Desire and a Bottle of Merlot: (Like Sisters Series Book 5) Chick Lit: A Romantic Comedy (4 page)

Mario’s ribs on his right side were bruised, and he had a sprained right wrist. Doc Miller wrapped Mario’s ribs tightly with an Ace bandage and put a hard brace on his hand.

“Mario, you’ll need to rest for a day before you continue with your trip. Riding in a car is going to be uncomfortable, I’ll be honest, but I’m going to prescribe some pain medication for you. I’m leaving four Percocet here, but you can’t drive under the influence of any pain medication. Take a few of these today, according to the instructions on the bottle, and stay put. Try not to move quickly or cough. Karen, when you leave tomorrow, you’re going to be the designated driver. Do you both understand?”

“Yes. Thank you, Doctor Miller.” Karen followed the doctor outside to discuss payment. “I can give you a check if you don’t mind.”

“Don’t bother, dear. That’s not how we take care of business in this neck of the woods. Elton and Irene have done plenty for my wife and me over the years.”

“May I write down your address, then? I’d like to send you something as a token of our appreciation when we get home. Please. It’s the least I can do.”

“All right, if you insist, but I want to hear how Mario is doing, too. His ribs are going to be tender for about six weeks. Make him take it easy, and he’ll have to wear that hand brace for at least ten days.”

Karen watched as the doctor drove away
.
She folded the piece of paper with the doctor’s address on it and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans.
What am I doing wrong? Mario is going to dump me for sure—I just know it. I’m bad karma.
Karen needed a few minutes to regroup, alone. She sat on the old picnic table whose paint had long worn off. A large locust tree hung over the table, heavy with yellow spring blossoms. That morning, Karen had been excited about the return trip to New York with Mario. She’d been certain everything would go just as planned—no hiccups and definitely no accidents. Introducing Mario to her Amish relatives was high on her to-do list. He would see an expanded side of her life, finally meeting some of her more interesting family members. She’d told him it would be a blast.
Not so much now
. She sat with her folded hands holding up her chin, looking out over the wide expanse of fertile farmland her cousins owned. Quiet filled the air other than an occasional robin singing and the many doubts buzzing in her own head. She made the quick call to Vic to let her know Mario was okay then followed the sidewalk back to the house.

Karen heard voices as she entered through the screened porch and walked across the kitchen. She waited near the doorway to the living room, listening to the ongoing conversation. Elton, David, and Jacob were apologizing for goading Mario into helping with the calves. The accident was their fault, they said. Mario accepted their apology, but took blame for his own actions.

“Man, I couldn’t believe Sampson broke through the fence like that. I’ll admit I almost wet myself.” Mario groaned as he chuckled.

Laughter broke out. Karen was thankful the mood in the house was lighter now that the crisis was over.

“How are you going to get him back into that smaller pen?”

“Well… Doc Borntrager, the vet, will have to come out and tranquilize him. We’ll repair the pen and move him back in.”

Heads turned and eyes followed Karen as she entered the room. Elton got up and offered her the stuffed chair to sit on.

“Thanks, Elton, but I’d rather sit on the floor next to Mario.”

Irene and Rose gathered the coffee cups, which were scattered throughout the living room on mismatched end tables, and excused themselves to start a fresh pot of coffee. Irene patted Karen’s shoulder as she passed.

“How are you feeling, Mario? Has the Percocet kicked in yet?” Karen asked.

“The pain is lessening a little, and I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I was trying to make a joke, but I guess it didn’t come out very funny. Don’t blame yourself. I do know one thing for sure, though.”

“What’s that?” David asked.

“From now on, I’m wearing body armor when I’m around her.”

“Mario, if you weren’t hurt already, I’d punch you right now,” Karen said, giving it right back to him.

The tension in the room ended, and relief swept across everyone’s faces. Mario laughed. “I wish I could have seen myself standing in the middle of the corral with a snorting bull staring me down, ready to tear me apart.”

Everyone chuckled while they drank coffee and told their own versions of the event as they remembered it.

