Page 17 of Christmas Kisses

“I assume you realize the chance you took by having casual sex with a man you didn’t know,” Dr. Stone said. “I’m not here to lecture you on morality or even stupidity, Maya. But for the love of God, use a condom next time.”

“I told you, I was drinking. This is totally out of character for me, and it won’t happen again.”

Her face softening, Dr. Stone nodded. “We all do dumb things sometimes, I suppose. Are you worried?”

“Shouldn’t I be? Wouldn’t you be, Dr. Stone?”

“Yes, I guess I would. And my patients call me Dr. Sheila.”

“I don’t plan to be one of your patients,” Maya said. “This is a one-time visit.”

Removing her gloves, Dr. Sheila went to the sink to wash her hands. “Actually, Maya, the truth is you’re going to have to come back a few more times.”

Maya blinked. “I am?”

“I’m afraid so.” She tugged paper towels, wiped her hands dry. “Certain venereal diseases or pregnancy should show up right away, of course. But for HIV… well, you’re going to have be tested again in six weeks, and after that in six months, and after that—”

Maya held up a hand. “This is insane.”

“That’s what I try to tell people. It is insane—especially when a ninety-nine-cent item in a foil wrapper would prevent all the worry. Well, most of it, anyway.”

Sighing, Maya said, “What if I can find the man?”

The doctor shrugged. “Well, if he’s willing to be tested, and if his test came back clean, and if he was the only person you’d had sexual contact with—then we could rest assured you hadn’t contracted the virus.”

Maya drew a deep breath, held it a long moment, and sighed. “Then I suppose I should swallow my pride and contact him.”

“I suppose you should.” Turning, she walked to the counter and glanced down at the urine sample to which she’d added chemicals. She was very still for a moment.

“Dr. Sheila?” Maya asked, sliding off the table to pull on her jeans and button them. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

Turning, the woman looked at her. “We’re going to need to confirm this with the blood work, Maya…but, um…according to this…you’re pregnant.”

Maya stopped moving. She was standing there with a paper gown on top and a pair of jeans on the bottom, in her sock feet, and this woman was saying something in a foreign language. It made no sense. It did not translate. It was not comprehensible.

Dr. Sheila came forward and gripped Maya’s arms. Gently she led her to a chair and eased her into it. “Are you okay?”

Blinking against the shock, Maya tried to talk, but all that came out was a whisper, and it wasn’t what she’d planned to say at all.

“I want my mother,” she rasped.

“I’ll get her.”

* * *

Caleb spent several tense days at his father’s bedside, racked with guilt over having been out of town when his dad needed him most. But he was back home now. And if this episode had taught him anything, it was that you couldn’t run away from your duty. Your heritage. Your responsibilities. He was expected to play a certain role in life, and he damn well would.

Running away in search of something simpler, something better, had only brought on disaster. And the pipe dreams he’d been indulging in that night? About settling down, about setting up a law office in a little one-horse town. About living there in a farmhouse with vines up one side, and a big dog, and maybe a duck pond in back. About marrying a daisy-fresh wife who had freckles on the bridge of her nose and looked great in blue jeans. They were just that—pipe dreams.

It was just as well this had happened when it had, if it had to happen at all. Before he did something foolish. Before he forgot who he was.

Still, every now and then he would find himself staring out at a rainy night sky and remembering…thinking again about that incredible woman he’d met and the night they’d spent together. Maya Brand. Even her name was one of a kind.

Had she been disappointed to find him gone the next morning? Or just angry? He wondered if he’d hurt her, and hoped he hadn’t. A little voice told him he knew damn well he’d hurt her. It had been her first time. Women took things like that to heart. Still, she would be fine, a woman like that. Smart, capable. Surrounded by family. She would be just fine. And sooner or later she would find a man far better for her than he was. Far better.

It was good he’d had to come home, before things got too complicated between them. As it turned out, it had been just a brief interlude. One night of….

What?

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