No Matter What (88 page)

“It took him five minutes, I watched him.”

He was nuzzling behind her ear now and, despite being eight and a half months pregnant,
India
was starting to feel that familiar aching for him building up again.
 

“He can do a touch up job before we leave ...” His hands were back up her dress now and she was finding it harder and harder to stay strong.
 
“...
 
meanwhile,
I
can do a little touch up job of my own, right here.
 
Come on baby, it’s my big night.”

“Yeah, and I’m just big, Michael.
 
It’s not that easy to just drop everything for a quick one up against the wall like we used to do.
 
Not with junior here.”

“You know how you like it - how we
both
like it since the bump got bigger. Come on, you’re killing me here.”

She smiled at him, leaving his hand where it was and kissing him slowly, loosening his tie.
 
“Damage this dress and you get no more sex until after this one’s born.
 
And that could be weeks, you realise that, don’t you?”

“You’re beautiful when you nag, do you know that?”

She looked up at him, the man she’d almost been willing to walk away from, and she couldn’t believe she’d even thought about that because she didn’t want anything other than to be with him, and their baby.

“I love you so much, Michael.”

He smiled, kissing her gently.
 
“I love you too, baby.
 
I love you too.”

He turned her round, pushing her hair away from the back of her neck, kissing it lightly, his hands slowly sliding her dress up over her thighs and India closed her eyes, pressing back against him, giving in to his touch, waiting to feel that closeness she’d felt with him so many times over these past few months, wanting to have him where he belonged before the two of them became three.
 
Because that day wasn’t far away now.
 
It wasn’t far away at all.

***

Reece’s wedding to Martha had truly been the happiest day of his life, more so because
India
had been there.
 
His beautiful, pregnant daughter.
 
He’d been more than a little wary when they’d first told him she was pregnant, because he knew his daughter, and he knew that her motives for having this baby hadn’t been entirely thought through, but when he’d seen how happy she was, how happy she
and
Michael were, he’d put all doubts aside and started to look forward to the arrival of his grandchild.
 
Something he’d never thought he’d see happen.

He was having a grandson, they’d told him and Martha as soon as they’d found out, but it wasn’t public knowledge yet, and neither was his name.
 
Michael and
India
had already chosen their son’s name but were telling no-one what it was just yet. They obviously wanted
some
things to remain a surprise, and he’d loved watching their excitement grow as the weeks had gone on.
 

Sometimes it felt almost bittersweet for Reece, though.
 
He’d missed out on all of this with
India
, he’d never known her as a baby, never had the chance to feel what they were feeling now as prospective parents, so he was going to spoil this grandchild.
 
He was always going to be a part of his life.
 
A very big part.

India
was dead set on a home birth, something Reece wasn’t over-keen on,
 
he’d have much preferred her to go into hospital, but she’d made her mind up.
 
Even Michael had taken some persuading, but after talking to Dr Goldman he’d relented too and let
India
have her way, but Reece was still unsure.
 
However, he knew exactly why
India
was so against a hospital birth.
 
Hospitals brought back memories of that night back in 1997 and he understood that, he understood all of that, but he just wanted her to be safe.
 
One room in her and Michael’s Hollywood Hills home had been turned into a delivery suite with every possible angle covered, and if that made her feel more comfortable about giving birth – because Reece knew she was more than a little scared by the prospect – then who was he to argue?
 
 
Whatever made her happy.

“Hey, the car’s outside, honey.
 
Are you ready?” Martha smiled, coming up behind him and hugging his waist.

He turned round and smiled back.
 
His beautiful new wife.
 
Everything really was falling into place right now.
 
“I’m ready.”

“Are you thinking about
India
again?” she asked, knowing how worried he was as the time grew closer for this baby to arrive.

Reece nodded.
 
“She’s not been through anything like this before, Martha.
 
I know how scared she is.”

“She’ll be fine, sweetheart.
 
Michael’s going to be with her and you know he won’t let anything happen to her.”

“I’m her dad, Martha.
 
I can’t help worrying.”

She smiled again, kissing him quickly.
 
“I know.
 
But we should be excited! We’re getting a new addition to the family and we should be gearing up to meet him. We’ve got to get through tonight first, though, so come on, let’s get going.”
 
She gave him another quick kiss, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the room.
 
“You can see
India
for yourself tonight and see that she’s just fine.”

“You’re right,” he sighed, following her out to the car that would take them to
Westwood
Village
.
 
“You’re always right.”

She stopped and smiled, giving him one more kiss.
 
“Well, isn’t that why you married me?”

***

Kenny had been invited to the premiere of ‘Above Board’ but he was still in two minds as to whether he could be bothered to go or not.
 
Ever since
India
had fallen pregnant he hadn’t seen a great deal of her.
 
They still spoke all the time on the ‘phone, sent each other e-mails, texts, and he’d been over to the Malibu house a few times to see her but Michael had usually always been there too, almost as if he was making sure nothing went on.
 
