by Jane Porter
She arched a brow. “I don’t know who you refer to. I think you have me confused with someone else.”
“I’m not, and you know who I talk about. She was pregnant with Nikos Panos’s child, too. But she’d rather kill herself, and the baby, then live with him.” He gave her a dark, searching look. “You should know the truth as I’m sure he hasn’t told you. Or maybe he has, and that’s why you’re here.”
Georgia felt a wave of disgust and revulsion. “Are you the one that sends those letters every year to him? Ambierce... Ambrose?”
He straightened. “Ambrose. And so he has told you.”
“Why do you do it? What is the point?”
“He was already rich. He had everything. He didn’t need her. She was mine.”
“If that was the case, then she shouldn’t have married him.” She tipped her head. “Good night.”
Once back in her small room, Georgia locked her door and lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Was Elsa really pregnant at the time she died? Nikos hadn’t mentioned that.
She placed her arm over her eyes to try to block out the pictures in her head, but it was difficult with Ambrose’s words still ringing in her ears.
It was a good thing she was going to Santorini in the morning.
* * *
Pain woke Georgia up in the middle of the night, an ungodly cramping pain that made her fear the worst.
At thirty-three weeks the baby should be viable, but she wasn’t home, and she wasn’t near a major hospital.
She needed to get to a hospital. She needed help.
Struggling to get clothes on, she leaned against the wall during another sharp contraction, panting through the pain. She made it out into the hallway but couldn’t take another step. The contractions were so close now. The baby was coming, and she feared the worst. She desperately needed help. She desperately needed Nikos.
* * *
Georgia opened her eyes. Bright lights shone into her eyes. There was a hum of voices and sound. A face wearing a surgical mask leaned over her, said something in Greek. Georgia had no idea what was said. She couldn’t feel anything. She closed her eyes again.
The voices were just a murmur of sound, but it pulled her in. She struggled to follow. It was English. She should be able to understand. It was Nikos talking, but in English. He was talking to someone about the baby. She knew that someone, recognized the voice. A man...a lawyer, maybe? Mr. Laurent?
She tried to open her eyes to ask about the baby, but they wouldn’t open. Or maybe they were open and she just couldn’t see...
* * *
This time when she opened her eyes she could see. The room was dark except for a glow of light by the door. She wasn’t alone, though.
Turning her head, she spotted Nikos in a chair, close to her side of the bed. He was awake, watching her intently, and his fierce expression made her heart turn over. “The baby?” she whispered.
“He’s good. He’s fine.” Nikos’s voice was rough. “You’re the one we were all worried about.”
“I want to see the baby.”
“You will, soon. I think the doctors want to see you first.”
“But he’s really okay?”
“He’s here a bit early, but otherwise, he’s perfect.”
She searched his face, trying to see what he wasn’t telling her. She was certain there were things he was keeping to himself. “I heard you earlier speaking in English. I could have sworn you were talking to Mr. Laurent. Is he here?”
He hesitated for just a moment before nodding. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to make some changes to our agreement, and time was of the essence, so I flew him over. He arrived early this morning.”
“What changes are you making to the contract?”
“We can discuss after the doctor has been in. He’s been waiting to see you but I wouldn’t let him wake you up. I can’t believe how many times the nurses come in to check on you. It’s impossible for you to get any rest here.”
He sounded so indignant she almost smiled. “So tell me what’s happening. Don’t make me wait.”
“I changed the documents. I gave you primary custody of our son.”
She struggled to sit up. “What?”
“Shh, lie down, don’t get excited.” He gently pushed her back. “You are his mother, and a mother should have a voice and power and control.”
“But why primary custody? Why not joint custody?”
“Mr. Laurent said the same thing.” He hesitated. “But if I changed the agreement to joint custody, then I am forcing you to co-parent with me. I am forcing you to interact with me constantly, discussing everything from his holidays to his education to medical care. If we were on good terms, it would not be a problem, but if it is not good between us, it will be difficult and will create even more anger and resentment.”
But she still didn’t understand. “This isn’t what you wanted, Nikos. This isn’t what we were doing.”
“He needs a mother. He needs you.”
“And he needs a father, too. And you are his father.”
“I intend to be his father. I intend to be in his life, but you will get to decide how we do this. It is my hope that you will feel empowered and secure—”
“Nikos, I never wanted to be a single mother!” she interrupted fiercely, tears filling her eyes. “This wasn’t the plan!”
“I know you have school. Two more years of school. And then your residency—”
“And how am I going to do that now?”
“I will help.”
“You will help?”
He nodded. “I am not walking away from you. I am not walking away from my son. I will provide financially, but I will also be there.”
“How?”
He shrugged. “I have planes. I can fly to America, too.”
“You are going to come to Atlanta?”
He shrugged. “If that is where my son is.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, not at all certain what to say.
Nikos stood up. “I’m going to see if I can have them bring the baby to you. I think it’s time you met your son.”
* * *
Georgia was able to have a visit with her son—he was small, but, as Nikos said, he was perfect in every other way—before the nurses whisked him back to the neonatal unit, where they were keeping him warm and under close supervision.
