The next month and a half were wildly heavenly for Rick. Evelyn had not only settled back into her old self but her newly discovered wild side emerged quite frequently. She woke him up each morning with a kiss and morning ride. More often than not, they would share lunch then go home for a bit of frolicking before going back to work. Rick was pleasantly surprised one afternoon when he came by the museum to take Evelyn to lunch. She locked the office door and told him she did not want to wait for after lunch. And she did not have to wait. Right there in the office, Rick gave her exactly what she wanted.
Rick, especially his libido was happy, very happy with this new Evelyn in spite of the fact that she testing his stamina. After a couple of weeks with this new woman, Rick, though he would never admit it openly, was in a dilemma. His little wife. His pregnant wife. His pregnant, little wife was wearing him out, draining him dry. His prim, proper, British born wife had dethroned his masculinity. He, or rather his oversized libido, was no longer King of Copulation. He was no longer boss of the bedroom. His very pregnant, very prim, very proper, little wife was now perched on the throne. She was Queen of the Bedroom and anywhere else that was a convenient place to make love. Neither his libido nor his pride would ever admit to this particular oust, so he dug his sexual heels in and held on for the ride.
The ride continued for the next two weeks, then one morning Rick had to wake up on his own. Evelyn was not in bed and he found her already downstairs eating breakfast.
"Hey" he said as he walked into the kitchen and found her at the table eating toast and reading a book.
"Good morning" Evelyn looked up from the book she was reading as he walked over to her. "Would you like breakfast?" she asked after Rick bent down and kissed her.
"I can crack a couple of eggs" he answered as he walked over to the icebox.
"Rick" Evelyn said after a few moments.
"Huh?" Rick said as he cracked an egg.
"An excavation team..."
"No"
"Is going to... No?" Evelyn turned and looked at his back.
"No" Rick said again as the egg hit the frying pan.
"What do you mean 'No'?" Evelyn said, a bit perturbed.
"No. Nope. Nada. That's a negative. It's not happening. No."
"And what, may I ask, is the question?" Evelyn said tightly, her ire rising that he assumed she was going to 'ask' his permission to go on the excavation.
"You're not going on any excavation anywhere."
"And who may I ask died and left you King, Emperor and Ruler of the Universe?" she said, even more perturbed that his assumption was accurate.
She was going to ask, or more precisely, tell him about the excavation and her plans to go.
"I don't know who died but I'm king, emperor and ruler of the O'Connell household" he said and heard Evelyn's sharp intake of breath. "And you're not traipsing over some hot ass desert to go digging around some ancient city."
Evelyn snapped back around in her seat as smoke shot out of her ears. She tapped her foot vigorously as she tried to calm down. She really did not want to argue with him. She knew he would be resistant to her going on the excavation. She also knew that an all out verbal war would only drive him to use brut strength and locked doors. But, she thought, she could reason with him and help him come around to her sensible way of thinking.
By the time Rick sat down across from her, Evelyn was still fuming at his highhandedness and she glared angrily at him. But... the excavation was more appealing than cutting him down to size.
"I am going to be reasonable about this" Evelyn said tightly after taking a few deep mental breaths. "Are you?"
"Yeah" he said. "You're not going."
"And when, pray tell, did I ASK for your permission?!" Evelyn bit out.
"You're pregnant Evy" Rick said before filling his mouth with scrambled eggs.
"Really" Evelyn said sarcastically.
"And I don't want you anywhere near any goddamn curses!" he said rather vehemently after swallowing his eggs.
"Rick" Evelyn began, her attitude immediately softening because she heard the fear laced between his words. "What are the chances of something like that happening again?"
"I'm through taking chances Evy" Rick said firmly. "And I'm sure as hell not taking any chances with you."
"You won't be taking any chances..."
"NO!" Rick said forcible. "Hell No! I'll give you anything in the world Evy. Anything but that. I can't lose you Evy" he said softly as he looked at her with mist in his eyes. "Not now."
How could she argue with him when she heard the overwhelming love in his words and saw it in his eyes? Though he never wanted to talk about her near sacrifice, it was now evident to Evelyn that Rick had not gotten over the ordeal and was still gripped with the fear of her dying. She knew her husband well enough now to know that when he was ready, he would talk about it, but not a minute sooner.
Evelyn would drop the excavation matter - for the time being. She would give him a day or two before informing him that she was NOT asking his permission for anything. And then she would broach the subject again.
**********************
Evelyn was perfectly healthy and the doctor had said she could continue her normal activity. Daily, she sweetly reminded Rick of those facts but after a week of browbeating him with her feminine ways, Rick's answer was still a resounding 'No'. Evelyn did finally but grudgingly admit to herself that it probably was not a good idea to be 'traipsing over some hot ass desert' in her present condition. There would be more excavations she conceded. And after the baby was born and was old enough, they would go on family excavations.
Rick was perfectly comfortable as king, emperor and ruler of the O'Connell household. After a week of Evelyn's womanly wiles, his answer was still 'No'. And he meant it. He did not care how healthy she was. And he was sure that when the doctor said she could continue her normal activities, he did not mean 'traipsing over some hot ass desert'. And besides that, he was terrified. Terrified that something would happen to Evelyn if she went snooping around the ruins of ancient Egypt. He did not trust her 'innocent curiosity' or as he put it, her damned nosiness. It would get them into trouble again. He knew it. But he would keep that trouble at bay for as long as he could.
The week long tug-of-war over the excavation gave Rick a chance to rest because he and Evelyn had not made love since the day before she brought the subject up. Now, a week later, he was ready to jump back in the saddle. That night, when he climbed in bed and reached for his wife, he hoped for a nice romp...
