‘That’s good to know,’ James said, and she handed him a photo.
‘If you want to, there is another ultrasound in about five weeks’ time. I think you might like to see it.’
‘I’d like that a lot,’ James said.
‘Where I come from a man would not be there for such a thing. I thought you were offering to come in with me out of sympathy...’
James gave her a smile as they worked a little more of the other issues out. ‘Dinner?’ he asked.
Leila nodded.
Choosing to walk, James dismissed his driver and they went to a gorgeous Italian restaurant that was tucked away from the busy crowds. It was so nice to sit and relax and simply talk and eat as they both took turns to look at the ultrasound photo and admire a very beautiful nose.
‘Are you going to find out?’ James asked.
‘Find out what?’
‘If you’re having a boy or girl.’
‘Does it matter?’ Leila asked, and her voice held a challenge.
‘Of course not.’
‘It did in my family,’ Leila said. ‘My parents hoped I would be a boy.’
‘Well, I’m very glad that you’re not,’ James said, and when she didn’t return his smile he knew there was a much bigger hurt there. He could never have fathomed just how much. ‘I am sorry for the trouble with your family.’
‘It is not your fault.’
‘I’m quite sure that your parents don’t agree,’ James said. ‘Do you miss them?’
He watched her struggle to respond. Leila truly didn’t know how to answer him, for yes, she missed them but she had missed them all her life.
‘Maybe once the baby is here they’ll come around?’ James gently suggested, but she gave a small shake of her head and he could see that she was struggling so he left it.
For now.
‘I got you this...’ James went into his pocket.
‘Another present?’ Leila excitedly asked, and then pouted when he gave her a phone. ‘So you can track me.’
‘You can track me too.’
‘I don’t know how to use it,’ Leila admitted.
‘It’s all set up for you.’ James pulled out his and her phone bleeped and Leila looked to the screen that said James.
He was very patient and walked her through it and she smiled when she saw the text he had sent.
We make beautiful babies.
It was a very nice first text to have from him and it took a few goes but finally Leila replied to him.
We do.
Dinner was served and Leila discovered that she loved pasta and was delighted at a new use for her fork as she twirled spaghetti around it, like James did, pressing it into the spoon.
‘It tastes so good!’ Leila said. ‘Just so creamy and fantastic!’
‘And it comes in so many shapes and sizes too!’
His sarcasm was completely wasted on Leila; she just smiled. ‘Does it? I can’t wait to try them all.’
‘Well, while I’ve got you in such a good mood, I have two things to tell you. Do you want the good news first or the bad news?’ James offered.
‘The bad news,’ his back-to-front fiancée replied.
‘We have to go to dinner with my parents tomorrow night.’ He pulled a face. ‘Spencer will be there too. It will be awkward and uncomfortable and I just want to tell you up front that any tension has nothing to do with you—in public they’re fine, in private it’s a subdued hell.’
‘You really don’t like them!’
‘I really, really don’t,’ James said, and he chose to explain the strange dynamics to her. ‘My father, Michael, isn’t the sunniest person. They married young and my father, just like his brother, cheated...’
‘At what?’ Leila asked.
‘He cheated on my mother,’ James explained. ‘He had affairs, rather a lot of them. Anyway, he was always a bastard growing up, especially to Spencer, and recently we found out why. Well, I found out why. My other brother Ben found out when he was eighteen and it turns out that was the reason he left home...’
‘Found out what?’
‘That my mother had an affair of her own, and it turns out that Spencer isn’t my father’s...’
‘Your mother cheated too!’
‘She did!’ James matched her wide eyes. ‘You are so completely shockable.’
‘But it is shocking. Does your father know?’
‘Yep. There was a massive row a few years back and it all came out. He’d always guessed, which is why he was even meaner to Spencer. No one mentions it now though.’
‘They just carry on as normal?’
‘Hardly normal,’ James said. ‘You’ll see it for yourself soon. Anyway, I’m very sorry to inflict them on you.’