Thinking about what she had planned to do earlier. Stay with him and nurse the babies, and maybe give them a chance to fall in love..........Now she knew, she loved him, wanted him too, she mused. What if he wanted her body, but loved her babies to bits? Could she live with that? Wanting her as much as he seem to, was that not the beginning of love...if you nursed it?? She shook her head, and started to haul herself out of the pool. She could think herself crazy some times. She hurried to dress again.
Her watch had a dead battery, so when she came into the kitchen and only Mimi was there, she looked at the clock on the wall..... Two in the afternoon? Incredible she must have needed it. She could have turned into a prune. She said good afternoon to Mimi, as she turned from her baking, and came over. "What can I make for you? You must be starving."
Lydia laughed, "Yes, you are so right, I am starving; I think the little ones have missed a meal."
Mimi smiled her wide smile, "You need your rest too, my dear. What about an omelette? It will not take me long." She took a frying pan and started. Lydia thought it sounded like work, but she could eat a horse, she sat down at the table, and started with the juice in the jug standing there with a couple of glasses. Mimi looked at her,
"Leon has been keeping an eye on you my dear, much longer and he would have reminded you on eating." She looked serious, "You are eating for several people, so you need constant nourishment." In no time Lydia was eating a huge omelette with tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese and crispy bacon, she drank two large glasses of orange juice with it.
Then she felt ready to go back to bed again. She got up, thinking she needed to move more, when Leon came in the door. Mimi must somehow have sent him the message, Lydia has surfaced, she thought. She took the opportunity to say.
"Hi Leon, can I have your doctor come visiting? One of the next days? "
Leon immediately looked worried, "Are you okay?" He came over to her.
"Baby check that is all it is, Leon." She said smiling. He turned around and headed for his office. Two minutes later he came out and said,
"Tomorrow my dear." She was quite happy with that, no reasons to take chances. She needed blood tests, and his word that her babies had placed themselves for coming out. She could feel one with his head down. And one with his little bottom sticking up.
Normal.
Often happened, when there were two. She then asked him where Nicole was, and was told, she and Jason were painting her cottage walls. She took that in, and said.
"I am going back to the pool, I think." Leon thought about her on slippery surfaces, and how he had worried this morning and said, "I will come with you." She tried to not think about him, with almost no clothes on, nearly succeeding. She went and got her supersized swimsuit, and met him in the poolroom. He was wearing a very small pair of swimmers. Her mind went blank...... She knew, she would have that vision, in her brain forever.
She kind of wanted him, in the worst possible way.........shame on her, she thought. Think, mummy and babies not ...! He started to come closer, and she could not move. Putting his arms loosely around her, he kissed her neck softly, and brushed his mouth over her lips. "Let us enjoy the warm spa; it will do wonders for you all." She nodded a little bereft. He had not really kissed her.......?
OK. Get on with it girl, she told herself sternly. Turning towards the steps, she held on to the railing and slowly lowered her body into the water. It was like magic. Instantly she felt like a different woman. No longer cumbersome, but able to move freely. Her spirit lifted, I am a mermaid now, she thought, and sent Leon a happy smile. He had been watching her, and felt warm all over, when she smiled like she was in paradise. He sent a quick request to his guardian angel.
"Please."
The spa was green marble, and could hold four people. Six if they knew each other really well. They sat down on the ledge and relaxed. He turned the nozzles on medium, and the water suddenly had massaging, and caressing water sprouts coming through it. Sighing loudly Lydia said, "How lovely, I think I will stay here, and have my babies."
He laughed, "Ok, maybe we will have a water delivery, although I have never heard about twins born that way?"
She sobered, "No. You are right, it is too risky for number two......... But in some imaginary place? The woman could have one in the water, and with chanting and music, she is then helped on to a banana leaf and flowers bed, to have the other one, while singing and music carries on." She paused.
Leon was sitting, with his mouth open.
"You have the most amazing imagination, but unfortunately, we have no singing chanters here, so Darwin hospital it will be, I think?" She laughed and he joined her. That light hearted banter, brought them closer. And they just chatted comfortably. Leon was just talking, he made no effort to touch her, and she relaxed totally and moved her limbs gently. Two hours later she was so relaxed, she almost fell asleep.
She started to slip off the edge, and he moved over, putting his arms around her. Pulling her back towards him, "I got you, just relax," he said softly in her ear.
Breathing out slowly she said, "This is heaven; I could do this every day."
"Well, every day you shall have it, I can see how much good it does you." He said, and then continued, "We should get up, dinner will be on soon, and you will turn into a prune, if you stay much longer." He grinned, helping her up. And the moment, she was halfway out of the water, she felt more like an elephant, then she had before going in. Gravity was sometimes a hard one, to live with, she thought. It could be a real bother. They went into the pool house and showered.
Dinner was nice; she was so peaceful and mellow. That, they all noticed, and Nicole said, "Pool is good."
