Page 24 of Beau
“I am preparing you for what lies ahead. You are going to be getting acid reflux on a regular basis, and I am sincerely hoping that you will not experience any abnormal amount of nausea. How has your stomach been behaving?”
“Pretty decent,” she told him with a slight laugh.
“The first trimester is generally the most difficult period, because your body is preparing itself for the enormous changes. You will experience intense stages of emotional upheaval.” He looked at Beau again. “Her hormones will be raging as the pregnancy progresses. I am just preparing you for periods of highs and lows.”
Beau nodded without saying anything.
“Well then.” Lucien cleared his throat again. “The prescription can be filled by our pharmacy here. I have written down some instructions for you to follow.” He glanced at Georgie. “You were asking about exercise and for now, you can go on about doing what you normally did. Keeping active for as long as possible is a very good idea.”
“Thanks, Lucien.”
Beau rose, holding his hand out to help her up.
“Your next appointment date is on the note.”
*****
They made the journey home in silence. He had not even bothered to request music, so the silence was profound and absolute.
She resented the fact that he was putting a pall on her happiness, but she had to admit that she was scared. It had hit home that there was no turning back. She was carrying triplets, and she had filled in the blanks of what the doctors had been careful not to say.
She could lose all three of them or end up with just one baby surviving. She knew her husband was thinking along a similar line. There was also the risk where she was concerned. She could lose her life.
Which led her to the agonizing question of whether she had really thought this through. She knew she had not given Beau a chance at all. It had been forced on him and because he loved her, he went along with it.
It was not fair to him.
Turning her head slightly, she viewed his profile and noticed the strain around his sensuous lips and the slight frown etching his brow. His long, slender fingers were gripping the wheel, the knuckles turning white.
He was internalizing and she did not like it.
When she shifted into the soft leather seat, he turned his head to look at her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Are you?”
“I am fine. I am going to have to drop you off and head back out.”
“You have a meeting.”
He nodded and concentrated on making the turn that led to the private road of their home.
“I had to push it back because of the doctor’s appointment.” He was not complaining, but he might as well have been.
“You didn’t have to be there.”
He slid her a glance that spoke volumes and did not deign to respond. Driving through the electronic gates, he traveled the length of the cobbled driveway and came to a stop right in front of the porch. Pushing his door open, he came around to open hers and helped her out.
Making sure she was all wrapped up against the icy weather, he took her hand and led her carefully up the porch steps. She could not fault him for his attentiveness. He was never lacking in that direction. What she could not stand was the polite way he was treating her.
She had expected a happy kiss on the lips, a hug, anything. But instead, he was silent, and his silence was bearing heavily on her. It was making her feel guilty.
He saw her inside of course. Her husband was the perfect gentleman and would never leave her standing on the front porch. “Get some rest," he said briefly, giving her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek.
“And try and eat something. You just had some tea and crackers this morning and I am guessing you did not eat before you left for the appointment.”
She shook her head.
“What time will you be home?” It was two days before Christmas and the housekeeper was already gone on her holiday and would not be returning for a full week. Georgie had hired someone from the agency to come in and do some cleaning up.