Joan Pickart - Body of Evidence

“Are you sure?” he said, frowning as he released his hold on the telephone receiver. “You have to eat. We can make an early evening of it.”

“No, I’ll have some soup and toast. I’ll come by tomorrow afternoon and see how things went with your witnesses. I must go. Bye.”

Jennifer got to her feet, took one step forward, then gasped as a wave of dizziness swept over her. She reached out blindly for the chair as black dots danced before her eyes.

“Evan, quick,” Belinda said, “catch her. I think she’s going to faint.”

Evan closed the distance between himself and Jennifer and swept her into his arms just as she began to crumble.

“I’m…I’m fine,” she said, blinking several times. “Evan, put me down. I’m fine. Just…just a little…dizzy and…”

“Take a deep breath, honey,” Belinda said. “Slow and easy. I fainted a few times at the beginning of my first pregnancy, too. It’s nothing serious, but you should tell your doctor about it. Your body is going through a great many changes right now and sometimes it just blinks out from the overload. Deep breath.”

“What…did…you…say?” Evan said, looking at Belinda, Jennifer, then back to Belinda.

“I really don’t want to be here right now,” Jennifer said, then slumped against Evan’s chest as everything went black.

J ennifer wondered hazily why she was standing in the shower allowing icy cold water to cover her forehead and dribble down her face and along her neck. She frowned, opened her eyes, and found herself almost nose to nose with Belinda, who was pressing a wet paper towel to Jennifer’s forehead.

“What…”

“Easy now,” Belinda said, removing the soggy wad of paper. “You’re all right. You fainted, but you were only out for a little bitsy time. Evan carried you in here to the conference room and you’re on the sofa. Are you with me so far?

“I sent Evan off to bring his vehicle around to the front of the building so you won’t have to traipse all the way through the parking garage before he can take you home.”

“Oh, but…” Jennifer said, struggling to sit up.

“Stay,” Belinda said, pushing her back gently to a prone position.

Belinda got to her feet, pulled a chair next to the sofa and settled onto it.

“I…” Jennifer’s eyes widened as she stared at Belinda. “Oh, dear heaven, Belinda. I heard you say that you had fainted during your first pregnancy, too, meaning just the way I was fainting during my first pregnancy and…” She covered her face with her hands. “Oh-h-h, this is terrible. How did you know that I… Oh-h-h.”

Belinda lifted Jennifer’s hands and placed them on her stomach.

“How did I know that you’re pregnant?” Belinda said. “It’s just a silly knack I’ve had forever. I can just…tell. You’re going to have Evan’s baby.”

“Your strange powers announce who the father is, too?” Jennifer asked, frowning.

“No, of course not.” Belinda laughed. “That’s just simple logic, for mercy sake. The sparks between you and Evan are enough to start my backyard grill. What I want to know is when you intended to tell him he’s going to be a daddy?”

“That’s a rather moot point, isn’t it? You already told him, Belinda. I wanted to postpone it for as long as possible because I knew he’d be upset, probably angry and… What kind of mood was he in when you shuffled him off to get ready to play taxi?”

“I’m not sure. I couldn’t read his expression like I usually can. I think he was sort of shellshocked.”

“Dandy.” Jennifer paused. “I’m going to sit up and see if the room will stay still.”

Belinda helped Jennifer upward, then she shifted so her feet were on the floor.

“So far, so good,” Jennifer said, then sighed. “Everything is in such a mess. I’m just not…not ready for Evan to know about this baby. I’m so thrilled about being pregnant, I really am, and I wanted to enjoy the very thought of it, the…

“But it’s definitely reality check time. Evan knows. He certainly won’t be thrilled about this news. Oh, I’m not saying he’d turn his back on us, refuse to support us monetarily, but I have to face the truth of how dedicated he is to his career. He doesn’t have room for anything, or anyone else, in his life.”

“Would you like my opinion?” Belinda said.

“Do I have a choice?”

“Nope. So listen up. I believe you’re selling Evan short. Did it ever occur to you that he devotes himself to his career because there isn’t an important woman in his life? He probably figures that working long hours here is better than sitting at home alone watching television.”

“Mmm,” Jennifer said, frowning.

“Are you in love with Evan, Jennifer?”

“I…I’m not sure. I just don’t know. I care for him, about him, but…I think I’m falling in love with him, slowly, step by step, but…I’ve been attempting to deal with the fact that I’m pregnant, plus sift and sort through my feelings for Evan and I’m exhausted. Emotionally and physically drained.”

“That makes sense.” Belinda nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Evan wasn’t struggling to understand his feelings toward you right now, too. Love is a very simple, yet complicated thing.”

“If he is in love with me, or even thinks he might be falling in love with me,” Jennifer said, lifting her chin, “why hasn’t he told me?”

“Have you told him that your feelings for him are steadily growing? Tit for tat, you know. He could very well think that you’re so focused on your career you have no room in your life for him.”

“But that’s not true. When I have this baby I’ll cut back on the number of assignments I take, I wouldn’t travel so much and…”

“What we have here,” Belinda said, pointing one finger in the air, “is a basic lack of communication. You two need to talk to each other, for crying out loud.”

“Oh?” Jennifer said, raising her eyebrows. “Something like ‘Evan, my sweet patootie, you don’t happen to be kind of falling in love with me, are you? Because I think I’m falling in love with you, you know what I mean? Oh, and by the way, how do you feel about the little news flash that Belinda let out of the bag? Isn’t that a kicker? You’re going to be a daddy.’ How’s that, Belinda?”

“It’s definitely lacking something,” she said, shaking her head.

“No joke. I just want to go home and curl up in bed with the covers over my head.” She sighed. “I wish I had at least a clue as to how Evan reacted when he heard you say…”

“Uh-oh,” Belinda said softly, as Evan strode into the room.

Jennifer’s heart thundered as she stared at Evan as he approached. His eyes were narrowed slightly and his teeth were clenched so tightly she could see a muscle ticking in his jaw.

This was not, she thought miserably, a happy man.

“Can you walk, or should I carry you?” Evan said, looking at a spot just above Jennifer’s head.

“I’m perfectly capable of walking, thank you,” she said coolly, getting to her feet slowly and carefully. “Yes, I’m fine. Steady as a rock. In fact, I’m going to drive myself home.”

“No, you are not,” he said, a steely edge to his voice as he finally met her gaze. “Give me your keys and I’ll make arrangements for a couple of police officers to deliver your car to your apartment building.”

“I…”

“Don’t argue with me, Jennifer, not now. Come on.” Evan spun around and started back across the room.

“Hey, wait just a minute here,” Jennifer said indignantly.

“Go, go,” Belinda said, flapping her hands at Jennifer. “You can’t talk to each other if you’re not in the same place.”