The Princess (38 page)

“Shelby,” he called urgently, praying that she was in the bathroom. But as he was already on his feet and moving toward that door, he could see she was not. The next stop was her old room, and that was just as empty. Within seconds he was on the phone to his house minister.

“Murdock, where is the princess this morning?”

“She was going to have breakfast with her father, and then she had to be at the botanical gardens. From there she had to go straight to the care center for a special meeting.”

Nikolai sighed.

“May I help you, sir?”

“Yes. Figure out exactly where she is and order the car. I’ll be ready in 20 minutes.”

“Emergency status, sir?”

“No, but a little urgency would be greatly appreciated.”

“Right away, sir.”

Nikolai was ready and waiting for the limo when it arrived, and although no words were spoken, he knew that Murdock would have told Ivan where to head. He was glad to see it was the botanical gardens. There was more chance of catching her alone there.

Five minutes later Nikolai thought the Lord must have known how much he needed to talk to his wife. She was walking along the
paths with a small group of garden lovers, all of whom smiled and greeted the prince but who also moved discreetly ahead after the pleasantries were exchanged.

Shelby kept moving, albeit slowly, looking at her husband’s profile from time to time. Nikolai put his hands behind his back to keep from reaching for her and began speaking as if he had all the time in the world.

“This is a pretty bloom,” he commented about the bright purple blossom they were passing.

“Yes. That’s a coneflower. My mother has some.”

“Mothers are wonderful people,” Nikolai said. Shelby smiled just as the prince cast a look in her direction. “I found an interesting note in my bed this morning,” he continued, “but no wife.”

“Did you?”

“Um hm. It was informative, but I found myself rather glad that my heart is strong.”

Shelby put a hand to her smiling mouth.

“So tell me, Red, on your list of important people to call, who else have you told?”

“Well . . .” Shelby’s tone was instantly teasing; she’d been doing a lot of that since they’d been at the lake. “I told Kris right away. I knew he would want to take special care of me. And then the mailman walked by with the post, so I whispered in his ear. Then I saw a man in the park, and he looked as though he needed a little cheering up, so I gave the good news to him too. And of course, I announced it to the entire garden club this morning.”

Shelby looked up now with mischievous eyes, and Nikolai came to a stop.

“You have been a very bad girl,” he told her.

Shelby smiled. “I wanted to tell you last night, but you fell asleep so fast, and then I had to be gone so early this morning, and you were still out cold.” Shelby chuckled. “I even bounced around on the bed in the middle of the night, but you didn’t move.”

Nikolai smiled before he said very softly, “How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure about it?”

“Yes. I did the same test as last time, and I feel different again.”

“When, Red?” Nikolai asked now. “When did it happen? The lake?”

Shelby shook her head. “I don’t think that long ago.” Again she laughed. “I think around the time you had your cold.”

Nikolai’s smile was huge. “You were a great nurse.” He laughed when she blushed to the roots of her hair. It didn’t happen as often anymore, but he still loved to see it.

The group had come full circle by now and was headed back their way. Nikolai did have to see someone after lunch, but he trailed his wife during his free time that day, waiting for her appointments to end. It was after dinner before he got her alone, held her close, and told her he loved her with all his heart. They spent the evening talking about babies and baby names and making plans to have all four parents over for dinner to give them the good news all at once.

“Have I lost you?” Toby asked the prince quietly. The two men were sitting in Toby’s home office.

“No. I’m just flabbergasted. I’m thrilled, but I’m also shocked. Pam Owens came to Christ last night?” Nikolai clarified.

“Yes. She called me about a problem with the water, and when I got over there I could see she’d been crying. I assumed that the water and all the pressures of acting as a parent to Penny and Peter were just getting to her. That wasn’t it at all. Her supervisor at work just learned that he has cancer. There’s nothing they can do, but he’s not afraid because he knows where he’s going.”

“Who is it?”

“Harland Hayes. I think you’ve met him.”

“Is he medium height, with glasses and salt-and-pepper hair?”

“Yes, that’s the man.”

“And Pam clearly enjoys him as a boss.”

“She loves him. She’s utterly crushed that he’s dying and angry that he’s not upset about it. That led to our talking about my belief, and she realized that her tears were rooted in fear. She pictured herself dying the way her father did, or getting cancer, and she knew that she was lost. I led her to Christ while we sat on her front porch.”

Nikolai stared at the older man. They had both continued their contact with the Owens family. Progress had been made, but this was remarkable. Nikolai felt himself starting to smile as his heart fully realized what God had done.

“There’s more,” Toby said as he smiled as well. “Peter sat on the porch with us and witnessed the whole thing. Penny was in her bedroom, but Peter never moved from his seat on the porch railing. His eyes were huge when Pam finished praying. She went to him, told him she loved him, and gave him a hug. He hugged her back but was utterly silent during the whole exchange.”

