Chapter Six
Two months later
Liandra rested her hand against the counter as vertigo struck.
“Lia!” Kirk caught her around the waist. She rested her back against him and closed her eyes tight. “What just happened?”
“Dizzy,” she whispered. Bile threatened to creep up her throat. She breathed deeply, forcing it back down.
“I think it’s time we make a doctor’s appointment. You haven’t been yourself lately.”
Unable to protest given the current situation she chose to hold her tongue. The stress of unwanted stardom had eaten her alive. People constantly stopped her in the streets wanting to talk or get a picture. The phone rang off the hook with people wanting to hire her because of who she was or reporters looking to get an interview. It sapped her creativity. What use would it be to put her heart and soul into a shoot when all they cared about was the plane crash? It exhausted her. Mood swing city had become her capital. Dear Kirk. He stood beside her, making her smile, and showering her with love.
“All of this is so overwhelming.”
“I understand. However, I can’t help but feel like there’s something more to it.”
She sighed. When Kirk had his mind set on something he became an unmovable boulder. It’d be easier on them both if she gave in now. “Point taken. I’ll call now.”
“Good. Maybe they can get you in today, it’s early yet.”
“Worrywart.”
“Says the woman who’d fall on her ass if I let her go.”
“You wouldn’t.” She opened her eyes cautiously, relieved to find the odd spell had passed.
“No, luckily for you.” He bopped her nose with his index fingers. She wiggled it to the left and right like a rabbit in response. Chuckling, he kissed her cheek, and she raised her arm to run through his silken locks. “You’re too sweet to me.”
“Not possible.” The scruff of his stubble grazed her bare arm, and she shivered. It didn’t take much to dampen her panties with him around. He’d taken his time, exploring options, and doing his best to figure out what he wanted to do. It saddened her that his folks still hadn’t come around.
Other than very tense phone calls from his mother every couple of weeks there’d been no contact whatsoever. His father had taken the ‘he’ll come back when he gets his head back on’ approach and refused to even talk to him. It amazed her he’d been born of these selfish assholes. Though she’d never say it out loud.
“You all right now?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’m good.”
“Good, then let’s go make that phone call.”
“Okay, Daddy.” She rolled her eyes.
“Mhmm. Save that for the bedroom ... I think I’d like it.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
She giggled as she stepped away to grab the phone on the counter and look up the phone number scrawled on her list of important numbers tacked to the fridge. There’d been some concern they may have been exposed to a tropical disease when one of the survivors came down with something they couldn’t diagnose. But it’d never taken with them, thankfully. Until now. A quick phone call later, she was scheduled to see her primary care doctor at one o’clock.
“There, I’m all set. Are you happy?” She turned to glance at a serious-faced Kirk.
“No, I’ll be happy when we know what’s going on.” The stern frown didn’t match the man she’d come to love.
“Hey, if a plane crash couldn’t kill me, this won’t.”
He shook his head but smiled despite himself. “Yeah. I guess there’s that. Why don’t you lay down for a while? I’ll get you up when it’s time to head out.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“I insist.” He wrapped an arm around her waist. “I’ll even escort you there.”
“My knight in shining armor.” She drank in the sight of him, grateful she hadn’t run. They were happy. He brought a richness to her life she’d never imagined possible. Life through “Kirk vision” looked entirely different from the harsh lines of black and white she’d learned.
“Here you are, Guinevere.” He gestured to the bed like a servant, and she rolled her eyes.
“Would that make you Arthur?” she asked dryly.
“No, Lancelot. I’m more of the ‘steal the girl’ type than the king.” A roguish grin accompanied the statement.
She laughed, sighing as the plush bed accepted her weight.
“Just relax. I’ll clean up breakfast.”
“Mhmm.” She closed her eyes, immediately drifting off.
Gentle shaking woke her what seemed like minutes later.
“It’s eleven thirty, baby. We need to get up and start heading out.”
She groaned and nodded, allowing him to help her up into a sitting position. “Give me ten minutes, and I’ll be ready.”
“I’ll wait in the living room.”
He left the room, and she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, running on autopilot. Refreshing herself in the bathroom, she smoothed down her hair and walked out to meet him. The ride to the doctor was quiet as she drifted in and out of sleep with popular rock music as a lullaby.
Not long after, she sat on an exam table in a nightgown determined to show the cute male nurse, Josh, her ass.
“I have all of your information now, Liandra. Doctor Hendrix will be in with the results of your tests.”
