A Better Day is Coming part 44
G rating
I own nothing and expect even less
This story takes place in the mid 1950's
Thank you Chely for all your help, even when I'm very late and you're very busy!
Celia and Jorge were left standing there as Martha turned and left with Natalia. Celia had to work very hard not to burst out into applause. She knew Jorge would be upset, but she couldn't have asked for a better out come. Finally Martha wouldn't be riding her day and night. Telling her how Jorge had married beneath himself. Now Martha would see that they had been right, Natalia should have been taken care of by doctors.
Celia didn't care that Natalia was married. Nicky had always been a feminine little boy and he was no different as a man. She just couldn't prove anything and she couldn't explain how her daughter had gotten pregnant. At first Celia thought it was just a lie. That any day Natalia would tell them she lost the baby. Now Natalia was clearly showing. This was the first time she really believed Natalia was pregnant. That Olivia woman looked like she was going to give birth to an elephant. She turned to her husband, put her hand out for him to take and started walking towards their car.
"Mija, do you mind if I call Lettie and have her come and stay with me at your hotel? We've traveled the world together since our husbands died. I know she'd love to see you again." Natalia smiled. She hadn't thought about her abuela's friend in years.
"Of course you can call her and invite her to come. Tell her to bring her best evening gown, the grand reopening gala is tomorrow night. She won't want to miss it." Now Martha burst out into a huge smile. Olivia recognized right away where Natalia got the dimples from. Olivia had always heard, if you wanted to know what your wife will look like when she gets old, just look at your mother in law. Not with Natalia, she looked just like Martha. Olivia knew she was one lucky woman. Natalia would always be beautiful.
Olivia couldn't believe the grand opening gala was finally here. The hotel looked beautiful. Everyone had done a wonderful job. She couldn't be more pleased. She was sitting on the couch in their suite. Her back was really starting to bother her. The boys had arrived earlier in the afternoon. She was amazed, but Tino was the first one dressed. He and Phillip had gone to pick up Robin and Pearl, then Martha and her friend and bring them all back to the suite for some champagne before making their entrance at the gala.
"Sweetheart are you almost ready? The boys will be back any minute now with your grandmother and the girls." Natalia came out of the bedroom just as Olivia was finishing her question. Natalia watched as Olivia lost her breath at her first look. Natalia blushed at how her love looked at her. She walked over to the couch and helped Olivia stand up. They hugged as best as the could with both bellies in between them.
"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. You take my breath away. Carrying this child has only enhanced your beauty." Olivia looked from Natalia's belly to her own.
"How do you do it? I look like a beached whale." Natalia kissed Olivia to let her know she loved the complement.
"I know you feel like a beached whale, but you look more beautiful everyday. This jellybean is very happy in the home you are giving her." Olivia smiled at Natalia. Natalia had been sure that they were both carrying girls.
"Now what will happen when I deliver a boy? My mother was much larger while she was carrying Sam, than when she was carrying Marisa. I really think it's going to be a boy. I think we're both carrying boys." Natalia smiled as she shook her head no. She heard the keys in the door. She quickly kissed Olivia on the lips and stepped away from her.
The door opened and in walked the crowd. Natalia went over to say hello to Lettie. It had been years since they had seen each other.
"Lettie, it's so good to see you again. You look just as beautiful as I remembered." Lettie smiled. Olivia got her first good look at Natalia's grandmother's friend. Martha was probably in her mid sixties. She was expecting Lettie to be about the same age. Lettie looked about forty. She had honey blonde hair and the greenest eyes Olivia had ever seen. Her dress was skintight and the décolletage was cut very low. Olivia was a little surprised, to say the least. She walked over to Robin and Pearl to say hello.
Robin watched as Olivia checked out the older woman. She had to fight not to burst out laughing. In Robin's mind, Lettie looked just like Olivia except for the hair color and Robin was pretty sure that the color came from a box.
"It's amazing isn't?" Olivia looked at Robin, she wasn't sure just what she meant. Robin smiled. Olivia didn't see the resemblance at all. Robin looked at everyone else. It seemed she was the only one that saw it. Robin just looked back at Olivia.
"She has to be in her sixties and doesn't look a day over forty five." Olivia heartily agreed. Introductions were made all around. Phillip popped the cork on the champagne and poured it for everyone. He held up his glass for a toast.
