Opposing Forces (32 page)

“But I cannot stay protected forever, Steffen.  I need to live my life.”

“Until this person has been caught, you will remain in protective custody,” he said flatly.

“I can’t, Steffen. Surely you must see that. My job involves me travelling, arranging events and meeting people.”

“Then you will have to take a leave of absence.”  His face was set firm.  “I’m not arguing about this.  My decision stands.”

Two days after their climbing trip, Sabina had her head down the toilet again.  Perhaps she really should see a doctor.  She stood back up and splashed cold water on her face, she was all clammy and shivering.  As she opened the medicine cupboard to find something to settle her stomach, her eyes caught sight of familiar object.

“Oh no, I can’t be,” she cried, before sinking to the floor in a virtual faint.

Maisie knew Steffen would be cross, but she had just had a very tearful call from Sabina.  The poor girl was highly distressed.  To hell with her own safety, Sabina was not only a friend but Steffen’s sister and she needed her.

She drove Steffen’s BMW to her apartment, notified the officer on duty there where she was headed and slipped into the apartment building next door.  Sabina was distraught.  She threw her arms around Maisie and sobbed for a while.  Maisie suspected the worst; Philippe must have broken up with her. She’d give him a good slap next time she saw him.

Finally she managed to calm Sabina and sat her down on the sofa.  “Now, how about you tell me what’s wrong, so I can see how we can fix it,” Maisie said in her softest voice.

“I can’t believe it,” Sabina wailed.  “I don’t know what to do. Philippe will never want to see me again.”

Maisie waited for the latest round of sobbing to stop.  It seemed Philippe had not broken up with her, well not yet. 

“What’s happened?” Maisie took a firm tone.

Sabina looked at her, her eyes wide with panic.  “I’m…I’m pregnant,” she howled.

Oh shit, Maisie thought, she hadn’t seen that one coming.  She put her arms around Sabina and let her cry herself out. 

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. I took a pregnancy test.  Two in fact, in case the first one was wrong.”

“It’s not the end of the world, Sabina,” Maisie said reassuringly.  “It happens and people go on to lead perfectly happy lives.”

“I’ve only known Philippe a few months,” she sniffed.  “He’ll hate me for this.”
 

“Philippe is far too decent, Sabina.  Besides, you’re forgetting he is partly responsible for your current predicament.”

“I love him, Maisie. I don’t want him to think I’m trying to trap him. I can’t do that.”

“Well, that will all depend on what you want to do.  Have you thought about it?”

Sabina’s hand flew to her abdomen.  “I can’t get rid of it, Maisie.  I could never do that.”

“Right, you’ve made the first difficult decision.  How far along are you?”

“Possibly ten weeks. I guess it happened early December when I had that bout of flu, I must have missed some pills.”

“And you didn’t notice a missed period?  Two, in fact?”

“I’m fairly erratic with my periods, it’s not unusual to go a couple of months without one.”

“And you’ve not had morning sickness?”

“I thought it was just the remnants of the flu.  It’s not like I’ve been throwing up every day, just the odd day here and there.”

“And you ignored it?”

Sabina looked quite contrite.  “I was worried I might have some horrid illness, so chose to overlook it, hoping it would go away.”

Maisie let out a small chuckle.  “You’ll be glad to know it will, in about seven months.”

Sabina snorted in response.

“Being practical, we must get you registered with a local obstetrician to make sure you and the baby are healthy. And to confirm exactly how far gone you are,” Maisie was thinking out loud.  “Did you want to finish university? The baby won’t arrive until you’re in your second year.”

“I’d like to, but how can I with a baby?” 

“The university does have a crèche.  It won’t be easy with a new-born, but you’re far too young to be a stay at home mother.  Besides, I imagine you could employ a nanny if you wanted.” She looked at Sabina with half a grin.  “You Grundbergs aren’t exactly short on cash.”

Sabina made a sound that was like a strangled laugh.

“You also don’t know how much involvement Philippe will want.”

“How do I break the news to him, Maisie?” she sounded in pain.  “He was so concerned last weekend when I was sick.”

“You just have to, Sabina.  He has a right to know and the sooner you do it, the better. Then at least you’ll have a clearer picture of how things lie. Besides, I’m sure he’ll be relieved it’s nothing terminal.”  She picked up Sabina’s mobile and tossed it to her.  “What time does his shift finish today?”

“I think he’s done mid-afternoon.”

“Send him a text asking if he can come straight over after work.” She watched Sabina send the text, the tears were rolling down her cheeks as she did it.  “Well done.  Now, how did you want to handle your family?”

Sabina buried her head in her hands and wailed again.  “Oh God, Steffen is going to kill me. He’ll probably shoot Philippe as well.”

Maisie found it ironic that Sabina was worried about how her brother would react, not a thought to her parents.  “Steffen will be fine, I’ll see to that.  After you and Philippe have talked, it is imperative you tell Steffen.  If he gets wind of it through another source, he’ll rightly be majorly pissed.”

“But he’ll be so disappointed with me.”

“At the end of the day, Sabina, this is a matter between you and Philippe.  It doesn’t help that your father is currently facing his own paternity suit, but if you’re discreet, it shouldn’t be an issue.”  Maisie let out a small giggle.  “Are you Grundbergs excessively fertile?”

Sabina laughed despite herself.  “It seems that way with two unplanned pregnancies.  Although we’re not sure if my father is actually responsible for Jacqueline’s.”

