Married for his business.

chapter 21

The morning sickness got worse instead of better.

And that sucked!

Each day Dylan, sweet that he was, agreed that her morning sicknesses sucked but he was willing to help her through it till it got better.

They agreed to keep a lid on the pregnancy during the first trimester, mainly because of the risk of complications and miscarriage.

The doctor had assured them both after the second month they had nothing to worry about, but they waited to tell everyone anyway.

Lorraine didn't even reveal anything to Kyle, which wasn't easy. But she thought it was best to keep her friend in the dark to avoid goofing.

True to his word Dylan stood by her.

There were times he needed to fly to Europe, but his trips were short, Three days tops.

It sucked when he was gone. But was always wonderful when he came home.

The days started to drift away, the nights were an unforgettable experience In Dylan's arms. And as the doctor as predicted, the morning sicknesses slowly drifted away.

Dylan returned home after a day in the office. When Lorraine had spent all of hers moving furniture and wall hangings from a room just across the hall from theirs.

She was about to carry a small table from beside the bed when Dylan's alarmed voice yelled from the door "Ehat the hell are you doing?"

She dropped the bedside table almost hitting her toe "You scared me," she told him

Dylan stepped beside her, hands on his hips, "You shouldn't be lifting furniture"
His eyes swept the floor "Have you Cleared everything in here?"

All that remained was the big dresser, the bed and tables. "Yeah, so? We talked about this being the baby's room remember?" she said with an obvious look at him.

"This is not good" he said under his breath rubbing his temple "Marie, Rosa!" he yelled

"What are you doing?" Lorraine asked

Marie made it to the room at a run. Her eyes wide in alarm "Is everything okay?"

"Go get Jeremy now" Dylan demanded

Lorraine grasped onto Dylan's arm, her confusion muffled with alarm. No matter how much she nagged him to tell her what was going on, he waited till Marie, Rosa and Jeremy were in front of them before he opened his mouth.

When he did, Lorraine was shocked silent

"Lorraine's pregnant" he said

Her jaw dropped, they weren't going to tell anyone anything till after her next doctor's appointment in a week. But within seconds she understood his motives.

"I knew it" Jeremy said, glancing at Rosa.

Rosa shrugged her shoulders and gave a motherly smile "Of course she is"

"You knew?" Lorraine asked

"Dear,  we live here. Of course we know"

"If you ladies knew Lorraine was pregnant then why would you allow her to move all these furniture all by herself"

Jeremy's eyes darted around the room "She didn't need our help"

"I didn't need their help." Lorraine defended herself "And what's the big deal anyways?"

Jeremy stepped forward. "Pregnant women shouldn't lift heavy stuff"

Dylan smiled and patted Jeremy's back "Someone who understands."

"Is that what this is about? You don't think I can clear this room all by myself?"  Now she was pissed, of all the sexist things in the world. . .

"From now on, I don't want Lorraine lifting anything other than a dinner plate or a shopping bag. . . And if the shopping bag is heavy not even that." Dylan wasn't talking to her, but over her to the staff.

"Now you wait just a minute—"

Rosa backed up and motioned to Jeremy "I think we should leave."

"Dylan's right" Jeremy voiced his opinion "let me help with this stuff. No need to hurt yourself or the baby"

Lorraine shot out her arm when Jeremy moved around her to carry the table she'd been struggling with. "Hold on. I'm pregnant, not an invalid. The doctor didn't say anything about restrictions"

"Jeremy," Rosa barked "I think we need to leave Lorraine and Dylan to work things out themselves and without our help"

The three of them quietly slipped away, leaving Lorraine holding her lips with tightly controlled anger and Dylan with his jaw squared with determination.

"I thought we agreed holding off telling anyone about the baby"

Dylan glared around the room "I think we missed that one. Damn, Lorraine, you could have gotten hurt up here moving this stuff around"

"It's just stuff."

"Heavy stuff that you shouldn't be lifting"

"Oh, please—"

Dylan lifted his hand to silence her protest "What if you lifted this table," Dylan kicked the table at his feet "And started to have stomach pains"

A shiver of worry caught her unaware "That probably wouldn't happen"

"But what if it did?"

Lorraine looked around the room, noticed the size of the queens bed she was so determined to move out of the room before Dylan had interrupted her.

Maybe. . . Maybe Dylan had a point "I can lift shopping bags" she said In a low voice

Dylan stepped into her personal space and pulled her into his arms. His hands felt cold has they rubbed up and down her back, and she could hear the rapid thump of his heart in his chest.

He'd been worried, really taken back by her actions.

The emotional woman in her sighed in contentment that he cared. The independent woman in her shook a tiny fist in the air.

"Please promise me you'll ask for help next time"

Promises weren't something she could give unless she could deliver, so she didn't rush the words he wanted to hear from her lips.

Dylan moved back a bit and took her head in his hands "Promise me"

"I was feeling so good today. I think the morning sicknesses is behind me."

"Promise me" Dylan didn't give up his plea.

"Okay , fine. I won't lift up anything heavy. Satisfied?" her words came out a bit harsher than she wanted. But Dylan didn't seem to mind, his smile reached his eyes.

"Uou promise?"

"I promise" she pushed against his chest
"jeez, do you always get your way?"

Nodding, Dylan offered, "I promise to get on anything you want lifted. You won't have to beg me to get things done"

"Okay, mister, put your muscles where your mouth is. I want this room cleared so I can prep the wall. . . paint. . ."

Dylan's eyes shot up and a frown Fell on his lips.

"Paint fumes?" he asked

She knew already that there would be more promises made before the day ended.

In the end, she promised to leave the heavy work to Dylan and anyone he hired to make it happen, and Lorraine had dictated as many changes she wanted necessary.