"To my beautiful wife Olivia and to her Natalia! You two have taken a beautiful hotel and somehow made it better. Now it's time to enjoy the fruits of all your hard work." Everyone raised their glasses and called out, Here, Here! Martha raised her glass next.
"To my little Natalia and her lovely friend Olivia, my your future always be as bright as it is right now. Two beautiful women working together and bringing new life into the world." Olivia was shocked by Martha's toast. What did Martha think she knows? Now she was beginning to wonder if there something going on between Martha and Lettie. She was about to ask, when Phillip interrupted her train of thought.
"Come on ladies, it's time for the grand entrance! We're just late enough to be fashionable." He laughed as he took Olivia's arm and guided her to the door. Everyone laughed along with him. Tino took his wife's arm and Pearl's. They had become very friendly since the time in Florida. Robin took Martha and Lettie's arms and followed everyone to the elevator.
The Spaulding's and the Augustino's made their grand entrance into the main ballroom. Olivia did the welcoming speech. Tino and Phillip both gave large bouquets to their wives. Everyone at the gala was either a vendor for the Inn or the owner of one of the high end local businesses or on the city council. Waiters were discreetly wandering through the the crowd with trays of hor d'oeuves and glasses of red and white wine. The bar was open for those that preferred something stronger. As soon as the speeches were completed and everyone was thanked for their contributions, Natalia motioned for the orchestra to start playing.
Tino and Phillip led their wives out on to the dance floor to get everyone dancing. Normally Olivia loved to dance, but she was so big and her back hurt and her feet were already swelling inside her shoes. She went to sit down after the first dance. Phillip graciously asked Robin to dance. Olivia was very pleased that she could just sit down. She looked up when she felt Natalia place a cup of tea down on the table for her.
"Thank you, a cup of tea was just what I needed. Why aren't you out dancing with Tino?" Even though Natalia was much smaller then Olivia, the baby was definitely letting her know they were there.
"My feet feel like I'm wearing shoes two sizes too small and my little angel is moving around so much, it's hard to stay with the rhythm of the music, and I think Tino couldn't wait to dance with Pearl once he saw Phillip dancing with Robin." They both started to laugh. Olivia reached for her tea and took a nice swallow. She let the hot liquid flow over her tongue and down her throat. It was peppermint, her favorite.
They we both sitting quietly, enjoying the music and watching everyone having a good time. Natalia saw that both her grandmother and Lettie had been asked to dance and were having a good time. She was just about to point them out to Olivia when she saw someone else that was very familiar. Olivia's mother was dancing with a city councilman. Olivia saw her at the same time Natalia did.
"Well look who's here. You stay here, let me go get Phillip, so we can go and say hello." Natalia got a worried look on her face. Olivia knew what Natalia was worried about.
"Don't worry. I won't cause a scene on our big night and neither will she. There are too many people here. Rebecca Spencer will never do anything to tarnish her precious reputation. I want to go to her first, so she's the one that's not prepared." Natalia just shook her head. Why couldn't their parents just leave them alone. It had been so hard at first, then she realized it was so much easier not having them to worry about too.
Olivia walked over to her husband. Her back was killing her, but she tried to walk as gracefully as possible. He was standing with a bunch of businessmen at the bar. She gently tapped him on the shoulder. He turned towards her and opened his arms to her for a hug. She whispered in his ear, that her mother was here with councilman Bauer. Phillip got a huge grin on his face. He looked at Olivia and gave her the follow my lead look. They walked over to her mother hand in hand.
"Dr. Bauer, it's so good to see you again. I talk to Rick all the time, but it's been years since we've been able to get together. Mrs. Spencer it's so nice to see you again so soon." Phillip shook the councilman's hand as he talked to his mother in law. Dr. Bauer seemed surprised that Phillip Spaulding knew his date for the evening. Rebecca looked uncomfortable and Olivia just smiled.
"Phillip it's lovely to see you again too. I think the last time I saw you, you and Rick had just graduated from Harvard. It was right before Rick went on to medical school. You filled out well. Marriage seems to agree with you. But tell me how do you know the lovely Mrs. Spencer?" The smile on Olivia's face got even bigger. How was her mother going to explain this?