"Just hold me" Evelyn told him as she turned in his arms and snuggled against his chest.
Rick was disappointed, very disappointed. But he did as his wife asked and held her. As he lay there listening to her light snores and feeling her inhale and exhale, he realized that holding her in the quiet night was just as satisfying as making love. His libido would not agree with that but his heart and soul knew that holding her close was something he would treasure for the rest of his life.
Just as Rick was dosing off, Evelyn mumbled something then turned away from him. After she settled her backside snuggly against his groin, Rick laid his hand across her midsection and let his eyelids drop as he thought fleetingly about the hard little mound that was her stomach. In the next instance, his eyes shot opened in shock.
"What the hell..." he murmured as he snatched his hand away from her stomach.
"It's the baby" Evelyn whispered groggily as she grabbed his hand and settled it back on her stomach. "He's moving."
'It's the baby', Rick thought as a cord of emotion ran from the movement beneath his hand, up his arm to interweave itself between the very fibers of his soul. The baby. Evy's baby. His baby. Their baby. He was moving. He had quickly been transferred from the abstract to the very real. And he had fully captured his father's heart.
Rick's eyes began to mist as a new kind of love spilled from his heart for the baby that was his. An indescribable feeling filled him from head to toe. No longer did he feel detached. For the first time, Rick felt a connection, a bond. An unbreakable bond with his child.
And he cried.
As a big teardrop slid down his cheek, Rick knew what Evelyn felt that day she came to the docks so excited about feeling the baby move. Now he did not have to feel jealous of her and the baby. Now he knew exactly what she felt. Now he had his own special moment with his child.
Another teardrop fell and Rick felt like an oversized wimp.
Here he was a man who had been hardened by life's circumstances. A man who took the knocks life gave and gave knocks in return. A battle tough ex officer of the French Foreign Legion who had faced death many times.
Here he was a hardened, battle tough soldier who had been brought to his knees by the simple movements of his unborn child.
For the first time, Rick wondered what would his kid look like. Would he look like him or would he look like Evelyn? God, he hoped the kid would not inherit Jonathan's ugly mug.
But what if he is a girl?
Rick prayed she would look like Evelyn and not him. His face on a woman would not be a pretty sight. If his kid was a girl, he was sure she would drive him crazy just like her mother did. And, he thought as he smiled, he would be just as crazy about her as he was about her mother.
Rick did not know how long he lay there feeling his child move before he slipped into a deep, peaceful sleep. His last thought was how lucky he was to have everything he ever wanted in the palm in his hand.
CHAPTER 22: Adara
'Mademoiselle Maureen's Baby Boutique'
"Hello, hello" the woman said cheerfully with a French accent.
"Hello" Evelyn smiled at the Frenchwoman as she stepped inside the boutique.
"I am Mademoiselle Maureen. How may I help you?"
"I'm looking for baby things" Evelyn stated the obvious as her eyes scanned the boutique.
"Ah!" Mademoiselle Maureen said, recognizing the uncertainty in Evelyn's gaze. "So this is your first child?"
"Yes" Evelyn smiled.
"And you have no idea where to begin?"
"Yes" Evelyn said in a slightly pitiful voice.
Mademoiselle Maureen laughed as she beckoned Evelyn further into the boutique. Evelyn spent most of the morning in the boutique being advised by Mademoiselle Maureen on what things she needed. Most of the items Evelyn chose where there in the boutique but some things had to be shipped in.
"When your order arrives" Mademoiselle Maureen said as she walked Evelyn to the door. "I will ring you."
"Thank you so much Maureen" Evelyn said gratefully.
"I'm always happy to help" Mademoiselle Maureen smiled warmly. "Especially new mothers."
When Evelyn opened the door, Rick was outside waiting in the car. She smiled when she saw him then turned back to Mademoiselle Maureen.
"Thank you again Maureen."
"You're welcome Evelyn."
When Rick saw Evelyn coming out of the boutique, he got out of the car.
"You spent all morning here and didn't buy anything?" Rick asked as walked up to his empty handed wife.
"Maureen, the owner, has to order some things and when they arrived, she is going to ring me. Oh Rick" Evelyn said in an excited voice as they walked toward the car. "I can't wait for you to see the things I picked out for the baby" she said as he opened the car door. "Everything is just so precious" she continued once he got in the car. "And so tiny. It's hard to believe that I was once that small. That YOU" she laughed as she turned her head and looked at him. "Were that small."
Evelyn cheerfully chatted all the way to the museum about the adorable baby items. Rick lovingly listened, though he did not understand her utter excitement about a bunch of baby things.
It had taken a month but Mademoiselle Maureen finally rang Evelyn with news that her order was ready. Evelyn was as excited as a child on Christmas Eve and she could hardly wait until the next day to pick up the order. The next morning Rick had to get down to the docks, so Jonathan drove Evelyn to pick up the order.
"My god Evy! How much did you buy?" Jonathan asked when they walked into the boutique and he saw Evelyn's order piled up next to the door.
Evelyn ignored her brother as she walked over to Mademoiselle Maureen.
"Thank you some much for all your help" Evelyn said to Mademoiselle Maureen as she pulled out the pounds to pay her.
"It was my pleasure" Mademoiselle Maureen smiled.
Evelyn and Maureen chatted while Jonathan loaded the car. Once he was done, the women said their good-byes and Jonathan drove Evelyn and her order back home. When they got home, Jonathan and Evelyn unloaded the car and placed the baby things in the sitting room. Evelyn wanted to wait for Rick to come home before opening the packages.
