“Think about the baby,” Mike persisted, when she remained silent, repeating a now-familiar refrain. “The baby deserves to have the father’s name, my name. We’ve loved each other our whole lives. Surely we can do this one thing together for the baby we’ve created.”
It was the right thing to do for the baby. Jane could see that. But was it right for the two of them? How much heartache could they bear? The time would come when Mike would leave. It was inevitable.
“Darling, stop thinking so hard. Stop trying to gaze into a crystal ball and figure out what will happen tomorrow or a month from now. Right now all that matters is the baby and what’s best for his or her future.”
He made his case passionately and persuasively. If he couldn’t say the exact words Jane wanted to hear, if he couldn’t promise to stay in Virginia, well, that wasn’t the only thing that mattered under the circumstances.
“We can talk to the minister,” she said at last and wondered if she’d just made the best decision of her life…or the worst.
* * *
It took some doing, but when Mike wanted to make something happen, he pulled out all the stops. By nightfall, they had moved Jane’s belongings back into her own home, met with the minister and arranged for a quiet, private ceremony to take place two days before Christmas. Donna and Darryl had agreed to stand up for them.
On the morning of the wedding, they found the church already decorated for Christmas with huge baskets of poinsettias. The candles were lit, giving off a soft glow around the altar. Jane had bought a new, cream-colored silk maternity dress and shoes to match. Mike was wearing a black suit with a crisp white shirt and black tie.
Even though the marriage would be only temporary, little more than make-believe, Jane couldn’t help trembling as she looked around at the beautiful old church. It was just as she’d always imagined her wedding would be, except in most of those daydreams she hadn’t been almost nine months pregnant.
Just before the ceremony was to begin, Mike gave her a bouquet of a single white poinsettia surrounded by white roses and tied with white satin ribbons. He tilted her chin up and gazed into her eyes.
“Everything okay?”
Jane managed a wobbly smile. “Everything’s fine,” she assured him, thinking to herself if only…
If only it were for real, if only it were forever.
When the minister read the vows, she repeated them in a voice that trembled, while Mike’s rang out clear and sure. It almost sounded as if he meant every word, but she knew better. This was for the baby, nothing more. Pride should have kept her from saying yes, but for once pride had mattered less than doing what was best for her child. And she would have a few days or weeks with Mike that she could cherish forever.
In a few weeks it would all be over, the baby would be here and Mike would leave. Her life would go on. Tears tracked down her cheeks as the minister pronounced them man and wife. Other brides had surely cried, she thought, but none from the sort of heartache she was feeling.
When Mike bent and kissed her and tasted the salty dampness on her lips, he regarded her with surprise. Instantly concerned, he whispered, “Oh, baby, it’s going to be all right. I promise.”
Jane wanted to believe him. He’d always made good on his promises. This one, though, seemed to be beyond his capabilities.
Donna and Darryl gave them a moment alone, then swept in and announced they’d arranged for a wedding lunch.
“That wasn’t necessary,” Jane said, touched by their attempt to make this occasion seem real and special, even though both of them knew the circumstances were anything but normal.
“Of course it was,” Donna insisted. “Come on. We even have a limo waiting and sparkling grape juice in the back so we can toast the newlyweds on our way to the restaurant.”
They were halfway to Fredericksburg when Jane’s back began to ache. They were almost on the doorstep of the restaurant when the first contraction hit. She doubled over and clasped Mike’s hand.
“Dear heaven, what is it?” Mike said, the color draining out of his face. “Janie, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
When the hard grip of the contraction loosened, Jane managed a smile. “I’m not sure, but I’d say we got married in the nick of time. Unless I miss my guess, this baby’s coming now.”
“Now?” Three voices echoed with shock.
“Oh, yeah,” Jane said as she was seized by another contraction.
Donna patted her hand as Mike guided her back into the limo. “Don’t you worry about a thing,” she told Jane. “The hospital’s practically right around the corner and years from now you can tell your kid that he made the trip in a limo instead of an ambulance.”
“As long as he’s not delivered in the back seat of a limo,” Jane said. She glanced at Mike. “How are you holding up?”
He swallowed hard. “To tell you the truth I’m feeling just the slightest bit superfluous. You’re the one who’s got to get the job done.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” Jane muttered. “You’re not running off with Darryl to buy cigars or something. You’re going to be in that delivery room with me.”
“But I trained as your coach,” Donna protested. “Are you sure you want to change at the last second like this? Does Mike even know how to do the breathing exercises?”
“Don’t go getting territorial on me,” Jane said. “You can coach. Mike can hover. It’s something he does very well.”
Darryl grinned. “I guess that leaves me to pace and buy the cigars.”
The limo screeched to a halt at the emergency room entrance and Mike and Donna butted heads trying to be the first one out. Darryl took off out the other side. It was several seconds before anyone noticed that Jane was still inside.
“Hey, guys,” she called out plaintively. “You can’t do this
