[Cardello Ruth] For Love or Legacy(Bookos.org) (3 page)

"That patent. Stephan, it shows real promise. It could make you millions."

For a moment, he looked like he was tempted, but then he said, "Even if I wanted to help you, no one would ever believe it. No one would believe we're engaged."

"They would if you said we'd been secretly dating."

"No."

"Engagements happen all the time. Tell people I'm pregnant. I don't care."

He raised his voice, "My family would lose their minds if they thought we'd been secretly dating — never mind engaged because you're pregnant.
No
."

Did he have to sound disgusted?

A knock on the door. Maddy poked her head in. "Stephan, my car is here so I'm leaving."

Stephan checked his watch and swore. "Maddy, do me a favor and double check that mine is coming. It was supposed to be here ten minutes ago. I'm on a tight timetable."

Maddy looked back and forth between Stephan and Nicole. "Will do." She closed the door as if reluctant to do so.

Lost in his thoughts for a moment, Stephan stared after his departing secretary.

"Stephan," Nicole said.

"Hmm?"

"Let go of my arm."

He dropped it. "I don't hate you, Nicole. If you were asking me for a reference or...hell, even a loan, I might be able to help you, but this is too much."

"I understand," she said, composing herself and stepping back from him.

His phone vibrated in his breast pocket. He checked it quickly then said, "That's my car downstairs. I wish I could help you, but I can't. You're going to have to live with your father's will."

Well, that went worse than expected
, Nicole thought as she exited the elevator and entered the main foyer of Stephan‘s office building. The click of her Louis Vuitton heels caught the attention of the men at the security desk. They both looked up and, in union, dismissed her with insulting speed.

Was there a flavor of ice cream that would make this day tolerable? Probably not, but Nicole had plans of testing out a carton or two that evening.

Her inability to gain weight was a gift and a curse. In her teen years, she‘d sprouted to a couple inches shy of six feet, and without much padding, she‘d looked like an awkward scarecrow for years, all arms and legs. Not someone men looked twice at. Age had softened the angles of her face, but the real curves she‘d hoped for had never come. No need to buy sexy clothing when you don‘t have the assets to support them.

Not that the general lack of male attention bothered her. She‘d poured herself into her studies and various internships over the years with one single goal in mind – saving her father‘s company. A goal that had never seemed further from her reach than it did today.

Dominic wouldn‘t care that the top executives had worked for Corisi Ltd for almost twenty years. The private company had survived a failing economy and deliberate sabotaging because of the loyalty and integrity of those very people. They were more than long term employees, they were the only family Nicole had ever known.

And she‘d failed them.

"Are you ok?" Stephan‘s secretary asked as she stepped away from the lounge area and into the main foyer. Even pregnant, or maybe because of her condition, she held the attention of the security guards longer. Nicole envied the woman‘s natural confidence. Her ruched, plum maternity dress accentuated her delicate form and clearly celebrated her temporary figure.

"Yes, I'm fine,‖ Nicole answered automatically.

"You don't look ok," the woman persisted.

Despite the difference in color, the woman's dark brown eyes reminded Nicole of Stephan.

He didn‘t have a sister. Was she a cousin? Victor Andrade had always advocated employing family. Stephan might have kept up that practice. "Maddy, right? I appreciate your concern, but I've had a really rough week and I'd rather not talk about it."

Relief! Her limo was at the curb waiting for her. Nicole excused herself and headed out the glass doors.

Maddy followed her out onto the street as if she had something further she wanted to say.

Nicole watched her struggle to catch up and reluctantly waited for her. She said, "I thought you were leaving a few minutes ago."

"I gave my ride to Stephan." Maddy grimaced. "Don't tell him. This trip is important to him and I thought I could wait for the service to send another car."

"But?"
Please don't have a reason I can't leave you here on the curb. Oh, God. Do you go to
hell for thinking that about a pregnant woman?
Nicole looked around, hoping that an extra limo had miraculously appeared.

"But I'm not feeling so good." Maddy put one hand behind her to support her back.

Dammit.

Nicole waved for her limo to pull closer to them. He backed up and opened the door. "Why not sit for a minute? Do you want me to call your service again?"