Jonathan drove Evelyn back into town to the museum. When it neared lunchtime, she rang Rick at his dock office. Mr. Burgess informed Evelyn that Rick was not in the office and he did not know where he had gone. After she ended her short conversation with Mr. Burgess she went looking for Hamid.
"Hamid" Evelyn said when she found him. "Would you mind terribly giving me a ride the caf�? I am starving and I can't get a hold of my husband."
"Oh I do not mind Evelyn" Hamid said. "I too am hungry."
After sharing lunch at the caf�, Hamid drove Evelyn to the docks.
"I'll only be a moment Hamid" Evelyn said as she got out of the car.
"Hello Mr. Burgess" Evelyn said when she walked into the office. "Is my husband around?"
"Afternoon Mrs. O'Connell" Mr. Burgess smiled. "He hasn't come back yet."
"Do you know where he went?"
"No ma'am I don't."
"OK then" Evelyn said, a little disappointed. "I brought this sandwich for him. I'll just leave it on his desk."
Evelyn walked over to Rick's desk and set the bag down. Her eyes scanned the desk and she took noticed of his barely legible scribble that was scrawled on a piece of parchment.
'Adara 12:00'
Adara? Who was this Adara?
Evelyn frowned as she continued to stare at the note.
Adara? 12:00?
It was near noon when she had called looking for Rick. Had he left to go see this Adara? Who was this Adara? It was now just past 1:00. Was he now with this Adara? Who was this Adara?
Adara? Who was this Adara?
"Good day Mr. Burgess" Evelyn said absentmindedly as she walked out of the office.
Evelyn was silent as she and Hamid rode back to the museum. Her thoughts began to torment her and for the rest of the afternoon, she could barely concentrate on work.
Where is Rick?
Who is this Adara?
Is he with her?
Is she pretty?
Is she slim?
Why wasn't Rick at the docks? He should be at the docks.
Had she become unattractive to him because her midsection was expanding?
Was he being unfaithful to her at this very moment?
Why was she thinking like this? He loved her. She knew it!
Who is this Adara?
Where was Rick at 12:00? Where was he at 1:00?
Was he with her? Was he with this Adara?
Evelyn berated herself for thinking the worst. She trusted Rick but those nagging thoughts continued to come.
What if...
No! Evelyn shook herself mentally. She loved Rick. She trusted Rick. And she would believe the best about him. No matter what.
'But where was he?' a small voice kept asking. 'Where was he?'
CHAPTER 23: Surprise
When it was near time for Rick to pick her up, Evelyn decided that she would just trust him. She would not let a misunderstanding cause another rift between them. He was out when she rang for him and he was out when she stopped by the docks. End of story. If he needed to tell her about 'Adara 12:00', she trusted that he would. After all, he had never lied to her before.
"Ready Evy" Jonathan said as he walked up to Evelyn.
"Jonathan" Evelyn looked at him as she pushed the book back into its place on the shelf. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her disappointed at seeing him obvious in her tone. Rick was supposed to pick her up today.
"Now what kind of way is that to greet your loving brother?" Jonathan said, trying to sound hurt.
"Where is Rick?" Evelyn asked, her mind immediately recalling 'Adara 12:00'. Where was he?
"He asked me to pick you up" Jonathan said after a brief moment.
"Where is he?" Evelyn asked again.
"How would I know dear sister" Jonathan said as reached out and took her by the arm. "I am here to pick you up and take you home" he said as he started guiding her forward.
"Are you hiding something Jonathan?" Evelyn asked suspiciously.
"Hiding something?" Jonathan said. "Me? Hiding something? No. What would I be hiding?" he asked as they started walking out of the library.
"Where is Rick?" Evelyn asked again.
"Dear sister, I am not his personal secretary."
"You don't know where he is?" Evelyn asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
"No I don't" Jonathan answered.
Evelyn promised herself she would not worry. She promised herself she would not jump to conclusions. She promised herself she would not give in to the insecurities that were now plaguing her.
She promised herself she would trust him. She promised herself she would believe in him.
When Jonathan dropped Evelyn off at home, he told her that he had something to take care of but he would be back for supper. Evelyn walked into the house and headed straight for the kitchen. She needed to keep busy to keep her mind from conjuring up all sorts of imaginations. When she finished supper, Rick still was not home.
Where was he?
Evelyn then went into the sitting room and pulled a book off the shelf. Reading always took her mind off things. Evelyn stared at the same page, the same paragraph, the same sentence, the same word for ten minutes.
"Where is he?!" Evelyn said fretfully as she slammed the book shut and glanced down at her watch.
It was nearly 8:00 and he still was not home. Evelyn picked up the telephone and rang the warehouse. No answer. Evelyn replaced the receiver as a single tear slid down her cheek.
What if something happened to him? What if he was somewhere hurt? Or worse. What if he were somewhere... somewhere dead?
The thought shook Evelyn and in that moment, she would rather he were with another woman than dead. Then she hear a car...
Evelyn hurried over to the window and peeked out. It was him! He was home. He was safe. Evelyn let out a relieved sigh as she stepped from the window. He was safe but... where had he been?
She would not ask, she promised herself as she wrung her hands and paced back and forth. She would wait for him to tell her. And she knew he would tell her... tell her the truth. She would not ask, she would wait... She would not ask, she would wait... She would not ask, she would wait....
"Where have you been?" Evelyn asked in a cracked voice when Rick walked into the sitting room.
"Evy!" Rick rushed toward her when he saw tears streaming down her face. "What's wrong honey?" he asked in an urgent voice once he reached her.
"Where have you been?" Evelyn sobbed.
