The Greek's Baby Bargain (17 page)

“Its just sex,” she said, trying again to pull out of his arms.

He chuckled softly but wouldn’t release her. His arms pulled her closer so she was against his chest. Emma fought it for only a second before giving in to the warmth and security of his strength. It was so nice to lean on him, to rely on him and pretend that everything was perfect in the world. “Please stop searching for answers. Just accept that I can’t give you the children you want,” she said on a sob, her hands curling into small fists on his chest.

“Can’t?” He pulled away slightly, his eyes searching hers for the truth, for answers. “Emma, you’ve used that word several times. Why would you use that word instead of ‘won’t’ I’m wondering.” He pulled her down onto his lap and Emma couldn’t look at his handsome face, the pain too strong in her to stop now.

“Please Dmitri. Just stop searching. You won’t like the answers and I don’t think I can bear it if you find them.” Her tears were making his shirt wet but she couldn’t help it. She loved this man so desperately and she wasn’t the woman he needed. He would have to find someone else as soon as he found out about her condition.

“I have to. You see, I love you and if there’s something stopping you from loving me, then I’m going to change that.”

Emma only cried harder. “Stop it!” she cried and pushed away from him. Thankfully, he released her so she could stand up. “That’s the kind of attitude my father took when he spoke to Brian. If only Brian would try harder, he could walk like a normal person, like a worthy person.” She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. “Well you can’t fix everything!” she yelled. “You can’t fix me! I’m broken. Do you understand? I can’t give you children! You’re going to have to find another woman to give you the heir you need because I’m not able to.” Without another word, she ran from the room, leaving behind a stunned Dmitri still sitting on the sofa where she’d left him.

She ran to her room and pulled out her suitcase. Stuffing her clothes into the bag, she didn’t care what they would look like when she unpacked them. She just knew she had to get away from here as fast as possible. Seeing Dmitri’s face when she’d told him she couldn’t conceive was bad but having him divorce her would destroy her.

The door slammed open and an angry Dmitri stood in their doorway. Emma cringed, but she didn’t stop packing. In fact, she was more frantic, desperate to get away from him.

“Let me get this straight. You left me four years ago because you found out you couldn’t conceive?”

 

“Yes,” she said, dumping another pile of clothes into the bag.

“And you didn’t even talk to me about it? You didn’t give me the chance to respond? You put us both through hell because you have a medical condition you should have discussed with me?”

She didn’t answer but a moment later, he grabbed her arm and pulled her around so she was facing him. “You love me,” he grated out. “Admit it!”

 

“Yes. Yes, I love you so much I can’t be around you when you get rid of me and find another woman.”

His stunned eyes looked down into hers, confusion all over his face. “Why would I find another woman?” he demanded, forcing her to face him and not hide her reactions. “I married you! It’s
you
that I want. You’re the one that haunts my dreams every night. You’re the one that makes every other woman inadequate. Dammit Emma! You should have talked to me and instead you ran away. But I’m not letting you do it again,” he said and pulled her around to face him. “What’s wrong Emma? Talk to me.”

“No! I’d rather you think I’m adulterous,” she shouted, trying and failing to pull her arms away from him.

“You’re not. You love me and you’d never do that to me. And if I hadn’t been such an idiot four years ago, I would have realized that at the time and hunted you down. But not this time. We’re in this together and we’re going to get through this. I married you in sickness and in health, Emma. If there’s something inside you that’s not working, it isn’t the end of the world. But if you leave me, that is the end of the world. I can’t live without you,” he ground out. “I won’t. Not now that I know you love me as much as I love you. You’re stuck with me, sweetheart. So tell me what is going on!”

Giving up because she just couldn’t fight him anymore, she sagged against his chest, sobbing out all of her grief over their previous life. “I have endometriosis. Apparently, it has been going on for so long, the scarring has damaged my system and I can’t have children.”

He allowed her to cry it all out, sitting down on the bed and holding her, rocking her as if she were a small child until she was all cried out.

 

Sniffing, Emma just wanted to curl up into a ball of humiliation and pain. “Please let me go, Dmitri,” she whispered.

 

“I can’t. I love you. And you can’t leave me either. You’re in love with me. We can’t live apart.”

 

“Yes. I love you but you have to find someone who can give you an heir.”

 

“First of all, whatever is going on, we’ll deal with it together. We’ll talk to a doctor and find out what is happening. Secondly, I don’t think you have endometriosis.”

 

Emma laughed but it was a harsh sound. “You can’t make it go away, Dmitri.”

 

“I was with you when your last period came. You weren’t in pain.”

 

“So?” she sniffed.

“My mother had endometriosis. She’s suffered with it all her life. Each month, when her period came, she’d be in so much pain she had special medicine that would put her to bed for the day.”

