Page 47 of Three Times You

Gin ventures a faint smile. “That’s not a bad percentage. I would have thought worse.”

Dr. Flamini forcesa smile. “You’re a positive, sunny, bright young woman. Keep thinking like that. Your soul can have a tremendous influence on the state of your body, especially when it’s sick…”Then he smiles and pats her hand in a fatherly manner. “Don’t be too hard on yourself. Think it over. And if you change your mind, just forget about what you said today. You can always have the baby later, when you’re better.”

Gin smiles. “We can tell ourselves all the lies we want. Then she’d be my second daughter. You said it yourself. I’m an optimist. I hope to have both things go my way.”

Chapter 38

I’m on the train to Milan. Giorgio booked me a seat in business class. It’s so exclusive that I have the compartment to myself. I have an appointment with the famous director Signor Calemi to sign a few profitable contracts, if everything works out. That would give Futura quite a growth spurt.

I look at my watch. Gin had an appointment with the doctor to see how Aurora is doing. She should be out by now. I call her, and she picks up on the first ring. “Wow, that was fast! I thought you’d be in the car or half-naked in front of your doctor.”

Gin laughs. “Don’t exaggerate. At the very most, I let him look at my belly. I just had to do a quick sonogram. It took no time at all, and I’m already home.”

“Great. How did the exam go?”

“Just fine. Aurora is healthy and growing. I got a look at her sucking her thumb. He took a picture. I’ll send it to you in a minute.”

“That’s so great. What about you? All good? Are you worried? How do you feel?”

“I’m in great shape. This afternoon, I’ll take my first swimming lesson for expectant mothers. Trying to stay trim.”

“You’re incredibly trim.”

“The doctor said to keep your hands to yourself for now,” she says.

“I’d like to know if he really said that. I’d like to have been a fly on the wall.”

“I’m sorry, my mother is ringing the buzzer. Let me call you back later.”

“Certainly, my love, don’t worry.”

Chapter 39

Ipull a bottle of beer out of the fridge and open it. I turn on the TV and watch the newest show that Futura has produced,LoSquizzone. It came out perfectly. It’s the second episode, and I imagine our numbers will drop a little. They always drop a little on the second episode. Still, we’ll see. With a different host, it’s like a different show. As I’m watching, I hear the door open. “Gin, is that you?”

“No, sweetheart, it’s a burglar.”

I get up to greet her with a smile on my face. “It’s true. You’re a thief who stole my heart.” And I wrap my arms around her.

“Listen, you’ve been a screenwriter, and now you’re a producer, but I think you’ve always been and always will be a con artist, a sly dog who’s used the same scripts over and over again. Come on, let me see our script. Where do you keep it?”

I tap my forehead. “It’s all hidden in here…”And then I place my hand on my heart. “And here.”

She pulls away from me, shoving me hard in the chest. “I’d seriously like to get in there, rip all the doors off their hinges, and see what’s tucked away in those safe-deposit boxes!”

I start laughing. “Just think if they were completely empty, and there’s nothing at all there. What a tragic, disappointing discovery that would be.”

“I’m so afraid.”

“Well, you’ll never know.” I head for the kitchen. “Do you want some beer too?”

“If only. No, just a fruit juice, thanks.”

“Okay, coming right up.”

I fill a glass with fruit juice, my own glass with beer, and I head back into the other room. “Hey, you didn’t tell me much about your doctor’s appointment today. How did it go? I was on the train, and the reception was terrible. After that, I had to hurry over to the studios. Sorry I didn’t reach out to you before this.”

“Fine, everything looks normal.”

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