The table was full of delicious food and laughter as Karen and Mario joined the cousins for breakfast before they continued on their journey. Nobody in that household counted calories or worried about cholesterol levels. Mario cautiously sat down at the table with a few involuntary groans. He tried to suppress his laughter as they talked, but it was difficult around this group of new and endearing friends. Hearty biscuits and gravy, along with eggs and bacon, filled their stomachs, and coffee washed it down. Two travel mugs full of steaming coffee sat on the kitchen counter. Karen and Mario wouldn’t need to stop until lunchtime. By then, they should easily make it to the Kansas-Missouri border. Their next meal would likely be at a truck stop somewhere near Kansas City. Karen needed to make one quick stop in Hutchinson to fill Mario’s prescription before they headed toward the interstate. Mario couldn’t lie back and sleep soundly until they picked up his medication and he took a dose. Since Percocet was a controlled drug, he had to be the one to sign for it and show his identification. Once back in the car, he could relax and rest for a few hours.

Hugs and handshakes—as well as laughter and apologies—echoed throughout the screened porch as Karen and Mario said good-bye, knowing it would be a trip everyone would talk about for years to come. Elton said he was looking forward to sharing the story with other Amish farmers he met up with every few days at Carriage Crossing Restaurant in Yoder. Irene handed Karen the mugs of coffee and a bag of cookies for the road. Karen promised to call and leave a message once they were safely back in Tarrytown. Mario joked about hoping to get there in one piece. Karen backed out of the driveway, waving to the group standing near the locust trees, and drove away.

Sasha and Josh sat in the colorful waiting room of the doctor’s office on the east side of town. Their appointment was for nine thirty, but Sasha had insisted on getting there at nine o’clock. She assumed she could squeeze in before everyone else that way. Seven women in different stages of pregnancy joined them, scattered throughout the room. Nursery-rhyme murals were painted on the walls, and soothing elevator music came from the surround-sound speakers. Today was the day they would find out the sex of the baby. Sasha fidgeted impatiently. Three fingernails were already gnawed down to the quick, and the fourth had almost found its way to her mouth when Josh took her hand in his.

“Honey, please calm down. Look what you’ve done to your manicure. There’s nothing we can do to speed things up. We still have ten minutes before our appointment, so take a few deep breaths, and relax. Do you want a magazine to read?”

“No. I’m too jacked up to read. Maybe I should pace.” Sasha began to stand up.

“No, you shouldn’t. You’re going to make everyone else nervous if you don’t relax. Just watch TV or something. They’ll call us soon.”

“Okay, I’ll try.” Sasha sat back down, tucking her hands under her legs.

“Martha Destiny and Josh Redmond?” The receptionist, wearing a flowered scrub top and fuchsia-colored pants, came through the door and scanned the waiting room.

Sasha leapt from the chair. “That’s us. It’s about friggin’ time!”

“Honey, please!”

“Oops, sorry… my mouth just goes nuts sometimes. I have no control over it. I didn’t mean anything, really.”

“Please follow me.” The receptionist walked down the hallway with Sasha right on her heels. “Here you go. Just take a seat in this exam room. The PA will be with you shortly.”

“Josh, I’m so excited I’m going to pee my pants.”

“You know you can’t use the bathroom. They said you need a full bladder for the ultrasound, remember?”

“I know, but I’m going to ask anyway. I don’t know how long I can hold it. If the doctor comes in, tell him I’ll be right back. Don’t start without me.” Sasha ran out of the room to talk to the receptionist.

Josh laughed and shook his head.
Huh. Don’t start without me? That woman gives blond hair a whole new meaning.

Sasha returned with the physician’s assistant right behind her. “They wouldn’t let me pee, damn it.”

“Hello, Martha. I’m Joan Fry. Why don’t you step up here on the scale? I need to check your weight and blood pressure. Looks like you’ve gained eight pounds so far.”

“That’s because I have to pee.”

After a quick glance at Josh with a halfcocked smile, Joan continued. “Right… why don’t you take a seat and I’ll get your blood pressure, too. I’ll be back soon. You have to sit still for five minutes to get an accurate blood pressure reading.”

Joan left the room while Sasha remained seated in place. She crossed her legs tightly as if that would hold back the urge to urinate.

“Josh, do you have any idea how hard this is? Five minutes feels like two hours to me, plus we haven’t even seen the doctor yet.”

“I know, honey, but I’m not the one who’s pregnant. You have to follow their instructions. Try to think about something else for now, like how sweet it will be to see the baby’s image.”