"Honey what's wrong?" Rick said as he took her into his arms. "I had to drive up to Alexandria. What's wrong honey?" Rick asked again as Evelyn continued to cry.
"Why..." Evelyn said as she pulled away from Rick's embrace and looked up into his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to Alexandria?" she said in an accusatory voice. "What were you doing in Alexandria?"
Rick's hesitation gave Evelyn cause to jump to her conclusions.
"Who is Adara?" Evelyn said, her voice shaking with emotion. "Who is she Rick?!"
"Sweetheart..." Rick began.
"Who is she?!" Evelyn demanded, thinking Rick was trying to conjure up a lie to tell her.
"The jewelry's wife."
"The jewelry's wife?" Evelyn said, dumbstruck for a moment.
Rick was committing adultery with a married woman?
"I ah... got a gift for you" he said a little awkwardly.
"Surprise!" Jonathan interrupted them as he walked into the sitting room.
Evelyn wiped her tears as she looked from her husband to her brother. Jonathan was carrying a rocking chair.
"Jonathan" Evelyn said in a surprised voice. She recognized the rocking chair.
"Thought you might like having mother's rocking chair" he smiled at his sister.
"Oh Jonathan!" Evelyn as she walked over to the chair. "I had forgotten all about it" she said as she looked loving at the chair. "I can't believe you did this" she said as she started crying again.
"Ah!" Jonathan said. "It didn't take THAT much effort" he laughed. "I have one more thing for you" he said, then rushed out of the sitting room.
"I can't believe Jonathan did this" Evelyn said as she stared at the chair remembering her mother.
Rick stood smiling and watching how happy Jonathan's surprise made Evelyn.
Moments later, Jonathan came back in with a crib in his arms.
"Jonathan! Is that our bassinet?"
"The one and the same" Jonathan smiled. "Couldn't let the rocking chair leave England without this" he said as he set the bassinet down.
Evelyn walked over to the bassinet and gazed at it's headboard. 'Jonathan' was carved in one corner. 'Evelyn' was carved in the other. Evelyn looked up at Jonathan with more tears in her eyes.
"Jonathan" she smiled as she went into his arms.
Rick felt a bit awkward watching the siblings and felt a bit jealousy of this special moment between them.
"Thank you" Evelyn whispered.
"It's the least I could do old mum" Jonathan returned with a bit of emotion of his own. "After all you've done for me" he said, his voice becoming shaky. "After all you do for me. It's the least I could do" he said and gave her a loving squeeze. "Alright now" Jonathan said, feeling himself getting even more emotional. "I'm ravenous" he said as he pulled away from Evelyn. "And I have a dinner date with a lovely young lady."
"I thought you said you were having supper here" Evelyn scolded.
"I lied" Jonathan smiled.
"You're hopeless" Evelyn laughed.
"Yes, yes" Jonathan agreed. "Have a good evening you two" he said as he walked out of the sitting room.
"I can't believe Jonathan thought to do this" Evelyn said as she looked from the bassinet to the rocking chair.
"Yeah, he thought of it all by himself" Rick commented. "I ah... I got something for you" Rick said before stepping out of the room.
He returned seconds later and walked over to Evelyn, who was still standing by the bassinet.
"I ah... I was gonna give this to you after the baby was born but..." he said sheepishly as he held out a wrapped box. "I can't be outdone by my nitwit brother-in-law" he said half jokingly, half seriously.
Evelyn looked up at Rick then down at the wrapped box. She reached out and took the box from his hand and opened it. The box held a gold cartouche bracelet and on the bracelet 'I love you' was written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. Evelyn started crying again and walked over to the couch and sat down.
"You don't like it?" Rick said in a worried voice as he followed her to the couch.
Evelyn shook her head and Rick's heart sank. She did not like it.
"It's beautiful" she cried as she looked at it through her tears. "It's beautiful" she said, crying more so now because she had thought him unfaithful.
"I picked it up today from the jewelry's. There's something inscribed on the back" Rick said.
Evelyn turned the bracelet over and read the inscription.
'You hold my heart prisoner. Now. And forever. Rick'
"I'm sorry Rick" Evelyn began to cry uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry."
Rick pulled her into his arms and stroke her hair.
"Honey, you didn't do anything" he said, confused about why she was apologizing.
"I'm horrible!" she bemoaned, feeling guilty.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong? Tell me what's wrong."
"I'm ashamed to tell you" she sobbingly admitted.
"Sweetheart, you can tell me anything" Rick coaxed her.
Evelyn cried for a few minutes before lifting her head from his shoulder. She wiped her eyes but the tears continued to come.
"Sweetheart" Rick said as he reached up and wiped a tear. "What has got up so upset?"
"I rang you today" Evelyn began. "But Mr. Burgess said you were out. Hamid and I went to the caf� for lunch and afterwards he drove me to the docks. You still weren't in" she looked up at him. "I saw your note" she continued after a moment. "And I... I thought... I thought you had gone to meet with this Adara woman. I told myself" she said quickly. "That I trusted you, that I believed in you. When you didn't come to pick me up from the museum I thought the worst. I thought you were with this Adara woman" she admitted then started crying again.
"god Evy! I'm sorry" Rick said, pulling Evelyn back into his arms.
Rick was feeling guilty also. If he had not been so stupid all those months ago. If he had not gotten drunk. If he had not gone to that whorehouse.
"What are you sorry for?" she asked in a muffled voice.
"Damn it!" he cursed as he squeezed her tighter. "It's my fault Evy. If I hadn't acted like such a jackass..."
"I should have trusted you" Evelyn said as she lifted her head from his chest. "But... the first chance I get... I think the worst" she lamented. "Can you forgive me?"
