don’t owe me any apologies. I’m the one who showed up on your doorstep unannounced.”
“Why don’t we both stop taking blame and agree to start again?”
Her eyes became less unsure. “I guess we could do that.”
“Then why don’t we start by having a burger together?”
“Okay.” She agreed with less enthusiasm than he would have liked.
“I know a place just down the street that serves good food. Andrew’s Burgers.”
“I’ve heard of it but never been there.”
“Great. Do you mind walking?”
“No, I haven’t had my exercise today.”
Ryan looked at her. If it hadn’t been for the baby, she would have been a slim woman. With her coloring she was an eye-catcher, pregnant or not. Her soft, lilting voice was what really caught his attention.
“If you’ll wait I’d like to lock up my office.”
She nodded. When he returned she was sitting in one of the reclining chairs in the waiting room with her hands resting on the baby.
“I’m ready.”
Phoebe looked at him. She pushed against the chair arm to support herself as she stood. “I think this baby is going to be a giant.”
“Every mother-to-be that I see thinks that about this time.”
As they made their way down the hall to the elevators, Ryan asked, “So how’re you and the baby doing?”
A soft smile came to her lips. “Sophia says we’re both doing great. I’ll have to start coming to clinic every week soon. I just hate that I’m losing her as my midwife. I’ve become very attached.”
“You are getting close.”
“I am.”
There was depression in her tone that he didn’t understand. He knew little about her, but she struck him as someone who would be ecstatic about holding a new life in her hands and caring for someone. Yet he sensed a need in her that he couldn’t put a finger on.
They went down the six floors to the lobby of the art deco building and out into the sunlight. The restaurant was a few blocks from the hospital.
“Let’s cross the street. I know a shortcut through the park.”
She followed him without question. A few minutes later they exited the park and were once again walking along the sidewalk. A couple of times they had to work themselves around other people walking briskly in the opposite direction. Ryan matched his stride to her shorter one and ran interference when someone looked as if they might bump into her.
“I can walk without help, you know.”
He glanced at her. She was small but she gave off an air of confidence. It was in complete contrast to her actions that night at his house. Something was going on with her. “I know, but I wouldn’t want you to accidentally fall and Sophia would have my head for it.”
“I think they gave up chopping off heads in Australia a long time ago,” she said in a dry tone.
“Still, I’m kind of scared of Sophia. I don’t know if I could face her if I let you get hurt.”
That got a smile out of her. “Here we are,” Ryan said as he pulled the glass door of the restaurant open and allowed Phoebe to enter ahead of him.
She wasn’t sure sharing a meal with Ryan was such a good idea. He’d asked nicely enough and she hadn’t eaten out in so long she hadn’t had the heart to say no. She suspected either his curiosity or some kind of obligation he felt toward Joshua had made him ask. No way had he changed overnight into being the emotional support she’d naively hoped he might be. A nice meal shared with someone was all she expected to get out of the next hour.
When Ryan was asked if they wanted a booth or table he glanced at her middle and grinned. He had a wide smile and nice even teeth. “I guess we’d better go for a table.”
They were directed to one. The restaurant was decorated in a 1950s diner style, all chrome, red-covered chairs and white tile on the floor. Lighting hung over each booth and table. It was still early for the dinner crowd so it wasn’t noisy. Phoebe wasn’t sure if she considered that good or bad.
She took a seat. Ryan sat in the chair across the table from her.
“So I need to order a hamburger, I’m thinking.” Phoebe took the menu out of the metal rack on the table.
“They have good ones. But there are also other things just as good.”
The waitress arrived and took their drink order. Phoebe opened a menu but Ryan didn’t. When the waitress returned with their glasses, she asked what they would like to order. Phoebe decided on the burger without onions and Ryan ordered his with everything.
The waitress left and Ryan asked, “No onions?”
“They don’t agree with me.”
“That’s typical. I know a mother who said she couldn’t cook bacon the entire first three months of her pregnancy.”
“Smells used to bother me but that has become better.”
Ryan crossed his arms and leaned on the table. “So do you know if it’s a boy or a girl?”
“I don’t know.”
“Really?”
Phoebe almost laughed at his look of shock. “Don’t want to know. I like surprises.”
“That’s pretty amazing in this day and age where everyone is wanting to know the sex and you don’t. I wouldn’t want to know, either. One of my favorite moments during a delivery is the look on the parents’ faces when they discover the sex.”
Phoebe got the impression that she’d gone up a notch in his estimation.
“You know, I don’t know any other male midwife.”
“There are only a few of us around. More in Australia than in the US.”
“So why did you become one?”
“I wanted to do something that made me smile.” He picked up his drink. “I was tired of watching people’s lives being destroyed or lost when I was in the service. I wanted to do something that involved medicine but had a happy ending. What’s better than bringing a life into the world?”
He was right. What was better than that?
The waitress brought their meals. They didn’t speak for a while.
It fascinated Phoebe that they were virtual strangers but seem to be content sharing a meal together. This evening stood in sharp contrast to when they had met. Being around this Ryan put her at ease for some reason. After their first meeting she would have