The door opened, and Joan returned with the blood-pressure cuff. Sasha’s blood pressure was slightly elevated. Joan jotted down notes on her chart and entered it into the computer.

The door opened again, and Doctor Adams walked in. A stethoscope hung around his neck, and his white lab coat wore an embroidered name tag. Several pens and a pad of paper stuck out of the lab coat’s side pocket.

“Sasha, it’s good to see you again. You look very healthy. Josh, how are you?”

“I’m fine, Dr. Adams—”

Sasha interrupted. “What do you mean I look very healthy? Is that man code for fat? It’s just because I drank a quart of water this morning.”

Doctor Adams laughed. “That’s not exactly what I meant.” He looked at Sasha’s chart, his eyebrows furrowed.

“What?” she said.

“Excuse me?”

“Why are you looking weird?”

“It’s just interesting, that’s all. You’re fifteen weeks pregnant, and you’ve gained eight pounds already.”

“So, I
am
fat. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Let’s get you changed into a gown. You must be excited to find out the baby’s gender, aren’t you?”

“Yes! Let’s do it.” Sasha stopped talking about having to pee at the mention of finding out the baby’s sex. She changed into the paper gown, stepped up, and sat on the table. The room was chilly. A folded blanket waited in anticipation.

Sasha plumped two pillows under her head to get comfortable as she lay back on the exam table. Josh covered her with the blanket then sat on the lime-green stool next to her. He held her hand while they waited for the doctor to return. Sasha looked at the ceiling and giggled. “Look up, Josh.”

He followed her eyes upward to see a ceiling mural full of round-bellied cherubs with golden hair floating above them. “That’s pretty sweet,” he said, giving her hand an extra squeeze.

Doctor Adams and Joan reentered the room. “Okay, Sasha, are you ready? I’m curious about the image I’m hoping to see.”

“Do you think there’s something wrong?” A look of concern spread across Sasha’s face. She gripped Josh’s hand tighter.

“Not at all, I was just thinking out loud. Joan is going to put some gel on your abdomen. Sorry—it will be cold, but it aids in getting a better ultrasound image of the baby. Please lie still. I’m going to press down a bit and move the wand across your belly. The baby’s image will show up on the monitor. Just bear with me for a minute, please.”

Sasha wasn’t the patient type, but she knew she needed to be still in order for the ultrasound to bring up the image.

“Yes! It’s just what I thought. Congratulations, Sasha and Josh, you’re having twins!”

“Huh?” Josh said, feeling the blood drain from his face. He was sure he’d heard the doctor wrong.

“What?
We’re
having twins
? Did you just say what I think you said?” Sasha nearly passed out from shock, then a wide smile took over her face. “We’re having twins? Are you certain?”

“Josh, you are a twin yourself, aren’t you?”

Still shocked, he said, “Huh? Oh, yes, I am a twin. Seems like twins run on my mom’s side of the family, but I’ll admit having twins of my own never occurred to me.”

Doctor Adams turned the monitor toward the exam table. “Take a look for yourself.” Josh and Sasha could see the babies clearly, side by side, each in their own little cavity. “Do you still want to know their gender?”

“Absolutely, yes, please! I can’t believe this, Josh. It’s the best thing I could ever hope for.” Tears of happiness wet Sasha’s pillow as she and Josh watched the babies float around inside her womb.

Twenty minutes of moving the wand to different angles finally revealed the sexes of both babies.

“Do you have a preference?” Doctor Adams joked.

“Well, no, since we had no idea we were getting two babies. We just want them to be healthy.” Sasha laughed. “Tell us—hurry!”

The doctor pointed out what Sasha and Josh were trying to see. “You’re going to see a little extra between their legs, or nothing at all. I’m happy to say you have a boy and a girl!”

Sasha openly wept as Josh hugged her and kissed the tears from her eyes.

“Congratulations, both of you. I’ll give you some privacy… take your time. We have more to discuss in terms of risks when carrying twins and so on. Set up an appointment with Mary for next week.” Doctor Adams and Joan shook their hands and closed the door behind them as they left the exam room.

Josh and Sasha burst out laughing while they kissed each other with happiness. “This was the last thing I was expecting. No wonder I have a voracious appetite! Now I know why the doctor was suspicious of my weight gain… hey, I was finally able to use one of my new, big words in a sentence. Yay!”