"Evy, there's nothing to forgive" Rick said, his guilt mounting. "You had every right..."
"No I didn't" Evelyn cried. "I'm suppose to love you. I'm suppose to trust you..."
"Evy" Rick interrupted her and put his finger up to her lips. "It's OK if you don't trust me. Shush!" he said when she was about to say something. "It's OK. I realize I have to earn your trust again" he said. "And if it takes forever, I'm willing to spend the rest of my life proving to you that you can trust me. You mean everything to me Evy..." he said as he looked deep into her eyes.
"And you mean everything to me" Evelyn said after she moved his finger from her lips. "And you deserve my trust."
"I should have told you I was going to Alexandria" Rick said.
"I should have trusted you" Evelyn said.
The two sat looking at each other, both regretting their actions of the recent and not so recent past.
"I'm so sorry Rick" Evelyn broke the silence.
"Shush" Rick again put his finger to her lips. "You have NOTHING to be sorry for."
Rick looked at her. So grateful that she loved him. So grateful that she was his.
Rick dropped his finger from her lips and lowered his head. He gingerly touched her lips with his and engaged her in a soft, tender kiss. The kiss lasted moment after moment and was gentle and full of love. When the kiss finally ended, one forehead rested against the other and loving eyes looked into loving eyes.
"I can't ever thank you enough for loving me" Rick whispered, his voice flooded with emotion.
Another tear escaped down Evelyn's cheek.
This stubborn, bullheaded, highhanded American who, from the beginning, whisked her off her feet. Who was truly her Knight in Shinning Armor. Who she trusted, yes trusted with her very life and, she realized in that moment, with all her heart. How could she not love him?
"It's my pleasure" she whispered back with a smile.
They shared another kiss before Evelyn asked Rick to put the bracelet on her.
"I love you Evy" Rick said after he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.
"I love you too."
CHAPTER 24: BIG
It was her eighth month and, as she stood sideways in front of the mirror, Evelyn bemoaned the fact that she had tripled in size. Her tummy seemed to protrude for miles, she thought as she rubbed over the colossal oval mass that was her baby. And her backside. Her backside was of enormous proportions and Evelyn wondered if she would ever get back into her clothes. Her feet were swollen and she could not wear any of her shoes and had to buy a pair of soft, flexible moccasins. Even her fingers were fat. She could no longer wear her wedding band and had to put it on a chain and wear it around her neck.
And to top all that, it was hot. Extremely hot. Rick had installed ventilators in every room and she always had a hand fan and a glass of ice-cold lemonade near. But that did not seem to help. She always felt hot, sweaty and sticky.
Evelyn blew out a heavy breath and looked at her reflection once more before going to take a nice cool spray bath.
**********************************
Waddling.
That was the best way Rick could describe Evelyn. She waddled from the counter to the icebox and back to the counter, he thought as he stood in the kitchen doorway watching her. She was moving slower than normal and it looked as if each step took great effort.
"Hey hon" Rick said as he walked toward her. "Let me cook breakfast this morning."
"YOU cook breakfast?" Evelyn laughed as he kissed her cheek.
Rick's cooking was edible but bland, very bland and she was starving. Only a nice, huge tasty breakfast would satisfy her this morning.
"Yeah" he said as he tried to steer her to the kitchen table.
"I'm hungry Rick."
"I'll crack some eggs..."
"Very hungry" Evelyn said. "And... no offense honey, but I want a good breakfast this morning. And I'd like something more than just eggs."
"Well, tell you what. You sit" he said as he pulled out the kitchen table chair. "Sit" he instrusted her. "And" he continued when she sat down. "You tell me what to do and I'll do it."
Rick proved to be a pretty good cook when told exactly what to do and he and Evelyn shared a nice, filling breakfast.
"Maybe you should stay home today" Rick said as he cleared the table.
"Why?" Evelyn asked.
"I don't know" he said, not wanting to tell her that she was waddling around like a duck. "You look tired."
"I'm feel fine."
"You sure?"
"Positive"
For the next three weeks, Evelyn and Rick had the same conversation. He would suggest she stay home. She would ask why. He would say she looked tired. She would say she was fine. He would ask if she were sure. She would answer she was positive.
**********************************
One morning, a week before the baby was due, Rick had come from the bathroom back into the bedroom to find Evelyn sitting on the side of the bed looking at herself in the mirror. She had told him before he went to the bathroom that she was going downstairs to cook breakfast.
"I thought you were going to cook breakfast" he said innocently.
"Is that all you care about?! FOOD!" Evelyn snapped at him.
"What's the matter?" he noticed Evelyn was crying and walked over and sat down next to her. "Are you ok?" he automatically asked as he laid his hand on her stomach.
"I'M A HUGE WHALE!" she cried. "A BIG FAT COW!" she sobbed.
"You aren't that huge" Rick said before thinking.
Evelyn cried harder.
"You aren't huge at all sweetheart" he said, trying to cover his mammoth blunder as he rubbed her stomach.
"Now you're lying!" Evelyn accused. "I am huge!" she lamented.
"Sweetheart..." Rick said, trying to choose his words carefully. "It's ok if you're a little... if you've expanded a bit. I don't mind. Really. After all" he said in a reasonable voice. "you ARE pregnant."
"DON'T you think I know that!" she cried as she glared at him through her tears.
"Of course you know that" Rick readily agreed.
"Look at me" Evelyn moaned as she returned her gaze to the mirror and pushed herself up from the bed and stood. "I've never in all my life seen anybody as fat as I am!!" she lamented as her tears continued.