She was very pleased. "Another day and the cottage will be finished". She had chosen a clotted crème for the walls, and a warmer crème for the kitchen, it looked great. She really liked it here. Jason smiled and nodded. He was obvious taken with Nicole, but she seemed totally oblivious. They watched him, thinking, he would have his work cut out for him, if he wanted to get closer to Nicole. She was a loner, and kept her heart under lock and key. Only a few of them, knew why she was so careful who she let in. Lydia fervently hoped, whatever happened, she would not be hurt, but friends were always good.
***
The doctor arrived early the next morning, they had only just finished their breakfast.
When they heard his plane touching down, Leon frowned, "That is unusual for him, he normally comes after lunch".
Lydia thought to herself, "Maybe he is worried?"
The doctor was happy with her blood pressure. "Not really good, but not higher than last time."
"So stable," she told him about her oedema in ankles and feet. He was relieved to hear, she had recovered somewhat from the travel, and the oedema went down over night again. It had really worried her, when she still had it the next morning.
She was aware; the spa had something to do with it. He checked the babies, and found, as she had, one baby head down, and the other bottom down. Nothing unusual, sometimes the twin with its bottom towards the birth canal would turn itself, when the first was out, and there was more room. If not, you could deliver a baby bottom first with care. He also listened to their little hearts, all was good........? As last time, he sometimes thought he heard a third beat....but when he listened closer, he could never be sure. So he said nothing. Maybe he was hearing things? He was not a young man any more. He took several blood tests, and told her he would call with them, in a couple of days. After, they had coffee and cake, while the staff that needed to see him, now he was there, gathered in a front room, to wait for him.
***
Lydia and Leon had made the spa or pool, an everyday event. They were warming to each other again. She was surprised, that she in the middle of her pregnancy, could lust after a man......and...not just any man, the father of her children! She had seriously started to think, if I am staying here for six months, then I have to sleep with him. Or jump his bones maybe, somewhere out of bed. ...... What is happening to me? I have never had that kind of thoughts before??! She thought back to their trip to Broome, and how he had made her feel...... Just thinking about it made her restless............
But how could she say to him, "Come into the master bedroom, or I might have to jump your bones somewhere else." No no, she could not ever say, that sort of things......It was bad enough she could think them. She sighed deeply, and tried hard to take that baby nap she was supposed to take, and kind of really needed.
***
Jason came back from Darwin and told them, he had signed a lucrative contract with a large construction company in East Asia, with offices in Darwin. He would be an uncle, who could come visiting often. He had bought a house in Fanny Bay, and would have his own helicopter, with the company. Everybody clapped their hands in delight, and Leon said.
"This we have to celebrate, a party with all the neighbours invited."
He turned to Lydia, "What do you think? Can you handle being part of that? You will just have to sit, or walk around, and look fantastic?"
Lydia laughed, "I think I can just about handle that, it sounds great." After dinner the four of them got together, on the patio with drinks, nuts and fruit. Leon wrote a list of people to invite, thinking about Tom, he knew he might never see him again. He had spent many happy hours, riding with him as a kid. Whether it was his dad or Tom, who went out riding, he would have been there.
He told them, that Mimi was very good at organising a big get together. People would put their tents or caravans, in the paddock next to the house. They came from far away, and always stayed a few days. One big party to start with, and then they stayed in small groups talking. The first day was speeches, dinner and drinks. Next day was swimming in the large staff pool, eating lots of left overs, and homemade cakes. In the evening, the dance started, and it lasted till the early morning. The very young ones never slept. The dance floor was in sections, stacked in one of the sheds. It was easy to assemble by all the young guys, coming to the dance.
Nicole suddenly looked crestfallen; "I do not have anything to wear at a dance!" Then she frowned, "Maybe I will just not dance. Dancing is not for me," she said with determination.
Jason frowned heavily, "Why ever not? We could go to Kunanurra and look for dresses."
She looked at him, "I will not be very good at dancing, after the accident." She blushed furiously. "I mean I .......ohm forget it." She started to peel an orange, thinking how could I forget even for a second? I used to love to dance; maybe I could rehearse it at home? Deciding to think more about it tomorrow, she relaxed a little.
Lydia spoke up, "Nicole dear think about it, a new dress is always a good thing. You can make your mind up, when it is closer. Who knows how you feel about in two weeks' time?" Nicole could feel a head ache coming on, but nodded.
"Yes okay that does make sense."
Jason was not giving up, so easily. "So when are we going to town? I have a bit of holidays now; my new job doesn't start till August the first. We could go for a few days, and you could see the country. It is very beautiful and interesting up there, Kunanurra way."
She thought about him putting paint, on her cottage walls for several days. She should be friendlier,
"Yes, that does sound lovely and a new dress would never go astray. You just tell me when you can go, I am flexible." She stood up, "Now I must go, I am starting to see icicles."
"A migraine?" Lydia said, "Take three aspirins in water, before you go over to the cottage, hopefully that will do it, and you are better tomorrow."