Because it had almost happened.
 
She’d been so close to leaving him, Kenny had felt it, he’d known it.
 
Ever since the night they’d had sex in the villa in
Las Vegas
he’d known she’d been confused.
 
He’d tried to talk to her, tried to see her alone after that but she’d always been with Bobby or Charley or they’d been busy filming and he’d just never got the chance he’d so badly wanted.
 
Getting her alone had been hard.
 
But he’d seen it in her eyes; he’d seen the confusion, the indecision, but then she’d got pregnant and everything had changed.
 
The one thing he’d hoped wouldn’t happen
had
happened and he was suddenly old news, pushed aside for a baby and a husband he couldn’t compete with.
 
Or could he?
 

Kenny was no fool, he could do the math as well as anyone and this baby’s due date threw up one or two questions in his mind that he just couldn’t ignore, and he couldn’t believe India hadn’t thought about it either.
 
Sure, she’d been sleeping with Michael a hell of a lot around that time and she’d only slept with him once but wasn’t that all it took?
 
One time could make a baby.
 
And, although it was an outside chance, didn’t that still mean that this baby just might be his?

***

“I don’t believe you, angel, I really don’t,” Bobby sighed, as
India
arrived downstairs after the most amazing sex with her husband.

She looked at him innocently, her hands around her bump.
 
“What?”

“You.
 
You’ve been at it again, haven’t you?
 
Look at your hair ... come here will you ... Scott!
 
Get out here with that bronzer brush will you!
 
Our little pregnant princess has been playing without permission again.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” India said, running her fingers through her hair as Scott ran out with his make-up palette in hand, ready to re-touch anything that may have got smudged while she’d been with Michael.
 
Although she’d been extremely careful.

“You and Mr Walsh, that’s what I’m talking about.
 
Can you not stop for five minutes?
 
On the night of his movie premiere too, and to be perfectly honest I don’t even know how you manage it with that bump.”

“I turn around.”

“Huh?”
 
Bobby looked at her, pushing his glasses up onto his nose.

India
couldn’t help smiling.
 
“I turn around, Bobby ... think about it.”

It took a few seconds but he finally got it and
India
couldn’t help giggling as he started fiddling about with her hair and straightening her dress, tutting away like some disapproving parent.

“And you could have taken this off,” he said, readjusting the top of her dress, continuing to fuss around her as Michael walked into the kitchen, his hands in his pockets, smiling that movie star smile.
 
India
looked at him and her stomach did a little flip that she knew had nothing to do with the baby.
 
She was purely and simply in love.

“It was much more fun with it on,” she said, watching Michael lean back against the kitchen counter, his eyes on hers all the time.

Bobby looked from one to the other and sighed again.
 
“I’ve never met anyone like the pair of you.
 
Do you see what I have to work with here, Scott?
 
And I don’t know where you get your energy from, angel.
 
If I was carrying a bump like that I’d be lying down constantly.”

“She is, most of the time,” Michael smiled and
India
giggled again as Bobby rolled his eyes, checking his list to make sure everything was in order.

“Are you going to behave yourself tonight then, angel?” he asked, without looking up from his list, his glasses perched on the end of his nose, pen in hand.
 
India
had a fit of the giggles she couldn’t control now and Bobby just looked at her, which made her laugh even more.

“Bobby, stop it will you.
 
You’re making me feel like a naughty teenager.”

“Yes, well, act like one and that’s what happens,” Bobby said, looking over at Michael, who was finding this all very amusing.

“Don’t make me laugh anymore, Bobby, please,”
India
giggled.
 
“I’m gonna wet myself in a minute.”

Michael just raised an eyebrow, which made
India
giggle again.

“Oh, very ladylike,” Bobby said, putting his list down and checking her over once more as Scott finished re-touching her lips.
 
“There.
 
All done ... again.
 
Right, can we get these two in their car now before someone leaves them alone again?
 
Because they really can’t be trusted anymore.”

She stood up on tip-toes and kissed Bobby quickly as he hugged her.
 
“I love you, Bobby Castle.”

“Yes, and I love you too, honey.”
 
He held her out at arms length and looked at her.
 
“You look gorgeous, angel.
 
Now, just try and stay that way until you get to the theatre.”
 
He hugged her again, handing her a matching baby blue handbag.
 
“Right, your pager straight to Dr Goldman’s in there, just incase you get any problems with Junior ...” He looked at Michael.
 
“Should she really be going out when she’s so near her due date?”

Michael just shrugged.
 
“Do
you
want to try telling her to stay put?”

“Fair point.”
 
He turned his attention back to
India
and the contents of her handbag.
 
“Ok ... where was I?
 
Right, your pager, that’s in there, and a bottle of water because you need to keep hydrated, we can’t have you passing out, you’ll take all the attention away from Mr Walsh’s movie if that happens.
 
Are you ready?”