Trust Me II (27 page)

“What’s the matter?” she asked in a hushed whisper.

“Maybe I’ve been playing with you too hard,” he said with a deep breath as he glanced down to her. “What if the toys have harmed the baby?” Sandra had secretly wondered the same thing.

“How do we find out?” she asked. “I don’t want to ask that doctor; I’d be more embarrassed
to ask that than having his hands inside me.”

“We can check it out on the internet. I’m sure someone has had the same question.” Sandra nodded and stood reaching for his hand. “Until then, no more toys; I will not do anything to harm you or our child.” It was Sandra’s turn to frown; not playing was never an option she had considered. She enjoyed the path down the darker side of sex and she loved exploring it with him; she had become an addict and wasn’t sure she wanted to stop cold turkey.

They walked out the door and found the doctor and his nurse standing by a large counter, a green bag with the clinic’s insignia sat beside him with a number of book edges poking out of the top. Creighton cleared his throat as they approached; hoping the other two had not overheard their conversation. The doctor turned to look at them, a very kind smile pulling his thin lips upwards.

“I have some information for you,” he said handing the bag to Sandra. “We have a few items in English, but I am afraid most are in French.”

“I can read them to her,” Creighton said, once again wrapping his arm around her waist to assure the other man of his position with the woman.

“Good. Lizzette has scheduled you an appointment for the day after tomorrow to have your blood drawn and please make a list of questions you may have and discuss them with your doctor when you go back to England. Until then, you can find most answers on trusted websites; I’ve given you a list of them in the bag. Don’t trust the blogs you read, they are not honest answers
and will scare you with the responses.” Creighton nodded and took the slip of paper he handed him. “Get these filled and start taking them right away. You do not have to take the ones for your stomach if you do not need them, but keep them close just in case.”

Ten minutes later, Sandra found herself sitting next to her husband in the sleek black sports car. They had filled her prescriptions at the pharmacy next to the doctor’s office and were in route back to the hotel. Their minds were consumed with the events of the morning and questions were beginning to fill the spaces between the concern and the shock.

They were going to have a baby!

So far, Europe had proven itself very eventful; first she met this incredible man who showed her love and passion in ways she had never known possible. Then she found herself the wife of this same man; the bride of a multimillionaire, about to move into a refurbished farmhouse in England that had been the
burial site for a serial killer, thousands of miles from home. And finally, she discovers she is pregnant. With a heavy sigh Sandra leaned her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes. Could anything else happen before she had the chance to unpack her suitcase?

Creighton sat next to his sleeping wife a few hours later, reviewing the websites the doctor had provided. There was enough information to keep them reading for the next nine months and still not learn it all, but he found nothing on the subject he was most concerned about.

He had learned about the implantation stage the doctor talked about, the development of the baby and what was happening right now inside Sandra’s beautiful body. He learned about mood swings, hormone bursts, so-called pregnancy brain and weight gain. There were more articles on the benefits of breastfeeding and
the improvements of formula than he could keep track of. He studied the tests that they would need to have done to ensure a healthy pregnancy and the proper diet and exercise Sandra would need to keep her and the baby in good health.

With a heavy sigh, he clicked the websites closed and typed in a specific topic in the search engine. More than twelve pages appeared in front of him with sites that could prove beneficial to their questions. He chose the one near the top of the first page that looked like it would prove useful. An article written by an
obstetrician in America pulled up in front of him and he began reading.

The doctor advised that sex and marital aids were safe during pregnancy, unless there is pain or discomfort. The article continued to say that a study was performed on more than five thousand women and found that eighty percent reported experiencing unusual sexual cravings during pregnancy. Another study done in 2008 reported that out of the two thousand women surveyed, seventy-six percent of them said they had developed an addiction to orgasms that they did not have before pregnancy.

An hour later Creighton closed his computer, content with all that he had learned and read. At least he wasn’t going to panic if she decided that she wanted something more intense, provided it didn’t cause her pain. The thought of her becoming aroused just because of the new surge of hormones made his own libido react; he was looking forward to exploring this new side of sex with her. As though by instinct to his predicament, Sandra stirred awake and glanced up into the handsome face that smiled down to her, smiling in return.

“Did I wake you?” he asked, his thumb caressing her soft cheek. Sandra yawned and shook her head.

“No, I’m hungry.”

“What would you like?” he teased her. “Pickles and ice cream perhaps?” Sandra wrinkled her nose and grunted her disapproval as she sat up from his lap.

“How about fruit and yogurt,” she suggested.

“I’ll call room service, what else would you like?” He stood as he spoke, walking into the adjoining kitchen and reached for the phone that connected to the hotel’s many services.

“Do we have to eat here? Can’t we go out?” Creighton glanced out the window to the sun peeking through the drapes. They hadn’t seen it in so many days; it looked like a foreign object hanging in the sky.

“It stopped raining. Would you like to eat at the restaurant downstairs and then take a walk around the gardens?”

“I’d love to.” Sandra pulled her feet off the sofa and back into her shoes. Creighton stepped up to her side, steadying her on her legs as she fought off the effects of sleep and smiled as she took his hand before walking with him to the door.

“Do you think we will ever find a normal routine?” Sandra asked as they stood by the lift doors, waiting for its arrival.

“Depends on what you consider routine,” he smiled. “For some people chaos is routine.”

“And I suppose dark perversion is normal to others?” Creighton chuckled as the doors slid open and they walked in, pressing the button for the main lobby.

