"My doctor?" No, tell me it's not what I'm thinking.
"For the baby? Will you have it here? Imagine how incredible that would be if you were there when Maddy had her baby and then she was there when you have yours!"
Nicole swallowed hard. Yeah, incredible. One might even say impossible since she hadn't had sex with anyone in over a year.
So much for Stephan's theory that no one would believe they were engaged.
"I’m on break for a few more minutes. I was hoping to see Maddy’s parents, but I’ll find them later. Come on, let’s go see Maddy," Samantha said.
"Oh, I can't. I - I have an appointment this morning. I just dropped by to see the baby really quickly but that was a mistake. I should go."
Being Stephan’s pretend fiancé had seemed like a good idea when it didn’t involve actually looking anyone in the eye while she lied. And then, of course, there was the small issue of Stephan not yet knowing
It was probably better if she just left before…
“Samantha! Nicole!” Maddy’s mother, Elise, called out from across the foyer and there was no evading her. She kissed Samantha warmly on both cheeks then greeted Nicole the same way. She held onto one of Nicole’s hands as if afraid she’d slip away. "I’m so glad you’re here. I was worried that I had upset you yesterday.”
Apologies were not something Nicole was used to hearing, never mind accepting.
“It’s forgotten already,” Nicole said softly.
Elise tightened her hold on Nicole’s hand briefly then smiled. It was easy to see where Maddy had gotten her charm from. “It should never have been said. Thank you for understanding. No wonder Victor and Katrine speak so highly of you. They are flying in this morning. When we told them that you were here, they said you had to come to dinner with us tonight. Please, say you’ll join us.”
Nicole’s mouth went dry. “Stephan’s parents are flying in? Do they know…?”
"That you’re engaged? Alessandro could never keep that from his brother. You have made them both so happy. I think they are as excited to see you as they are to meet their new nephew.” She turned to her husband and said, “Alessandro, could you check us in?” He waited in line about as long as you’d expect someone to who had paid for a new wing of the hospital – not at all.
Elise linked arms with Nicole, seemingly out of affection, but Nicole wondered what she would have done had she tried to pull away. On the surface, Elise was soft spoken, but Nicole didn’t doubt that she was accustomed to meeting very little opposition.
Elise asked, “Are you coming with us, Samantha?”
Samantha looked at her watch and grimaced. “I’ve got to get back to my ward.”
“You’re welcome for dinner.”
“I’m working a double shift today or I’d be there. Tell Victor and Katrine that I’ll come see them this week.”
Elise said, “We will. Bye.” Then she turned to Nicole and asked, “Have you seen little Joseph yet?”
Nicole said, “Not yet. So, they chose the name Joseph?”
Elise rolled her eyes in amusement and motioned to her husband with her head, “They couldn’t stand to see a grown man whine.”
Alessandro didn’t seem at all offended. He shrugged and explained, “Who is more likely to get picked on at school? A Joe or a Larry?” He stood so close that Nicole was half afraid he was going to crush her in a hug again. “Nicole. Explain to this woman that I am right.”
As they walked down the hallway, toward the elevator, Nicole said, “I guess it depends where you live. I like both names. Laurent is a popular French name.”
“Very diplomatic,” Elise said. “Nicole knows better than to get involved in something that is none of her business. She’s a smart girl.”
“Don’t tell me my family is not my business. My grandchildren getting beaten up in elementary school is my business,” Alessandro said stubbornly.
Elise released her when they stepped into the elevator. She linked hands with her husband, easing his irritation with just a touch. Then she joked to Nicole, “I hope you don’t expect to name your own children, Nicole, unless of course you pick a good Italian name. Andrade men brood over their children like little mother hens.”
“Piccola madre gallina?” Alessandro growled softly down at his wife.
Elise simply chided, “Si, Alessandro. You heard me. You know it’s true. Victor is the same. Two Italian mother hens, always butting into to their children’s lives. When are you two going to learn?”
Alessandro shrugged, revealing that change was not impending. He winked down at Nicole as they stepped out of the elevator and into the maternity ward. “I like Joe better. They can make it Joe Laurent if they want.”
Elise shared a look with Nicole that said, You see your future?
Nicole’s stomach twisted with acid and nerves.
The more time she spent with them the more she remembered how easy it was to love them. Not a good idea considering that it would all come to an abrupt halt when Stephan found out. So far, she had neither lied nor worked very hard to correct the misunderstanding. She had to see Maddy alone. If she explained the confusion to Maddy, she could hopefully inform the family and they would understand that the deception had not been deliberate.
Little Joseph was with Maddy when they arrived in her room. There was barely any space for visitors in the mash of balloons and flowers that filled her hospital room. Elise and Alessandro took turns holding him then held him out for Nicole to take.
At first she shook her head, “I’ve never held a baby.”
Maddy laughed. “Liar. You held him yesterday. And I guarantee that he is much easier to hold today. Just remember to support his head.”
Nicole took Joseph into her arms gingerly. Yesterday, she’d looked at him through a haze of urgency and panic. Today, she saw how very small and delicate he was. She lifted one of his tiny fingers in amazement. He was gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Thank God nothing had gone wrong. Nicole didn’t realize she was crying until Elise handed her a tissue. “He’s so beautiful,” she said.
The proud mother and grandmother agreed.