Two Little Secrets

by Linda Wisdom

  “She thinks I’m going to want more kids.” Zach snorted. “Hell, mine are only four years old and I’m already turning gray. I want to marry her. Why can’t she understand that?”

  “Maybe because Denny, may he go directly to hell, did a number on her before she got smart and filed for divorce.” Lou put down his tools and wiped his hands on a greasy rag. He went over to the coffeemaker and poured himself a cup. “He used some pretty nasty words. Defective. Barren. Not a complete woman.”

  “I’m surprised she didn’t do a little surgery on him,” Zach said savagely.

  “The boys wanted to do some pounding on him. But I think she got her revenge when she took him to court and won. Not to mention she showed a hefty viewing audience just what kind of man he is.” Lou sipped his coffee. “Son, if you’re coming to me for advice about my daughter, you’ve come to a dry hole. I haven’t been able to figure my girls out since they were five.”

  Zach lifted his face. “I just want you to know I’m not giving up on her.”

  Lou smiled. “I didn’t think you would. I saw how things were that first time you all came out. We won’t give up on you, either. Trey’s got the makings of a good mechanic. I don’t intend to lose him. Just don’t get scared off when Cathy starts planning the wedding as the event of the millennium. There’s nothing that woman likes better than giving parties.”

  Zach cocked his head to one side, listening to the lyrics coming from a radio. “What kind of music is that?”

  Lou grinned. “Spike Jones,” he announced fondly. “Best way to hear him is good and loud. Since there’s no one around for some distance, I can keep it as loud as I want. Cathy prefers I play it out here.” He set his mug down and returned to his task. “So why don’t you tell me how you plan to woo my daughter into saying yes?”

  Zach looked around the garage. Three cars were in various stages of renovation.

  “I once compared her to a car,” he mused.

  Lou chuckled. “It used to be we compared them to pearls, the sea and the moon. Cars I could have handled with my eyes closed. Speaking as someone who’s been through the wars, so to speak, I’d like to suggest you go with something more romantic.”

  Zach’s eyes had already gotten a faraway look.

  The hours passed as he spoke and Lou listened. By the time Zach left the garage he felt a great deal lighter in spirit.

  HOW COULD TWO different tests say two different things?

  Ginna wanted to scream.

  It was bad enough she felt she had to resort to these measures. Except she was four days late. She who was always as reliable as a Swiss watch.

  “Gin, are you okay?” Nora asked from the other side of the door.

  Ginna panicked. “Fine.” She gathered up the materials and was stuffing them into the trash can.

  “I’m coming in because I don’t believe you,” her friend warned.

  Ginna barely got the boxes jammed in the basket when Nora stepped inside. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on what she was doing. She walked over to the trash can and looked at the boxes. Shock rippled across her face as she looked at Ginna.

  “Are you—?”

  “I can’t be!” Ginna snapped. She felt as if she was about to cry.

  Nora picked up one of the boxes. “You must think so if you were doing this.”

  “One said yes. One said no.”

  Nora pushed them back down into the trash. “Come on.” She dragged her out to the lounge. Mercifully it was empty. “Tell me what happened,” she ordered.

  Ginna told her everything.

  “You did what?” Nora looked as if she wanted to strangle her.

  “I don’t need this,” Ginna warned.

  Nora’s eyes flashed with fury. “I spent two hours fixing your hair,” she practically spat. “We took another hour deciding between your red dress and basic black. I knew it. I knew he was going to propose and I expected you to come in here wearing a ring. Instead, you walk in looking as if your last friend died. There is no way I’m dying before I have the chance to kill you,” she threatened between clenched teeth. “Not to mention your giving yourself a pregnancy test.”

  Ginna rubbed her forehead. “Don’t yell,” she whined. “I already have a headache.”

  Nora was relentless. “You always said any man you fell in love with wouldn’t want to marry you because you couldn’t have kids. So you fall in love with a man who already has kids. He tells you he only wants you. And you throw it back in his face.” She shook her head. “Then you have this fear you might be pregnant?”

