Page 26 of Miracles and Marriage
“The jerk. How dare he put such a limitation on your marriage.”
“He didn’t, I did.”
“Are you nuts?”
“Listen, Chloe, I may not be able to get pregnant. You know the doctor said there was a risk I’d never conceive. I don’t want to hold a man who wants children to a childless marriage. Would you?”
When she’d mentioned that to Cal, he refused to believe she wouldn’t get pregnant. For him it was a non-issue.
“If I loved him to bits and he loved me, children would be a bonus, not the main focus of the relationship,” Chloe said slowly.
“Still, it is my decision and I don’t want others knowing yet.”
“What does Cal say about that?” Chloe asked.
“He thinks we will get pregnant.”
“Good for him—he’s an optimist. I like the way he thinks. So are you moving into his place or he into yours? When are you getting married? What are you going to tell Mom and Dad when you do get pregnant? Oops, guess we forgot to tell you about our wedding?”
“That’s something we’ll have to deal with when and if the time comes. Maybe we could have a ceremony for the family then.”
“I’m coming over. I want to see you face-to-face to make sure about this,” Chloe said.
Zoe sighed. She loved her sister, but sometimes she was too astute.
“I’ll be home all day. Come when you can.”
Might as well give in to the inevitable. Chloe was a force to be reckoned with.
Cal called Zoe after nine that evening. She’d showered and prepared for bed, curled up in a favorite chair in her pajamas reading a good book when the phone rang.
“I made arrangements for next Tuesday. I had Emily check your schedule for that day. No appointments noted on your calendar. Does that work for you?”
“Tuesday it is.”
She felt a zing of anticipation. After the wedding, would he want to sweep her away somewhere and get started on that baby? Or would he honor their agreement and wait for her to tell him when she was most fertile?
She wished she had her calendar handy—maybe the two dates collided. Or maybe she should forget that restriction. Being more proactive could be a good thing.
“We’ll go to the courthouse in Arlington. No waiting for a license in Virginia. A local judge will marry us.”
“Fine.” It was a good thing she never pined for a white dress and a dozen bridesmaids. It was never going to happen.
“Did you want a honeymoon?” he asked.
Zoe was startled by that thought.
“I didn’t expect one. But we can drive over to the beach, if you like, spend the night at the cottage.”
It’d be something out of the ordinary for a wedding night, even if not super special.
“What did you do today after you got home?” Cal asked.
“I told my sister about us. Chloe came right over and gave me the third degree. But she’s cool with keeping it quiet. She’s not quite as optimistic as you that I’ll conceive.”
Zoe wasn’t going to tell him how Chloe was convinced that Cal would never want a divorce no matter the outcome with a baby. But then, her twin still thought there was a closer tie to this relationship than there was.
Zoe couldn’t tell her it was totally a business arrangement—not in light of her sister’s happy marriage.
