“Which explains why I found him in bed with you.”
“Don’t be dramatic. He wasn’t in my bed. He was sitting on my bed. There’s a big difference.”
“Not from where I’m standing.”
“For God’s sake, let it go, Naomi. Hutch and I were over a long time ago. And besides, even if I had the slightest interest in rekindling that flame—which I don’t—what man wants to be father to some other guy’s triplets?”
Naomi gaped. The look of total consternation on her face might have been funny if Simone hadn’t felt so wretched. “Triplets?” she said, her eyes round.
“Um, yeah. I guess I forgot to mention that part. I’m having three babies. At least I hope so.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s still early. Too early to know if all the fetuses are viable.”
Naomi sprang to her feet and paced. “How can you be so damned calm? This is huge. What were you thinking, Simone? You own and manage a thriving ad agency. You have no husband. Why on earth would you do something so crazy?”
Sadly, Simone couldn’t tell the whole truth. Not to Naomi or Cecelia, and certainly not to Hutch. “I wanted a baby,” she said stubbornly. “By the time I got in the midst of everything, I began to have my doubts, but I didn’t back out. I should have, I suppose.”
“Ya think?” Naomi seemed more indignant than flat-out angry. Simone understood, really, she did. If the situations had been reversed, surely she would have expressed doubts about Naomi’s decision.
“I screwed up, Naomi. I know that now. But I didn’t know how sick I could get. And besides...”
“Besides, what?”
“I want them,” Simone whispered. “The babies. All of them. Hutch said it wasn’t too late from a medical standpoint to rethink my position, but I could never do that. I started this, and I’ll finish it.”
Naomi pursed her lips. “I hope it doesn’t finish you.”
Hutch returned in time to hear that last comment. He frowned when he saw Simone upright, but he didn’t say anything.
Simone looked at him. “May I have a drink of water, please?”
“It’s up to you. It would be good if you can manage it.”
With both of them watching, Simone didn’t want to make a scene, but she knew she couldn’t avoid drinking indefinitely. There was a pitcher and disposable cups on the bedside table. Hutch poured one glass half-full and offered it to her. She took it from him, wincing. “Bottoms up.”
With her two observers looking on eagle-eyed, she sipped tentatively. At first, the water tasted amazing. Her lips were partially chapped. The cool liquid felt wonderful in her parched throat. But moments later, her stomach cramped sharply. “Hutch!” She panicked.
He was there immediately, holding a small basin as the water came back up and she retched helplessly. Hu
tch held her hair. Naomi produced a damp cloth for her forehead. Oh, God. If she had ever felt so humiliated and miserable, she couldn’t remember it.
Hutch didn’t wait for permission. He removed the pillows and helped her lie flat again. “Okay now?” he asked.
She nodded, unable to look at either of them. “I’m sorry to drag you both into this.”
Naomi forced a laugh that sounded almost natural. “C’mon, girl. We’ve been through a lot of rough patches together over the years. Cecelia and I will help. And you’re not poor. That’s a plus.”
Even Hutch thought that was funny, though he quickly turned his chuckle into a cough. It was probably not acceptable bedside manner to make jokes at the patient’s expense.
“Hilarious.” Suddenly, it struck her. “Well, crud. I’ll never fit into a slinky bridesmaid dress.”
Even Naomi didn’t have the chutzpah to pretend that wasn’t true. But she tried to put a spin on it. “Maybe they’ll elope. You never know.”
Hutch spoke up, for the first time sounding more like a doctor than an interested party. “I’m glad you came by, Naomi. I’ll keep you posted if anything changes. Simone needs to rest now.”
Simone wanted to argue that he was being high-handed, but it was the truth. “I should tell Cecelia the news in person,” she said.