Countdown To Baby

“Hey, Cecilia, I’m starving. Got time for lunch?” Vanessa had poked her head in the exam room to ask the question, big earrings swaying.

“Yeah, sure. I’ve got a half hour till my next appointment. Did you brown bag?”

“Tuna salad on a croissant. How about you?”

“Turkey on whole wheat.” Standing, Cecilia moved toward the door. “And strawberry yogurt for dessert.”

“Wanna trade? I’ve got chocolate-chip cookies.”

Chuckling, Cecilia shook her head. “Thanks, but I’ll stick with the yogurt.”

She needed the calcium, a consideration she saw no need to mention since she didn’t intend to go into further explanations. There would be time enough to fill Vanessa in when a pregnancy test produced a positive result. It wasn’t going to be easy, since Vanessa was going to have a zillion questions, but of all Cecilia’s friends and acquaintances, she knew Vanessa would be the most accepting.

Of course, Eric would support her decision, too, she assured herself. She had no doubt that he would be a loving and visible uncle for her child. But that wouldn’t stop him from expressing his opinion about her decision to have a baby—specifically, Geoff Bingham’s baby—without discussing the idea with him first.

Because Vanessa was pretty much in the very center of the loop when it came to workplace gossip, it shouldn’t have surprised Cecilia at all when her friend said, “Tell me what’s going on between you and Geoff Bingham.”

They had just settled at a comfortable table for two in the atrium, a table tucked cozily into a plant-filled corner that offered some conversational privacy. Cecilia had barely had time to unwrap her sandwich. She set it down rather abruptly, not sure she could swallow just then. “What do you mean?”

“I know you had dinner with him after the reception Friday. A group of nursing students went to Melinda’s that evening and they saw the two of you together. It was all over the clinic the next da

y.”

Which explained how Eric had heard about it. It said something about Cecilia’s absorption with Geoff that evening that she hadn’t even seen the nursing students, though she’d recognized several other Melinda’s patrons. She gave Vanessa the same vague explanation she had offered her brother. “We were both hungry, so we decided to have dinner together.”

“And the movie last night?”

“You heard about that, too?”

“Honey, you delivered a baby in the movie theater, with Geoff Bingham’s assistance. Did you think I wouldn’t hear about it?”

Cecilia hadn’t been quite that deeply into denial. The ambulance personnel had recognized both her and Geoff, of course, and the young parents, who had been brought to this hospital, had certainly known the names of the couple who had delivered their child.

Cecilia had been fielding questions and congratulations about the delivery all day—even being called for comment by a reporter for the local newspaper, the Merlyn Mage. She had given few details to the reporter, claiming client confidentiality as a hasty excuse to keep herself out of the headlines, but she knew there would be an article about the movie theater “premiere.” Especially since Geoff Bingham had been involved.

“So…two dates with Geoff in one weekend. Sounds promising.”

“We aren’t dating, exactly.”

“Oh. What are you doing?”

Cecilia focused very hard on the soda can in front of her. “Just hanging out. He’s out of town so much he hardly knows anyone around here anymore. We enjoy each other’s company because there’s no real pressure. He’s not trying to raise money from me—because, of course, I have none to donate—and I get a chance to spend a few pleasant evenings with someone who’s only peripherally involved with the clinic, so there’s very little shop talk.”

Vanessa seemed downright disappointed by the practically of her friend’s explanation. “Sounds pleasant. What a shame.”

Cecilia smiled and shook her head, relieved that Vanessa’s curiosity seemed somewhat appeased, but knowing she was going to have a lot of explaining to do eventually.

“So what’s he like?”

“Geoff?” Cecilia picked up her sandwich again. “He’s very nice. Charming, actually. Eric described him as the family politician, which sums him up pretty well, I suppose.”

“So, you don’t see a chance of anything long-term developing between you?”

Other than parenthood, no. But Cecilia said merely, “If you’re talking about marriage, all I can say is be serious. We couldn’t be any more different. Besides, he’ll be taking off again in a few weeks— Boston and then London, I think he said—and I have a very busy life right here.”

Vanessa swallowed a bit of tuna salad sandwich, washing it down with a sip of bottled water. “Might as well take advantage of his company while he’s here. How often do you have a chance to spend time with a gorgeous, rich young stud?”

“Not very often—obviously.”