I sink into the couch and rub my feet as we talk. Without hesitation, I tell her about my hospital visit with Riley. It’s sad that I can tell Thomas’s sister anything but not Thomas himself.
Chapter 20
Thomas
“Thank you, Dr. Clarkson,” Jenna Smith says with a smile as she closes the door.
“Bye.” My cheer and smile are forced unlike hers, which is genuine as we’ve just confirmed her pregnancy. She’s rushing home to share it with her husband, who was traveling and is arriving back home today.
I find myself missing Cora. We haven’t spoken since last evening.
I glance at my watch. It’s almost one o’clock, and my stomach rumbles with hunger. As if on cue, my phone rings, and instantly my mood is lifted. I look at it and swallow my disappointment. My sister has an uncanny habit of calling when I’m hoping that the caller is Cora. I pick up the call, and we exchange pleasantries.
“How is Cora’s friend doing?” Fran asks.
I draw a blank. “What are you talking about?”
She’s silent for a few seconds, and that’s a big deal for Fran as she never lacks something to say.
“What kind of relationship do you two have? No, don’t answer that. Are you free? I’m just coming off my shift.”
I don’t want the grilling that I know will come, but it’s better than having lunch alone. “My next appointment is not until later. Let’s have lunch in the café downstairs. I’ll buy.”
I update client records, and half an hour later, I shut down my computer and head downstairs to meet Fran. She’s not there yet, and I order some water and wait.
She comes in five minutes later, looking rushed and tired. Even a smile doesn’t take away the exhaustion on her face.
“You look tired. Shouldn’t you take time off?” I tell her when we sit down across from each other.
She laughs a little. “Don’t be another Martin. I’d rather be working. Staying home will drive me crazy as I think of all the things that could be going wrong with my baby.”
I nod in understanding. That’s one of the hazards that come with her job as a midwife. She’s too aware of the myriad of things that can go wrong with a pregnancy.
“Maybe take fewer shifts?”
“Now that’s a good suggestion. I’ll see what I can do.”
The server comes by, and we order sandwiches, a coffee for me, and iced tea for Fran. When she leaves, Fran looks at me shrewdly.
“When was the last time you spoke to Cora?”
“We texted last evening.” My tone is a little defensive.
“What’s going on with you two? First, you don’t tell Cora that you’ll be out of town, and then she doesn’t tell you that her friend almost had a miscarriage?”
I sit up with a jolt. “Which friend?”
“Riley. She was in the hospital all of yesterday, but she’s okay now. Her body had gone into premature labor.”
“Very premature.” My heart goes out to Riley. A threatened miscarriage is a traumatizing event, and the rest of her pregnancy is going to have to be closely monitored.
She offers a few more details, and as she speaks, I feel a little hurt. I can’t believe that Cora told all that to my sister and didn’t share it with me. I should be glad that I’ve managed to keep a distance between us, but I feel rejected. It doesn’t make sense.
The server carries over a tray bearing our food and drinks.
I bite into my sandwich, and for the next couple of minutes, Fran and I don’t speak as we concentrate on filling our bellies. That’s the advantage of having lunch with a sibling. If you just need to eat and not talk, you do that without looking like a mannerless pig.
We resume talking when we finish eating and are sipping our drinks.
“The last time when you took off, I assumed you’d had a fight,” Fran says. “What is it this time?”
I look at her, and it dawns on me that I don’t have an explanation apart from the truth. And I find myself telling Fran the truth about my and Cora’s relationship.
“We’re not engaged, and neither are we in love,” I tell Fran.
A look of confusion comes over her features. She leans forward and folds her hands on the table in a gesture that reminds me of my mother. “I don’t get it.”
The whole sorry embarrassing tale comes out. Fran stares at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “I don’t believe what I’m hearing.” She looks away and then stares back at me. “No, I’ve seen how you two look at each other and how you talk about each other. That’s love.”
I shrug. “Don’t confuse physical attraction for love. That’s what Cora and I are about.”
Fran makes a face. “Eew. Don’t put images in my mind that might stay there forever.” She shakes her head again. “As stupid as that explanation is, it makes sense now.”