Settling onto one of the plush seats on one side, Maddy said, "I'm sure I'll be fine in a minute. I'm just tired. The air in here feels great."

Wanting nothing more than to drive off and away from everything Andrade, Nicole stepped inside and sat across from the reason she couldn‘t. "Are you uncomfortable?"

Maddy rolled her eyes. "I am due in a week and shaped like an overblown beach ball. There isn't an inch of me that
is
comfortable."

They passed a moment of shared awkward silence.

Maddy winced. "Ooof."

"What is it?"

"I must have sat wrong at my desk because my back is killing me."

Shame on Stephan for having Maddy continue to work this late into her pregnancy. Was there
any
trace left of the gentler Stephan she‘d fallen in love with so many years ago? Had he existed at all or had she projected what she‘d wanted to see onto just another power-hungry suit?

Little Maddy deserved better treatment. "Are you sure I can't call anyone for you? How about your family?"

"No.‖ Maddy made a face as she had another back spasm. "I'll be fine as soon as I get home. I hate to ask you this, but do you think you could give me a ride?"

―You're welcome to take the limo. I don't mind catching a taxi.‖ It would be a win/win.

Maddy could get home safely and she could escape from what was turning out to be another awful day.

―Please don't. I mean, yes, I'll take the ride, but don't leave. I don't know why, but I feel funny about being alone right now.‖

What could you say to that?

Nothing but yes, especially if you were well acquainted with how being deserted felt.

"No problem, what's your address?" Maddy shared her uptown address and Nicole repeated it to the driver. They pulled out into traffic.

Maddy was the first to break the silence. ―So, are you ok with Stephan going to China?‖

Nicole clasped her cold hands in her lap. ―What Stephan does is none of my business.‖ A fact that was painfully clear after seeing him today.

―Do you know why he's going there?‖

―Like I said, none of my business.‖ She didn‘t want to be rude, but the last thing she wanted to do was discuss the man she was planning to spend the evening trying to forget.

―Even when it involves your brother?‖

―Especially when it involves my brother,‖ Nicole said, turning to look out the window.

―That must be hard.‖

―I'm sorry?‖ Nicole answered, continuing to watch the people on the street.

―Not getting involved. I don't think I could do…‖ Her sentence was cut short by another back spasm.

―Are you ok?‖ Nicole‘s family had consisted of just her and her father since her early teen years. She had no experience dealing with pregnant women, but Maddy was looking more and more uncomfortable. That couldn‘t be good.

―Yes, just some twinges. This happened a couple of days ago. It was false labor. I'm sure this will pass. Don't worry, even if it were real labor...this is my first, we'd have plenty of time.‖

Nicole‘s stomach twisted and she almost lost her lunch on the floor of the vehicle. She caught her breath and said, ―Labor? You could be in labor?‖

―I wish, but I‘ll probably be one of those first timers who go past their due dates,‖ Maddy said with more confidence than Nicole thought the situation warranted.

Nicole tapped on the driver‘s window. ―Jeff? Head to the hospital. Fast.‖

Maddy said, ―I‘m sure…‖

The driver window lowered. ―Did you say the hospital?‖

―Yes, she could be in labor right now. How far are we?‖

―Lenox is on 77th I think. That‘s not too far, but the traffic is at a crawl.‖

―Can you go around?‖

―It‘s all backed up. There must be an accident. Nothing is moving.‖

Nicole took a shaky breath and then another. Shorter and shorter breaths until she felt a bit lightheaded.

Maddy said, ―Breathe! Nicole, I'm not in labor.‖ But she gave a small yelp and lost some of her confidence. ―At least I don't think so.‖

Nicole could barely get a coherent sentence out, ―You can‘t...you can‘t...‖

Maddy raised an eyebrow.

Nicole finished lamely, ―You can‘t have your baby here. I don‘t know anything about babies!‖

Relaxing back into the seat for a moment, Maddy rubbed her stomach, but she wasn‘t sounding as calm as she had a few moments before. She said, ―I'm sure this is nothing. Richard and I both panicked last time for no reason. I've taken all the classes. My water hasn't even broken yet. We‘re fine.‖

Nicole took out her phone and started searching the internet for imminent birth indicators.

