The Unwanted Wife (Unwanted #1)(43)
“Once, when I was ten,” she started talking to distract him, “I fell out of a tree.” That certainly caught his attention.
“What were you doing in a tree?” He sounded skeptical. “You don’t strike me as the tomboy type.”
“I wasn’t but there was this poor little kitten stuck up there and I was a complete sucker for animals.” She shrugged and winced slightly when the needle pinched more. His hand tightened around hers, while the doctor cheerfully informed them that it was “nearly over.”
“So what happened?” he asked softly.
“Well, Lisa was with me and she was desperately trying to reason with me but I wouldn’t listen.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I can be a bit stubborn.”
He snorted. “No! Really?”
She tilted her chin up and chose to ignore his sarcasm. “Just as I was leaning out and reaching for that stupid cat, he hissed at me, scratched my hand, and climbed back down.” She felt the pinching sensation gradually decrease as the needle was withdrawn from her abdomen. “But the cat had scared me and I lost my balance before tumbling out of the tree.”
“What happened after that?” He seemed riveted even though the doctor was stepping away from the table.
“I broke my arm and I’ve disliked cats since that day,” she confessed sheepishly. He chuckled before unexpectedly leaning over her and dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. “I don’t know why I just told you that story. You just looked in desperate need of distraction.”
“And how,” he acknowledged shakily. “I’m still feeling a little queasy after seeing that needle.” He swallowed and paled again. “I don’t know how you could do that without anesthetic.”
The doctor had offered her a shot to numb the area but one huge needle was bad enough, Theresa hadn’t been enamored with the thought of having to deal with two.
“It was a little uncomfortable,” she admitted as the nurse helped her sit up. “But not too bad.”
After dressing, she and Sandro anxiously faced her obstetrician across the wide expanse of his desk.
“That went very well, Mr. and Mrs. De Lucci.” Doctor Shelbourne beamed over his desk at them. “Both you and your baby came through it with flying colors. Right. So for the next two days, I want you to do no heavy lifting, no sex, and no flying. Try to relax and don’t overtax yourself. You may experience some cramping for a day or two but that’s normal. If you do have cramping and it carries on for too long or is too severe, come in immediately. Especially if it’s accompanied by spotting or bleeding.” Both Sandro and Theresa flinched at the dire warning. Theresa instinctively sought out his hand with hers.
“We should have your results in a couple of weeks,” the older man continued cheerfully. “We’ll contact you when they arrive.”
“Do you think I’m at risk for another miscarriage?” Theresa suddenly asked, and the doctor looked surprised by her question.
“Not at all.” He shook his head vehemently.
“But the last time…” she began shakily.
“…was just one of those tragic things that sometimes happen in life. You’re healthy and your baby looks healthy. There’s absolutely no reason you shouldn’t carry to term and deliver a perfect baby. Now onto happier topics; would you like to know the baby’s sex?”
“You could tell?” Theresa asked with a smile.
“The image was as clear as a bell today.” He nodded indulgently.
“No.” Sandro shook his head. “I’d rather not know.”
“But Sandro…” She turned to him in surprise but he refused to meet her eyes. “Why don’t you want to know?”
“It makes no difference.” Nothing he could have said would have hurt her more, and she immediately retreated back behind her shell, withdrawing her hand from his. Of course it didn’t make a difference. If it was a boy, he would leave without getting to know the child, and if it was a girl, he would be stuck in his unwanted marriage for even longer. He groaned when he saw her expression and immediately grabbed her hand again. “I really didn’t mean it the way you obviously think I did, Theresa.”
“It’s okay,” she informed the doctor, who looked uncomfortable to be witnessing their dispute. “I don’t have to know.” Not when she was 100 percent certain that it was a boy anyway. The doctor nodded and cleared his throat.
“Very well then, my lips are sealed.” He nodded, trying to maintain his jovial manner, even though it was evident he was still uncomfortable. Sandro said nothing, keeping his eyes on Theresa’s determinedly averted face. The doctor added a few more of his usual cautions that she not overtax herself before he dismissed them with a hearty good-bye.
“Just let me explain,” Sandro said the moment they were outside the clinic. It was raining and Theresa hurriedly raised the hood of her coat before scurrying for her car. He followed her even though she was still ignoring him and keeping her back to him. She fumbled for her car keys in her large bag and he groaned in frustration before dropping his hands onto her narrow shoulders to turn her around. Her face was wet, and he sighed deeply as he wiped at the moisture, not sure if it was tears or rain.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, lowering his head so that she could hear him over the clamor of cars driving by and the freezing rain. “Theresa, that didn’t come out right. It didn’t mean what you thought it did.”