Georgia had dozed off but was awake again, trying to sort out how she felt about everything.
So much had happened in such a short period of time that it was difficult to separate her feelings from the facts, as well as the drama.
She’d missed Nikos when she’d been on Amorgós. And when she was in pain, and trouble, all she’d wanted was Nikos at her side.
She didn’t want to raise a child on her own. She hadn’t agreed to be a donor and surrogate to become a single mother. Nikos would be a good father, too. A very devoted father.
How could she take the baby to Atlanta and raise him there?
Even if Nikos agreed to go to Atlanta and share parenting responsibilities with her in America...how would that really work? And was that the right thing for any of them?
Georgia couldn’t picture Nikos in Atlanta. It wasn’t just because he was Greek—he was a man that needed his sea and his sky and his space. She couldn’t imagine him in a city or even a suburb of Atlanta. But why was she worrying about what he needed? Why did she care?
Because she did care.
Because she loved him.
No matter how the baby had been conceived, it was their baby, and it was their responsibility to figure this out, sort it out.
She didn’t know why Nikos had fallen in love with Elsa. She didn’t know why Elsa wasn’t happy with Nikos. She didn’t know about Ambrose or any of it, and, to be honest, she didn’t want to know.
She didn’t want all the details. It wasn’t her relationship, and she wasn’t part of that bit of his
tory. She had her own history and her own struggles and her own dreams.
She’d been happy with Nikos...blissfully happy during that month after they’d been to Amorgós, and before she’d found the photo on her laundry.
She’d wondered about the photo appearing on her folded laundry, and she’d wondered if someone had put it there to hurt her, and then she’d dismissed the thought as irrational.
The door to her room opened, and a head appeared. “Is this Georgia Nielsen’s room?”
Georgia’s eyes widened, and she struggled to sit up again. “Savannah!”
Savannah grinned and closed the door behind her. “Up to having a visitor?”
“Oh, my God, yes. What are you doing here?”
Savannah rushed to her sister’s side and hugged her fiercely. “I missed you!”
“I missed you, too.” Georgia hugged her sister back, shocked and yet delighted. “When did you get here? How did you get here?”
Savannah sat down on the edge of the bed. “Nikos flew me over with Mr. Laurent. That Mr. Laurent is a cold fish, but Nikos is lovely.” She took Georgia’s hand, gave it a squeeze. “How are you feeling? Better?”
“I feel fine. A bit sore. But that will pass.” She squeezed Savannah’s fingers. “So you’ve met Nikos?”
“And the baby. He’s delicious.” She grinned. “Well, they’re both delicious. I hope you’re keeping him.”
“The baby?”
“No. Nikos. I know you’ll keep the baby. I didn’t know how you were ever going to give him up. But Nikos. He strikes me as a little complicated, but you’ve always liked a good challenge.”
“He’s more than complicated. He’s a disaster. He picked me to be the donor because I look like his dead wife.”
“Yes, I’ve heard all that, and seen the photos. Mr. Laurent had some copies of the newspaper articles reporting her death—so tragic—but she didn’t help herself any, getting pregnant with another man’s baby and then trying to blackmail Nikos.”
“Wait. What?” Georgia dragged herself into a more comfortable sitting position. “Slow down. Say that again.”
“From what I gather, she never loved Nikos. She only married him for his money. She and her Greek boyfriend—he’s a fisherman on a neighboring island—planned it from the beginning. She’d marry Nikos, accuse him of abuse or neglect and then divorce him and get a fat settlement that they could live on. But Nikos wouldn’t divorce her, and then she revealed she was pregnant, and Nikos vowed to take care of her and the baby, but she didn’t want to be with Nikos. She didn’t want to raise a baby with Nikos. She didn’t even want her Greek fisherman boyfriend. She just wanted to go home, back to Oslo.” Savannah’s shoulders lifted and fell. “It’s crazy and sad and awful, and I can see why Nikos wanted to have a baby via a surrogate. I wouldn’t want a relationship after that. Would you?”
“But I fell for him, and I thought he cared for me.”
“I think he does. I am sure he does.”
“What makes you think so?”
“He brought me here to see you.” Savannah smiled at her. “And he gave you custody of the baby, too, which has to mean that he trusts you, and respects you...and believes in you.”
Georgia exhaled slowly. “I have such a headache. I hurt. I’m not sure how I feel.”
“About him?”
“I love him. I’m just not sure how this would work...or if we can even make it work.”
“You don’t have to know everything today, do you? Maybe you both just need to take it a day at a time until you know what you want to do. Personally I find snap decisions to be bad decisions.” Savannah gave her hand another squeeze and then slid off the bed. “I’m going to go check on my nephew again, and see when they’re going to be bringing him back to you. In the meantime, you’ve a big guy out in the hall, pacing like a caged tiger. Should I send him in, or let him keep pacing and scaring all the nurses and doctors?”
Georgia laughed. “Send him in. We don’t need him frightening the hospital staff.”
And then he was there in the doorway, watching her from across the room, a look in his dark eyes that she couldn’t read and that made her chest squeeze tight.
