Penelope (5 page)

He stood when he saw her. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” She turned toward Vivian. “You’re here early.”

“Damn tornado. They finally can get me back into my house to collect things. But because it isn’t stable, I have to go now. I have to borrow Sam’s truck and head over there right now to take out whatever I can.” She fumed from the coffee pot to the refrigerator where she pulled out the coffee creamer. “The girls are at the rec center in child watch for the day, which I have to pay for.” She poured creamer into her coffee mug. “At least Amelia was able to get me a discount,” she huffed as she stirred the cream. As if she’d noticed he was there, Vivian turned and looked at Brock. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go on a rant. Things have been a little crazy this week.”

“No problem, ma’am. I understand.”

Vivian laughed. “You can call me Vivian. I don’t need the pleasantries of ma’am.”

Penelope laughed and they both looked at her. “Sorry,” she said for the outburst as she moved in to retrieve a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She looked back toward Brock to offer him one, but noticed he already nursed a cup of coffee. “I thought you were coming later.”

Brock nodded, looked toward Vivian, and then back at Penelope. “I got an earlier start.”

The front door opened and she could hear the unmistakable sound of Amelia’s walk as she headed their way. “I need your car,” she said as she turned around the wall and into the kitchen.

Vivian snapped her head up. “My car?”

“Yes. I have Sam’s truck out here for you, but I need to get back to his office and get some files he forgot. What kind of lawyer forgets files for a trial?”

Penelope looked up and her lip quivered so she bit down on it. “The St. Pierre files?”

“Yes.”

“They’re in the board room, on the credenza. I was walking to his office with them and then I didn’t feel good. I set them down…”

Amelia was now right in front of her with her hands on her shoulders. “You’re going to make yourself sicker if you keep worrying about this. Now, the files are in the board room?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” She turned around and looked at Vivian. “Here are Sam’s keys. Give me your keys. I have to head to Oklahoma City.”

Vivian pulled her car keys from her pocket and handed them to Amelia.

Penelope moved toward them. “What about my appointment? Will you be back for that?”

They exchanged glances with each other and then both looked at Penelope.

Vivian’s shoulders dropped. “Crap! I forgot all about it. I have to go do this. I don’t know what I can save, but they said they have to get demolition in there. The lot isn’t safe.”

Penelope nodded. She wanted to cry, but it wasn’t really anyone’s fault—though that didn’t matter.

Amelia looked at her watch. “I’ll try. If I make it back in time I’ll be there. But…”

“I know. I understand.”

Amelia moved in and gave her a hug. “You’ll be fine. Bring pictures.” Her phone rang in her pocket. “I have to go. That’s Sam, probably looking for those files.”

With that Amelia ran out of the house, the door slamming behind her.

“God, if we have to replace that front door because of her . . .” Vivian winced. “I’m sorry I won’t be there.”

“It’s okay. Really it is.” She hoped her voice didn’t shake, but she couldn’t tell that it hadn’t.

“Okay, I have to go. I hope there is something I can salvage in there. I’ll get what I can of yours too.”

Penelope nodded. “I only had the one suitcase in my room. Everything else was in the car.”

The both exchanged looks that said they knew that meant Penelope had nothing.

“I’ll see what I can find,” Vivian assured her, looked at Sam’s keys, and let out a grunt. “Bastard left me with nothing and God took away everything else.”

“Vivian…”

“I know,” she said. “That’s not fair. I’m just pissed.” She looked up at Penelope. “I’ll be there for the next ultrasound, okay?”

Penelope nodded. “I’ll be fine.”

Vivian rested her hand on Penelope’s arm in a sign of sincerity before she too ran out the front door.

Penelope felt the tears begin to sting her eyes and clog her throat. The baby fluttered as if reminding her that they were going to be a team.

She rested her hands on her stomach, sucked in a breath, and pushed back the tears. “I’m sorry I’m a bit of a wreck today.”

“It’s no problem, ma’am.”

Penelope winced. “Please, just Penelope.”

Brock laughed. “You’re all going to push the boundaries of my disciplines.”

“I guess you should give me what you have. It looks like I have an appointment I’ll be going to alone.” Her voice dropped in disappointment.

“Do you need a ride?”

“I have Adam’s car.”

“If you just need some support I could go with you. Of course I could wait in the waiting room, but I’d be happy to escort you.”

He did something to her, Penelope thought. His dark eyes, shadow of dark hair, and his deep stirring voice resonated in her. The baby moved again as if giving his or her acceptance to the proposal.

“You’d do that?”

“Of course. Like I said, my mother doesn’t know I’m coming. I have time. I’d like to do this for Sergeant Monroe. It would be an honor.”

Was it wrong for her to want him there? She felt a connection to him and obviously so did the baby. Perhaps it was that he was there when Adam died. Maybe it was that he was the only person she’d found that respected him and right now she needed someone to believe in him. If for no other reason than to help halt the guilt she felt over loving a man who had done so many people wrong.

“I know we don’t know each other, but I’d really appreciate the company. I mean, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

Brock smiled a million dollar smile. “It would be my pleasure.”

Doctor’s offices made Penelope sick. Surely it should have the opposite effect, but sadly it didn’t.

She signed in at the counter and then went to sit next to Brock. When she reached him, he stood.

Penelope smiled and sat down before he followed.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met a man so respectful in my life. You’ll forgive me if I have no idea how to act.”

He sat in the seat next to her. “You should have had men treating you like this your whole life. I tell you what; my daddy would have kicked my back side had I not talked to a lady with respect.”

