I felt sick and now food doesn’t look good.”
Rosie turned to study her while she dried her hands and took the dishes from Emma. “You were sick yesterday morning.”
Emma looked at Rosie and met a speculative gaze. “My period is late,” Emma said, confessing what had been worrying her each day. “I shouldn’t be sick no matter what, but I am.”
“Bless your heart,” Rosie said, hugging Emma lightly. Emma stood immobile, stunned. Fear had blossomed earlier over a week ago. She had pushed away the nagging worry, telling herself it was her imagination. But it was too many days now for it to be her imagination. Two days in a row, she had been sick during breakfast and then it was gone.
“Rosie, I have two married sisters and a sister-in-law. They all have babies. I’ve seen both my sisters have morning sickness.” Emma felt chilled and trembled. “Rosie, this wasn’t in my plans.”
“You don’t know for certain, do you?”
“No. I’ll get a pregnancy test this weekend when I go to Dallas. I already have a doctor’s appointment for next week.”
Rosie placed her hands on her hips while she faced Emma. “Then don’t start worrying now. The stomach upset might be something you ate and your period could start tomorrow. How late are you?”
“A week now.”
Emma rolled her eyes. “That’s not enough to give you a worry. A few days is nothing. Wait a few weeks.”
Emma nodded, but she was not reassured. “I’m extremely on time almost to the hour, so this is unique.” Suddenly, to the depths, she was certain she was pregnant with Zach’s baby. Her head swam and for an instant she felt light-headed. She reached out to grasp the kitchen counter to steady herself. Rosie’s hand closed on her arm.
“Are you all right?”
Rosie’s expression showed concern that threatened panic. “Rosie, promise me—please don’t say anything yet until I know for sure.”
“I would never. Don’t give it another worry. That’s not my business and I don’t interfere in something like this. I’ll not say anything.” Rosie’s brow furrowed and her eyes were filled with concern.
“I don’t panic over things, but I feel panicky over this. I feel so out of control.”
“Wait until you’ve seen a doctor and know absolutely,” Rosie said, but her voice held only solicitude.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” Emma whispered, more to herself than Rosie.
“Some things are just out of our hands,” Rosie declared. “Go back to your room and lie down if you need to.” She took Emma’s icy hand in her soft, warm hands, briefly and then released her. “You have a big, loving family. They’ll take care of you and a little one.”
A little one. Emma shook and clenched her hands. Rosie hadn’t said a word about Zach being helpful. Was this going to be a huge shock—and an unpleasant one for him? Would it be a responsibility he didn’t want? He had talked about how unprepared Will had been for Caroline. On the other hand, Zach seemed to truly care for Caroline and he had been a wreck when they couldn’t find her. Of all men on earth—”I’m going to my room if he comes asking for me,” she said, suddenly wanting to get behind closed doors and adjust to what was happening before she faced another person. “This is my last day. He doesn’t need to know until I’m sure.”
“I promise. You have your secret,” Rosie said, nodding and going back to doing dishes.
Emma hurried out and raced out of sight, rushing to her room where she crossed the room to place her hands on her flat middle. “I can’t be,” she whispered.
In her dressing room she studied herself in the mirror, turning first one way and another. She had watched two sisters and a sister-in-law go through pregnancies. She looked in the mirror, running her hands over her flat stomach. There were no single mothers in her family.
Zach. How could she ever tell a man who wouldn’t even spend Christmas with his family that he was about to become a father?
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