“Thank you.” She smiled, swinging her legs to relieve the anxiety. Doctor’s offices were so sterile and cold. They always set her on edge. The standard procedure had her peeing in a cup and giving blood before she even made it to the waiting room. Surely I couldn’t have survived just to die of something normal. Minutes crawled by, and she let her mind wander. The doorknob turned. She sat up. The friendly blonde with brown eyes grinned.
“Well hello there, Liandra.”
“Hi, Dr. Hendrix.”
“I hear you’ve been having some dizziness and trouble sleeping?”
“Yes, I think it’s stress related. It’s been ... hectic since we got back. Normally, I’d let it pass, but I have no way of knowing what we came into contact with on the island. I made the mistake of googling tropical diseases.” She cringed.
“The internet is great for many things, but when it comes to medical advice, I often find it panic-inducing. You’ve been through a lot over the past few months, Liandra. I think it’s contributing to your current situation. I definitely want you to reduce your stress levels,” Dr. Hendrix said, voice full of sympathy. “I know what’s wrong, and it’s definitely not a tropical strain of a disease or any major medical emergency.”
Liandra’s shoulders slumped as she sighed. “Thank God! What is it then?”
“You, my dear, are pregnant.”
“What!” Her eyes went wide. She’d never been regular, and they’d started using condoms the minute they got back.
“The urine analysis proved it.”
“But how?” She shook her head.
“Have you been using protection? You know even prophylactics aren’t one hundred percent successful.”
“I know. It’s just ... the only time we didn’t was on the island,” she whispered, more to herself.
“Now that’s a hell of a story to tell the little one.” Dr. Hendrix’s chuckled. “Are we happy, sad?”
“Totally shocked.”
“Understandable. Would you like me to bring in daddy?” Doctor Hendrix arched an eyebrow.
“Yes, please.” She swallowed to moisten her suddenly parched throat. “Wow.” She exhaled and placed a hand on her belly. “A baby?”
Dr. Hendrix smiled. “Yes, ma’am. I take it this is unexpected?”
She nodded. “Very.” Fear, awe, and tentative excitement merged to create a wind tunnel of emotion. She and Kirk were so new. Oh, God, his mother is going to claim I trapped him. Rubbing her temples as her mind tried to come up with a plan, she fought the migraine threatening to descend.
“I’ll make my rounds before I get daddy. Perhaps it’ll give you some time to try and get your bearings?”
Liandra nodded, mute.
****
DR. HENDRIX APPEARED, and his stomach sank. It couldn’t be good that she wanted to bring him back. He expected her to emerge with an explanation and a prescription. His stomach lurched.
“Hi, Kirk. She wants you to come back now if that’s okay.”
He nodded. “Umm. Yeah, sure.” He stood on shaky limbs and followed her back to the room. The door opened. His heart beat faster. Liandra looked ... off. Her eyes were glazed over and an air of something he couldn’t name surrounded her.
“Hey.” He sat down in the chair beside her and took her hand in his. Rubbing them to ward off the chill, he forced himself to wait patiently for her to respond.
“Hi,” she whispered. “There’s no way to break this to you gently, so I’ll just be blunt.”
“As usual.” He snickered. A flicker of a smile crossed her lips, giving him hope.
“You’re going to be a daddy,” she said softly. Her pupils dilated. She leaned closer, watching him.
His jaw dropped, as his mind struggled to comprehend the words she’d voiced aloud. Did I hear her correctly? He blinked, opened his mouth, and paused. Tilting his head slightly, he attempted speech again. “I’m sorry what?” He shook his head, and Dr. Hendrix laughed.
“The two of you are going to be parents. Congratulations,” Dr. Hendrix said.
“Me and you ... when? On the island?”
Liandra nodded and nibbled her plump lips. “Are you mad?”
“No! No!” He stood and pulled her into his arms. “Shocked. But extremely happy. I’ve been—” He shook his head and gave a quiet chuckle. Releasing her, he hit his knees. “I’ve been going back and forth with myself, asking if you think it’d be too soon, and waiting for the perfect moment.” He dug his hand into the inner pocket of his coat, pulled out a black velvet case, and opened it with shaking hands. “Liandra Marie Powers, will you marry me?”
“Oh my God! Kirk.” She covered her mouth.
A few moments passed. Sweat beaded on his brow.
“Yes! Of course, I will, you crazy man!”
