Claiming His Pregnant Wife

by Kim Lawrence

  No, your baby is doing very well, and there is no reason that it should not survive the surgery without taking any harm. Though again, and I emphasise this, there are no guarantees.

  But it has a fighting chance? If anything happened to the baby, Erin would never forgive himhe would never forgive himself!

  Absolutely. Now would you like to see your wife?

  Francesco leapt to his feet. I would.

  The doctor spoke into an intercom and a nurse appeared. Would you take Mr Romanelli to his private room to see his wife?

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  T HE room was little more than a box, white and clinical. Francesco approached silently. Erin appeared to be sleeping, or possibly they had given her something to make her sleep? As he looked at her lying there she seemed so small and scarily fragile with an intravenous infusion attached to her arm.

  Francesco stood at the bedside, his chest tight with the emotions that swelled and grew as he looked at her.

  The cover was white, the gown she wore was white and her skin was if possible even whiter, her freckles standing out in stark relief across the bridge of her nose! The only colour was her glorious hair that peeked out beneath the ridiculous cap they had put on her head.

  He closed his eyes. His silent prayer was interrupted by the sound of a slurred voice.

  You look terrible.

  He opened his eyes and saw her looking up at him.

  I thought you were asleep.

  She shook her head and made a weak flailing gesture, which he correctly interpreted as an effort to catch hold of his hand. Francesco caught her hand between the two of his.

  They gave me something. I feel a bit drunkdo I sound a bit drunk?

  Francesco smiled into her glazed eyes. A little, he admitted.

  Thought soDid they tell you?

  He nodded. Youll be fine, he promised.

  And the baby will be fine? She looked at him with total trust that pierced him like a knife. He didnt deserve her trustif it hadnt been for him there would have been no accident.

  Absolutely, he said, hoping with all his heart that he was right.

  Erin gave a sigh. Good. Do you know that you have the most incredibleno, better than incredible mouth? she slurred.

  Thank you.

  I like your eyes, too.

  Before she had commented on any other parts of his anatomy two porters and a nurse arrived with a trolley.

  They let him walk with them as far as the entrance to the anaesthetic room. She lay with her eyes closed, her small hand tightly curled over his.

  He bent and kissed her lips before they wheeled her inside, resisting the urge he had to yell at the person who removed her hand from his.

  As they closed the door the last thing he heard was a slurred, And great legs, too!

  The first thing Erin became conscious of was voices, male and female; she couldnt understand what they were saying.

  Go away, she said crankily. My head hurts. Im thirsty. She lifted a hand to protect her eyes from the strong light shining in them. Where am I?

  Someone spoke, Erin heard them say, Shes back with us, and there was a click and light filtering through her fingers vanished.

  The next thing that Erin was conscious of was fingers, cool on her forehead. They stilled for a moment. She tried to say dont stop but her vocal chords did not respond. She struggled to open her eyes but gave upher eyelids felt too heavy, and besides the soothing, cool fingers were stroking again.

  If anything happened to you per amor di Dio, I would never have forgiven myself. Francesco, his lean face contorted with self-recrimination, looked down at the pale, still-sleeping features of the woman he had married.

  The woman he had nearly lost.

  His tortured eyes darkened and he tensed expectantly as her eyelashes fluttered against the pallor of her waxen cheek. A sigh escaped him when after a moment they stilled and there was no other sign of returning consciousness.

  A nurse materialised quietly at the bottom of the bed.

  Shouldnt she be awake by now? he asked, anxiety making his manner abrupt.

  The nurse gave a soothing smile and promised him everything was just as it ought to be. Shell probably sleep until the morning, she informed him with a lot more cheer than he considered the situation warranted. If she does wake up shell be pretty woozy. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep?

  He reacted irritably to the tentative suggestion. Ill stay.

  After studying his face she did not argue the point. Would you like a blanket?

  I do not need a blanket. What he needed was his wife to open her eyes.

  Ill get you another coffee, the nurse offered, before scribbling something on the chart and leaving the room.

  Francesco got up and began to pace the room, his expression distracted. Despite the constant reassurances from the medical staff that the operation had been a total success he would not, could not relax until Erin woke up. Until he heard her voice.

  Though when you do wake up, he said, dropping heavily back into the chair that was drawn up to the bed, you will probably tell me you hate me. He rested his chin on his steepled fingers and shook his head. And I wouldnt blame you. First Rafe and now you. A man should cherish those who are most precious to him. But no, I had to prove a point, make you choose me. Dio, but I am a total selfish bastard! I promise you that when you are well I willif anything ever happened to you He picked up the small hand that lay against the sheet and lifted it to his lips. I swear I will never let anything hurt you again.

  Mr Romanelli

  He started at the sound of the nurses voice and, first laying Erins hand gently back down onto the bed, turned his head.

  Ill leave the coffee here, shall I? she said, placing the cup on the bedside table.

  Thank you, he said, turning back to Erin and covering her small hand with his. The wave of emotion he felt as he looked at her was like a physical pain.

