Page 35 of The Doctor's Promise
Rafa frowned. “Baby, we can’t think like that. If we all thought like that, the human race would have died out millions of years ago.”
Noemi nodded and Rafa could see how conflicted she was. “Look at me, baby.”
She turned her lovely dark eyes on him, and he leaned his forehead against hers for a moment.
“I love you. Whatever you decide is right for you is fine with me. I’ll just say this, and it’s what I should have said first. God, I’m happy. A child with you is my dream, Noe. A whole family with you is my dream. Bepi would love a sibling. But we have time, all the time in the world, so if right now isn’t going to work for you, then we take the next step. How far along are you?”
“About a month.”
“So, we have time.”
Noemi nodded and leaned her head onto his shoulder. “I want your babies, Rafa, I do. But we’re just in the beginning part. We have Bepi to think of, your family, my family.”
“Your career.”
Noemi shook her head. “That’s not… I’m a surgeon. They have kids all the time and go back to work. I wouldn’t consider a baby a hindrance to my career.” She chuckled suddenly. “I’m so mixed up, Rafa.”
“Look, we don’t have to make any decisions yet. Let’s just enjoy these few days and when we get back to Seattle, we can talk more.”
Noemi looked so relieved that Rafa smiled. She leaned against him. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Nommy.”
She smiled. “You should call Bepi. I bet he’s driving your parents crazy.” Her smile faded a little, and he noticed.
“What is it?”
“They’re going to think I’m a gold digger.”
Rafa gave a bark of laughter. “Believe me, they’re not.”
“But they know about us?”
“They do.” It was his turn to hesitate. “At least, they know I’m seeing someone.”
Noemi gaped at him. “But they don’t know it’s me?”
“Um…”
“Oh God.”
Rafa shook his head. “Right now, I can’t tell you why I haven’t told them. I will, of course, as soon as we get back.”
“At the same time, you can tell them I’ve trapped you with an unplanned pregnancy.”
“Noe—”
“—that’s how it’s going to look.” She got to her feet and padded away from him. For a moment, Rafa sat, shaking his head, then followed her into the bathroom.
Noemi was cranking on the shower.
“It’s okay,” she said sadly.
“No, it’s not, and you’re not being fair to them. They would never think that of you.”
“But you didn’t tell them. There must be a reason.”
“I didn’t tell them because you wanted to keep us secret!” The words came out harsher than he meant them to, but he also knew it was the truth. “It took Jack dying for you to tell your sister about us.”
