Still Another Moment
Barbara was thrilled to be pregnant, and thrilled too that Tommy seemed as happy as she. They lay together in the evenings, his hand on her belly, waiting for that reassuring kick, mulling over names for their daughter. Tommy had told her how happy he was that the baby was a girl. "I can't tell you how I dread having to raise a little Lord Asherton. I won't mind at all teaching Peter's boy about his future responsibilities, but having to make every day that kind of lesson – the way my father felt he had to - would not fill me with joy." He smiled down at her and hugged her closely, "the way you do."
She felt wonderfully well, the only thing bothering her was that she was round all over, feeling that she looked like a pumpkin, which several people had told her was an old wives tale about carrying a girl. She couldn't help remembering how sleek Helen had looked, still tall and slim, with that nice bump leading the way. She knew she waddled, another thing she didn't think Helen did. She shared these thoughts with no one, certainly not with Tommy, who seemed to adore her looking "NOT fat! Pregnant!" he'd say. Ah well, only another two months, and then their baby, their child. She felt the lump in her throat just thinking of it. She could never have imagined such happiness. Not ever. She had hesitated asking Tommy what was different with this pregnancy, this baby, but when she brought it up, he said he hadn't felt he could be a good father before. "It's about you," he said, "and the kind of trust you seem to have in me. I feel ready to be a father, to raise a child with you. Barbara, I can't wait." And he'd kissed her.
Barbara looked around the restaurant the family had chosen to celebrate Daze's birthday. Too fancy for her tastes, but it was a favorite of her mother-in-law's. She had come out of the loo and was waiting for the others to arrive, when a somewhat familiar-looking woman stopped to stare at her. "Sergeant Havers?" the woman said. Annoyed at first, muttering "Inspector", Barbara realized that she recognized her. "Christine Miller, right? Human rights lawyer?" The woman nodded, looking Barbara up and down. "I assume all this…" she waved her hand at Barbara's girth, "is pregnancy?"
"You'd be right, "Barbara nodded.
"And I believe I heard that you were married to Tommy Lynley?" Barbara heard that slightly amused note of disbelief.
"Right again," she said, trying not to glare.
Christine shook her head and with a little laugh, said "I don't think the Tommy I knew was interested in having children!"
Barbara bit her lip, and with an effort at civility said in her sweetest voice, "I don't know which Tommy you think you knew, but the one I'm married to is VERY interested."
And at that moment, just in time for the denouement, her Tommy came into the restaurant and glowingly embraced her waddly, portly, pregnant self. "Hello, my love and don't you look wonderful!" He nodded to Christine as though he was not quite sure he recognized her, and led the way to their table, his hand on Barbara's back. She couldn't help feeling a bit smug and had another moment of cherishing her husband and her marriage.