"You're not fat, honey" Rick stood up and looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Yes I am!" she insisted.
"No you're not. You're just... just... you're just a little plump" Rick chuckled as he tried teasing her tears away.
"It is not funny!" Evelyn turned to him and frowned. "It's all your fault anyway!"
"What did I do?" Rick asked as he continued to chuckle.
"If you weren't so... so... so demanding" she said as she waddled away from him. "I wouldn't be..." she said as she renewed her crying. "I wouldn't be a fat cow!"
Evelyn's statement was too funny for Rick to hold back anymore. It was also the straw that broke the camel's back. He burst out in merry laugher.
At the sound of such merriment, Evelyn whipped back around as fast as she could.
"IT IS NOT FUNNY!!" she screamed and stomped her swollen foot.
Rick did not agree and continued to laugh. Evelyn waddled back over to the bed, grabbed a pillow and swung at her laughing husband. She hit him dead in his face and Rick fell back on the bed as he continued to laugh. Evelyn moved to the side of the bed in order to reach his face and resumed her attack.
"IT" hit in the face.
"IS" hit in the face.
"NOT" hit in the face.
"FUNNY!!" hit, hit, hit, hit...
Rick continued to laugh and Evelyn continued to hit. He put up his arms to try and fend off her attack as he continued to laugh at her. When Evelyn got tired of hitting Rick, she threw the pillow at his head and waddled toward the door.
"Evy" Rick called to her with laughter in his voice and laughing tears in his eyes.
"Don't talk to me" she bit out viciously as she waddled out of the door.
"Evy" Rick called to her again.
Evelyn ignored him and walked out the room. Rick hopped up off the bed and followed after her.
"Evy... honey... come on" he said when he reached the door and saw she was headed to the bathroom. "Don't be mad at me" he said, mirth still in his voice.
Evelyn continued to ignore him as she waddled as fast as she could to the bathroom. After slamming the door, she locked it and began to pace.
Here she was as big as a house and feeling bloated and very unattractive. Not to mention feeling tired because she had not been able to get a good night's sleep for the last couple of days. The baby had decided to play 'kick mum' all night long and Evelyn could not find a comfortable position or the rest she desperately needed.
And with all she was going through, he had the nerve to laugh. He was the cause of her current problems. It was HIS child she was carrying. It was HIS child that added a ton of weight her tiny frame. It was HIS child that distorted her body beyond recognition. It was HIS child that was kicking her in the ribs and keeping her up all night long. It was HIS child. And he had the gall to laugh! To laugh at her.
The pig!
KNOCK KNOCK
"Evy" he said.
"Pig!" Evelyn mumbled as she continued to waddle back and forth.
"Evy, open up."
Silence.
"Don't be mad honey. It's just that were you're so cute when you called me demanding."
Silence.
"I wasn't laughing AT you. I was laughing WITH you."
Silence.
"I miss you already."
Silence.
"I love you."
Silence.
"What's it gonna take for you to come out and talk to me?"
Silence.
"Alright. I give up. You win."
'The pig' Evelyn thought as she heard him walk away. Didn't he know he was suppose to stand there and beg, no matter how long it took, until she opened the door?
Evelyn stayed locked in the bathroom for several more minutes before her stomach reminded her it was breakfast time. When Evelyn opened the door, Rick was standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest, with a smile on his face.
"Pardon me ma'am" Rick said cheerfully. "I'm looking for the most beautiful woman this world's ever seen. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find her, would you? Wait a minute" he said. "Would you mind smiling for me?" he said but Evelyn frowned instead. "You know" he said thoughtfully. "You look a lot like her. Would you happen to be the woman I'm looking for?" he said in a slightly enticing voice as he leaned against the doorframe.
"Excuse me" Evelyn said curtly, weakening under his seductive stare.
"After you beautiful" Rick said as he stepped aside to let her pass. "Pardon me again ma'am" Rick said as he followed her back to the bedroom. "Has anyone ever told you just how beautiful you are?"
Evelyn smiled inwardly put kept waddling.
"I'm sure SOMEBODY has told you" Rick said as he followed Evelyn. "I'm sure your husband has. He'd be a fool if he hadn't."
"He's a fool alright" Evelyn said as she waddled inside the bedroom.
"He's a fool huh?" Rick grinned.
"And a complete idiot" Evelyn said with a slight grin in her voice as she waddled over to her moccasins.
"A fool and a complete idiot huh? He can't be a COMPLETE idiot if he had sense enough to marry you" Rick said sweetly.
His words, spoken so sweetly, spoken so sincerely, caused a warm feeling to spread over Evelyn.
"And" Rick continued. "If he's a fool, I'm sure he's only a fool for you."
This time the smile reached Evelyn's face and she took her time sliding into her moccasins. She needed time to wipe the grin off her face before turning around to face him. When she turned around, Rick had his boyish grin on his face and he looked at her with his heart in his eyes.
It took all Evelyn had not to smile back. When she walked past him, Rick reached out and scooped her up in his arms.
"Put me down" Evelyn protested, thinking he would break his back carry her heavy load.
"You know Evelyn" Rick said thoughtfully. "You're as light as a feather."
What he said and the way he said it threw Evelyn into a fit of laughter.
"You are such a liar!" she guffawed.
"Really you are" he said in a serious voice and started walking toward the door. "Light as a feather."
With that, Rick was back in Evelyn's good graces.
CHAPTER 25: Whose The Boss
The fight started because Rick was worried and Evelyn was irritated.
