Page 66 of Marriage Masquerade

“I could go in with you,” she offered.

Nikos shook his head.

“Rest up. Time enough Monday for the hectic pace at work. Besides, I suspect you'd like to go through the things we bought.”

Smiling at the thought of the layette, of the tiny baby clothes and the velvety soft teddy bear Nikos also insisted they purchase, Gemma hesitated.

“Actually I would, but I’ll wait for you. We can ooh and ahh over them together.”

He looked at her for a moment, then shook his head slowly.

“I’m not a man to ooh and ahh over things.”

She laughed.

“Okay, then you can just hand them to me one by one, and I’ll do enough for both of us.”

He frowned.

She laughed softly again and reached out to pat his arm.

“Don’t worry, we’ll have fun together..”

“I’m sure of it. You have a knack for making the ordinary special,” Nikos said.

He drew her closer and kissed her quickly, then set her free.

“I’ll be home for dinner. Tell Hal.”

With that, he was gone.

Grateful for the time to rest over the weekend, Gemma took advantage of every moment. She slept in late Sunday and even napped in the afternoon. By Monday, she felt refreshed and ready to face the week.

Shortly before quitting time Monday afternoon, Nikos stepped out of his office.

“Hal called—the furniture has arrived. Turns out the crib came in a box and needs assembling. I thought we could leave early and assemble the crib after dinner.”

Gemma looked up, startled. He seemed as interested in getting things set up for the baby as she was.

“Assembly? The delivery guys didn't do it?”

“Apparently not.”

“Do you know anything about assembling furniture?”

“No, but how hard can it be?”

“Okay. I’ll just tidy my desk and be ready.”

“Hal will be downstairs with the car in twenty minutes.”

Once home, they changed into casual clothes and hurried through dinner. Gemma felt the excitement grow at the thought of getting the baby's room ready. As if a treat awaited, instead of an unfamiliar chore.

Gemma had chosen the yellow room across the long hall from her own. The baby monitor they’d purchased insured she’d be able to hear the baby no matter where she went in the apartment, but she liked the thought of having the child close. Once it graduated from the cradle, that is.

They'd checked out the furniture when they first arrived at home. They’d positioned the dresser against a wall and placed the changing table in front of it. The rocker set at an angle. The crib was in a big box leaning against another wall. A smaller box held the cradle.

Gemma noted that Hal had emptied the room before the delivery.

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