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and went on and on until finally they took her to a room and left her shaking with worry. Her doctor
would talk to her when they got the test results, she was informed. She cried and cried. Harriett tried
to soothe her, but it was useless. She was feeling a dragging pain in her lower stomach, and she knew
she was going to lose the baby. She was going to lose her baby! Harriett asked her for something, a
name in Chicago to call, to tell Dutch. Numbly, she gave her J.D. Brettman’s name and closed her
eyes. It was no use, she wanted to say. Dutch would come, but only out of responsibility…and then she
remembered the other time, the other pregnant woman, and she was terrified of what he might do.
Dr. Carter came walking in a few hours later, took one look at her and went back out to call for a
sedative. He came in again, took her hand and nodded Harriett toward the door. He didn’t speak until
she was gone.
“The baby’s going to be fine,” he said. “So are you. Now, calm down.”
The tears stopped, although her eyes remained wet and red. “What?”
“The baby’s all right.” He smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. “Babies are tough. They’ve got all that
fluid around them, wonderful protection. Of course, you’re bruised a little here and there, but bruises
heal. You’ll be fine.”
She leaned back with a sigh. “Thank God,” she said. “Oh, thank God. But—but these dragging pains,”
she added, pressing her stomach.
“False labor. A few twinges are normal,” he said, grinning. “Now, stop worrying, will you?”
The nurse came in with a syringe, but before she could go any farther, the door flew open and a blond
man burst into the room with eyes so wild that both doctor and nurse actually backed up a step.
“Eric!” Dani whispered, astonished at the look on his face.
He went to her, a wet, disheveled raincoat over his gray suit. He was wild-eyed, flushed as if he’d been
running, and half out of breath.
“You’re all right?” he asked unsteadily, touching her as if he expected to find broken limbs. “The
baby’s all right?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Eric, it’s all right!” she repeated softly, and the look on his face was the
answer to a prayer. “It’s all right, I just fell off the ladder, but I’m—”
“Oh, God.” He sat down beside her. The hands that touched her trembled, and there was a look in his
eyes that struck her dumb. He caressed her face and suddenly bent, burying his face in her throat. “Oh,
God.” He was shaking! Her arms went up and around him, hesitantly, her hands smoothing his hair,
comforting him. She felt something wet against her throat and felt her own eyes begin to sting.
“Oh, darling,” she whispered, holding him closer. Her eyes closed as the enormity of what he felt for
her was laid bare, without a word being spoken. She laughed through her tears. She could conquer the
world now. She could do anything! He loved her!
“Reaction,” the doctor said, nodding. He took the syringe from the nurse. “Pregnancy is hard on
fathers, too,” he murmured dryly. “Off with that coat, young man.” He removed the raincoat, and the
suitcoat, then rolled up the sleeve of the shirt without any help from Dutch, who wouldn’t let go of
Dani, and jabbed the needle into the muscular arm. “I’ll have a daybed rolled in here, because you
aren’t driving anywhere. Dani, I think you’d do without a sedative now, am I right?” he added with a
grin.
“Yes, sir,” she whispered, smiling dreamily as she rocked her husband in her arms. He nodded and
went out with the nurse, closing the door behind him.
“I love you,” Dani whispered adoringly. “I love you, I love you, I love you....” His mouth stopped the
words, tenderly seeking, probing, and his lips trembled against hers. He lifted his head to look at her,
unashamedly letting her see the traces of wetness on his cheeks. “J.D. came himself to tell me after
Harriett called.” He touched her face hesitantly. “I went crazy,” he confessed absently. “J.D. got me a
seat on the next plane. I ran out of the terminal and took a cab away from some people.... I don’t even
remember how I got here.” He bent and brushed his mouth softly against hers as he let the relief wash
over him. His wife. His heart. “I was...I was going to call you tonight. I wanted to tell you how much I
like what I’ll be doing. I found us a house,” he added slowly. “On the beach, with a fenced yard. It will
be nice, for the baby.”
“Yes, darling,” she whispered softly.
He brushed the hair back from her face. “I was so afraid of what I’d find in here,” he said unsteadily.
“All I could think was that I’d only just realized what I felt for you, and so quickly it could have
ended. I would have been alone again.”
“As long as I’m alive, you’ll never be alone,” she whispered.
He touched her mouth, her throat, her swollen stomach. “Danielle, I love you,” he whispered
breathlessly, admitting it at last, awe in his whole look.
“Yes, I know,” she answered on a jubilant little laugh.
He laughed, too. “I’ve never said that before. It isn’t hard.” He looked into her eyes. “I love you.”
She smiled, stretching. “I love you, too. Ooh,” she groaned, touching her back. “I’m bruised all over.
That stupid ladder!”
“No more stupid ladders,” he said firmly. “We’re moving to Chicago, where I can watch you. Harriett
can visit.”
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