“Miracle?” Sheila’s question held the faint tinge of mockery.
Was it wrong to be enjoying this so much? “Hmm… Every child brought into this world is a miracle, don’t you think?”
“Is that what the nuns taught you?”
“Of course. But I discovered the miracle for myself the other day when Cord and I saw our own baby moving inside me during the ultrasound.”
Sheila’s regard was vaguely speculative. “You look ready to deliver. I’m surprised you didn’t stay in the hospital.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Sheila, but before that happens I’m going to be living at home with Cord another few weeks. Of course, after the baby is born, we’ve been discussing other plans.”
For once the other woman didn’t have an immediate comeback. It allowed Ashley to luxuriate in the moment which reminded her a lot of fly-fishing with Cord.
Her husband had taught her how to cast, to throw out the line and land the fly in just the right spot. He showed her how to play with a fish, to fool it and bait it, then pop it right out of the water when the fish least expected it.
The temptation to play with Sheila the same way was overpowering. But necessity prompted her to come to the point.
“I don’t know what you thought you would accomplish by showing up here. You tried your hardest to come between Cord and me, but you didn’t succeed. The clinic brought us back together. As Cord told you, there’s not going to be a divorce.”
Sheila’s eyes filled with silent laughter. “Oh, Ashley. You’re so naive. It’s incredible to me that ruse to get you to the hospital actually worked.”
Don’t let her bait you. “It wasn’t a ruse, Sheila.”
“Oh, come on now. We both know Cord doesn’t have a smoking problem. He never did. In fact he hates it. For years he has begged me to quit. Honestly, have you ever caught him lighting up? Even once? Greg masterminded that idea weeks ago.”
The mention of Greg set off alarm bells. Ashley’s heart started to thud. “What are you talking about?”
“Cord was very upset because you wouldn’t accept any alimony. He has this idea that you couldn’t exist without him because you had no family, no place to go. He felt sorry for you.
“When Greg could see Cord wasn’t about to give up until he found you, he told him he knew where you living, but that you had sworn him to secrecy. He told Cord you were so bitter, you never wanted to see him again.”
Ashley was trying hard not to take any of it in, but with every word uttered, she could feel a distinct chill taking over her body.
“Cord said he didn’t buy that, and wanted to meet with you face to face, to see for himself that you were all right.” She gave an elegant shrug of her silk-clad shoulders. “At that point Greg felt compelled to do something, so he suggested the clinic, and said he would try to get you to cooperate.”
Don’t listen to her, Ashley.
“Obviously it worked,” Sheila continued. “What surprises me is that you fell for that bit about his nonexistent smoking problem. But now that I think about it, you probably didn’t. In fact I have every suspicion to believe you were glad to be rescued this close to having your baby. Of course your pride wouldn’t allow you to go crawling back to Cord, not after that exit you made.”
Ashley started to feel sick to her stomach.
“The clinic provided you with the excuse to cling to him and has helped you save face. As for Cord, he’s now satisfied that you're not lying destitute in some dark alley on the wrong side of the tracks where most likely you were born. When you think about it, all in all it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly since Cord fathered your child.”
No matter that you’re dying another death, don’t run from this, Ashley. Don’t give her the satisfaction.
“Yes. He did. What do you mean, it couldn’t have worked out more perfectly?”
To Ashley’s shock Sheila’s eyes suddenly filled with tears, a sight Ashley never expected to see. “Since I know you never lie, then that truly is miraculous news.”
“Don’t pretend you’re happy for us!” Ashley lashed out.
Sheila shook her head. “I’m not pretending. You don’t understand. You see I, too, am expecting a baby.” Ashley heard Sheila’s words but was in no state to comprehend them.
“There’s a man I’ve been seeing on an occasional basis,” Sheila went on talking, “but we’ve been taking precautions because neither of us has a desire to marry, let alone have a baby. Naturally my pregnancy came as a great shock.
“Of course if I don’t want to stay pregnant, then I need to do something about it right away. It’s the real reason I stopped by the hospital the other night to talk to Cord. I wanted to discuss when would be the best time to take off from business to go into the hospital to end it.
“But, Ashley—when you two told me you were pregnant with Cord’s baby, I realized that meant I could be carrying Cord’s baby, too. You see, all the times we’ve made love, we’ve never taken precautions because we thought he was impotent.
“In fact because the other man and I always used protection, it leads me to believe this baby probably is Cord’s, a second miracle child.
“If that’s the case, I intend to go full term. You don’t know how hard Cord’s father and I tried to have children. He wanted another son to carry on the business because he knew Cord hated it.
“I wanted to give him that son, but he was killed too soon for that to happen. Whoever dreamed I might be able to fulfill that hope through Cord.
“Imagine, Ashley—both of us pregnant with his children.”
Ashley knew her body was standing there, but she felt like she had somehow escaped it and no longer had the power to make it function.
“Now that you know, would you do a favor for me?” She reached in her handbag and pulled out what looked like a business card. “Here—” She pushed a card in her hand. “Will you see that he gets this? It’s a reminder of the next appointment with my obstetrician. If Cord needs verification that I’m two months along, he’s free to call him at that number any time.”