“Perhaps I should step up my protection with Steffen,” Maisie grunted.

Sabina’s phone beeped.  She glanced down at it and bit her lip.  “It’s Philippe, he’ll be here in half an hour.”

She gave Sabina a long hug.  “Remember, you’re not alone.  I will help you get through this.”

“Thank you, Maisie,” she sniffed.  “You’ve always been so kind to me.”

“You’re like the little sister I always wanted but never had,” Maisie smiled. 

Sabina managed half a smile.  “I should blame this whole mess on you.  If you hadn’t fixed me up with Philippe that day in your apartment, we probably would never have got together.”

Maisie grinned.  “In reality, it’s actually all your brother’s fault.  If he hadn’t appeared on the scene, I would have continued dating Philippe and you and he may never have gotten together.”
 

“Definitely all Steffen’s fault.”

Maisie looked at her watch.  “I should get going before Philippe gets here.  Just remember, he’s a really good guy.  He’ll be shocked, but if your relationship is meant to last, it will survive.”  She headed to the door.  “Text me when you’re on your way to see Steffen, I’ll soften him up.”

Sabina sat and waited for Philippe, it was like waiting for a sentencing.  She was not sure how she was going to break this to him, but she’d have to find a way.  Her hand rested on her abdomen, whatever happened today, she had a lifelong reminder of her love for Philippe.  That almost brought a faint smile to her lips.

She almost threw up when the intercom buzzer went, she let him in and waited for his inevitable appearance at the door.  She was shocked to see him looking white as a sheet.

He saw her red eyes and threw his arms around her, almost crushing her.  “What is it, Sabina?” 

Any composure she had disappeared as she burst into tears on his shoulder.  “I’m so sorry, Philippe,” she cried. 

His grip tightened.  “I don’t care what illness you have, we’ll face it together.”

Sabina stared up at him through her tears.  “I’m not sick, Philippe, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

She felt him relax a fraction.  “Then what the hell is it?” he breathed a small sigh of relief.

Sabina pulled away from him and looked out the window.  “What I do have is life changing however.  I’m pregnant.” She dropped the bombshell.

The silence was excruciating.  He spoke eventually.  “I take it you’re keeping the baby?”  His voice was very strained.

She nodded.  “Yes.  I couldn’t kill something you and I had inadvertently created.”  The tears rolled down her cheeks again.  She wiped them away and turned around.  “I’m independently wealthy so I won’t be asking for any support.  How much involvement you want to have, if any, is up to you.”

Philippe grabbed hold of her shoulders painfully.  “Do you think so little of me that I would abandon you to raise our child alone?” he sounded furious.

“No, but I don’t want you to feel trapped into doing something you don’t want to do.” Those damned tears started to trickle again.

“For Christ’s sake, Sabina, I love you,” he shouted at her.  “We’re both responsible for your pregnancy and we’re going to deal with it together.”  He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.  They needed to calm down and talk matters through rationally.  He took her hand and led her over to the sofa.  “I have to admit that becoming a father at the grand age of twenty-seven was not on my agenda, but then neither was falling completely for you.”  He brushed his lips across hers.  “I’m not offering you marriage, or a happy ever after, just a promise that I will do everything I can to stand by you and help with the raising of our child.”

Sabina slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.  “I love you, Philippe,” she sighed.  They held each other for a long time.

“I propose we let our relationship continue, gradually increasing the time I stay over here and we’ll see how we go.”   His hand slipped to her abdomen.  “How pregnant are we?”

“Around ten weeks.”

“My mother will be pleased at least.  She adores you and this will be her first grandchild.”

Sabina turned white.  There was one more teeny thing she needed to tell him.  “On the subject of family, there is still a chance you might run for the hills, Philippe.”  She stood up and paced around the living room. “You’ve often asked why I’m reluctant to introduce you to my family, well…the thing is…Laroque is my mother’s maiden name, she’s reverted to it and I prefer to use it here.  It’s less... intimidating.”

Philippe’s eyes never left her.  He was more than eager to discover who her family were and why she was so scared about naming them.

“Oh God,” she wailed.  “This is harder than telling you I’m pregnant.”

A thought flitted through Philippe’s mind.  “I think I understand what you’re afraid of.  You’re related to the Grundbergs, aren’t you?”  That had to be it, he thought. She was a distant relative of Steffen Grundberg, possibly a cousin.

She faced him and took a deep breath.  “I AM a Grundberg, Philippe. My father is Senator Hubert Grundberg.”  She watched the realisation dawn on him.

“You’re a…a…Grundberg?” He could not hide the shock in his voice.

She nodded. “Not a great surname to have in this Canton.”

“Dear God. That would mean Chief….” Philippe could not say the words.

“I’m afraid so,” she gave an apologetic smile. “Chief Grundberg is my brother Steffen.”

“Fuck me,” Philippe whispered.

“That’s what got us in this predicament,” she smiled briefly.

“I don’t know about running for the hills, Sabina, but how does moving to Brazil sound?”

She looked at his curiously.  “Why Brazil?”
 

“They don’t have extradition there.”

Sabina knelt down and rested her head on his lap.  “You haven’t done anything illegal, Philippe.”

“Other than knocking up the Chief of Police’s sister, no.” He stroked her hair.

“You leave my brother to me. I know how to deal with him.”