Chapter 11

They were back Sunday night, and due back at work Monday morning ... There’s an hour difference between Paris and Britain and after a week they were on Paris time. On the other hand, they hadn’t needed to be up early all week. Fortunately, Beth remembered to set the alarm. She’d made a decision on Saturday to make her pregnancy a priority and she had things she needed to tell Janice, her boss.

“James ... would you mind if I quit my job?”

“But you love it, don’t you?”

“Well, yes ... but somehow this week I started to believe something else was more important to me.”

James searched her face. “Is this what you really want? We don’t need the money. In fact, if you like I could pay you part time to keep up with my admin. That would come out of my tax bill.”

Her face really lit up then. “You mean it? That’s a great idea!”

“Absolutely. I don’t actually hate the paper-work, but I could work a little longer if I didn’t have to do that in the evenings, or we could just have that bit more time to ourselves.”

“Wow! You see, I’ve had some ideas that I think would work for the charity.”

“We’ll be sorry to see you go, Beth. But you’re okay to finish out a month’s notice in the office? There was only one more cruise scheduled, anyway.”

“Oh, yes. But actually, I was wondering if you’d be interested in a proposal. You see, my friends Jenni and Marty...”

After half an hour of talking, Janice had gone from sceptical to interested.

“Well ... Pete was leaving at the end of the season, anyway. We’d have liked to offer you the job, but you haven’t got your ticket yet ... We know Jenni, of course, and as you say Marty is a qualified teacher ... it would take some setting up, but it might work. Anyway, Beth, we’ll think on it. You’re saying you’d be interested in coming back on a casual basis for the sailing later, and perhaps as a volunteer in the office?”

“I need to take things easy for a while and not take any chances, I just don’t want to lose touch completely. I was so grateful for the job when it was offered, but now...”

“Oh, I quite understand! And I respect your decision, too; I think you’re quite right and it’s good it’s possible for you. But I must get on and I’m afraid there’s quite a pile in your in basket!”

“Thanks, Janice. As you say, there’s plenty to do.”

When Beth got back home, she found James already home, with the smell of Italian cooking wafting through the house.

“I was too washed out to work any longer today without making mistakes. Spaghetti Bolognese, garlic bread, Chianti. Go have a warm bath.”

She just stood and looked at him. He smiled, walked up to her and took her in his arms.

“I should be serving you...” she said plaintively.

“You are. You gave notice today, right?”

“Yes...”

“Because you’re pregnant with our child and you want to give it the best chance to living.”

“Yes...”

“There’s so much you’ve done for me. There’s nothing more important right now than looking after you, and our baby. Go have a relaxing bath. There’s some Lavender oil by the bath; no more than five drops in the bath, mind you.”

She just continued to look at him.

“Pet! This is an order! Go take a bath! Relax!”

At last he got a smile. “Yes, Master.”

He kissed her forehead. “Slip into something comfortable...”

When she reappeared, she was quite naked but for her collar ... if he hadn’t known her before, he couldn’t have told, but the pregnancy was beginning to show.

“You did say ‘slip into something comfortable’.”

“So I did. I’m not complaining! As long as you are comfortable. I can turn up the thermostat if you like.”

“I’m fine just at the moment. At least I will be when you let me at whatever it is that’s smelling so gorgeous.”

“Ready when the pasta is ... five minutes.”

“Come over here, then.”

They came together to kiss; she took his hand and placed it flat on her belly.

“Have you thought about names?”

“I ... don’t want to tempt fate,” he said quietly.

Her head nodded against him. “I know what you mean...”

Having eaten, they went upstairs hand in hand; she undressed him. Their love-making was relaxed and sweet, tender and satisfying.

“I had the strangest dream,” Beth said in the morning.

“Oh?”

“I don’t usually remember my dreams, but I can’t forget this one...”

“D’you want to tell me about it?”

“I ... think I’m supposed to. You see, I dreamed I was somewhere in the country, in a grassy clearing in some woods ... oak woods ... there was a stream chuckling by quite near. I was naked, but for my collar ... weird or what? But this woman emerged from the trees. She was starkers too. She was smiling at me; I mean, really beaming with happiness – really sort of glowing. She took my hands, looked me right in the eyes. ‘Love him, for me ... and for you. Just love him. Everything will work out fine ... and one day we’ll meet again,’ she said. Then she kissed me. ‘Kiss him for me,’ she said, then she let go my hands, turned and walked away.”

“What ... did she look like?”

“Oh, medium height ... long, dark wavy hair. Large, dark, expressive eyes. Wide mouth; nose a little on the large side, but it seemed to fit her face perfectly. What I’d call a ‘Mediterranean’ complexion; a little dark. Long, slim legs; well-proportioned figure...”