supposed she was getting more used to sharing her space with him, if that was what he'd hoped to accomplish. There were times when she couldn't figure Craig out. Lately she made less effort to try.

  She let herself into the house. The doctor had warned her that her need for sleep would increase. He'd been right. She tired much easier now. She could just imagine what she would be doing in another month or So, carrying twins!

  She went upstairs and changed out of her clothes and into her comfortable robe. She'd take a quick nap and then start dinner so that it would be ready when Craig got home. That was the last thought she had before waking up some time later with the most delicious smells wafting Up from the kitchen.

  Craig was home.

  She sat up on the side of the bed, knowing better than to get up too quickly. Her body had certainly let it be known that she could no longer spring out of bed without falling on her nose.

  She also knew to take it slow and easy down the stairs. When she walked into the kitchen Craig stood at the stove with his back to her. He must have heard her because he glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Hi, sleepyhead. How's it going?"

  She promptly yawned, then sat down at the bar. "Fine."

  "That's all the doctor said? You're fine?"

  She grinned. "Actually he did add another word."

  Craig walked around the bar and gave her a hug,

  another thing she was getting used to. "What word?" "Twins."

  She watched his face as the word and its meaning registered. He sat on the stool beside her, just staring at her. The silence stretched between them. "Twins?"

  he finally said slowly. "Uh-huh." "Oh my God."

  "My sentiments exactly."

  They sat there staring at each other in silence. Then he grinned. "He's sure?"

  "Positive."

  "Wow," he whispered after another long pause. "You know what this means, don't you?"

  "We double everything we have on the list for a newborn?"

  "That, too. But I'm talking about the future. We're going to have to find a larger place to live. We. can't have our children jammed into that little bedroom for long. We've got some time, but it wouldn't hurt to start looking."

  "Craig... don't. This place is as much as I can afford. I'll be all right here."

  He looked at her. "C'mon, Tess, don't start that all over again. Will you please get it through your head that I am not about to go off and leave you to cope alone? I am fully prepared to play responsible parent here. I'm also going to bring up the dreaded M-word again. Haven't I convinced you that we're going to make this work? I'm happy doing what I do here. I'm not making any demands on you. I--"

  "I know that. It's just--" She didn't know anymore. She was so tired of trying to deal with everything she was feeling.

  "What is it, honey? What are you so afraid of?" "I don't know! Everything, I guess. But you're right. You've been wonderful to me these past few months, shamelessly pampering me. All I do is eat and sleep and get fatter and be grouchy and--"

  "But you're supposed to eat and sleep and get fatter and you're not grouchy ... unless you're tired ... or hungry... or--"

  "See what I mean? Face it. I'm a grouch."

  "But you're a lovable grouch. You know, I've been thinking that it's probably past time for me to confess to something."

  "What?" She was immediately suspicious.

  "Has it ever occurred to you that the reason I came back from Tibet, before I knew you were pregnant,

  mind you, was to ask you to marry me?"

  She chuckled. "No."

  "Has it ever occurred to you that I might have discovered the last time I was here that I love you?"

  "Now that I might believe since I love you, too. Why do you think I'm having such a struggle dealing with all of this? I can't forget how adamant you sounded that night about not being the marrying kind. You were very convincing."

  "That's because I had convinced myself. But then we spent that night together. It was a magical time, Tess. Like no other I've ever experienced before. Now, to add to the magic, we find out that our night together produced twins. Even if you hadn't gotten pregnant, being with you that night opened my eyes to a lot of things. I think I've loved you for a long time and didn't recognize it. But I definitely recognized it after that night. I've been trying hard not to rush you into anything, not to push you," but Tess, I've gotta tell you, lying beside you every night has been a real test of my self-control. I made an oath to you and I won't go back on it, but what I want more

  than anything is to be married to you, to be able to make love to you, to plan for the future with you."

  "It's been bothering you to sleep beside me every night and not make love to me?"

  "Hell, yes. I'm human, and you're about the sexiest female I've ever known. It just took me a few years to grow up enough to appreciate that fact. I have to keep reminding myself that you are pregnant, that you--"

  "The doctor said it was all right for us to have relations for the next few months, until the last several weeks."

  "You mean you asked him?"

  "Maybe I hinted or something. I don't remember, but he volunteered that information. He said that a woman sometimes feels her strongest urges now, when she knows she doesn't have to worry about pregnancy."

  "And are you feeling some strong urges?"

  "How should I know? I haven't much experience in that department."

  He put his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "We could certainly experiment and find out, if you'd like... in the interest of science, of course."

  His whispered words caused a shiver to run down her back.

  "After we're married, naturally," he said, straightening. "What would the children think if we became that intimate prior to the wedding ceremony?"