On the verge of being violently ill right there on the stairs Ashley muttered, “Your story is unbelievable, Sheila. But even if you are pregnant with some man’s child, if you think for one second Cord won’t insist on DNA testing to ascertain paternity, then you don’t know him.”
“Oh— I plan to have that done the second the baby is born. If Cord’s not the father of my child, then I’m going to put it up for adoption. That’s the reason why I made an appointment to see Sister Bernice. I have it on your authority that she takes the best care of orphans.”
Sheila was the woman Sister Bernice had been talking to?
“By the way, how soon can I expect you and Cord home? We have a lot of plans to make. It looks like we’re going to have to get busy preparing two nurseries.”
“You’re lying, Sheila. Now get out!”
The other woman hunched her shoulders and started for the front door.
“I realize you don’t believe me. But there is one way to learn the truth. Call Greg since you trust him so implicitly. He’ll verify everything I’ve said.”
CHAPTER NINE
Be home, Greg.
The phone rang several times and Bonnie answered. For the life of her, Ashley couldn’t make small talk and simply asked if she could speak to Greg. In a quiet tone of voice Bonnie said she’d get him, no doubt realizing something was terribly wrong.
“Ashley, honey?” Greg got on quickly. “Are you calling from the hospital?”
“No. St. Anne’s.”
“What are you doing there?” he asked in an anxious voice.
“Helping out until Cord comes for me later. He’s on his way home from Bryce and Zion’s with the group from the clinic.”
She tried to swallow to get moisture back in her mouth. “Greg—just answer me one question. It has to be the truth. It’s a m-matter of life and death to me.” Her whole body was shaking, not just her voi
ce.
“What’s happened?” He sounded haunted.
“The truth, Greg!”
“So help me God,” came the grating rejoinder.
She filled her lungs with life-giving air. “Does Cord have a smoking problem?”
“What kind of a question is that?” Greg demanded, sounding angrier than she’d ever heard him in her life.
A stabbing pain came from her heart. “Just answer me. Yes, or no.”
“Why do I get the feeling Sheila has something to do with this?”
Ashley sank into the nearest chair. “Yes, or no, Greg. That’s all I’m asking.”
“He told me he had one in college. Apparently it flared up again after you left him. He admitted that much to me because he was on the verge of a breakdown not knowing where you were. That’s when I told him about City Creek’s smokeout program. He grabbed for it like a lifeline.”
“Has he smoked in front of you?”
“I know he has wanted to, but since I don’t smoke, he has refrained from doing it around me.”
She could hardly breathe. “So maybe he doesn’t have a problem, and the clinic was simply a ruse to get the two of us together.”
After a long silence, “If you can believe Sheila over your own husband who adores you, then I can see there is no hope of a reconciliation.”
Her eyes closed tightly. It came down to whom Ashley believed.
The agony was starting all ever again. If Sheila was telling the truth about Cord not having a smoking problem, then she was probably telling the truth about her pregnancy.
Clearing her throat Ashley ended with, “Thanks for talking to me, Greg.”
“Wai—”
But she couldn’t talk any longer and put the receiver back on the hook, thankful that Sister Bernice wasn’t anywhere around. The head nun had probably gone outside to summon the children for lunch.
Ashley studied the card she’d unconsciously crumpled. Dr. Robert Moore, OB GYN. The East Bench Clinic.
She buried her face in her hands, wondering where to go from here. This was one time when she didn’t feel like confiding in Sister Bernice. Right now she didn’t feel anyone could help her.
Never in her life had the urge to run and keep on running been as strong, but Sister Bernice’s earlier admonition prevented her from bolting.
As Cord’s wife, it’s your duty to find out the truth.
But whose truth was the truth? Ashley’s old fears were back, threatening the joy she’d been experiencing for the last few days. Sheila couldn’t have manufactured that doctor’s card. No doubt she truly was pregnant. All it would take was one phone call to find out.
I swear before God I’ve never slept with Sheila, Ashley. I’ll take a lie detector test if I have to.
Oh, Cord. Has it come to that? A lie detector test?
Her heart shattered, Ashley left Sister Bernice’s office to go to her room, all appetite having left her.
“Do you have to go home today, Ashley?” One of the little girls from Sunday school stopped her at the top of the stairs.
The word home reverberated in her mind. Where was that? With Cord?
“I do, Becky. But I’ll come again.”
“Promise? I like you.”
“I like you, too, and I promise you’ll see me again, darling.” She gave the seven-year-old a big hug, then hurried off as fast as her pregnant body would allow.
Throughout the remainder of the afternoon, Ashley stayed in her room to finish the baby quilt, more often than not having to wipe her eyes so she could see to make stitches. There was no buffer against the agony brought on by Sheila’s unprecedented visit to the orphanage.
Ashley found herself wishing she could stay at St. Anne’s indefinitely. The thought of having to go home with Cord and live under the same roof with Sheila was tearing her to pieces. The possibility that he might have lied to her about his smoking problem had stolen the ground out from under her.
If Sheila hadn’t lied, then how much of what Cord had said over the last few days could she honestly believe?
