Her Festive Baby Bombshell

Get a grip, Holly.

She placed the glasses on the table and then decided something was missing. But what? She glanced around the kitchen, looking for something to dress up the table and then she spotted the colorful blooms she’d picked that morning. They were in a small vase on the counter. Their orange, yellow and pink petals would add a nice splash to the white tablecloth.

A pain shot through her left side again. Immediately her hand pressed to her side as she gripped the back of a chair with her other hand.

“What’s the matter?” Finn’s concerned voice filled the room, followed by his rapid footsteps.

She didn’t want to worry him. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s something. Tell me.”

“It’s the second time I’ve had a pain in my side.”

“Pain?” His arm wrapped around her as he helped her sit down. “Is it the babies?”

“I...I don’t know.” She looked up at him, hoping to see reassurance in his eyes. Instead his worry reflected back at her. “It’s gone now.”

“You’re sure?”

She nodded. “Let’s eat.”

“I think you need to see a doctor. The sooner, the better.” He pulled out his cell phone. “In fact, I’m going to call the doctor now.”

“What? But you can’t. Honest, it’s gone.”

“I’ll feel better once I hear it from someone who has experience in these matters.”

A short time later, after Finn had gotten through to the doctor who’d examined her on the big island, Finn had relinquished the phone to Holly. She’d answered the doctor’s questions and then breathed a sigh of relief.

When she returned the phone to Finn, his brow was knit into a worried line. She was touched that he cared so much. It just made her care about him all the more.

“Well, what did he say?”

“That without any other symptoms it sounds like growing pains. But it was hard for him to diagnose me over the phone. The only reason he did was because I told him we were stranded on the island due to the storm.”

The stiff line of Finn’s shoulders eased. “He doesn’t think it’s anything urgent?”

She shrugged. “He said I needed to make an appointment and see my OB/GYN as soon as possible just to be sure.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll be out of here by this evening.”

“What? But we can’t. What about the trees and stuff at the helipad?”

“I just got the motivation I need to clear it. So you call your doctor and see if they can squeeze you in for tomorrow, and I’ll call my pilot and have him fuel up the jet. We’ll leave tonight.”

“But you don’t have to go. I know you don’t want to be in New York for the holidays.”

“That was before.”

“Before what?”

“You know.”

Her gaze narrowed in on him. “No, I don’t know. Tell me.”

“Before you and me...before the babies. We agreed we were going to give this thing a go and this is me doing my part. You haven’t changed your mind, have you?”

He cared enough to spend the holidays with her in the city. Her heart leaped for joy. Okay, so she shouldn’t get too excited. She knew in the long run the odds were against them, but Christmas was the season of hope.

* * *

Things were looking up.

Finn stared out the back of the limo as they inched their way through the snarled Manhattan traffic. He could at last breathe a lot easier now. The babies and their mother were healthy. It was indeed growing pains. The doctor told them to expect more along the way.

Signs of Christmas were everywhere from the decorated storefronts to the large ornaments hung from the lampposts. As he stared out the window, he saw Santa ringing a bell next to his red kettle. It made Finn wish that he was back on the island. And then, without a word, Holly slipped her hand in his. Then again, this wasn’t so bad.

She leaned over and softly said, “Relax. You might even find you like the holiday.”

“Maybe you’re right.” He had his doubts, but he didn’t want to give her any reason to back out of their arrangement. He only had until the first of the year to convince her that they were better off together than apart.