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Chapter Eighteen
May, 1910
"Tommie, I wish you would tell me what's wrong." I told Tommie, who was sitting opposite me, hand on the tiller of the small sailing boat.
"You needn't worry about my problems, dear." Tommie shook his head.
"But I want to know!" I shouted. Tommie pretended to back off in fear. I buried my face in my palms. "Tommie…. I'm sorry for shouting…. It's just…." I whispered.
"It's fine. But you've been acting really different lately. I just want to know what's going on in your mind, before I tell you what's going on in mine." Tommie spoke gently, but honestly. I had been acting different lately.
"Tommie, nothing's going on in my head…. It's more what's going on in my stomach." I met his eyes.
"Helen, I don't understand. Are you ill? My God, you're not ill are you?" Tommie put a hand to my forehead. I brushed it away.
"No, Tommie, I'm not ill. Listen. I know you're busy, and you don't have much time to yourself now, but….." I swallowed, but couldn't help smiling a little.
"But?" Tommie pressed on.
"By the end of this year, Tommie, we're going to… we're going to have a baby." I grinned.
"A baby?" Tommie's face brightened. "Is that why you have been so tired and stroppy lately?"
I felt my cheeks grow red. "I'm sorry…" I murmured.
"I'm only teasing you." Tommie was beaming as he turned to steer the boat.
We shored up about half an hour later at a not-so-distant island, just off the coast. The sea was flat, calm, like glass. Occasionally, we had passed some yachts, the passengers enjoying the blue sky and warm breeze. Tommie said hello to some of them. He tied the long rope onto a rusty bollard, on a deserted beach. As soon as we were on the beach, Tommie gathered me up in his arms.
"Oh, my darling." He kissed me down the side of my neck.
"Tommie, I'm hungry. Off." I giggled, tapping his cheek with my fan. He released me from his grip. I had never seen him so alive and sat down on some flat rocks by the edge of the water, watching the water swirling below us in rock pools. I tucked into some sandwiches, as did Tommie, but he could NOT stop smiling!
I was laughing with him, just talking, and generally acting like little children on the beach, when I felt something move inside my belly. I froze, and rubbed my hand over my stomach. I could feel the tiny baby kicking, and I called for Tommie. He placed his hand on my stomach, and looked directly into my eyes. At that moment, I think, we both realized something. We were going to be parents.