A week prior, the doctor informed Evelyn that she should take things easy for the remainder of her pregnancy because her baby would come any day. Rick took the doctor's instructions to mean Evelyn should to stay in bed until the baby was born. Evelyn took the doctor's instructions to mean she should take things easy and stop waddling around the museum so much. She should, instead, have Hamid do those things that required her to have to do a lot of waddling around. And maybe she would only work until noon each day and then come home and rest for the remainder of the day.
The Monday morning after Evelyn was instructed to take things easy, she and Rick had a bit of a tug of war. She wanted to go to the museum and he wanted her to stay home - in bed. Against his better judgement, he let her go to work. She worked the entire day and neglected to have Hamid help her out more. By the end of that day, Evelyn was exhausted.
The next morning, Rick put up a fuss and Evelyn promised that she would call him or Jonathan at noon to come and pick her up and she would go home for the rest of the day. At 1 o'clock, Rick showed up at the museum with a frown on his face.
"Honey, I'm sorry" Evelyn said when he walked into her office. "Things just got a little busy. We received a shipment in today and I just couldn't leave it undone."
Rick was not happy and ended up staying at the museum for another two hours before taking Evelyn home to be baby sat by Jonathan.
For the next two days, Rick had to come to the museum and practically drag Evelyn home.
On Friday, in the wee hours just past midnight, Evelyn was awakened by a discomforting cramp. It lasted for only a few seconds and Evelyn lay there and waited to see if it would happen again. When it did not, she eventually dosed back to sleep.
Every hour, though, nagging cramps woke Evelyn and she would wait for the gush of water the doctor told her would come. While she waited for the dam to break, she would fall back to sleep.
Evelyn never did wake Rick because the doctor had mentioned to her that a lot of men lost their head during the birthing process and it would probably be best to alert him at the last possible moment.
When the sun finally rose, Evelyn was cranky and tired, but she rolled herself on her side, swung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She looked at herself in the mirror and though tired, Evelyn was looking forward to going to the museum because it would keep her mind off the pending birth of her baby.
The birth of her baby.
That was something that scared Evelyn. The cramps she experienced during the night forced Evelyn to face the fact that she would soon be a mother. A new mother who had no idea how to take care of a baby. Oh how she wished her own mother was alive to help her through the scary, unknown process of childbirth and motherhood.
Evelyn shook her head. She was not going to think about her fear. She would keep busy and when it was time for the baby to come, he would come and there would be nothing she could do about it.
So why sit and worry about the unknown, Evelyn thought.
If she sat there staring at herself she would do just that - worry. So she pushed herself up from the bed and slowly waddled over to the closet. After pulling a lightweight dress from its hanger and under things from her bureau, Evelyn waddled out of the bedroom.
Rick slowly opened his eyes as Evelyn shut the bureau drawer. He watched with a frown as she slowly made her way out of the bedroom. He could tell by the way Evelyn moved that she was exhausted. He decided then and there that he would put his foot down and inform his wife that she would be staying home. She would not be going to the museum. She would not see the inside of the museum until after the baby was born.
After lying in bed for several minutes waiting for Evelyn to come back into the bedroom, Rick needed to answer nature's call. He went down to Jonathan's lavatory and when he got back to the bedroom, Evelyn was still in their bathroom. After Rick pulled out shirt, pants and underwear, he headed back to Jonathan's lavatory for his morning washing. By the time he got back to the bedroom, Evelyn had already gone downstairs.
"Hon" Rick said when he walked into the kitchen.
"Good Morning" Evelyn, who was standing at the stove scrambling eggs, said.
"You're not going to the museum today" he said in a casual but dictatorial voice as he walked up behind her and kissed her cheek.
"WHAT!" Evelyn turned when she realized just what he said, not liking his highhanded tone of voice.
"You're not going to the museum today" he said matter-of-factly as he grabbed the two plates on the counter and talked over to the table.
"Pardon me" Evelyn bit out after she turned toward him with her hand on her hip.
She was already irritable. And now she was quickly becoming irate.
"You're staying home" Rick said as he set the plates on the table. "You look beat. I never should have let you keep working after the doc said you should take it easy..."
"Just one minute!" Evelyn said. "You never should have LET me..."
"Evelyn" Rick turned to her, his own ire rising, knowing that the fight was beginning. "The doctor said you should take things easy" he said deliberately. "And you haven't been" he said in an accusing voice. "I'm puttin' my foot down. You're staying home and following the doctor's orders. And that's that."
Evelyn's eyes crossed. She was instantly angry with him. Who did he think he was?
"And just WHO" Evelyn shouted as she waddled over to him. "Do you think you are! 'Putting your foot down!'" she said, mimicking his American ascent. "Giving me orders as if I'm one of your Legionnaire soldiers and declaring 'that's that'!!?"
"Evelyn" Rick said in a warning voice. "I said you're not going! AND you're not going!! And I mean that!" Rick yelled.
Rick towered over Evelyn and glared down at her. Evelyn, not intimidated by Rick's menacing towering, did not shrink back but returned her own glare.
"WHO do you think you are...!!" Evelyn, seeing red, yelled her question again.
"You know exactly who I am" Rick bit out sarcastically. "I am NOT taking you to that museum! You ARE NOT going to that museum! You are staying home! And that's FINAL!"
"R e a l l y?!!" the words oozed out of Evelyn's mouth in a cutting tone.
Rick did not answer but simply glared at her with a triumphant smirk on his face.
"We'll see about that!" Evelyn declared through gritted as she turned back to the stove and turned the eggs off.
"And Jonathan isn't taking you either!" Rick said, correctly anticipating her next move.
Evelyn wanted to throw the hot eggs in his face for guessing her next maneuver.
"If I want my brother to take me to the museum" Evelyn said as she turned to Rick and gave him an evil look. "HE WILL take me!!"
