One afternoon, Gini slept and slept. Every time Debbie checked her she kept saying one more minute, rolling out her index finger.
“Gini, are you feeling okay?”
“Oh, yes. Bay… be, slee… pee.”
Debbie kissed her on the forehead. “You call me when you want to get up.”
Robert walked in a little after four. “Gini still sleeping?”
“Yes. I’m…” She walked up to him. “Robert, don’t you have any concerns about this pregnancy? You were so set against the last one.”
“And Gini had no issues. She wanted to have another baby, and so do I.”
“No issues! Have you forgotten the two years of grief you went through after Jessica’s birth?”
“That had nothing to do with the pregnancy; it was the aftermath of the Coch virus. But we don’t have to worry about that now since they developed the vaccine. You see how well she’s doing. I’m happy I’m going to be a dad again. And don’t worry, I’m watching like a hawk, just as you are. I know you often sleep with her and—”
Debbie gulped.
“Rob… ber, Dee… bee, bay… be, move. Bay… be, move.” Gini’s words were filled with excitement as she walked toward them. She took both of their hands and put them on her moving tummy.
Robert smiled big, then lifted Gini’s shirt and put both hands on her skin.
“That’s wonderful, baby.” Debbie gave Gini a small hug and left so the two of them could have their special moment.
What had Robert meant when he said they slept together? Surely, he didn’t mean the intimate touching? She had to talk to him. The guilt was getting to be too much.
That night Debbie put on the bulky open-weave sweater she’d crocheted and went out to the back patio. The air was cool with a warm breeze, and the full moon cast a soft glow over the raised garden Robert had put in so Jessica and Gini could have a flower garden that was easy for Gini to work while standing. The roses were in full bloom, emitting wonderful aromas. Debbie wrapped her arms tight around her body. How could she tell Robert?
After a little while, the back door opened, and Robert walked out. “Everything okay out here?”
Debbie’s heart started beating faster. “Just enjoying the moonlight.”
“It’s nice.” The breeze shifted and became cooler.
“Robert”—she abruptly turned toward him—“there’s something I have to tell you.”
“Okay, tell.”
“I… ah, Gini and I…” She didn’t know how to say the words.
“Deb—”
“No, don’t stop me. When Gini and I lived together, she was exploring her body, and, well, she also explored mine. It was after Ric had left and you”—she let out a breath—“you weren’t around yet.”
“Debbie, why are you telling me this?”
“Because you need to know. And I probably need to leave.”
“Leave? Like, quit?”
“Yes, I’m too close to Gini. I allow her to… Allowed her… Robert, I never have touched her inappropriately, I promise, but I let her touch me.” Debbie lowered her head.
“Gini told me she wanted to comfort you and hopefully make you happy again.”
Debbie looked up. “She told you?”
“Gini and I have no secrets, Debbie. I know how much she loves you and you her.”
He walked to her and put his hand on the sides of her neck and his thumbs under her chin. “I knew what I was getting into when I married her. You warned me, remember, that our marriage would not be a conventional one. And I knew that. I know you would never do anything inappropriate or allow Gini to be hurt. And with God as my witness, I sure as hell don’t want you to leave.”
“Robert!”
He shivered. “Enough said.” He started rubbing his hands up and down his arms.
“You’d better get back inside before you get too cold,” Debbie said.
They both started walking to the door.
“Maybe you need to crochet me a nice warm sweater like yours.” He opened and held the door for her to go inside.
She looked at him and smiled. “Thank you, Robert.”
“Anytime, but you have to promise to communicate with me, no matter what the subject.”
“I promise, and the same for you.”
With the snap of a finger, June was there. School was out, and the house was always full of children playing and laughing.
The church ladies had a baby shower for Gini, and Kensy helped Debbie and Gini furnish and decorate the nursery. The area rug looked like soccer ball skins sewn together; the walls were light yellow with red pinstripes broadly spaced; and the curtains had blue, yellow, and red sailboats. The three pieces of furniture were boyish: a wood rocker sat at the end of the crib, and a recliner was in front of the window for Gini to use when breastfeeding.
Gini insisted she wear the yellow hard hat any time she was in the baby’s room when they were painting, decorating, or moving furniture.
She was much larger at this stage than she had been with Jessica, but Gini was always full of energy and totally involved in Jessica’s activities.
Debbie had asked Linda after Gini’s last appointment if she was sure Gini was carrying only one child.
“I’ve listened and checked,” Linda said, having the same suspicion. “But there’s only one. For one thing, Gini is carrying Robbie much higher than she did Jessie, and I think we could have her due date a little late. Robbie seems to be further along in development than twenty-eight weeks. We’ll keep an eye on it. As long as her vitals are normal, we’re in good shape.”
Debbie took Gini’s blood pressure and checked her blood sugar every day. Neither had ever been out of the norm.
In mid-June, Catherine and Jose came to spend the weekend. It was quite comical watching the two women try to hug each other with