  I cant lose you.

  Im not lost.

  Erin? Relief flooded through him as she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

  Hello, cara, he said thickly.

  Francesco?

  Her blurry vision cleared and Erin found herself looking into his unmistakable features. His face, his fallen dark angel face, looked drawn and almost haggard, he hadnt shaved and there were deep lines bracketing his mouth that she couldnt recall seeing before.

  We got married, didnt we? That was so stupid. She closed her eyes and did not see the spasm of pain that contorted his lean features. You make a much better lover than I make a wife. Did something happen?

  Francesco swallowed, seeing in his head her fall down those steps. Yes, cara , you fell.

  Ive got a sore throat, too. Fall? I dont remember, she complained crankily.

  That doesnt matter now; you sleep. He reached for the buzzer to summon a nurse. Where was the damned woman?

  She sighed as she felt his cool fingers on her forehead. She smiled sleepily. Thats nice. I had a dream someone was stroking my head. It was nice; was it you?

  Go to sleep.

  Will you be here when I wake up?

  Im not going anywhere.

  She smiled, expelled a deep sigh and almost immediately fell asleep.

  When can I go home?

  Im beginning to get the impression you dont like us, teased the doctor who had just declared the puncture wounds on her abdomen, the only external sign of the emergency surgery she had undergone, were fine.

  Youve only been with us forty-eight hours.

  It feels like longer.

  The doctor laughed. We just need to monitor the baby overnight. I dont foresee any problem theretough little beggar, that one, he said, peering at the heartbeat tracery in his hand. As for you, young lady

  I feel fine, she said.

  No need to look so worriedthat was my diagnosis, too.

  After scribbling something on her chart the doctor left, two nurses in tow, and she settled down to read one of the magazines from the
stack on the bedside locker.

  She was unable to concentrate, and her eyes drifted around the private room, which still resembled a florists shop even after she had sent a pile of flowers to the oncology ward. A frown of discontent furrowed her brow and pulled down the corners of her mouth as she heard the sound of voices in the corridor outside.

  Being in this room resembled being stranded on a desert island, albeit a desert island with room service. The fact you could hear the rest of the world getting on with its collective life made the sense of isolation all the more intense.

  It wasnt that she wasnt grateful, but she was dying of boredom.

  When she had said as much that morning Francesco had responded with a very unsympathetic and pretty brutal, Well, that is preferable to being dead!

  He made it sound as if she didnt know how lucky she was, which she did. But a person couldnt go on getting misty about being alive. They had to get on with living! Though she sensed she might have a fight on her hands on that score, Francesco was showing some dangerous signs of wrapping her in cotton wool.

  That first night it had been around four in the morning when she had come to properly. She had some dim recollection of wakening earlier but the memory was confused and tangled up in her dreams.

  She could remember the relief that had swept over her when she had opened her eyes and seen him.

  Her first thought had been for the baby and even before she had asked the question uppermost in her thoughts Francesco had told her what she had needed to know.

  The baby is fine and so, he added, smoothing the hair from her brow, are you. Shall I call the nurse? Do you have pain?

  She lifted a hand that had a drip attached to it to her forehead. Im not sure. I feel a bitspaced.

  That is probably the injection they gave you a while back.

  Have you been here all the time? How long that was she had no idea. Injection? She struggled to think past the cotton wool her brain appeared to be stuffed with. Should they be giving me drugs with the babyare you sure hes all right? she croaked, trying to raise herself up.

  I am positive the baby is fine. Listen, there, he said, pressing a finger to his lips to urge her to silence. You hear it?

  Thats the babys heartbeat?

  He nodded.

  She gulped as hot, emotional tears filled her eyes. That is so incredible.

  It is, and they would not give you medication that would harm the baby.

  Erin sighed and let the tension leave her body. Id never have forgiven myself if She stopped and closed her eyes with a groan.

  It wasnt your fault.

  She turned her head on the pillow and looked at him.

  His appearance had shocked her. With his normally sleek hair standing up in spiky tufts and his skin tinged an unhealthy grey, he looked a million miles from his sleek, perfectly groomed normal self.

  She closed her eyes, temporarily drained of the energy required to keep them open. She had no idea how long she dozed, drifting in and out of sleep, but it was some time and several blood-pressure checks later that she came to fully.

  Francesco was still there. He was even in her dreams.

  You do know you look shocking?

  You dont look too hot yourself.

  I have an excuseIve just had surgery, she teased.

  And Ive just spent hours wondering if my wife and child will live. The words he had obviously struggled to contain emerged from between clenched teeth.

  Dont you think it might be an idea for you to go home, get some sleep?

  Perhaps, he conceded. Is there anything I can get you before I go?

  My mouth is so drydo you suppose that I could have something to drink?

  I dont know, but Ill ask.

  When can I go home?

  It is as I suspected

  What is?

  Youre going to be an awkward patient, the demanding sort that nurses avoid.

  He did go, but returned looking much more like himself a few hours later.

