Phantom Marriage

‘He knows about the pregnancy, Veronica.’

She slumped back on the pillows, her head thumping. ‘But how?’ she choked out.

‘You never stopped talking about it when you were semi-conscious. You were worried that you might lose the baby.’

‘Oh…’

‘You haven’t, by the way. Your baby’s fine.’

Veronica closed her eyes, tears of relief leaking out. Being pregnant by Leonardo wasn’t ideal, but she didn’t want to miscarry.

‘It is Leonardo’s, isn’t it?’ the doctor asked gently.

She nodded wearily.

‘Are you absolutely sure you’re pregnant?’

‘I did one of those tests. It was very positive.’

‘No need for a blood test, then.’

‘You can do one if you like.’

‘Knowing Leonardo, perhaps it would be best.’

‘Yes, I would imagine so,’ she said, somewhat bitterly. ‘Though he needn’t worry about my trying to trap him into marriage. Because I wouldn’t marry him, no matter what!’

The doctor made no comment, just got a syringe out of his bag and took a sample of her blood. ‘You don’t love him?’ he asked after a while.

She refused to answer, her emotions a mess, anger and distress mingling with fear. Leonardo was here. And he’d talked to her mother! What had they talked about? What had Nora told him?

The doctor looked perplexed. ‘I think I should tell Leonardo to come in.’

Before Veronica could protest, he stood up and carried his bag outside. Through the open door she could hear the murmuring of voices. And then there he was, standing in the doorway, looking as handsome as ever but rather strained. There were dark shadows around his eyes which held an expression of real concern.

Or possibly she was mistaken about that. Maybe it was just controlled anger fuelling the tension in his face.

After a momentary hesitation, Leonardo came in, closed the door and sat down in the chair the doctor had vacated.

‘Dr Waverly said you must rest easy for a few more days,’ he said coolly. ‘Your blood pressure is up.’

‘I feel fine,’ she returned stubbornly, and looked away from him.

A silence fell in the room, Veronica aware of the pulse beating in her temples.

‘Were you ever going to tell me about the baby, Veronica?’ he demanded to know. ‘Or was I just to be a sperm donor, like Laurence?’

Outrage had her head whipping back to face him.

‘Do you honestly think I would deliberately get pregnant by you? Or that I would choose to be a single mother? I know how hard that life is.’

He nodded. ‘Yes, I can appreciate that. And, no, I don’t think you deliberately set out to get pregnant. But you were never on the pill, were you?’

‘Oh, God. Mum told you I wasn’t, didn’t she?’

‘No. I was just guessing. Your mother did tell me about Jerome, however. I think she wanted to explain why you mistrusted my intentions so much, and why you would try to bolt home once you realised you were pregnant. Which, by the way, was news to your mother. She said you did a test and it was negative.’

‘The first time it was,’ she muttered. ‘I did a second test later on and it was positive. If you don’t believe me, ask Dr Waverly. He’s taken a blood sample to double-check. I thought you might want proof,’ she threw at him, her top lip curling with contempt.