Husband By Request
The name galvanized the man into action. “Give me his number.”
In a minute he said, “Your husband’s not answering. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s at the hospital waiting for you.”
The paramedic’s words were prophetic. As they put her on a gurney and started to roll her inside Andreas rushed out to her, his face white.
He bent down and kissed her lips. “Thank God you’re awake.”
“I only fainted.”
“Alex relayed the message. Our parents are on their way. Come on. Let’s get you inside.”
Within the next few minutes an emergency room physician came into the cubicle to examine her. He asked Andreas to step outside. She could tell he didn’t like it at all, but he had to comply.
“That’s an anxious husband you’ve got there.” He smiled. “I’ve seen the paramedics’ report. Your vitals are fine. You seem recovered. So I’m going to ask you a question, because it might save us a lot of trouble. Could you be pregnant?”
She blinked. Could she? “We’ve been trying for a couple of months.”
“Well, then. We’ll do a test right now. If it’s positive, that would explain your fainting spell.”
“Wait—”
“Yes?”
“Don’t let on to my husband yet. If we’re expecting a baby, I want to tell him myself.”
He winked. “Understood. I’ll tell him to go to the reception area and wait. In the meantime we’ll get your blood work started, and I’ll send in a nurse for the test.”
“I hope I’m pregnant,” she said when the nurse came in.
“We’ll know in a few minutes.”
By the time her blood had been drawn, the nurse had returned. She handed the test device to Dominique. “Take a look.”
“There’s a red line! I can’t believe it!”
“Do you want me to send your husband back in?”
“Oh, yes! Please!”
Before long Andreas had rushed inside the cubicle. The fear in his eyes was too much. All she wanted to do was take it away.
“I hope you’re ready to be a father, because we’re going to have a baby.”
He didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to.
His face underwent a total transformation. Before she knew it he was bent over her, sobbing quietly into her neck.
She caressed the back of his dark, handsome head. “I know you thought my collapse meant something terrible was wrong with me.”
“I couldn’t bear to lose you, Dominique.”
“No one’s going to lose anyone. Isn’t it incredible that an accident during my first race in Greece brought you into my life? And now a fainting spell during my second race means we’re getting a son or daughter to raise. I’m thinking Maris if it’s a girl, and Paul if it’s a boy. Why don’t you go tell our parents and see if they approve?”
His hands clutched her tighter. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“One minute is all it will take. Think what it will mean to them.”
He raised up and wiped his gorgeous black eyes. “Half a minute.”