“Why do you look at me like that?” she whispered, her mouth suddenly dry. She had to lick her bottom lip to keep it from sticking to her teeth.
“How am I looking at you?”
There was so much emotion in his eyes, so much worry, too. His worry made her heart ache and turn over.
“You look at me as if I’m something wonderful,” she whispered.
He made a rough sound in the back of his throat. “Because you are.”
He crossed the room, approached the bed. Leaning over her, he gently untangled a long golden strand of hair from her cheek, smoothing the silken strand back to lie with the others. “And I look at you with wonder because when you left me last week, I thought I’d lost you forever, and yet here you are, and here our son is, and all I know is that I cannot bear to lose either of you, but at the same time, I refuse to trap you with me. I refuse to use our son to keep you at my side.”
“Is that why you gave me custody? You didn’t want me to feel pressured into staying with you?”
“I want nothing more than to live together and raise him together, but it must be right for you. I want what is best for you and our child. I give you control so that you know you are not a vessel or a surrogate. You are not my captive, either.” His lips twisted. “You are a beautiful, strong, intelligent woman, and I love you with all my heart.”
She searched his eyes. “This could backfire on you, Nikos. You could lose everything.”
“My attorney said the same thing. But I will never be happy if you aren’t happy, and you have much to achieve in this world, big things ahead of you. I will not stand in your way. If anything, I’d like to support you and help you reach those dreams.”
“Even if it means we live in Atlanta?”
“I am planning on living in Atlanta. I’ve even been looking at real estate. A big house, lots of land around us, plenty of space.”
“That will be very expensive in Atlanta.”
He shrugged. “I am sure I can afford it.”
“You really mean this? You’d go to Atlanta...you’d help me raise the baby there while I finish school?”
“Of course. You are my woman, my love, and hopefully one day, yineka mou, my wife.”
Her head was spinning. She couldn’t quite grasp everything he was saying. “You really have looked at real estate in Atlanta?”
“Yes. I found a couple places that look interesting. I thought we could go have a look when the baby is cleared for travel. Might be a couple weeks.”
He was serious. This was crazy but wonderful. It hadn’t ever crossed her mind that he’d really be willing to go with her to Georgia. It would help things immensely if they were all together. The baby could have them both...
“I think this is a very interesting plan,” she said carefully. “But it’s also a lot to take in. You, me, the baby—” She broke off, frowned. “And do we even want to talk about a name for him? I think at some point he might object to just being called the baby.”
Nikos laughed, a deep, rumbling laugh that filled the room and made Georgia smile. She’d never heard him laugh, not like that, and she thought it had to be the very best sound in the world.
Tears started to fill her eyes, and then she wasn’t smiling but crying, and Nikos was holding her.
“What’s wrong, agapi mou—what’s happened?” He soothed her, stroking the back of her head, trying his best to comfort her.
“Everything is happening, and these hormones don’t help,” she choked out.
“It’s okay. Cry. It might help make you feel better.”
“I doubt it.” She sniffed, wiping her cheeks dry, struggling to get control. “So what happens to us, Nikos, if we go to Atlanta together? How will this work?”
“What are you asking?”
“I care fo
r you, Nikos, so very much, but there are things we don’t know about each other, and things we need to discover. Can we slow things down a little? Back up a bit so that we are just dating and we can use the time in Atlanta to figure out if we are good together...happy together?”
“You’re breaking off the engagement?”
“Well, I never had a ring...”
He smiled. “This is true. We couldn’t possibly have been engaged then. So we’re back to square one. Starting over.”
“Not totally starting over. We do have a son.”
He leaned over the bed, kissed her, then kissed her again. “Speaking of our son, I agree with you that it’s time to consider names.”
“Can you go get him, see if he can join us? I have a feeling he’d like to be present for something this significant.”
EPILOGUE
GEORGIA SHOULD HAVE been stressed. She had a four-month-old baby who was still nursing around the clock and she was waiting on the results from the grueling exams she’d taken three weeks ago. She should be getting the results next Wednesday, but she wasn’t worried.
If anything, she was calm, and incredibly, ridiculously happy.
She loved Alek Panos so much that it made her heart ache, but what gave her even greater joy was seeing Nikos and Alek together. No one could soothe Alek like his father. Nikos had spent many a night pacing the nursery or rocking him in the big chair in the corner of their master bedroom.
Alek had been so small, being born early, but he was quickly putting on weight and was catching up with the crucial milestones.
Tomorrow they were baptizing him and they were hosting a small dinner at their house to celebrate afterward. Savannah would be there, of course, as she was Alek’s godmother, and they’d invited a few other people to join them, mostly Georgia’s friends from medical school, along with Mr. Laurent and his wife.
Who would have ever imagined that Mr. Laurent would become their friend, and even a surrogate grandfather to Alek?
Life was good, Georgia thought, lightly patting Alek’s back. He’d been nursing and had fallen asleep on the job. She smiled faintly, savoring the feel of him on her chest. He was so warm and sweet. She loved him to pieces...loved him so much she wondered now why she’d thought she wouldn’t be a good mother.