She felt like she was right back where they’d started last Monday morning. Adversaries. But with one difference…
This time Ashley was determined to see this thing through to the bitter end. Though she had no hope for a happy outcome, Vince had made her understand that she needed to resolve certain issues or she would continue to battle them long after the divorce was final. That idea was insupportable.
“Ashley?”
She looked up to see Sister Bernice in the doorway. The head nun had no idea that Cord’s stepmother had been the woman who’d come to see her earlier in the day. Sheila would have used another name.
“Yes?”
As much as Ashley wanted to know the details of their conversation, she couldn’t bring herself to ask any questions.
As far as she was concerned, she’d come to the end of the line. No one could help her except herself. What was it Sister Bernice had said a few days ago? “You’re a big girl now, Ashley.”
That’s right, Sister. I'm on my own.
“Your husband has arrived and is waiting most impatiently down in the foyer,” she imparted that little bit of news with a smile.
Ashley got up from the bed. “Thank you for telling me.”
At her unemotional response the nun’s keen eyes took on that familiar, quizzical look. Sometimes Ashley thought the older woman was a prophetess because she always knew when something was wrong.
“You’ve been a blessing in disguise here. I hope you haven’t overdone it. Run along now. Don’t keep him waiting.”
“You’re sure you don’t need me for anything else?”
She darted Ashley a severe glance. “I can think of dozens of things, but not when you’re pregnant and not when your place is with your husband. Courage, my dear.”
It’s going to take a lot more than that, Sister.
“Thank you for letting me stay here.”
Sister Bernice knew Ashley too well. A vexed expression broke out on her face. “We’re all indebted to you for the extra pair of hands, but now you must go. God bless you. Call me whenever you need me.”
Ashley’s throat swelled. “I will.”
Before she broke down in front of her mentor, Ashley reached for her overnight bag. Cord had kept everything else with him.
After saying a little prayer for guidance, she made her way down to the foyer. Even from the distance his imposing presence made itself felt.
“Darling!” He fairly leaped up the first flight of stairs to meet her halfway. The next thing she knew, he’d swept her off her feet and carried her all the way out the front door and down the stairs to his Land Rover.
Heedless of who might be watching, his mouth plundered hers like a bridegroom eager to start the honeymoon. So deep was his euphoria, Ashley thought he couldn’t tell that she wasn’t participating as enthusiastically.
But he finally let her go, she felt his all-encompassing gaze. As it enveloped her, she noticed a sudden tightness around his mouth, a rigidity to his movements. A look of anguish mixed with pained confusion darkened his eyes.
“Ashley!” His voice throbbed with the question he hadn’t asked yet.
She feared he was going to embrace her again. “Please don’t kiss me anymore.”
His head reared back as if she’d physically struck him.
“Let’s just get in the car and go, Cord.”
To her horror, his expression turned faintly satanic. “Two days ago we didn’t know how we were going to live until we could be together again. Now you don’t want me touching you. What in God’s name has Sheila done since I left you in the hospital parking lot!” Ashley would have answered him, but the sickness rising in her throat made it impossible. Misinterpreting her silence, he yanked the passenger door open and helped her inside.
Terrified of him in this mood because this latest development had sent him over the edge, Ashley avoided his murderous gaze as he slammed the door and
went around to lever himself behind the wheel. After starting the motor, the tires fairly screeched as they drove away from the curb and entered the mainstream of traffic.
After passing through the next intersection, Cord suddenly veered into the left lane and turned into the parking lot of a supermarket. He drove as far away from the building as possible and found an isolated parking space.
They both sat there for a minute without saying anything. Then she heard a noise that sounded like ripping silk.
“All right. Start talking, Ashley. I want to hear everything from the beginning.”
Without looking at him, she extended the hateful card which she’d put in the pocket of her maternity top.
He took it from her fingers. “What in the hell is this?”
“Sheila gave it to me when she came to the orphanage earlier today. She said that if you called her obstetrician at that number, he would answer all your questions.”
Another minute went by in deadly silence. His quiet rage was more quelling than anything she’d ever known.
Taking a shuddering breath she said, “If you don’t mind, I’m going to run inside the store for a few items.”
“I do mind.”
Ashley let go of the door handle, unwilling to cross him further at such a precarious moment.
“I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone.” His voice rasped. “The whole time I was gone, I had this gut-wrenching premonition something might go wrong.” He jerked his head toward her. “Don’t shut me out. Not now, Ashley.” She heard an underlying current of desperation behind the demand.
Staring at her hands she said, “If I intended to do that, I would have disappeared from the orphanage and made certain no one could ever find me again.”
An unintelligible expletive escaped his lips. “Undoubtedly she told you I was the father of her supposed baby.”
“She said she wasn’t sure,” Ashley muttered. “Apparently she’s been sleeping with another man, but they’ve always taken precautions. However since I’m pregnant with your child, she’s pretty sure it’s yours.
“I warned her that you would insist on a DNA test, but that didn’t faze her because she wants to know the results as much as you do. It seems she and your father hoped to produce a new heir to the company since your heart wasn’t with the business. But the accident that killed him ended their dreams to create a dynasty.”
Baby In A Million Page 13