  “I’m four days late,” Ginna admitted. “I didn’t even think about it until this morning. I am never late. But I can’t have kids, so why is this suddenly happening?”

  Nora exhaled a deep breath. “You’ve done it, Gin. You have totally lost your mind because of a man and a medical report. What exactly did it say? You absolutely couldn’t have children? Gin, there’re surgical procedures, medication, acupuncture,” she said in a rush. “Didn’t the report give you any kind of idea what could be done for you?”

  “I tuned the doctor out after he said I couldn’t have children. I pushed the report in the back of my desk drawer,” Ginna confessed. “Why read something so depressing?”

  “Maybe because it might have offered some hope,” Nora suggested. “Pull it out and read it.”

  “I’ve thought of that,” Ginna said. “I even pulled the papers out of my desk last night. I didn’t bother looking at them. It’s probably all medical mumbo jumbo.”

  “Gee, here you have a doctor in the family who could explain it all to you.”

  Ginna curled her lip. “You’re having way too much fun with this.”

  Nora affected a dramatic sigh. “Yes, I am. You’ve been the happiest I’ve seen you in a long time. You can’t afford to lose Zach over something like this.”

  Ginna picked up her phone.

  Nora tracked her movements. “Are you calling Zach?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not ready for that yet. Besides, I need to have that report interpreted first.”

  “And if it still says you can’t have children?” Nora pressed.

  Ginna winced at the question she knew was coming. Nora wasn’t going to let it go.

  “Then I will tell Zach I was wrong in not trusting him, that I love him and if he’ll ignore my bout of temporary insanity, I would love to marry him.”

  Nora nodded enthusiastically. “Perfect!”

  Luckily Gail could meet Ginna for lunch that day. Ginna made a quick trip home to pick up the report before heading for the restaurant. Without unfolding the pages, she stuffed it into her bag and ran back out of the house.

  She made it to the restaurant a few minutes before Gail.

  “This is wonderful! We haven’t done this in a while.” Gail smiled at her, taking the chair across from her. “How are you doing?”

  “I’ve been better,” Ginna replied. “First of all, lunch is on me. I need to pick your brain.”

  “Pick away,” Gail said. “But for what?”

  Ginna took a deep breath. “Zach asked me to marry him.” She held up her hand to stop any congratulations. “I turned him down.”

  “Turned him down? Why?” Then Gail remembered. “Oh, Ginna.”

  Ginna shook her head. “He knows and it didn’t matter to him.”

  “But it still matters to you.”

  Ginna reached into her bag and pulled out a long envelope. “This was the medical report the doctor gave me when he told me the news. I want to know if there’s any hope for me. Please?”

  Gail took the envelope and opened it. She spread the sheets of paper out in front of her, then pulled out her reading glasses.

  Ginna sat uneasily in her chair. It seemed hours as she watched the other woman read the two sheets of paper. When Gail finished, she refolded them and put them back in the envelope. She set it carefully in the middle of the table.

  “Did you ever look at these?” she asked.
/>   Ginna shook her head. “The doctor said I couldn’t have children. Denny looked them over and said I was—” she coughed “—defective.”

  “I’d love to get a scalpel on the man,” Gail muttered. “All right, here’s the easiest layman’s explanation I can give you. It was never you. It was Denny.”

  She looked confused. “Denny? No, he was fine.”

  Gail muttered a few uncomplimentary words about Ginna’s ex-husband. “He lied,” she said flatly. “You’re not sterile, Ginna.”

  “But Denny got his girlfriend pregnant,” she argued. “Twice!”

  “The reason you couldn’t get pregnant is very simple. You’re allergic to Denny’s sperm,” Gail explained.

  Unfortunately Ginna was sipping her iced tea when Gail made her pronouncement. She immediately choked, spraying iced tea everywhere. She grabbed her napkin and dabbed at her lips.

  “Too bad you didn’t read it. You were lucky—it was written in very clear language. Not Latin.”

  “I’m choking and you’re laughing!” Ginna wheezed.