“But you’re not around your daddy. And you’ve been with men for, well I don’t know how long. Men don’t talk like that when they are alone.”

He gave a quick chuckle. “You’re right. We don’t, but our language and subject matter doesn’t have to belittle women.”

She nodded with a hum. “I guess you were raised right.”

The nurse called her back and as she stood so did Brock.

“I’ll be here when you’re done,” he said with that smile again.

Penelope nodded and followed the nurse back to the room.

The nurse took her vitals and Penelope closed her eyes when she stood on the scale. She wondered if Sam had noticed all of the snacks disappearing in the boardroom. She just couldn’t help herself.

Once the nurse had all the information she needed, Penelope gowned as per the nurse’s instructions and then lay on the table and covered with the small blanket.

When there was a tapping at the door she sat up. “I’m ready,” she said.

The door opened slightly and she was more than surprised to see Brock peek his head in. “The nurse said I was supposed to come in here. I thought you might have needed me. I can go back out if you want. I don’t want to…”

The door opened wider and the doctor was now standing behind Brock. “Please, come on in,” the doctor invited.

Penelope looked back at Brock whose face had gone pale, but this was the moment, wasn’t it? Why not invite him in? There was no one else to share her joy with, but this man seemed interested enough to have offered to be there with her.

“Brock, come in,” she offered.

With a nod to her and then to the doctor, the man who stood well over six foot four trembled as he walked into the room.

The doctor went about getting the room ready and sharing pleasantries of small talk with Penelope, but she couldn’t help but be affixed on the man who had barely made it through the door.

His hands were tucked in his pockets as if he were afraid to accidently touch something. He kept his distance as if he still weren’t sure he should be there, but he was, and that was more than she could say for anyone else in her life.

Penelope bit down on her cheek. That wasn’t fair. Vivian and Amelia had other things they needed to attend to. They would have been there—they would.

“Okay, we’re ready,” the doctor said. “Just lay back and be comfortable.”

Brock had almost made it close enough to the table that she could reach out to him and on a whim she did.

“Come sit next to me,” she said softly and he looked down at her.

Had she noticed just how deep and dark brown his eyes were yesterday? She could swim in his chocolate colored gaze. There was a scar through his eyebrow. How had it gotten there, she wondered.

With her hand extended toward him, Brock reached for her and moved beside her. Slowly, he eased down into the chair next to her.

“Okay, here we go. Let’s see this baby,” the doctor said as he took the bottle of blue jelly and squeezed it onto her stomach.

She jumped and Brock’s eyes shot open wide. “Are you okay? Did that hurt?”

Penelope smiled, lost again in the compassion of this man. “It was cold.”

“Sorry,” the doctor said with a laugh. “It looks like they forgot to turn on the warmer for it. Okay, what can we see?”

The first images began to form on the screen. There were a few bubbles, but nothing that Penelope could make out until…

“Oh, wow!”

She turned her head toward Brock who was mesmerized by the image on the screen.

She looked back at the screen and there was the image of her baby. Words didn’t flow, not even as eloquently as Brock’s had. Instead tears began to pour down her cheeks. There, right in front of her, was her baby.

“It looks like she’s sucking her thumb,” the doctor said.

“She?”

He gave a little laugh. “Could be he. I was being general. Did you want to know what sex your baby is?”

Yes. No. Did she? This was the hardest question she’d ever been asked. She looked at Brock, but his eyes were glued to the screen.

“I think I’d like to wait. I like surprises.”

The doctor gave her a nod and continued on moving the wand over her stomach and clicking buttons on the machine.

Brock had eased in closer now, but she wasn’t sure he’d realized it. His one arm rested near her head as he leaned over to see the screen.

As the doctor eased the wand over her stomach and the image of the baby’s body appeared she reached for Brock’s hand by her side and he gave hers a squeeze.

The tears kept flowing. The baby wiggled and the image disappeared from the screen.

The doctor chuckled. “He’s a dancer, huh?”

“Did you feel that?” Brock asked. “I mean, when he moved. Can you feel it?”

She smiled up at him. “Yes. It’s like nothing I could even explain to you. It’s such an amazing feeling.”

One corner of his mouth lifted into a smile and there was a dimple. How could she possibly be so taken by a man she’d met yesterday and laying in such a situation as she was? But there she was, her abdomen exposed, and this man holding her hand. Was there a reason Adam sent him to find her?

She took a deep breath. Okay, now she was being hormonal and sappy. By mistake he was in this room sharing this moment with her. Nothing more. He’d come to give her something from Adam. He was fulfilling his duty to his superior out of respect.

He’d drive her home, give her the item Adam had sent, and then he’d go to his own mother. That would be that.

She looked back at the screen. The doctor had put the image of her face back up and she was still sucking her thumb. No matter what was to come with her friendship with Adam’s other wives or even with Brock Romero, she still had that beautiful face in her life—forever.

As the doctor removed the wand she began to cry harder.

Brock brushed his hand over the top of her head. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded. “Just emotional.”

The doctor wiped off her stomach and pulled up the sheet. “The baby looks perfect. You’re doing a good job, Mama.” He gave her leg a pat and stood from his seat. “Here’s a souvenir.” He handed her two photos of the baby. One of his body and the other sucking his thumb.

He extended a hand toward Brock and he stood from his chair. “Take good care of her. We’ll see you next month.”

“Thank you,” Brock said. “Is she okay? Is all of this normal? I’ve never been around a pregnant woman.”