Linka follows Wheeler out of the guest room and waits for him outside of the bathroom while he cleans up his mess. When they arrive back in the living room, Betty looks up from the TV. Linka hesitates, not wanting to alarm the older woman.
"You must be Linka. It is nice to meet you. Jason speaks very highly of you."
Linka approaches her and holds out her hand.
"Nice to meet you too. I heard you wanted to see pictures from our vacation, so I brought my laptop out to show you…once you are done watching your show."
Linka knows that keeping to routine is important for people who have memory problems, and she doesn't want to interrupt that.
"Oh, there is no one interesting on the show today. I would like to change out of my nightgown though and then I will be right back, if that's ok?"
"Yeah Gram, go do what you need to do. We will get the laptop ready. We can hook it up to the TV so the pictures will be nice and big," Wheeler says.
"That sounds good."
Once Betty has made her way up the stairs, Wheeler turns to his grandfather.
"She remembered the conversation we had earlier about Linka!" He says in amazement.
"Yep," Don replies, not nearly as excited.
"Isn't that a good sign?"
"It's just a good day, I guess. She has them. Tomorrow she may be the same, or she could think Linka is Trish again," he shrugs.
"But she thought Linka was Trish this morning…now she doesn't," Wheeler says.
"You think it is the water?" Linka asks.
"Could be," he says optimistically.
"Water?" Don inquires.
"The bottle of water I gave her from France. It's from Lourdes…the miracle water."
"There is no cure, Jay…not even a miracle," Don says.
"But it doesn't hurt to try something else," Wheeler argues.
"No, it doesn't. Just don't get your hopes up," Don warns. "Remember, at her doctor's appointment yesterday, they switched up her medication. It could just be that."
Linka can see Wheeler's shoulders drop, visibly deflated. She can tell he had gotten his hopes up.
When Betty returns a few moments later, they begin the slideshow and go through all the pictures Wheeler and Linka have taken so far. Don and Betty comment on each photo that includes Wheeler and Linka together, embarrassing the "non-couple" by letting them know what a cute couple they make. Linka even notes several pictures that Wheeler took of her without her noticing he was taking them. They turned out really nice. She knew photography had been a hobby of the American boy, but mostly his topics had been nature and scenery. He somehow managed to make her the focal point of the picture though.
When they finished with the pictures, Betty was beaming.
"That looks like so much fun! You two must really be enjoying yourselves."
Wheeler and Linka exchange knowing looks. There have been some moments of despair and danger, but there were also some good moments, the good far outnumbering the bad. While Linka has not gotten any good news thus far, she has enjoyed traveling and spending time alone with Wheeler.
"Da, we have. Jason has taken so many great pictures; it will be something I will cherish forever."
"Ditto," Wheeler adds. "Thank you for letting me join you, Babe."
"Thank you for agreeing to come with me. I would not have gone if I had to do it alone."
They share a warm smile, which does not go unnoticed by Wheeler's grandparents as they look at each other and smile as well.
"So Linka, besides being a world traveler, what do you like to do in your spare time?" Don asks.
"I like bird watching."
"Do you get to do much of that?" Betty asks.
"We have quite a few different birds on the island. I keep a close eye on them during breeding season so I can see when the babies are born. Also, when we are on missions, I am always keeping an eye on the sky…or in the trees to see if I can spot any birds I have not seen before."
"She's also really good at piano and writes her own music," Wheeler boasts for her, making her blush.
"You do?! I play piano too. I even used to give lessons to the neighborhood kids," Betty says. "Why don't we go into the dining room, and you can play for us?"
"Oh no, I could not do it in front of an audience…I am out of practice."
"Don't worry Linka, you won't have to play for us…we sold the piano to the Peterson girl a few years ago, remember Betty? You couldn't play anymore because of your arthritis?"
She tries to recall what her husband just told her and wrings her hands. In doing so, she feels the ache that kept her from being able to continue giving lessons and playing the instrument she so loved.
"Oh, right. Little Rose. She was one of my best students."
Wheeler was briefly concerned at his grandmother's moment of forgetfulness, but she seemed to recover rather quickly and remembered selling her piano and to whom.
"I wish we could have gotten to hear your music, Linka," Betty says.
"I guess that means we will just have to come visit again, and I will bring my keyboard," Linka promises.
"That would be great," Don says.
"Hey Babe, don't you have any of your music on your laptop?"
"Da, probably."
A few clicks later, Linka has pulled up a folder with some of her recordings.
"Go on, play it," Wheeler urges.
Soon, the electronic melody of the keyboard begins followed by an angelic voice singing in Russian.