“Only for those of us who are lucky enough to discover it.”

The Palace of Versailles was a magnificent place to visit. From the hall of mirrors to Marie Antoinette’s apartment, it was a sight to behold; the history, the elegance, the beauty was awe inspiring. The Royal Chapel was a wonder in itself and Sandra found her neck aching from looking up at the beautiful artwork and detailed carvings that embraced the quiet, serene structure. They walked the Gardens and Parks of the Chateau and took a number of pictures of the marvelous bronze and stone statues. Sandra’s particular favorite was the statue of Loire with his wavy hair and beard and eyes that seemed to look out onto the world, watching the years pass before it, in silence.

There was just too much to take in all in one day and Creighton promised to bring her back another time so they could explore more thoroughly. The skies were a brilliant blue, the air clean and clear; the sidewalks still damp though drying quickly in the June warmth. The smell of rain still hung in the air as birds began to flutter around the many tall trees. It was peaceful here, quiet and calm with no shouts of children, barking dogs or loud traffic and for a moment, she felt if she closed her eyes, she could hear the past echoing among the paths and walkways.

They walked hand-in-hand back to the chateau, each consumed with their own thoughts to notice much else going on around them.

“What are you thinking about?” Creighton asked, pulling her to a stop and sitting on a stone bench among the garden’s floral occupants.

“Are you ready for all of this?” Sandra looked into his dark eyes and waiting as he thought silently for a few brief moments.

“There was a point in my life when I didn’t want anything more than cheap thrills and perverted sex. The more the better; the kinkier the better, but then my life changed in the matter of seconds and I realized I wanted so much more. I wanted the wife and children, the house and the chores and the walks along the country road at sunset. I wanted what I had left behind when I went to university.

“One day I started making money and pretty soon that consumed my every waking moment. Between work and underground sex clubs, I barely spoke to my family except on special occasions. It took being shot to make me realize what I had turned my back on.” Sandra listened to his thoughts, seeing the boy he once was and the man he thought he wanted to be displayed in his eyes.

“When I told you I fell in love with you after the first moment I saw you, I wasn’t lying. You were innocent and young, simple and naïve and yet confident and content. You had everything I wanted for myself. It was only through repeat visits and watching you through the security cameras that I realized, you were the person I had secretly dreamt of. You were the backbone I was missing, the conscious I thought I lost. You were hope and passion and love all in one incredibly beautiful body. So to answer your question Sandra, I have been ready for this for a very long time.”

“I wish I had paid more attention to you two years ago. Perhaps things would not be so crazy for us right now, if I had.”

“Like you said, things happen for a reason. All I know is I’m thrilled beyond words that you’re mine and we’re together now.”

“Do you have any idea how incredibly lucky I feel to be with you? I love your wit, your humor, even your dark side. I love talking with you and holding your hand and making love with you. I love the way you make me feel out of control and yet in total control all at once. You made me discover my inner self and I will never be able to thank you enough for that.”

“So I suppose what it boils down to, is that we belong together?” Creighton smiled, kissing her forehead and pulling her into his embrace. “I won’t allow you to regret what we have. I know we’ll have good times and bad; we’ll love each other and hate each other, but together we can work through all of that and move into a world of our own. You will learn to accept me for all my faults and I will learn to love you for all of your perfections. That’s what marriage is all about.” Sandra laughed as he hugged her closer to him, listing to the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her ear. Slowly the soft sounds of music began to play and she looked around, watching the couple walk through the garden opposite them playing a guitar duet for all and any who would listen and offer a coin or two.

It was this place, she told herself as they watched the musicians mingle through the maze of flowers and shrubbery. There was a certain kind of magic among the leaves that made life seem to stop and turn around; things were simple when you sat there watching the birds in the trees, the bees in flowers. There were no mysteries, no fears, no worries, just passion and love and the hope for a better tomorrow. Perhaps this little thing inside her was the start of a new life for both of them; one that would lead them past their
once was
and into their
will be.

Creighton sat at the dining table, his computer open in front of him as Sandra sat on the sofa, flipping through the books the doctor had given them. So many things were about to happen for them; so many wonderful and frightening things and all she could think was how unreal it all seemed. She had always wanted children, but she never thought it would be possible. How was it she was able to avoid men for twenty-six years, only to fall into the arms of a stranger two days after meeting him and then marry him two weeks later?

They returned to their flat the day after having her blood redrawn for the second time and learning everything looked normal and
was proceeding on schedule. The bleeding continued off and on for another day and then stopped, just as the handsome doctor told them it would. Being back at the flat allowed them the opportunity to relax without the fear of guests listening in on their private conversations whenever they went down to the restaurant or museum.

The sound of an old cuckoo clock on the wall ticked on, counting down the seconds as they both sat close by and yet a world apart. Sandra found herself wondering what their baby would like; would it be a boy or a girl, dark hair or brown, blue eyes or green. One thing she was certain of, it would be happy and loved as no other child ever had been before. It would have a strong caring father who would teach it the ways of the world and a mother who would teach it to love the world the way it was.

Creighton leaned back in the chair, stretching his arms out in front of him. The day had flown by much quicker than either thought possible. They had eaten supper at the little buffet down the block and walked along the shops talking about their house, the baby and their families. They both knew everyone would be happy for them, even Cathy eventually, but they still didn’t want to say anything until they were certain there were no worries to interfere with their joy. When they returned to the flat, he insisted he needed to work on the plans for the Kansas project and she wanted to know more about what was growing inside her.