  Of course, she had not made the mistake of imagining that she was the draw that brought him back again and again.

  It was the baby.

  Several of the nurses had remarked on his devotion, and his smouldering Latin looks had come into the conversation on more than one occasion! Though most were too tactful to lust after him in front of her, Erin was pretty sure her husband had caused more than a few hearts to flutter in the hospital corridors.

  One young student who was particularly smitten somehow always found a reason to be in her room when Francesco happened to be there. That morning when she had been taking Erins temperature she had wondered why Erin did not have a picture of her husband by her bed.

  But I suppose youre not likely to forget what he looks like, are you? Hes always here. The wistful envy in her voice made Erin smile.

  I bet hell make a great dad. Italian men are good with children, arent they?

  An image of Francesco sprawled on a rug playing with little Gianni popped into her head. Some are, she agreed, wondering how this young girl would react if she told her that her marriage, far from being what it looked from the outside, was nothing but a sham!

  The only reason Francesco had come back was because he had found out about the baby. And there was no question in her mind that if it hadnt been for her pregnancy he wouldnt be refusing to consider a divorce.

  He had been experiencing the emotional backlash of his twins death when they had met, which totally explained the entire mad, reckless rush into marriage with someone he barely knew. If she hadnt left when she had he would most likely have woken up one morning and thought, What the hell have I done? And then things would have taken their natural course.

  She had tried the previous evening to tell him that he could have his freedom. He had stared at her in a particularly daunting manner while she had outlined her, admittedly pretty sketchy, plan of moving to Italy so that he could have easier access to his child.

  He didnt seem grateful for the concession she was willing to make. Neither had he held back when he had expressed his blighting opinion of her plan!

  No, I do not think it is a good idea. I think it is a ridiculous idea. Im sorry, Erin, if you find the thought of living as my wife so distasteful, but I suggest you put these wild and impractical notions from your mind. You will be living with me as my wife; we will be a family. He effectively silenced further protests by adding, This is something you will do because I know that you have the best interests of our child at heart.

  If all else failed, use emotional blackmailand why not? she thought bleakly. It had worked.

  It was obvious to Erin that once she went back to Italy with him Francesco would resist using every resource, which in his case were pretty much limitless, any attempt she made to remove their child from the country. And the thing was she loved him and wanted to be with him so much that part of her just wanted to go with the flow and stop resisting even though she knew that he didnt love her.

  And that being the case there was every chance that one day he would fall in love with someone else.

  She spent most of the afternoon wondering if she was being totally insane for returning to Italy with him. Finally with a spinning head she picked up a book, in the vain hope of distracting herself from thoughts of her personal life.

  It was around four and she was staring blankly at the same page she had been for the past ten minutes when there was a tentative knock on the door.

  The man who walked in was a little above medium height. He had a beard, slightly receding hair and wore glasses.

  She had never seen him before.

  Mrs Romanelli He approached the bed beaming with his hand outstretched.

  A bemused Erin gave him her hand. Im sorry. I dont?

  Stupid of me, I should have introduced myself. Peter Heyer.

  Clearly he expected it to mean something to her. Erin shook her head. Im sorry, I

  Sorry, I assumed that Francesco would have explained things to you.

&n
bsp; Are you a lawyer?

  He looked startled by the suggestion and a little offended. No, Mrs Romanelli, I own the Heyer GalleryLondon, New York and Barcelona

  Ive heard of that.

  You know, then, about our upcoming exhibition?

  Not really.

  Im getting the feeling that you dont know that your husband brought your portfolio to us.

  Erin responded with a noncommittal smile. It was news to her that she had awhat had he said? Portfolio?

  Well, obviously normally we do not consider work by someone who just walks in through the door, but your husband, he

  Doesnt take no for an answer?

  Forceful.

  More a force of nature, Erin thought, wondering what Francesco had done to make this man look as though he were recalling a fight with a grizzly with toothache.

  Your husband is also a very difficult man to negotiate withId say you are very lucky to have him as your agent.

  I have an agent?

  Hes one of a kind, she agreed cautiously.

  Mr Romanelli mentioned you were here and I was passing so I just dropped by to tell you how excited we are by your work. Really excited! Thats all I wanted to say. I hope you feel better soon.

  Thank you.

  It was two hours later when Francesco arrived. Two hours during which Erin had totally failed to unravel the riddle of the man with the beard.

  I hear they are releasing you in the morning.

  Finally. I had a visitor this afternoon. A Peter Heyer.

  In the act of shrugging off his jacket, Francesco paused.

  He is very excited, apparently.

  He is, it seemed to me, quite an excitable sort of man.

  I didnt have the faintest idea what he was talking about. I have an agenta portfolio? She folded her arms across her chest. Do you mind telling me what is going on?

  When I was at your studio

  Erin, her eyes wide with amazement, cut across him. You were at my studio. Why would you be?

  I was getting some things you asked for from your flat when I came across this very nice lady. She wanted the photos you did of her daughters wedding. She was, incidentally, most pleased with the results.