"Thanks Lyddie," Nicole said leaving.
Jason got up, "I should hit the hay too I think."
They looked at each other, "Are they giving us alone time? Or does it just look like that??"Lydia wondered.
Leon grinned, "I think Jason was just a little put off, when she first didn't want to dance, and then got a headache. He is not used to women, not wanting to be with him."
Lydia frowned, "Remember the accident that started everything??"
He looked regretful, "How could I forget? She walks and skips like any normal person, I am so sorry, I am an idiot."
Lydia softened, "I just still worry about her. She is fragile; she used to love dancing, I think she forgot herself, for a second. I so wish she would tell him, get it out of the way. But it is not only him; she does not want anybody to know! She is only nineteen." He thought about his brother, no one was fairer than him. He would not stop being nice even if he knew. He said,
"I have seen him looking thoughtful, when she had an awkward moment. It has happened a couple of times. He knows she has some kind of handicap, just not what kind. I know my brother; he just thought dancing was a great way to hold her close." He grinned, "I am sorry, it is a boy thing, I think. Is that, what is worrying you?"
She shook her head, "I just don't want her hurt."
He moved close and looked into her eyes, "Neither do I."
Feeling easier, she lifted the jug and asked, "More punch? I cannot dance either, come to think of it."
He put his arm around her, "We could just dance very slowly my darling. I think it could work; you could wear that shimmering pink dress, with the hibiscus. You look stunning in that dress. You shimmer every time you move."
She was speechless, he remembered? "Yes, I will wear that dress then. "They smiled at each other; they were so much easier, with each other these days. She stood up slowly. "Time for bed, for me too, "She sent him a big smile, "Are you not just, a little bit tired?"
He got up quickly and leaned close to her to whisper, "Are you suggesting we go together, my love?"
She blushed, "Well no, I mean maybe?"
He took her into his arms, and kissed her softly. "I would love just to sleep next to you my darling. It is a very large bed, can we try it? I will let you sleep; you don't have to worry." She nodded and starting walking, a good beginning she thought to herself.
They walked together to the master bed room. She was tired, so she went first to the bathroom. He sat down on the window seat, under the large window, looking out into the night. This was a breakthrough, maybe there really was hope for them? He quickly sent his guardian angel a "Thanks."
They slept next to each other that night. During the night they moved as close as possible.......there were after all, a lot of people in that bed. The next morning, Lydia woke up almost wrapped around Leon. She gently tried to move a little bit, her bladder was always urgent these days. She managed to slip out and go to the bathroom. When she came back, he was still sleeping. She quickly snuggled in, and fell asleep again.
She woke up after a lovely dream, where Leon was kissing her. She opened her eyes, and realised it was no dream; he was indeed kissing her neck, and the top of her breasts which were visible, over her soft sleep bra. She moved a little, as to give him better access, realising she was already wet.
He looked into her eyes mumbling, "Is this ok, my love?" She put her arms around him "Yes very." She kissed his nipples and he gasped.
"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" He said hoarsely.
She just smiled, and kissed him again.
"I will be so very careful." He whispered.
"I am not made of glass," She whispered back.
He moaned and bent over her. "My god, you are so incredible beautiful." He kissed her; like there was no tomorrow, and they were lost in each other's arms........
The whole house noticed them. Coming out together, from the master bed room at mid-morning. Everybody smiled, but nobody said a word.
***
Later that week, Nicole and Jason packed a picnic basket, and set off for Kunanurra for a couple of days. They were having a leisurely breakfast, when Leon lifted his head and scowled. "What? The doctor? So soon again" The doctor had already been back, with the blood tests, he first said, he would call about? Ben picked him up, and he arrived with the words, "Only five weeks left."
He had started to worry, two.....maybe three? They would come much earlier than expected. He had to get them to Darwin, the quicker the better. He knew they had a large party planned, he was invited, but after that?
He told them, "After the party, you should think about going to Darwin. It is better to have some time in Darwin, then having to fly, with the birth already starting."
Leon paled, "When you put it like that, maybe we should cancel the party?"
Both Lydia and the doctor protested, "No reason to panic, after the party, waits a few days, and then go."
"OK", Leon put his arm around Lydia.
The doctor said, "Better safe than sorry." In his heart he thought. Why the hell, don't you marry, the mother of your children? Instead he said,
"There are many things, you can do in Darwin." He did not know Leon was thinking exactly the same thing. Would he be pushing her? By asking again? He had finally seen the ruby ring, in a chain around her neck, when they were making love. He had been stupid to think, she did not want to wear it. He now realised, her fingers had been a little swollen, for a long time. Could he get anything right with her? Then he remembered the magic, they had shared in bed. In his mind he saw his ring, nesting between her beautiful breasts, and made up his mind, he would arrange a wedding in Darwin. Before. He needed Jason to help him, he decided.
Come Hell or high water, he would do It.!