“Wow.” Nick voiced the only word that came to his mind. This was so unexpected. He had been praying for Peter and meeting with him for a long time now, not ever sure when the next opportunity would come to share with him. Now Peter’s sister had seen the truth.

“Tell her I’m praying for her,” Nikolai said. “And if she needs anything, just ask. I’ll admit to you, Toby, that I’ve doubted about Peter’s little heart, but I think that it just might be a matter of time.”

The older man could only nod, suddenly overcome with emotions.

“Thanks for calling me,” Nikolai said softly. The two men embraced before Nikolai made his way out to the day limo. He couldn’t wait to get home and tell Shelby the good news.

Nikolai had always heard that expectant women waddled, but as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen and watched his pregnant wife walk about the room, he thought she still moved like a swan on the lake. It probably helped that even in her eighth month her stomach was not very extended. Daria had carried Shelby and Brice the same way and thought it was because Shelby was tall.

“Well, hello,” Shelby said as she spotted her husband and came to kiss him. He’d been in a meeting all morning. “Were you looking for me?”

“Not exactly, but I’m hungry, and I knew where you would be.”

Shelby smiled. She was always in the kitchen these days. She hadn’t felt at all sick in the first six months, but now, unless she was eating, she felt slightly queasy.

“I’m having tacos. Are you interested?”

“What, no fruit?”

“Not today.”

Nikolai came all the way into the kitchen, still surprised that Shelby did not have a plateful of peaches, pears, apples, or any other type of fruit she could get her hands on. She had craved them for weeks now. Before that it had been mashed potatoes, broccoli, and chocolate, thankfully not mixed together.

“I am, however,” Shelby added, “having chocolate cake for dessert. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“Yes. I think I’ll join you.”

“For the cake or tacos?”

“Both.”

Shelby went about preparing things and setting the table for two. Nikolai had wondered where Fran or Arlanda might be but didn’t ask. Lately Shelby had done some outrageous things, and he knew in time that he would learn.

“I gave the staff the day off,” she said suddenly, as if reading his mind.

“Was there a reason?” he asked from his place at the table.

“Well, I have all this energy, and I thought why should they stay if I want to cook and look after myself?”

Nikolai knew very well that they hadn’t really “gone” anywhere. The north quadrant’s staff was much happier staying close to and protective of their very pregnant princess. Almost as if he’d said the words out loud, Fran’s face suddenly appeared around a doorway at the end of the room. She took in the scene and grinned at the prince before ducking back away.

“What if you get tired later?” Nikolai wished to know.

“Do you think I will?”

“You do every time you let the staff leave.”

Shelby turned to look at him, her face uncertain and then clearing. “I do, don’t I?”

Nikolai smiled at her. “I think they’re all still here, Red. Why don’t I just ask them to be on call?”

“Do you think they’ll mind?”

“I think they’ll be relieved. They like taking care of us, and you do need a little extra care right now.”

Her brow lowered in a frown. “I’ve told myself not to be a baby during this pregnancy. I hate it when women do that.”

“And you haven’t been, not at all. I wish you would slow down a little, at least when you’re feeling tired.”

Shelby nodded because she suddenly was. She turned back to the taco meat in the pan and adjusted the temperature. She sighed very softly when Nikolai came up and put his arms around her from behind. She didn’t know it could be like this between two
people. He was so tender with her, and the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to see him. She had missed him that morning at breakfast and not been very hungry because he’d been away.

“I’m hungry,” she said quietly, “or I think I would just go take a nap.”

“Do both. I’ll even come in and talk to you until you fall asleep.”

Shelby turned in his arms. “Most women don’t have this.”

“Have what?”

“Their husbands around. My father is gone almost all day, but you come and go. I like that.”

Nikolai kissed her. She had never said the words to him, but he knew she felt them. She had told him one time that she didn’t like love-at-first-sight books or movies. She liked the ones where the couples moved slowly and were sure. Knowing her as he did, this was no surprise. She was not impetuous with matters of the heart. It was one of the things he loved most about her. She didn’t say things until she’d thought about them and knew she meant them.

He also loved the fact that she was open to change and suggestions, something he was particularly glad for when they finished lunch and she agreed to climb into bed. She fell asleep quickly, and Nikolai found himself wishing that February 8 would come very soon.

“Of all things!” Shelby said in disgust just a little more than two weeks later. The contraction had eased, and she was now venting her frustration.

“It’s not as if you could help it, Red.” Nikolai tried to reason with her, his voice mild in the midst of her ire.

“But in the middle of church, Nicky! I didn’t even get all the sermon notes, and now everyone will be waiting to hear. I wanted this to be quiet—just between the two of us.”