Our movie came out in the theaters in the middle of May. Dimitri and I went to see it together as soon as we could.

"Wow! Look at this line!" I remarked as we stood waiting patiently. "I can't even see the end of it!"

"That's a good sign," Dimitri observed. "This may well be my big comeback!"

After waiting so long my legs cramped, we finally bought our tickets and entered the theater. We had a hard time finding two seats together.

The previews came on, and then the movie started. The first few scenes depicted Archduke Franz Ferdinand as first a child, then a young man defying his parents to marry the lady in waiting he loved. The following scenes between Christian and Alexis were so romantic I found myself feeling bad for Lissa and also glad I'd never watched the movie Dimitri had starred in with Haley.

"Well, what did you think?" Dimitri asked me as we left the theater afterwards.

"I think it's the best movie I've ever seen - maybe even better than 'You Were Made For Me.'"

"This one was based on an actual historical event." We stepped out of the lobby and into the warm spring air. "To me, that makes it more worthwhile."

When I went back to work, everyone was talking about the movie.

"You were in it, weren't you?" Taylor asked me.

"Yes, but it was just a bit part," I told her. "I was one of the customers in the cafe across from where the shooting happened."

Christian and Lissa returned from their honeymoon, and Lissa moved out of her parents' house and into his apartment. She called me one night with big news.

"Guess what! Christian played that recording he made of you playing clarinet for his orchestra conductor aunt. He says she likes your playing so much she wants you to come to Romania to record for her."

"She does? Really?" I'd been so busy thinking about the movie and looking forward to the baby's birth that recording had completely slipped my mind.

"Really. Here, I'll put Christian on and he'll give you all the details."

I couldn't believe my ears as Christian confirmed that yes, his aunt, Daria Simon, would soon send me a personal invitation to perform at the Thalia Hall in the late summer. I'd play clarinet while Christian's cousin Elizaveta sang. We'd perform every night for three weeks, and I'd be paid thirty-five thousand dollars.

The news sounded too good to be true. That was more than I'd earned for starring in 'You Were Made For Me', and what was even better, I'd be using the skills I'd worked so hard to develop in school.

"The baby will be two months old by then, so that should be no problem," I told Christian. "I'm planning to breastfeed, so I'll have to take him or her along and pump milk for when I'm performing. I'll ask Mom if she can come with me, and if she can't, I'll have to look into child care over there."

I was so excited I couldn't wait to tell Dimitri. As it turned out, he wasn't nearly as thrilled as I'd thought he'd be.

"Two months old is awfully young for a baby to travel that far away from home," he said. "What if he or she gets sick?"

"Well, there are doctors and hospitals over there, too." Suddenly, I felt less sure I really wanted to make the trip. Could I trust an Romanian physician with the health of my child?

Dimitri's dark eyes were troubled. "This is something you really want, isn't it?"

I sighed. "I did really want it, but now - I'm not so sure."

"It's your choice, Roza, and whatever you decide, you know I'll support you all the way. I will miss you, though, and I'll worry about you - and the baby, of course."

I thought of something. "I'll talk to Christian again. Maybe he knows of a good pediatrician over there."

As it turned out, he did.

"Dr. Lazarus took care of my cousins when they were little," he told me. "He's very good, and still in practice, as far as I know."

My parents were happy for me.

"Don't worry," Dad said to Mom. "I can hold down the fort for three weeks. The boys are older now and can do more on their own. It'll be a nice vacation for you. Just be sure and send me many photographs."

"Oh, I will!" said Mom.

A quick check online told me Dr. Lazarus was still in practice. All the pieces seemed to be falling right into place very nicely.

My co-workers threw me a baby shower, and Mom, Olana, Heidi, and Lissa came, too. I received many nice presents, the nicest one being the stroller Olana gave me.

"These are all so nice!" I said as I gazed at all the little outfits, booties, bibs, toys, and other items. "Thank you very much!"

"Dimitri told me you're going to Romania in August to play the clarinet," said Olena.

"Yes. I've been trying to give myself a crash course in Romanian in my spare time. I've been studying the dictionary Christian gave me for my birthday and watching videos on YouTube. So far I've learned hello, goodby, and a few basic questions. Christian said most Romanians know English anyway, so I'm not too worried about that."

Dimitri's eyes nearly popped right out of his head when he saw all my gifts.

"There's no way one baby could wear all those outfits!" he chuckled.

"Maybe not, but I'm sure gonna have fun dressing him or her up in them!"

As the final weeks of my pregnancy commenced, I began to feel more uncomfortable. I got heartburn so bad I could eat only small meals, and I also got frequent backaches. My ankles began to swell, and the stretch marks across my belly looked like some crazy road map. I also began to have false contractions. They'd last awhile and then stop.

One evening, they felt different, somehow - stronger and also painful for the first time. When I felt a gush of water from between my legs, there was no doubt in my mind what was happening.

"It's time to go to the hospital, Dimitri," I told my husband.