"Dr. Bauer, this is my very lovely wife, Olivia. Mrs. Spencer is Olivia's mother." Ed Bauer was very surprised to hear this. He looked rapidly between his date and his son's college friend. Olivia took the lull in their conversation as her opportunity to say hello to her mother. She put on her most innocent face as she waddled closer to her mother.
"Mother, it's such a surprise to see you here. Why didn't you let me know you were in town? Where are you staying?" Olivia leaned in and air kissed her mother's cheeks. Rebecca was at a loss as to what to say. She just smiled at Olivia. The smile didn't reach her eyes and Olivia knew that look very well. Her mother was trying to figure out what to say. It had to be plausible, so that Dr. Bauer would not think ill of her. Olivia saw the answer come to her as the smile grew on her mother's face.
"Well darling, I didn't want to put any more pressure on you, than you already had. You have so much on your plate right now. I didn't want to be a burden." She smiled at Ed and Phillip as she patted Olivia's baby filled tummy. Ed smiled at the display of motherly love. Olivia nodded at her mother, giving her the, well played, look. Olivia's back was really starting to cramp on her now. She needed to sit down. She was amazed when she felt Natalia's hand on her back, right where it hurt the most.
"Hello Mrs. Spencer, it nice to see you again. I hope you're enjoying the party. Olivia why don't you leave Phillip alone with the councilman and bring you mother over to our table. I could introduce her to my grandmother and Lettie. Tino is busy dancing with Robin now. He's worn out Lettie and Pearl." Natalia gave a dimpled smile to Olivia and extended her hand to Rebecca for her to join them. One of Natalia's best defenses was killing people with kindness. Rebecca would be no different.
Natalia could feel Olivia's back muscles spasm as she walked. She knew Olivia had to be in a lot of discomfort. She hoped a back rub before going to sleep would allow her love to get some much needed rest. Martha watched as they walked back to the table. She saw the look of concern on Natalia's face. She saw Olivia trying to hide her extreme discomfort. Martha was sure it wouldn't be much longer before Olivia gave birth. She could see it in every move Olivia made. Martha gave the woman coming with them, a very close inspection. This woman was oblivious to what was happening with Olivia. From the woman's looks, Martha was almost sure she had to be Olivia's mother or an aunt. They looked very much alike.
"Mija, come sit down. I remember what it was like when I was carrying Natalia's father. My back hurt more than I wanted to admit. Little one, you sit down too. Lettie will you please get them each a new cup of tea?" Lettie was up and moving before Olivia had time to sit down. It took Natalia and Martha both, to get her sitting comfortably. She gave a weary smile to both of them.
"Mrs. Spencer, this is my grandmother, Mrs. Martha Rivera. Abuela, this Olivia's mother, Mrs. Rebecca Spencer." Both women sized up the other. This was interrupted by a quick intake of air by Olivia. Lettie had just returned with the tea. Olivia calmly turned towards Natalia.
"Natalia, please go tell Phillip that he needs to call a taxi. My water just broke, we need to get to the hospital." Olivia was quite calm. Martha saw the panic start to rise in her granddaughter's eyes. She quickly started to take over. She waved over a waiter and pointed out where Phillip was and requested that the waiter bring him back to the table. Olivia saw Arthur standing over by the orchestra. She waved him over.
"Arthur, can you please hail a cab for me please. I believe this little jellybean is ready to come out." Arthur got a look of sheer panic on his face as he ran out of the main ballroom to do as he was asked. Phillip was walking over to the table as Arthur took off. Phillip was about to laugh at the way Arthur ran like a girl, but then he became concerned about why the man was running out of the room. He looked over at his wife and she nodded her head and smiled.
Robin had seen Arthur running out of the corner of her eye. She stopped dancing and took Tino's hand and started back to the table. She caught the eye of Pearl, who was dancing with someone else. She motioned for Pearl to return to the table. As everyone was gathered at the table, Arthur came running back to say the cab was waiting.
"Little one, hurry and go with Olivia. Hold her hand. Husbands can get too nervous to be of any help. Get going you three. Tino can get us all to the hospital in another taxi. We'll see you there." Arthur and Phillip had Olivia by the arms and were practically carrying her out. Natalia was following closely behind.
TBC
