“He’s a really great man, Mom. We were involved this summer. But he had a new job assignment and had to move on. We aren’t seeing each other anymore.” Not in the same way.
Her mother asked, “Is there any chance he’d marry you—just to give the baby a name?”
“Oh, Mom, please. I’m a competent woman. I’ve been on my own for years. I’ll be heading up the European office of the company in a couple of months. I don’t need a man to raise a baby.”
“Of course you don’t need one, but babies do well with both parents,” her mother responded. “Are you still going to Brussels? That’s so far away. How often can I see my grandchild if he or she is five thousand miles away.”
“You’ll probably rack up frequent flier miles. I’ll get a big enough place to have you stay over for weeks at a time.”
“And your father. Your sister and brother and their families will want to see the baby. Can you take leave from work to return to have it here?”
“It’s complicated, Mom. I haven’t worked anything out. I just learned of the baby about an hour ago. Give me some time to get used to it and make plans.”
“Well, of course. And I’m happy to help. Come home this weekend.”
“I’m not sure.” She wasn’t feeling any better for knowing she didn’t have the flu. Added to that was the stress that grew as she contemplated telling Tanner he was going to be a father. Nothing had been said in all the times she saw him about a long-term affair and especially not children.
“Tell me how you’re feeling. When is it due? When will you know the sex? Have you thought of any names? I can’t wait to see you. Oh, honey, I’m so delighted. I never thought—Wait until I tell your father!” Ginny’s enthusiasm came across the lines like a balm to Anna’s jangled nerves. She began to relax as her mother started to admonish her about eating well, sleeping extra hours and keeping up an exercise program. She urged her to take time away from work as much as possible to store up sleep—she’d need it when the baby came.
The two chatted for almost an hour. At the end of the conversation, Anna extracted a promise from her mother not to tell anyone else in the family—she wanted to share than news in a couple of weeks at the Thanksgiving holiday when everyone would be together. Reluctantly Ginny agreed.
“But how I’m going to keep this from your father, I’m not sure,” she said.
“Please, Mom. This is so special. It may never happen again. I want to be there when they hear it. I want to see their expressions as well.”
“I’ll do it. Call me right away if you need anything.”
Anna agreed and hung up. She still felt surreal. Her hand went to her stomach in the instinctive manner of all pregnant mothers.
“Hello, little one,” she said softly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Tired, Anna went back to her room to lie down. She was too keyed-up to sleep, however. She began to make plans. As soon as she felt up to it, she’d visit a bookstore to get as many prenatal and newborn baby books she could locate. Then she’d have to go online and check out rentals in Brussels. The apartment Thomas Vintner had found for her wouldn’t do. She needed more room.
She’d have to get baby furniture, find child care and decide what to do about school when the child was older.
And in the meantime, she had to find a way to tell the baby’s daddy.
CHAPTER THREE
TANNER hung up the phone and looked at his watch. It was after two. He’d asked Ellie to check on Anna for him when she had not come into work today. She was supposed to be seen by her doctor. He wondered if she had kept the appointment. He had a few minutes before the next department head was scheduled. Unable to concentrate on the report in front of him, he dialed Anna’s number. A moment later she answered.
“Did you see the doctor?” Tanner asked without preamble.
“I did,” she said. “You woke me up for that? I said I would go.”
“And? What was the prognosis? Could he do anything for the flu?”
“Actually he gave me some medicine for the symptoms. I’m already feeling better.”
She sounded much better, he noted. Her voice had an inflection he hadn’t heard for a while. He remembered their frequent talks on the phone. Before he’d go to bed many nights he’d call and they’d ramble about any and everything. He remembered each conversation, how they’d good-naturedly argue about silly things. They rarely talked seriously. Once she’d told him she had a broken engagement behind her and that she couldn’t have children. That would have been the perfect opening to tell her about Zach. But the pain was still sharp when he thought of the boy, so he had kept silent.
Not that it mattered. It happened so long ago. He had to keep moving, tried to forget Cindy’s betrayal and focus on the present.
Most of the time, however, their late night sessions had been lighthearted and fun. A welcome change from the stress and cutthroat business at hand. He had welcomed the diversion when negotiating this position and winding up his chief operating officer position at his prior company.
The way he calculated it, he owed Anna. More than he’d given her when he’d stopped seeing her so abruptly. They had no commitments. No long range plans. But it still had to have hurt when he stopped seeing her with no word. He could have said business was too intense and he had to call a halt. It would have been better than silence.
“That’s good.” I was worried about you sounded too personal. Yet he had been. He’d never seen her look so frail as she had on Monday.
“Thank you for your concern. I’ll probably take the rest of the week off and be back on Monday,” she said. “I have lots of sick leave on the books. I’m never sick.”
“Get better. Call if you need anything.” He knew she had an exemplary attendance record as well as outstanding performance reviews. She hadn’t risen as high as she had in the company without a strong work ethic.
He replaced the receiver on his phone and looked at the stack of papers on his desk. He had made the right decision to sever their relationship. But for a moment, he enjoyed hearing her voice.
It had been a pleasure dating Anna. He missed the easy way they could talk about everything, or remain silent for long stretches without any awkwardness. He liked the fact she enjoyed similar activities. The way she jumped on and off the cable car like a native. Her love of crab cocktails at the Wharf. Her delight in watching kites flying at the marina.
He rose and paced to his window. Glancing out on Montgomery Street, he remembered the Sunday afternoon they’d walked along the deserted thoroughfare peeking into some of the windows of the closed shops and businesses. They had made up stories about who owned them, the kind of businesses they were and the dreams of the future the owners were likely to have. Then they had hiked to the wharf to have crab cocktails and sourdough bread for lunch. That had been two days prior to the discovery that she worked for Drysdale Electronics. His own code of ethics had demanded he stop seeing her. For once he wished he wasn’t so good about following his own rules.
He walked to his office door and opened it. Ellie was working diligently on her computer.
“Order some flowers for Anna Larkin,” he said. “Have them delivered today.”
Ellie looked up in surprise. “Sure thing. Is she worse?”
“No, but she is going to stay home a few days to get over the flu.”
“What shall I put on the card?” Ellie asked.
“Best wishes from your friends at Drysdale