Their daughter looked no more convinced. “Faire’s mama got sick and her papa had to take care of her.”
“Who is Faire?” Alexandros asked, in what she thought was focus on the wrong thing entirely.
“One of your daughter’s friends from playgroup,” Polly answered before meeting her daughter’s shimmering eyes. “I’m not sick, sweetheart. I promise.”
“But Papa is here during the day. He’s not here for the daytimes. He comes for bedtime. You are here during the daytimes. I don’t want you to go away, Mama!” her daughter wailed, and then burst into tears all over again.
Alexandros placed Helena on Polly’s diminished six-months-pregnant lap and then dropped to his knees so he could put his arms around them both. “No one is going anywhere. Mama is not sick,” he said, adding his promises to Polly’s, assuring their daughter that everything was all right and he was never going to let anything happen to her mama.
It took a while, but they got Helena settled down for her nap. In bed between Polly and Alexandros. It was not the first time they’d shared a family cuddle, but those times were rare. Polly couldn’t even miss the intimacy she and Alexandros had been planning, because the moment was so special.
Besides, she needed her rest too and didn’t fight her eyes closing. “Wake me in time for the doctor appointments,” she instructed her husband, who was no doubt going to take off and start working as soon as she fell asleep.
Only he was lying beside her when she woke, their daughter still asleep between them.
Feeling more refreshed than she had upon waking that morning, Polly smiled at him. “You’re still here.”
“The fact that my being in the vicinity is such a shock for both you and our daughter does not speak well of my presence in either of your lives.”
Polly had no experience with her husband in self-examination mode. She wanted to comfort him, but his words were no less than the truth.
“No denials?” he asked, his expression troubled.
“Your business and family have always come first.”
“You two are my family.”
“Of course, but—”
“There is no but. You and Helena are the only family I could not live without. Don’t you know that?”
“Um, no, not really.” And just because he said the words didn’t make them true. Even if he believed them, because his actions had said otherwise. Over and over again.
“And you do not believe me now,” he said, showing that he was still in that disturbingly insightful mood.
“Not really, no.” There was no point lying. He’d know, and besides, dishonesty wasn’t her style. Except when she told him she was fine when she wasn’t, and she had her reasons—maybe even conditioning—for doing that.
“Watch this space.” With that, he climbed off the bed coming around to help her up. “Come on, agape mou. Time for your appointments, chiropractic first.”
More surprises awaited her as he insisted on attending both appointments with her, asking first the chiropractor and then the acupuncturist if there were things they could do to help her with the pain and nausea. Both doctors suggested weekly visits along with herbs and naturopathic solutions that would not impact her pregnancy negatively.
Alexandros only left when the acupuncturist explained that her treatment would be most efficacious if Polly spent time in peaceful contemplation with the acupuncture needles in place. She’d been shocked she had not even felt them going in and that they caused no discomfort at all as she lay, comfortably supported by pillows on the massage therapy table.
Soft piano music played in the background, the herbs the acupuncturist had used to further stimulate the flow of her energy giving off a soothing scent.
An hour later, Polly sat in a lounger by the pool, sipping water and watching her husband encourage their daughter to work on her swimming technique. Pain and nausea free for the first time in weeks, Polly didn’t want to move and risk that happy condition.
So, when her daughter asked Polly to join them, she grimaced but went to stand anyway.
However, Alexandros waved her back onto the lounger. “Relax, agape mou. You can swim with us another day. The doctor said you needed to drink your water.”
“All right.” She relaxed back, wondering if there would be another day, as she took another sip of water under his watchful gaze.
Even on the weekends, time together as a family in the pool didn’t usually happen. That was something that she and Helena shared during the day, during the week. Like so many things.
That weekend, they hosted their first family luncheon. Petros and Corrina arrived with Athena and Stacia in the helicopter but reached the house ahead of the two women.
“You look lovely and fresh today, Polly,” Petros complimented after giving her a buss on both cheeks. “Where is my niece?”