I told Dimitri about my conversation with Lissa as we were eating our beef tips with rice that night.

"I understand how she feels," I told him. "Christian could just walk away from the situation, if he wanted to."

"I don't think he's that kind of guy," he replied.

"I know you sure aren't," I said, remembering the unfortunate incident with Sarah he'd tried so hard to put behind him.

He grinned. "You never put me to the test."

"Nope."

I felt his hand under the table slip into mine. "We're doing it the right way, Roza, and I'm so glad."

Lissa called me several weeks later. "Guess what!" she said breathlessly.

"What?" I asked.

"Christian and I are getting married!" she squealed. "It'll be the last weekend in April, at the Orthodox church on 65th street. Christian's family is flying in from Romania, and we're going there for our honeymoon! Oh, Rose, I'm so excited! I can't wait!"

"That's great!" I said. "I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks. Just think! I'd never flown anywhere in my life before I met Christian, and already this will be my third airplane trip in less than a year!"

"I never flew anywhere, either, until I flew to New York to meet Dad for the first time when I was fifteen," I told her. "Then after I met Dimitri, I started flying to California every few months!"

Except during the time he and Haley were filming 'Together At Last', I wanted to say, but didn't.

I went back to Dr. Friedman a few days later.

"Everything's right on schedule," he assured me. "I'll see you again in two weeks."

"Two weeks?" I'd only seen him once a month up until now.

"Yes, and for the last month, I'll see you every week. It's just standard procedure - nothing to worry about."

Dimitri and I started Lamaze classes at the hospital that Thursday. The teacher, a woman named Wendy, had all of us introduce ourselves. When Dimitri said who he was, she frowned.

"I'm sure I've heard that name before, but I don't remember where," she said. "You look familiar, too."

"I've been in several movies," Dimitri told her.

She smiled. "Ah! That's it, then. But you live here instead of Los Angeles."

"My regular job is on Broadway," Dimitri explained.

"I see," said Wendy. She continued with the introductions and then started the first lesson, which covered the changes a woman's body went through during pregnancy, stages of labor, and birth plans. After about an hour, we had a fifteen minute break in which to snack and talk among ourselves. Dimitri was the center of attention right away. All the other couples wanted to know about all the movies he'd been in and, enjoying the spotlight, he went into detail about the ones which had been the biggest hits. He didn't mention 'Together At Last' at all.

I felt invisible, but it was a feeling I was starting to get used to.

There was about another hour of instruction, and then class was dismissed. A chubby blonde with stringy hair and bad acne scars came up to me as we were leaving.

"It must be awesome to be married to a big star like that," she said. "How did you guys meet?"

"The first day of tenth grade, on the bus to school," I told her. "Dimitri invited me to sit by him. He was a senior."

"Wow! So you've been together since then, right?"

"More or less." I certainly didn't feel like going into detail about Haley, and of course I'd never mention the devastating discovery I'd made when I'd visited Dimitri the summer before my senior year.

"You're a very lucky girl."

"I know. What's your name again?"

"Samantha, and my husband's name is Jason."

The classes continued, and Dimitri and I learned how to alternate blowing and panting. He he who, he who. I felt like a train puffing into the station.

The day of Christian and Lissa's wedding arrived. It was a small ceremony in a chapel off the main sanctuary. Lissa was gorgeous in her lacy white gown, and Christian was handsome in his black tuxedo. His parents, the Ozeras, were there with their daughters, Maria and Elena. Luckily, they all spoke fluent English.

At the reception, Christian introduced them to Lissa, then to Dimitri and me. I realized Lissa was meeting her new in-laws for the first time. To me, that seemed surreal. I'd known Dimitri's family since the December after I met him.

"So you are the man who has made my son a star," Mrs. Ozera said to Dimitri as they shook hands.

He smiled. "I certainly hope so!"

"And you will have a little one soon," she said as she shook hands with me. "Babies are so sweet. I was thrilled when I learned I am to be a grandmother for the first time."

Even the way it happened? I wanted to ask, but didn't.

The other guests started leaving after awhile, and Dimitri asked me if I was ready to go.

"Sure," I replied. "My back hurts, anyway."

He smiled. "I'll give you a massage when we get home. How's that sound?"

"Heavenly!"