you all right?”
“Of course she is.” Dr. Panos smiled at Nikos. “Sit down, Kyrie Vassalos, and watch the screen. We’ll take a peek inside to see how your baby is progressing. This will take about ten minutes.”
Nikos couldn’t sit. More than his concern about the gender of the baby was the fear that something might show up to indicate a problem. The doctor moved the probe over her belly. Pretty soon the sound of a heartbeat filled the examination room.
“Can you hear that?” Stephanie cried in excitement.
“Your baby has a good, strong heartbeat. Keep watching the screen.”
Whether it was his baby or not, Nikos stood there mesmerized by the sight of pictures that gave evidence of the living miracle growing inside her.
The doctor nodded. “I like what I see.”
“Then it’s healthy?” Stephanie’s anxious question echoed that of Nikos.
“At this stage everything looks fine and normal. The baby could fit in the palm of your hand.”
Yet you could see it was a perfect baby. Nikos could only shake his head in awe.
“But it needs to turn for me if we’re going to find out its gender.” Dr. Panos pressed in various spots. “I know you’re uncomfortable after drinking all that water, Stephanie. Just a few more minutes, then you can use the bathroom.”
She let out a big sigh. “As long as there’s nothing wrong, I don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl.”
Since the night she’d held him during a flashback, Nikos had secretly worried he might have damaged the baby in some way. At the good news, exquisite relief swamped him.
Though she’d promised not to come near him at night, that fear had caused him to lock his bedroom door when he went to bed so she wouldn’t try to help him during an episode. Much as he desired sleeping with her, even if it would only be in the cabin with twin beds, he didn’t dare.
“From the positioning, I don’t know if we’re going to be successful. I need a better angle. Otherwise we could try another one in eight more weeks, at the end of your second trimester.” He continued to move the probe. “This one is active and kicking.”
“That sounds good to me,” Stephanie told the doctor. “I want to teach it to scuba dive.”
“So you’re a diver.”
“We both are,” Nikos volunteered.
After a surprisingly long period of silence, Dr. Panos said, “Then let’s hope he shares your interest.”
“He?” they exclaimed in unison.
“See that?” He pointed to the baby’s anatomy. “There’s your boy. Got a name for him yet?”
Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Nikos. “Nikolaos Alexandros Vassalos!”
Stephanie...
Dr. Panos chuckled. “Well, that sounded definite.” He turned off the machine and handed each of them a photo. “You can get up and use the restroom now. Keep taking your iron and vitamin pills, get plenty of rest, and I’ll see you in a month. Make your appointment with my receptionist on your way out.”
“Thank you!” Stephanie murmured emotionally.
“You’re entirely welcome. Congratulations.”
Nikos shook his hand, then studied the pictures while he waited for her. He couldn’t help remembering the time in the hospital when he’d been told he would never father a child, would never know the joy of hearing those words from a doctor, let alone be given pictures.
Stephanie’s glowing face was the first thing he saw when she met him out in reception. With excitement she scheduled her next visit, for early October.
Don’t let your doubts drag you down now, Vassalos.
He ushered her outside to the parking lot. “This calls for a celebration. What would you like to do?”
“Go to a furniture store and buy a crib. I’ve almost finished the lace edge on the quilt and can’t wait to see it set up in my room.”
“Be honest with me, Stephanie. Wouldn’t you rather we went looking for a house first?”
His question brought shadows to her eyes. “I thought we went through this a month ago.”
“I was afraid you were humoring me. I thought to give you a little more time.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I think it’s time you were honest with me. Are you dying to live in a house? Or have you decided you want to deposit me in one before you go crazy? I’m getting the message you need space away from me, while you conduct your business meetings on board. If that’s the case, please say so now.”
“Space is not the issue.”
Color tinted her cheeks. “Then what is?”
“I was only thinking of your happiness while you make preparations for the baby that’s coming.”
“I’m perfectly happy, but apparently you’re not. So I have an idea. While I go back to the yacht, you can look at furnished homes to your heart’s content with Mr. Doukakis. Let me know when you find the one you think will suit me best, and I’ll move into it.”
Damn. On this red letter day he’d mentioned a house only to please her, not to undo all the joy she’d been feeling since her visit to the doctor.
“Not every woman with a baby coming wants to live on the water.”
“But I’m not every woman,” she retorted. “The yacht is home to me. From my condo I used to watch oceangoing vessels out on the water and dream about sailing around the world on one. That idea has always intrigued me.”
He nodded. “Then I won’t mention buying a home again. After we find the right crib, let’s have lunch on the island before we return to the Diomedes.”
Now that she had run out of steam, she seemed to droop a little. “Nikos? Forgive me for snapping at you. I can’t believe I talked to you like that when you’re always so wonderful to me. The truth is I’ve been so happy, I haven’t wanted anything to change. But that’s the selfish part of me talking. I’ll go with you to look at a house, and never complain again. The last thing I want to be is a carping wife.” Her voice caught.
“Carping?”
“Yes, as in a petty woman who looks for trouble and finds fault at every turn, appreciating nothing. With your command of English, I’m surprised you haven’t heard that word.”
He cradled her lovely face in his hands, forcing her look at him. She’d picked up a golden glow since living on the yacht. Her eyes shimmered an intense blue. Nikos could easily get lost in them. “You’re none of those things and you know it.”
“I’m