"Whoa…is that you?" Wheeler asks.
Linka giggles,
"Da, silly…who else would it be?"
"Babe! You can sing!"
"This is lovely," Betty says. "You are very talented."
"You have a beautiful voice," Don adds.
"Thank you."
"What are the words?" Wheeler asks.
"It will not translate clearly," she says, her cheeks turning red.
"Then summarize…what are you singing about? Birds? Mother Russia? Planeteer adventures?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Betty asks.
"You speak Russian now, Gram?" Wheeler teases.
"Open your ears boy…this song is about love."
"Oh…really?"
Linka does not answer, just looks at his grandmother and says,
"You have a very good ear for music, even if you do not play piano anymore, you can still pick up on the deeper meaning."
"It is easy to pick up on it when it is so clear."
Wheeler has been looking at Linka throughout this entire exchange and wonders when this song was composed. Was it before Linka became a Planeteer? Or after? And if so, who was it about? Sky Runner? That jerk Greg? Or was it too much to hope that it was about him?
"We were going to run to the store to get some things for dinner this week. Did you two want to come a long? Or is there anything we can get for you?" Don asks.
"Nah, nothing for me. You need anything Linka?"
"Nyet, but thank you."
"How about suggestions for dinner then? Any favorites you'd like to have while you're home?" Betty asks.
"Actually, now that you mention it, that's not a bad idea."
"Say no more…I know exactly what he wants," Gram says. "My breaded pork chops."
"That's right," Wheeler responds with a smile.
He turns to Linka and raises an eyebrow, leaving them both to wonder if it's possible that the Lourdes water was working or if his grandfather was right and it was just a good day and the new medication.
"We'll be back in a little bit."
Now that Wheeler's grandparents have left, he gets up to disconnect the cables from the TV and Linka's laptop and hands the computer back to her.
"Can we listen to some more of your music?" He asks.
"Ok, but none of it is in English."
"That's ok. I just like listening to your voice," he says as he takes a seat next to her on the couch and puts his arm around her. "Unless you're nagging me about something, then I don't like hearing it!"
She elbows him in the ribs before pressing play and leaning back into his side.
They listen in silence for a bit before Wheeler asks,
"Ready to look for our next destination?"
"Sort of."
She takes a deep breath and types "best fertility clinics USA" in the search bar.
"Oh. Ok," he says, now understanding her hesitation. "Hey look! Number two is nearby."
"Really?"
She clicks on the link for "Long Island IVF" and waits for it to load.
They spend a few minutes reading the information on the website and clicking through all the statistics.
"What do you think?" She asks.
"Doesn't matter what I think. How do you feel about this? Ready to give it another try?"
"I guess. Do you think I should? Or do you think I should just give up?"
"I don't want you to give up on something you want…I also don't want you to get let down again."
"I know, I do not want that either," she says.
"I also don't want you to think you left any options on the table and regret not exploring every avenue." Selfishly, he's hoping she keeps trying since any hope for a future together depends on it.
"Can we go here then?" She asks.
"Of course. Let's find their number and give them a call so we can schedule a consultation."
"Are you sure?"
"Aren't you?" He asks.
"Well…what will we tell your grandparents?"
"We can just tell them that we are taking a trip to the city. That would be believable. We are on vacation, after all."
"Ok…I feel bad not being honest with them. They have been so hospitable to us by allowing us to stay with them."
"We can tell them if you want…I just don't know how Gram would handle it in her condition…hell, even Pap might not be too accepting."
"Oh."
He realizes that wasn't what she wanted to hear and begins to explain himself.
"It's not that they wouldn't be happy for you…and me I guess, if we tell them I plan on being a part of your kid's life…I could be totally wrong, and they'd end up being thrilled about the prospect of being great-grandparents. It's just…they're old and old fashioned. Not only would they not understand the science of it all, but they'd probably expect us to be married before starting a family; expect a more…traditional family and not just me being a sperm donor."
"I see." She didn't realize that's all he considered himself. She thought he was doing this for other reasons…for long term 'traditional family' reasons. "You are right. It is probably best not to mention it before…besides, if this ends up being yet another dead end, at least we will not have to explain that it did not work to them," she says sadly.
He pulls her to him and rubs his hand up and down her arm comfortingly.
"Hey, no negative thoughts. Just think of it this way, it's our little secret. No one else needs to know. You don't need to explain yourself to anyone."
She puts her arm around him and gives him a grateful squeeze.
"What if it works?"
Her question confuses him. Her tone suggested she was worried that it would.