Emma’s breathing stopped with his words. “She did?” she asked, her head coming off his chest to look at him, to gauge if he was lying to her.

“Yes. It’s a painful period each month. I was with you before and during,” he said, chuckling when she blushed but continued on regardless of her embarrassment. “You didn’t even have slight cramps. In fact, you didn’t know your period was imminent until you went to the bathroom, from what you told me that afternoon.”

Her eyes were wide with the realization. “Your mother is in pain every month?” she asked.

“Yes. Sometimes its worse that others and sometimes there’s pain all month long and she’s just so used to it she doesn’t realize it is wearing her out. But she lives with it and has learned to manage it. You don’t have any of the symptoms of the disease.”

Emma shook her head. “That’s impossible.” “And if you were to the point where the scarring had made you infertile, you’d be aware of the pain.”

 

She stared at him, her whole body frozen with disbelief and confusion. “I don’t have any pain,” she admitted.

Dimitri’s face showed his concern over her condition but he was still determined to fix the situation. “How about if we call up the doctor and find out,” he suggested, pushing a stray lock of hair off her face.

Emma started shaking, afraid of the hope that was welling up in her chest.

He realized what was going on inside her head and stopped her. “Emma, if it turns out that you have this, then we’ll deal with it. Together. My mother had four children with the disease before she had surgery to remove all the parts that were causing the pain.”

“Really?” she asked, stunned at this news. Could it be that the doctor had been mistaken? Had the last four years of hell been all for nothing?

“Absolutely.” He rose from the bed and took her hand, walking around to the phone. Whoever was on the other end of the line was obviously used to Dimitri’s cryptic way of talking. “Call Doctor Anitzi and get an appointment this afternoon. Tell him it’s urgent,” Dmitri said.

Emma laughed weakly, shaking her head. “Do you always get immediate doctor’s appointments?” she asked

 

“Of course,” he said arrogantly. “Come along. You’re getting checked out and we’re going to figure out what’s wrong.”

An hour later, Emma was unsure what to think. Too many thoughts were scrambling for focus in her mind, none of them winning out. Sitting in the doctor’s office was reminiscent of the last time and Emma looked at the door, afraid a nurse would walk in and hand the doctor a slip of paper announcing the awful news.

The doctor took his seat behind the desk, a smile forming across his face. “Well, after the examination, I can tell that I see no signs of endometriosis. But I found some more important news,” he said, his hands crossing over his papers. “Would you like to hear my discovery?” he asked.

“Please,” Emma said, gripping Dmitri’s hand as if it were a lifeline.

 

“I’m glad to tell you that you’re going to have a baby,” he said. “I would guess that you’re approximately nine weeks along.”

 

Emma blinked. Then blinked again. “Excuse me?” she said, her grip on Dmitri’s hand slackening.

 

“You’re pregnant,” he said softly but firmly. A benign smile formed across his face as he looked at her.

 

Emma opened her mouth to say something but the words wouldn’t come out. She tried again. “But I had a period last month. Just three weeks ago in fact.”

 

The doctor nodded. “Was it a normal period? Same length of time and flow?” he asked.

Emma shook her head, too stunned and confused to be embarrassed that Dimitri was hearing this information. “Well, no. It was a little lighter than normal, but it still happened.

He nodded again. “That probably wasn’t a period, dear. It was more likely the placenta leaking through. I’m not sure, but I think the placenta is low. But that’s not a worry at all,” he assured them. “As the pregnancy progresses, the placenta usually moves higher or lower on the uterus, depending on the fetus. We’ll need to get a sonogram to be sure. My nurse is already calling to schedule that for you with a specialist this afternoon.”

Emma turned to look at Dmitri, still not sure her mind was absorbing the news. “I’m pregnant?” she asked.

 

He leaned forward, his dark, intense eyes looking into her green ones. “We’re pregnant,” he stated emphatically.

 

Her eyes brightened and a slight smile lifted her lips. “We’re going to have a baby?” she asked.

 

“Yes. And many more, if you want them,” he affirmed.

Emma no longer needed any words. She stood up and threw herself into Dmitri’s arms, thankful when they circled her back, closing her into the warmth of his embrace. The doctor quietly left, leaving them alone with their excitement. Dmitri bent down and kissed her, his hands moving from her back to her bottom, pulling her closer to his own body. “We made this child together Emma. Don’t ever think of leaving me again,” he said emphatically.

Emma shook her head. “I won’t. I’m so sorry about leaving you four years ago. I won’t ever do it again. But you ‘re not going to be able to leave me behind any more,” she said, tears of happiness in her eyes. “I love traveling with you and being with you in all the different cities. I like being your hostess and making your houses into homes. Please don’t leave me behind,” she begged.

“Never. We’ll do this all together,” he said and bent to gently kiss her. “I love you, Emma.”

 

“I love you too!” she said and kissed him back with all her heart.