  "Craig, don't be--"

  "Why don't I call the folks and have them fly over here? We can have a private ceremony at the church. They'll love it. I think they were married there as well." Before she could say anything he said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of the details, you won't have to do a thing but show up."

  "Craig, you're doing it again, making a decision for both of us without listening to me."

  "Oops. You're right. Absolutely right. It was the talk about sex that scrambled my already rattled brain. Sorry."

  "However, in this case,.I happen to agree with you."

  "You do?"

  "I've had to face the fact that the only reason I've resisted marrying you was that I was afraid I'd become too attached to you. Then when you left, I'd--"

  "I am not leaving you. Will you please get that through your stubborn head? You are going to get so sick and tired of my hanging around you that you'll plead and bribe me
to go away and give you some space."

  "I can't believe you think I'm sexy," she muttered, and he laughed, hugging her.

  "Then you'll marry me?" he asked softly.

  She nodded. "With the understanding that if you decide you can't take it any longer, that you'll tell me and we'll work out some kind of arrangement."

  "You're already building in an escape hatch for me before we're even officially engaged?"

  "I'm serious, Craig."

  "I don't doubt that in the least, darling'. It's just one of the many reasons why I love you."

  "It's not completely unheard of that you might want to travel again, you know."

  "Then we'll do it as a family. I'm not your father, Tess. I won't walk out on you, or die on you like your mother and grandmother did. Let me prove that to you ." '

  Mention of her father brought tears to her eyes and a great deal of pain to her heart. Was that why she felt safer on her own, so that she wouldn't have to trust anyone else?

  "Have I ever gone back on my word to you?" he asked.

  "No."

  "I'm not going to start now." He returned to the stove and began to place food on their plates. "We're going to do just fine together. Wait and see."

  Phil and Susan Jamison were the only witnesses to their wedding ten days later. The pastor married them in his study, pleased that they had made this decision.

  Susan was bubbling over with suggestions. She wanted to rush out and purchase all the baby furniture they could possibly use. She wanted them to immediately look for a home to buy. She wanted to plan a time for her to come over and help to care for the newborns.

  Phil finally had to calm her down, gently pointing out that Craig and Tess appeared to have everything under control.

  They flew back to Phoenix that afternoon, Susan still offering helpful hints to the mother-to-be as they were boarding. Tess could only laugh.

  "I'm glad you find her amusing," Craig said, escorting her back to the car park. "Can you imagine what she would be like if they were still living next door? She'd probably be knocking on the door each morning to make sure you'd taken your vitamins and milk."

  "I've known your mother as long as I've known you and I have never seen her this excited."

  "I know. It was the thought of twins that put her into orbit. You would think they were the first pair ever to be born."

  "She also seemed to be relieved that we decided to get married."

  "I know."

  He put her into the car, then walked around to the driver's side. "We!!" Mrs. Jamison," he said, once

  they were away from the airport, "What would you like to do next on your wedding day?"

  "It's been a rather full day. Would it be all right to go home and have an early night?"

  "Are you uncomfortable? Do you think you over-did it today? Are you having any pain?"

  "No. Now you're beginning to sound like your mother, Craig."

  "Heaven forbid."

  "Let's just have a quiet evening at home."

  She was already half-asleep when he walked out of the bathroom and crawled into bed without saying anything.

  "Craig?"

  "Mmm?"

  "We're married now."

  "Did you think it might slip my mind?"

  "You don't have to hug that side of the bed anymore."

  "I thought you were tired."

  "I'm not that tired."

  He reached out and pulled her into his arms. As soon as she touched him she realized how aware of her he was. His heart was racing and his body radiated heat. "What a faker you are," she whispered, amused. "Pretending to be so nonchalant about tonight. "Obviously your body is anticipating something." She touched his rigid length and giggled.

  "I've grown used to the condition. It set in permanently a couple of months ago." "You never said anything." "No." "I'm glad."

  "That I didn't say anything?"

  "That you want me. I thought that I was no longer appealing to you."

  "If you were any more appealing, I'd explode, which is still a very real possibility."

  She turned to him, pressing herself against him. "Let's see if I can remember any of those things you taught me last spring."

  From his reaction, she seemed to have remembered quite well.

  The sound of a door quietly closing pulled Craig from a deep, satisfying sleep. He opened his eyes and peered at his watch. It was a little after five. Daylight was on the horizon but it was much too early to think about getting up.

  He'd gotten used to Tess leaving their shared bed around this time each morning. Mother Nature deft-nitely had her way when a woman was pregnant.

  He doubled his pillow, propping himself up, waiting for Tess to return to bed. When she opened the bathroom door a few minutes later, he smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

  He held out his arm to her. "Doesn't matter. Come here, you, and let me hold you. It's much too early to get up."