"No the hell he won't!" Rick returned. "Not if he wants to live!"
"You are such a bully!!" Evelyn retorted heatedly, knowing that Jonathan would kowtow to Rick's strong-arm tactics. "BUT I" she informed him as she began to waddle toward the kitchen door. "Will not be bullied!!"
"I mean it Evelyn!" Rick said as she waddled past him. "You're NOT going to that goddamn museum!!"
Evelyn ignored Rick and kept waddling. By the time she got to the foot of the stairs, she heard Rick coming up behind her. Then she saw him sweep past her and take the stairs two at a time. When she was half way up the stairs, she heard Rick calling Jonathan's name.
'Blast the scoundrel!' she thought as she continued up the stairs. He had beaten her to Jonathan and no doubt he was threatening Jonathan's life if he took her to the museum. When Evelyn made it to the top of the stairs, another nagging cramp came but Evelyn's mind was preoccupied with how to kill her husband and she paid little attention to the discomfort.
By the time Evelyn made it to their bedroom door, Rick was coming down the hall from Jonathan's room. Evelyn sneered at him before going into the bedroom and slamming the door. When Rick got to the door, he heard the click of the door being locked.
"I'll be home around one" Rick informed Evelyn through the closed door before turning and walking away.
Meanwhile, Evelyn was waddling back and forth in the bedroom. She was furious at Rick for keeping her prisoner in her own home. She needed to get out. She needed to keep her mind occupied on other things and going to the museum would help her do that.
How dare he tell her what she could and could not do! How dare he!!
Second by second, Evelyn's ire rose until she let out a piecing scream out of pure frustration. When her lungs were depleted of breath, Evelyn sucked in more air and let out another scream of frustration. By the end of her third scream, Evelyn was feeling a bit exhausted and sat down on the bed and let out tears of frustration.
Moments later, there came a knock at the door.
"Evy" Jonathan's sympathetic voice was heard through the door. "Are you OK?"
The sympathy in his voice was not missed by Evelyn. Maybe she could talk Jonathan into taking her to the museum, even if just for an hour.
"Jonathan" she moaned in a pitiful voice as she struggled to get to her feet.
When she opened the door, Jonathan stood with a concerned look on his face.
"What's troubling you old mum?" he asked in a tender voice as he chucked her beneath her chin.
"That scoundrel of a man thinks he can keep me prisoner in my own home!"
"I take it you're referring to that American scoundrel O'Connell" Jonathan teased.
"He's horrible Jonathan!" Evelyn said as she stomped her foot.
"Well old mum" Jonathan laughed. "You married him."
"It's not funny Jonathan!" Evelyn frowned. "He's a beast!!"
"A beast you just happen to love" Jonathan grinned.
"OH shut up Jonathan!" Evelyn snapped, then turned and began waddling back over to the bed.
"Evy" Jonathan said as he followed her over to the bed. "He's just looking out for you" he said as he watched her sit down on the bed.
"I do not need looking after" Evelyn retorted bitterly. "I'm not a helpless child!"
Jonathan agreed. She was not a helpless child. However, he did think she needed someone to look out for her. And he was glad it was O'Connell doing the looking.
"He's just worried about you" Jonathan said as he sat down on the bed next to Evelyn.
Evelyn knew that was the case but she still wanted to get out of the house.
"Jonathan..." Evelyn turned to him.
"No" Jonathan said immediately, knowing what she was about to ask. "No Evy. O'Connell will KILL me in a very unpleasant way if I take you to the museum."
"I can not believe you're such a coward" Evelyn frowned, know that her brother was a bit of a coward. "He will not kill you."
"OH yes" Jonathan shook his head. "Oh yes he will."
"He will not Jonathan. And you know it!" she said in disgust.
"He will" Jonathan said with confidence. "You didn't see the look on his face Evy. He was serious. Quite serious."
"I can't believe you'd side with that bully over your own sister!"
"Evy" Jonathan exclaimed. "I want to live to see my nephew or niece."
"He is NOT going to kill you!!"
"Maybe not" Jonathan conceded. "But he will torture me. Said he's turn me over to some of those heathen desert dwellers and I hear they are a ruthless bunch."
"Jonathan" Evelyn said as she pushed herself up from the bed. "I want to go to the museum. And you're taking me."
"Evy please" Jonathan said, noting the determination in her voice. "O'Connell will have my head if I do" he said as he stood up.
"Jonathan. I am your sister. I am family. And you're suppose to be loyal to me!" Evelyn said as tears of frustration began to fill her eyes.
"Evy" Jonathan, weakening with her tears, said. "He's just worried about you. He wants you to stay home and rest."
"I want to go to the museum" Evelyn said as tears slid down her cheek.
"Evy..." Jonathan began.
"Please Jonathan" Evelyn begged. "I'd just like to do a few things and get a few books. We can be back here within 2 hours."
Jonathan hesitated. Obey O'Connell or take his weeping, pregnant sister to the museum. Any sane person would do the former but... Evy was his sister. His only sister. And seeing her cry...
"Alright Evy" Jonathan consented. "But only for ONE hour. O'Connell said he'd be home around one and I'm not taking ANY chances that he'll beat us back here."
"Thank you Jonathan" Evelyn smiled, then hugged him around his neck.
"Well, let's get a move on then" Jonathan said when Evelyn did not let go of his neck immediately.
Evelyn released his neck and let him go. Jonathan rushed back to his room to get dressed. When he got downstairs, Evelyn was waiting for him.
"Alright" Jonathan said as he walked up to Evelyn. "Let's go so we can get back."