Maddy joked, ―Do you think there is an app for this?‖ But her joke was cut short by her first real cry of pain.

Nicole said, ―You need an ambulance.‖

Wiping a sudden sheen of sweat from her forehead, Maddy conceded, ―You might be right.‖

Not expecting her to agree, Nicole sputtered, ―What do you mean I might be right? You said you were fine!‖

Maddy looked down at the seat beneath her and said, ―I think my water just broke.‖

―You think?‖ Her water just broke? The traffic was at a standstill. They were nowhere near a hospital.
Not good. Not good. Not good.
Nicole gasped for oxygen as her airway closed with panic.

Reaching across the limo, Maddy dragged Nicole onto the seat next to her with one yank.

The sweet girl from earlier was quickly disappearing. She gritted her teeth and said, ―Listen, one of us is going to have to remain calm here and chances are it‘s not going to be me. You‘re going to have to get a grip!‖

What did they suggest a woman do during birthing? Short breaths? Nicole took several shallow breaths, then several longer ones. When she‘d calmed, she was able to think somewhat clearly again. ―You're right. I'm sorry. I've just never been around a pregnant woman before.‖

After quickly digging in her purse for her phone, Maddy called her husband. ―Richard?‖ She broke off and exclaimed as pain tore through her. When it had passed, she said, ―It's time. Head to Lenox. I know it‘s not what we planned, but it‘s the closest one. Yes, we're on our way. At least, we're trying to be on our way, we‘re stuck in traffic.‖

Nicole asked frantically, ―Jeff, can't you get around these cars?‖

The driver said, ―We're locked in.‖

―What about a helivac?‖ Nicole asked, grasping for any solution.

―No place to land.‖

Breathing normally was getting more difficult again. ―Oh, my God! Oh, my God! What do we do?‖

911

Nicole fumbled with her phone, dropping it twice before she succeeded in making the call.

She chose speakerphone because, like it or not, Jeff was going to have to listen in, just in case she passed out.

The dispatcher said, ―911, what is the emergency?‖

Nicole gasped for a breath and said, ―We‘re having a baby. I mean Maddy is having a baby in my limo. She can‘t have the baby here.‖

―Ma‘am where are you located?‖

Nicole frantically looked out the window for signs. ―We're on West 58th and 5th. In a black limo. The traffic isn‘t moving. You need to send an ambulance right now.‖

―Ok, ma‘am, there is an ambulance several blocks away. I‘m directing it to your location now. Pull over and wait for them.‖

Maddy screamed.

The operator asked, ―How close are the contractions?‖

Nicole looked at Maddy who was now reclined on the long seat, breathing in short bursts.

―Maddy, how close are the contractions?‖ Tears started running down Maddy‘s face and she let out another short scream.
Oh, my God!
―I don‘t know. She‘s in a lot of pain. Should she be in that much pain?‖

―Ma‘am you‘re going to have to remain calm. Having a baby is natural, but can be

extremely painful. You need to ask the mother how close her contractions are.‖

As the pain eased, Maddy finally answered Nicole. ―They are very close. A few minutes, if that.‖

―A few minutes,‖ Nicole said quickly into the phone. ―Maybe less.‖

―Ma‘am, you‘re going to have to prepare yourself.‖

―Prepare?‖ Nicole asked, feeling time slow with the shock of it all.

―The baby could come before the ambulance arrives. Unless anyone else is there, you‘re going to have to assist.‖

Nicole gave the young driver a frantic look, but he shook his head just as wildly and said,

―Don‘t look at me. I pass out when I see blood.‖

―I don‘t think I can do this,‖ Nicole said, panic closing in once again. She had never even applied a band-aide to anyone but herself, and this promised to be a whole lot messier than that.

Maddy said something into her phone then put it on speaker phone, ―Nicole, it‘s Richard.

He wants to say something.‖

―Nicole? Nicole? Are you there?‖

―Yes,‖ Nicole said, her hands shaking so badly, she almost dropped her own phone.

―You have two of the most important people in the world to me with you right now. Please take care of them.‖ His love for his wife had a calming effect on Nicole.

Every once in a while, life threw you an opportunity to redefine yourself. You could either rise up to the challenge or live with the regret.