  She eyed him warily. "You're certainly in a good mood this morning." She carefully lowered herself back into bed, then relaxed against his shoulder with a contented sigh.

  "It's amazing how a good night's sleep can put a fella into a terrific mood. I haven't slept so well in months." He placed his hand possessively over her protruding stomach, still smiling.

  "Oh? You always looked like you were sleeping all right to me. What was wrong?"

  "Oh, I was probably asleep but my erotic dreams definitely disturbed my rest. Now I can admit it. Being in bed with you and not touching you was sheer hell."

  "You're the one who set those rules, you know."

  "Would you have let me stay here with you without them?"

  "I don't know, to be honest. Things were happening a little too fast for me about that time. You may not have noticed but I was feeling a tremendous amount of pressure."

  "Oh, I noticed," he replied with a grin.

  He rubbed her shoulders, turning her into him even more so that he could stroke her back, kneading the muscles in the lower back area. He was rewarded with a soft crooning sound from Tess.

  "I've been afraid to offer to rub your back for fear you'd think I was using that as an excuse to get my hands on you."

  She looked at him, her eyes wide. "Me? Suspect your sterling motives? How could I possibly do that?"

  Her teasing was greeted with a kiss that grew rather lengthy and provoked him into forgetting about the back rub.

  Their lovemaking was lazy, full of exploration and discovery without being rushed. He loved bringing Tess to peaks of pleasure, basking in his power to provide her with these passionate gifts. He'd never known that the act could be so enthralling when he was with someone he loved as much as he loved Tess.

  He would never tire of expressing his love to her and for her.

  Later that morning, after a leisurely breakfast, they went out to work on her garden. While he was diligently pulling weeds away from her blooms, Craig asked, "Did you ever think about us being together like this when we were growing up?"

  Tess sat back on her heels and adjusted her wide-brimmed sun hat. "If I ever did, I must have forgotten it by the time I was grown. You were always my favorite person when we were growing up, though. I suppose that should have been some kind of clue."

  He helped her to her feet and they sat down on the lounge chairs arranged on the small, covered patio.

  He poured them each a glass of iced lemo nade. "I was sitting here thinking about the communication system we had at one time. Do you remember it?"

  She laughed. "Of course. You strung twine from your bedroom window to mine with a bell attached to either end. Whenever we wanted the other's attention-"

  "We'd pull on the twine. Yeah. I hadn't thought about that in years."

  "i wonder why it never occurred to us that the pone would have worked just as well. Remember all the elaborate hand signals we had to use?"

  "I remember I used to be teased by my buddies for teaching you some of our codes."


  "You were always taking up for me."

  "I thought I was supposed to. After all, you were just a girl. You couldn't help it, of course. You needed a rugged male to protect you."

  She leaned over and poked him in the ribs and he laughed. "Too bad no one was protecting me from you!"

  He took her hand and held it. "I want you to know that I'm not sorry about the way things have worked out. Maybe I wouldn't have wanted to settle down years ago, but we're both older now. We've each made a life for ourselves. I think we bring a great deal to this relationship. Just think of the stories we'll be able to tell our children."

  "You've almost got me convinced, Craig. Maybe things do have a way of working out for people, after all."

  Chapter Six

  Craig?"

  "Mmm."

  "Something's happening."

  "What? What is it?"

  "I think my water broke."

  "Oh, no. It's too soon. You can't be going into labor. It's--"

  "Maybe you'd better call the doctor. His number is by the kitchen telephone."

  Craig raced downstairs and made the phone call. By the time he returned she was sitting up in bed. "He said he'd meet us at the hospital."

  They stared at each other in dismay.

  "I've got to change my gown. And I'm going to need something to stop this--"

  "Hang on. I'll get it." He disappeared into the bathroom and was soon back. Then he found her another gown. "Do you have a bag packed?"

  "No. I didn't think I'd need one just yet." "Don't worry. I can always bring you something." He lifted her gown over her head, 'dropped the dry one over it, found her robe and wrapped her in it, then for good measure, placed the comforter around her as well.

  "I'll carry you to' the car."

  "You've got to be kidding. You aren't going to be able to get your arms around all of this."

  "Sure I will. Just watch." He scooped her up as though she weighed nothing, tucking the comforter around her before going down the stairs.

  Craig fought to stay call as they drove to the hospital. Luckily at that time of night, or early morning, there was little traffic. He pulled up at the emergency entrance and said, "Stay right there. I'll be right back."

  "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

  The medics soon appeared with a rolling stretcher. They eased her out of the car and onto the stretcher. Once inside Craig gave admitting information at the desk while they wheeled Tess into one of the examining rooms.