Page 36 of Beau
He was her match in so many ways and she had been surprised to discover how much they had in common.
He loved to read and so did she. His tastes were eclectic, and he was more into history, of which he had an astounding knowledge of the different wars that had been fought, not only in America, but in Europe as well.
She loved him and was comfortable in his love for her. What she was afraid of was that his love would not be able to sustain and endure what is to come. Her fingers curled into the hairs on his chest and caused him to shift slightly. Holding her breath, shewaited to see if he was going to wake up and when he relaxed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
He was also intuitive and sensitive to her moods and always knew when she was trying to cover up something. She would not want him to know that she was worrying about something she could not put her finger on.
*****
Her problems started right after the holidays, when her husband went back to work. Suddenly, she woke up that same morning, feeling as if her stomach was being turned inside out. He had kissed her goodbye and left her sleeping, with the promise that he would try and make it home early.
“We do have that wretched dinner party to attend, and I am certainly not looking forward to it," he complained.
The Lawsons were very prominent in society and were hosting this year’s medical convention which included dinner, and afundraiser all rolled into one. This year’s theme was: “Fighting the good fight and winning the race against incurable illnesses.”
It was a worthy cause and as very important people in the pharmaceutical business, the Anderson’s were obligated to attend. It was a long and boring deal with long and tedious speeches, but it was an obligation that had to be met.
That meant, rousing herself and having Barry come over for a shampoo and deep conditioning.
Sliding out of bed, she went straight into the bathroom and stared at the pillow marks on her face.
Her hair was a mess, something she was going to have to hear from the finicky and ridiculously dressed stylist who usually spends ten minutes oohing and aahing about the state of her hair and the split ends he discovered. She was not looking forward to it.
Scrubbing her hands over her face, she decided to get it over and done with. He was typically in high demand, because of his expertise, but he had a fondness for her, which made it easier for her to get an appointment where others failed.
Taking a quick shower, she slipped into lounge pants and a black sweater before going downstairs to make a pot of tea. Mrs. Greene was still away for the next few days, which meant they had to fend for themselves.
A smile touched her lips as she went into the kitchen to see that the kettle was already filled with water and a pouch was placed inside a cup. It just left for her to turn the knob on the stove and wait for it to boil.
He thought of everything, she mused whimsically.
Placing a hand on her stomach, she rubbed absently as the queasiness persisted. It had woken her up earlier and it had gotten worse. A spot of tea would certainly do the trick, she decided.
And a slice of toast. Over the holidays, she had had no problem eating and her tummy had behaved surprisingly well.
Pouring the water over the pouch, she added honey and waited for her toast to be done before taking it with her into the solarium where the sun was already bathing the plants with light.
Sitting on a comfortable velvet sofa facing the east side of the property, she sipped her tea and watched the snow which had formed ice overnight, dripping off the palm and oak trees. Everything looked so still and beautiful. Nature in all its glory, she thought whimsically.
She never thought she would be comfortable, just staying at home without worrying about a career. She had fought so hard to be noticed and to get her online account up and running, that it shocked everyone when she announced that she was giving it up.
Her fans – my God! It had taken her a while for her to accept that she had become a celebrity who had fans. They had protested and demanded that she change her mind. But she was adamant. She was a wife, and her goal was to be a mother as well. Shewas not going to shortchange her husband and eventually her children.
She had proven to herself and to everyone else that she could make it, now it was time for the next chapter of her life.
She had taken the last sip of tea and finished the toast, when she realized that her stomach was still not settled. Deciding that a second cup would come in handy, she rose and headed for the kitchen.
*****
“Honey, are you sure you are, okay?” Barry clucked his tongue solicitously as he twirled his curling iron. “I have been here in your beautifully appointed house for half an hour, and this is the third time you have been to the powder room. What’s going on?”
“Holiday leftovers," she told him lightly, settling back down so he could finish curling her hair. “Too much rich food and cake. Lots of cake.”
He laughed in delight, momentarily distracted. They were in the solarium where he had arrived armed with all the tools of his trade and had started berating her for not taking care of her skin and hair.
“Not that your skin is anything except flawless and that’s fortunate for you. Are you even using the cream I recommended?”
She could hardly tell him that since becoming pregnant, the scent of it was upsetting her stomach. “Of course.”