He laughed. “You had me worried there for a minute, Lia.” He stood, removing the two-karat circular stone set in a platinum band with a pink diamond in the center that made it resemble a flower.
“It’s gorgeous!” Liandra said.
Dr. Hendrix applauded, reminding them they had an audience. “I see double congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Kirk said. He slid the ring home and bent over to kiss it.
“I’ll place an order for some ultrasound equipment, and we’ll see how far along you are. How does that sound?”
“Perfect,” Liandra whispered.
Dr. Hendrix left the room. He pulled her in, devouring her sweet lips. “You’ve given me everything, Liandra. How can I ever repay you for that?”
“Having you as mine for the rest of my life is enough,” she said.
He touched his forehead to hers and breathed in her scent. “I hope it’s a little girl, just like her mother.”
She flinched. “Oh, God. What if he or she is deaf?”
He pulled away to meet her gaze. “It never stopped you, and it sure as hell won’t stop her.”
“Kirk—” She shook her head.
“Don’t borrow trouble. We’ll deal with it together. If it’s even an issue. Okay?”
Sniffling, she nodded. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs. Kissing her forehead, he cherished the moment his entire world shifted.
“I’m going to take good care of the both of you.”
She smiled. “How about we take care of each other?”
Her words made him grin. “Always contradicting me. Maybe I should start praying now for a boy. Lest I become overrun by estrogen.”
She laughed. “Are you really happy?”
“I’m over the moon. Yes, this is unexpected, but I love you, and there is no one I’d rather bring a new life into the world with.”
“What about our parents?”
“We’ll get everyone together for dinner and announce it then. They can do with the information what they chose to. I’m not going to dampen our joy by hiding it. We managed to not only survive a plane crash but create new life on that same island. That’s special, Lia.”
“I like the way you think.”
“I’ve been given the two greatest gifts. Can’t help but feel blessed and grateful.” Wrapping his arms around her, he brought her to rest against his chest. The future he’d faced without her was unthinkable now. A job he hated, and a wife who was more for show than affection. It was a hollow existence. Now he had life in color, real and sincere. He could never go back.
“Is everything okay?” He pulled back.
“As far as she can tell. She’s ordering the ultrasound to check things out. When they examined me after we got back, the pregnancy would’ve been far too early to detect.”
A knock came, and a few moments later, Dr. Hendrix entered pushing the ultrasound machine in. “How are we doing?”
Liandra smiled. “Better.”
“Good. We want to keep Mommy as calm and stress-free as possible. Plenty of rest, a balanced diet, and all of the vitamins I’m going to assign you.”
“Of course, Doc.” Kirk squeezed her hand and moved back.
“At this stage, you’ll probably be about ten weeks so we’ll have to do an internal sonogram. I’ll have you get undressed from the waist down, and drape yourself with the gown.” Dr. Hendrix pulled out stirrups as she talked. “I’m going to give you a chance to get comfortable, and I’ll have the sonographer come in and do a photo session with you. I’ll return and read the results for you?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She grinned. How had he not realized the woman’s skin was glowing? He took a seat as the doctor left, and Lia prepared herself for the pelvic sonogram.
Ten minutes later, the tiny Asian woman with kind brown eyes and an easy smile arrived.
“I’m Nurse Joy. We’ll be measuring your baby today.” A few minutes, and cold gel later, Kurt’s eyes were glued to the tiny being break dancing on the monitor. A small, rounded head, and tiny arms and legs waving wildly in greeting. His throat swelled. This was their baby. A bit of him and her together living inside of her womb. He blinked to prevent the water from escaping his lids.
“That’s our baby,” Lia whispered.
“Yes, it is.” I glanced at Nurse Joy. “Can we have pictures?”
“Of course. It looks like you’re almost eleven weeks along. The baby is about the size of a fig.”
“He or she is putting on a show for you.”
“Must take after you then,” Lia said sarcastically.
“You’re no wallflower, Mama,” he retorted. Their gazes latched. They were officially someone’s parents. He’d never given much thought to what kind of father he might be. But he knew with one-hundred percent certainty the things he wouldn’t do. They left the Doctor’s office with a dozen photos, a prescription for prenatal vitamins, and a warning to keep her stress level low, her body hydrated, and diet balanced. He would make sure she got everything she required.
This beautiful creature who’d become his entire life would give birth to a family made of all the things he’d longed for growing up—love, honesty, trust, and happiness. Who knew his world going up in flames would set everything right?