  “You’re not choking to the extent you require medical care,” Gail said serenely. Her lips still curved upward. “When you think about it, you have to love the diagnosis. Brian told me what an idiot Denny was. Isn’t it wonderful your eggs were smart enough to reject his sperm? I just bet that won’t happen with Zach.”

  Which brought on another choking fit. Ginna covered her mouth with her napkin.

  “Now what? I give you good news and you try to swallow your tongue?” Gail asked, now looking concerned.

  “We never…” She kept coughing. “There was no reason for…”

  Gail’s eyes widened. “Could you be…?”

  Ginna looked wildly around as she did some mental figuring. “I thought I was. I even tried two of those tests this morning. One said yes and one said no. I’m four days late and I’m never late. Maybe it’s just all nerves. Or I’m allergic to Zach’s sperm, too.”

  “I don’t think you have anything to worry about. He looks like the type with extra-strength sperm,” Gail told her. “Look at it this way. Denny didn’t want to admit he had wimpy sperm.” She grinned. “Don’t worry. We’ll go by my office after lunch. We’ll run a test there.”

  “Ma’am, are you all right?” The waitress stopped by the table, looking at Ginna, who was still wheezing.

  “She’s fine. She just realized she might be pregnant,” Gail told her. She glanced at the menu. “What’s your most expensive item?”

  THE MINUTE SHE ENTERED the salon, Ginna knew something was up. It wasn’t just the way every occupant was looking at her. Or that CeCe, the owner, was standing in the rear of the salon with a knowing smile on her lips.

  “Did I win the lottery?” she asked.

  She already felt loads better. Especially since she’d made a copy of the doctor’s report, underlined the statement pertaining to her allergy to Denny’s sperm and mailed the report to him.

  “Ginna,” CeCe said in her musical accented voice. “While you were gone, a gift was delivered for you.”

  Ginna automatically looked toward her station. No flowers. No basket of fruit. Not even a candy box.

  “Your gift is in the back,” CeCe explained, turning around and heading for the rear of the salon.

  The minute she stepped into the lounge she knew just what her gift was.

  A large gift-wrapped box sat on the table and chairs. The first box revealed a license-plate frame. Zach loves Ginna was framed with small red hearts.

  Ginna burst into tears.

  CeCe immediately put her arm around her and steered her to one of the chairs. She plucked the card out of Ginna’s nerveless fingers and read it.

  “A man sends you his declaration of love. He must be very special to do that.” She cupped Ginna’s chin with her fingertips and lifted her face. “Is this the man who first made you so happy, then made you unhappy?”

  “He asked me to marry him.” Ginna’s chin wobbled.

  “You said no, but you wanted to say yes,” CeCe stated. “And now he has sent you something that tells you exactly how he feels. Do you think that perhaps you should have said yes to his proposal?”

  “I think this means he’s not taking no for an answer,” Ginna whispered.

  “A very good man.” CeCe took her handkerchief and carefully dabbed under Ginna’s eyes. She clucked her tongue. “I feel you are ready to make things right.”

  “Gin?” Cheryl walked in carrying a large white box. “It’s not big enough for hubcaps.” She handed it to Ginna.

  Ginna opened the box and looked inside. She set the box on the table and carefully drew out a glass globe.

  “A headlight?” Cheryl said.

  “More than a headlight.” Ginna held it up to show a transparent design painted on the glass. A heart with an arrow through it. ZS loves GW.

  “The man is unique. Most men would have sent flowers or candy,” CeCe said. She smiled. “He wants you to know exactly how he feels. I think this Zach knew just what would melt your heart. And it has, hasn’t it?” She patted her cheek. “You need to go see him, Ginna. You must tell him you will be very happy to be his wife.”

  “I have clients,” she argued, still not ready.

  CeCe fluttered her hands. “Yes, perhaps you will need the distraction. And we will require the time to take away those red eyes and shiny nose.” She put her hands on Ginna’s shoulders and turned her around, gently pushing her forward. “Ladies, our Ginna needs some of our magic before she goes to Zach.”