"Then, good? Right?"
"Well, da…I want it to work…but what do we tell people then? Do we tell them the lengths that I have gone through to get pregnant? Or just let them think it was an accident?"
"Oh! Umm…I guess that's up to you. You can tell people whatever you want."
"I am not sure I am comfortable with them knowing how much I have struggled…how I defied nature and turned to science."
"So then let them think it happened the old-fashioned way," he says.
"Do you think people will believe that I am capable of allowing that to happen? Will that make them think that I am irresponsible? Someone without morals? It is easy for a man to have a one-night stand…but for a woman to do it, she is looked at negatively."
"Yeah, I know. It's not fair…but who said it had to be a one-night stand?"
"Well, I am going to end up pregnant with no father in the picture…what else will they assume?"
"Oh…so you weren't going to tell them I uh, helped?"
"I am grateful you are willing to do this for me, and I do not have any objections to people knowing what a selfless person and wonderful friend you are, but I was not sure you would want them to know."
"I wouldn't object at all. I've told you before that I want this for you…but selfishly, it's because I want it for me to. You keep saying that it is your infertility that has kept you from being with me. Do you really mean that, or were you just using that as an excuse to keep me away? Because if this works, I fully intend on making every effort to make a relationship work. You're gonna need help raising a kid on Hope Island. I don't want you to think that my only contribution is gonna be in a plastic cup. I'll be there to babysit, change diapers, whatever else you need."
"Thank you. It is less scary knowing that I would have help. And I was not just using infertility as an excuse. I meant it when I said that it was the reason I could never commit to a relationship. If it does work…you will be the father and we will have a bond for life. The nature of that bond though…I guess that is something we will have to work out."
"You already know my thoughts on it. As for whether or not you tell them how it happened, if you don't want them to know the truth, I don't think it would be hard for people to believe that during our trip, we had a good time, one thing led to another, and we…you know, gave in."
"You would be ok with that? With people assuming things…happened between us?"
"Uh, yeah. I'm totally ok with people thinking a guy like me was able to land a catch like you!"
His comment causes her to chuckle.
"But then what will they think of me?"
"Worried that they'll think that you lowered your standards?" He asks.
"Nyet! I meant, what will they think of me becoming pregnant to a man that I am not even dating? Would we tell them that we had too much to drink one night, and I finally gave into your flirtations?"
"Makes it sound like I took advantage of you, but whatever. If the only way you'd ever have sex with me is if you were drunk, then I guess that'll be our story."
"Nyet, that is not what I want it to seem like. I know you would never take advantage of me…the others know that too."
"Why does it have to be a one-night stand? Maybe we just lead them to believe that we've been secretly dating? That way, you don't have to feel like you were doing anything wrong, and like I said before, no one would be surprised to find out that we'd been hooking up."
"They would not?"
"Nah. We have chemistry. Or haven't you noticed?"
She blushes.
"I was not sure others would pick up on it. I figured they would mostly focus on all our bickering."
"I think our bickering is part of our chemistry," he says.
"Da, a volatile reaction!"
He laughs and ponders that for a moment.
"Not all explosions are a bad thing."
His wink causes her cheeks to warm even more.
"Ready to give them a call?"
"Da, will you do it? I am not comfortable with my English when I am nervous."
"You speak it better than me! But yeah, I'll do the talking."
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and begins dialing.
"Hello, I'd like to make an appointment with your best doctor on staff. My uh, fiancé and I have a unique situation…infertility due to radiation exposure…my fiancé…no, she was not exposed through work. No, she isn't a radiologist…I said it wasn't work related! Chernobyl. She was close to it as a kid when she was visiting family nearby. We've already seen a specialist in London and were not given good news, but we'd like a second opinion, so you see why I want the best? When? As soon as possible…Thank you."
He puts his hand over the phone and explains to Linka that he's on hold while the receptionist speaks to one of the doctors.
"Fiancé?" She asks.
He shrugs,
"Sounded better than, 'I'm trying to get my friend pregnant; can we get an appointment?'"
She laughs and shakes her head.
"Yeah, I'm still here. Today?! Yeah, yeah, we can be there. What time? Got it. Thank you. We'll see you soon."
He disconnects the call and closes her laptop.
"We better get moving. Our appointment is in an hour and a half."
"Bozhe moy! That was quick. I was not expecting to get in today."
"She talked to the doctor and when he heard of the challenge, he wanted to see you and try to come up with a plan," Wheeler explains.
"Ok…great. I am so nervous," she admits.
"Me too. Let's go get some answers."
To Be Continued…