Unexpected Romance (21 page)

"She
said Tony came to the house. Nic found her on the front step, hunched
over in pain. She could barely walk, so Nic put her in the car and
they headed straight for the hospital. Tony started crying, but when
Nic asked her what was wrong, she wouldn't say anything."

"I
dunno what to tell you, man. I swear I talked to her this morning and
we were good. My mother and sister are in town and I know she was
worried, but we weren't seeing them until the morning. Damn it. I
can’t think of anything. She's been stressed about her finals
as well. And the new house."

"Maybe
it's all too much for her. Maybe she came to her senses."

"About
what? What have I done to her that's wrong? I've been faithful,
fully. I bought her a house and proposed."

"You
proposed?"

"Yeah,
the night I showed her the house. I meant to wait, but I couldn't."

"Well,
I've been watching you and you haven't stepped out of line anywhere.
I haven't seen you so much as glance at another woman."

"
I
know that.
I love her. She wouldn't have found a number in my
pants pocket or anything. It doesn't make sense."

He
watched the lights of the passing vehicles and of the city in
general. He felt sick to his stomach that something was wrong with
her or with the baby and she feared telling everyone.

He
looked up. “What if there’s something she’s not
telling me? Could something be wrong with the baby? Or with her?”

“
She’d
tell Nicole wouldn’t she?”

“
I
wish I knew. I know her, but sometimes I feel as if I don’t
know her. I love her, but we haven’t been together very long
yet. I feel like she’s holding back with me, all the time.”

“
She’s
like that with everyone.”

He
was putting an end to that tonight, at least with him. He wanted
everything Tonya. He needed her. And he wasn’t going to let her
hide part of herself from him any longer.

Corey
parked his truck in the emergency room parking lot. Chris wanted to
run in and demand to know where his fiance was, but he didn’t
think anyone would be impressed with his theatrics. He walked slowly
beside Corey.

Nicole
met them at the doors. Corey hugged and kissed her, while Chris felt
intensely jealous.

"Did
you find out anything more?"

Nicole
pulled away from Corey to address Chris. "She kept crying and
the contractions kept coming. They gave her a mild sedative to help
her relax. She doesn't seem to be dilating yet, so they don't know
what's wrong. Again. They are doing a stress test for the baby and
making sure everything is okay in there."

"Okay.
I guess I'll go try to talk to her."

"You
didn't do anything?" Nicole demanded with narrow eyes.

"I
swear to you, and Corey can back me up, I've done nothing I can think
of. I’m worried there’s something she’s not telling
us. She holds back from letting people get to know her for real. I’m
not letting her do that anymore. I will stand by her no matter what.”

Nicole
smiled. “All right, come on, we’ll go see her.”

He
got the security guard to walk him down to her room. Her eyes were
closed when he walked in. He took a deep breath.

“
Hey,
baby, I missed you.”

Tony’s
eyes flew open when she heard Chris’s voice. It took all her
will power to keep from reacting. She wanted to jump and hug him, to
melt into him, to have him tell her everything would be okay. She was
glad she was facing away from the door where he stood.

“
How
are you feeling?” He put his hand on hers. She forced her body
to go rigid, to steel herself against his presence. She squeezed her
eyes shut and radiated ‘go away’ as hard as she could.

“
Tonya,
you’re scaring me. Is it something I did? Or is there something
you are hiding from me? Is something wrong with the baby that you’ve
been too scared to talk about?”

“
I
don’t think it’s going to work out,” she said,
hoarsely.

His
caressing hands went still and she felt him stiffen. She wanted to
turn and look at him.

His
voice was as hard as a diamond ring. “Why not?”

She
licked her lips. “I’m not the right person for you.”

His
hand softened and she could feel him smiling again. She’d just
dumped him, before he could do it. Why was he smiling? Was he happy
to be rid of her? That was it, he was celebrating his freedom.

She
made her body stiffer and pressed herself into the mattress, hoping
for separation from him.

"Well,
I know you are the right person for me. You’re scared of me, of
anyone, knowing who you are. So you keep a little of yourself back.
You might not be fully committed to this, but I am. I am going to
show you that you can trust me with your true self.”

Tony
waited for another crying jag to hit her. Instead, she felt
sleepiness.

“
I
think there’s something deeper going on. But I’m jet
lagged and a bit insane from worrying about you and this baby. I
think it would be best if I went home and got a few hours sleep until
you can come home with me. Then you will tell me all the things
you’ve been holding back.”

Tony’s
eyes felt heavy and she rolled over to look at Chris. He had tears on
his face and he wiped them away. He leaned down and wrapped his arms
around her and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Tonya. Sleep
now.”

Chris
sat in the chair and watched Tonya sleep for a while. The doctor
opened the door and pulled up short.

"Hello,
I'm Tonya's fiance. How is she?"

"I
came to find out that exact thing." He walked to the bed. "I
don't know what the woman who brought her here told you."

"Yeah,
she said Tonya was upset and she was sedated. It won't harm the baby
at all?"

"Nope,
totally safe. The stress, so long as it's not chronic, shouldn't be
harmful either. Do you know what upset her? I'm wondering whether I
should call someone from the psych ward."

"No,
I was out of town. I play hockey. I got home and found she was here.
We talked this morning and she was fine. She was studying for finals,
she's been a bit worried about that and we are buying a house."

"Maybe
she's feeling overwhelmed with everything. I’d like to keep her
for a few more hours of observation."