  “By morning, I’ll be fine,” Ginna protested.

  “Never!” CeCe insisted. “Come, we have preparations to make.” She smiled. “We wish Zach to know just how lucky he is.”

  “I can just tell him,” Ginna muttered as Hurricane CeCe herded her out of the room.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Why can’t I call Ginna?” Emma demanded in a belligerent tone that was unlike her usual sunny self.

  “Because she’s busy,” Zach said wearily. “And don’t ask me again.”

  Emma’s expression turned mutinous as she faced her father.

  “Did you have a fight with Ginna?”

  “What?”

  “You heard me,” she said with an expression on her face that was reminiscent of Lucie. “You were really happy when you went to dinner with Ginna. But when you picked us up at Aunt Lucie’s, you weren’t happy anymore. Did you have a fight with her?”

  “Why is it always the man’s fault?” He wearily rubbed his forehead. “I swear, Em, you’re spending way too much time with your aunt Lucie.”

  Emma looked at him with wide eyes. “Aunt Lucie said you musta done somethin’ really bad. Did you do somethin’ bad, Daddy?”

  Zach swallowed the comment he wanted to make about dear Aunt Lucie’s remarks on the subject.

  “Ginna’s real busy right now,” he lied. He hadn’t told Emma and Trey that he wouldn’t be seeing Ginna anymore.

  Is this what divorce is like? The pain of separation? He remembered the pain he’d felt after Cathy’s death and he never wanted to experience that again.

  “Daddy?”

  Judging from the worried look on her face, she’d been talking to him and he hadn’t been listening. All he’d done was sit there wondering what Ginna had thought of his gifts. Would he find them on his front lawn in the morning?

  “I’m sorry, Peanut. Maybe Daddy’s coming down with a cold,” he said with a smile. He kissed her on the forehead.

  “Then we’ll give you cod-liver oil and kisses like Grandma said she gave you when you were little,” she told him.

  “The kisses, yes. We’ll hold off on the cod-liver oil.” He enveloped her in his arms, holding her tightly, as if her touch could take away the pain of losing Ginna.

  Why couldn’t she have trusted him? He’d vowed he would never do anything to hurt her. Why didn’t she accept his words?

  He knew one thing. If the headlights and license-plate frame didn’t
work, he’d sic the twins on her next.

  He refused to believe she could withstand them.

  Especially Emma when she used her wide-eyed little girl act that always had him giving in to her. Not all the time, but often enough. Where his daughter was concerned, he could be a wuss as a father.

  Zach was desperate and it had only been three days.

  If it took kidnapping Ginna and dragging her to Las Vegas for a quickie chapel wedding, he would do it.

  “Daddy?” Emma patted his cheek to get his attention. The tip of her tongue appeared as it always did when she was worried. “Everything will be okay. You’ll see.”

  He couldn’t help but smile.

  THERE MAY HAVE BEEN no jet waiting to whisk her off to Hawaii, but as before, Ginna had been shampooed, moussed and massaged, and her face glowed with an aromatherapy facial. Instead of casual clothing, she wore a silk dress that revealed more than it covered.

  Ginna spent the night reading and rereading the medical report. Then she sat back and recalled every moment she’d spent with Zach.

  She didn’t need anyone to tell her just how wrong she’d been. She was doing a good job of it all by herself.

  The next day, under CeCe’s supervision, she was given beauty treatments that CeCe insisted would dazzle Zach.

  Ginna tried to protest, but the older woman ignored her. Ginna already knew what she had to do. Essentially she wasn’t going to waste any time telling him she was wrong. That she should have known better than to doubt him. Then she’d ask him if the proposal was still open. If that didn’t work, she wasn’t above using the children to change his mind.

  During the drive to his house, she ran through various scenarios, then tossed them all out the window.

  Instead, she thought about the times they were together. The way he’d comforted her at the beach when she told him about her inability to have children.

  All the clues were there and she’d stubbornly ignored them.

  She had been a fool. It would serve her right if Zach refused to talk to her. But she was hoping he’d give her a chance.