"Okay.
Good. I’m going to catch a little sleep then I’ll come
back and pick her up. You can call my cell phone if you need
anything.”

"Okay,
I'll add your number to the chart so we can notify you if anything
changes."

He
went back to the lobby where Corey and Nicole waited.

"She's
sleeping. The only thing she said was that she's not the right person
for me. Which is bullshit. I've never been fucking happier in my
life. Except not looking forward to this weekend, because my mother
is here and she's been a real bitch lately."

"Nicole
should be sleeping, as well," Corey said. "I think—"

Chris
felt a click in his head as the events came together. "That's
it. That's what happened. I'm going to maim her."

"Maim
who?" Corey said.

"My
goddamn mother. She's been bitching lately about how Tony's after my
money."

"What?
Tony?" Corey said.

Nicole
reached her arm over his body, keeping him in his chair. "Let
Chris explain."

"I
told her she's wrong and she had better keep her mouth shut. I never
told Tony." He pulled his phone from his pocket. "I bet she
went over there. She couldn't help herself. Damn it."

"Hold
on. Nicole needs to get to bed. I will drive her home and you can
take her car, and call us in the morning."

Chris
paused in the middle of scrolling for his sister’s contact
information. "All right."

"Not
before seven," Corey clarified.

"Phone
if you need anything, even in the middle of the night," Nicole
said.

Corey
was dragging her away. He looked back and shook his head while
mouthing "no."

Chris
shook his head. This was his mess, he would take care of it.

He
smiled. Well, finally he'd prove to Tonya that he wasn't going to
leave her. And that he did love her. She'd know and hopefully, she'd
stop trying to find a way to run from him.

He
didn't care how late it was, he dialed Camille's cell-phone number.
She answered on the fifth ring, with a very groggy. "Hello?"

"I'm
sorry to wake you. Is our darling mother with you?"

"Of
course she is. Did you call me at this time of night to ask me that?"

"I
need to talk to her. If I come over, because I might maim her.”

"What?"
Camille was waking up. He could hear the blankets as she sat up under
them, the click of the light as she turned it on. "Mother. What
did you do?"

"I
didn't do anything wrong," was the reply. "Is that Chris? I
did him a favor."

"What
did she do?"

"She
went to my place and called Tonya something, like gold digger, or
money hungry bitch. Who knows?"

"When
we arrived, I was so tired, I wanted to sleep. She said she was going
to the pool then maybe get a bite downstairs. She must have done it
then. Mother, how could you?"

"I
was proving to him, what her true colors are," his mother called
from the background.

"By
upsetting her and sending her into early labor? Does she realize she
could have harmed her own grandchild?"

"Tony
went into early labor? Is she okay? Did they get it under control?"
Camille asked.

"She
was so upset they had to sedate her. And she wouldn’t talk to
me when I arrived."

"I
just wanted to get her out of your life. She's only after your
money," came the reply after Camille relayed the details.

"Put
me on speaker," he finally said, after getting his composure.

"Okay,
you're on speaker."

"Mother,
you won’t convince me that Tony is after my money. I love her
and she can have half of everything. We already signed an agreement.
Half the new house, half my money. All of it." That was an
exaggeration, she would be well-taken care of.

"A
new house? Chris, you didn't."

"It
was meant to be a surprise while you were here. We can't move in yet.
After Christmas. And we are engaged. So pull out the stick that's
been shoved up your ass my whole life."

"You
can't talk to me that way, Christopher."

"After
the way you treated my fiance, I think I can tell you whatever I
want. Hopefully, she'll be out of the hospital tonight. And tomorrow,
if you want to come over and apologize around lunchtime, we might be
open to that. Otherwise, you can enjoy the city and fly home."

"Chris,
come on," his mother said.

"Camille,
I will call you in the morning. I'm looking forward to seeing you."

"She'll
apologize in the morning," Camille said.

"I'm
glad you have confidence," he said. "Have a good sleep."

He
hung up the phone and turned. They let him back into the ward where
Tonya’s room was.

He
pulled the chair around the bed and took her hand. "Tony, I know
you're sleeping, but whatever my mother said to you is wrong. I love
you. I know you aren't after my money."

She
snorted in her sleep and Chris squeezed her hand. He propped his
jacket under his head and tried to get comfortable. He decided if he
went home, he wouldn’t get any more sleep than he would get
here.

Tony
woke to the murmurs of the nurse and Chris.

“
There
you go, sir. Neither of us has to wake her.”

“
I
told you to go away,” Tony mumbled.

“
I
need to check your temperature, blood pressure and take a bit of
blood,” the nurse said.

“
You
did tell me to go away, but I decided I’m never leaving your
side again,” Chris said.

She
glared at his smug face.

The
nurse turned to him. “If you are upsetting my patient, you’ll
have to leave. Now let me do this quick tests, you can kiss and
makeup then leave, so the girl can get some rest.”

Chris
put up his hands in surrender. He backed out of the room. She could
see him pacing outside the door while the nurse poked and prodded
her. Everything was fine.

When
the nurse was done, Chris came back in. Tony started to turn away. If
she meant to finish what had been started the night before, she
couldn’t look at his beautiful face.

He
put his hand on her shoulder and rubbed. “Listen, Tony, my
mother was wrong. Very wrong. I said this while you were sleeping,
but I’ll say it again. I love you. I know you aren't after my
money. I’m getting everything in our papers changed back, you
get half of everything if you leave."