needed time away from him. She finally had to admit the inevitable: a new job might help. The pain that acknowledgment ignited was excruciating!
The team was scheduled to meet on an overseas location in two days. Mari couldn’t get out of it. It was gratifying, however, to know that Nico was unlikely to join them, as he was scheduled to close another deal in Hong Kong later that week.
Mari contemplated all of this as she sat on the hard examination table of her GP’s office. A medical check-up was a requirement for each member of the team before leaving on any international travel, but especially if they had to travel to more exotic places where medical attention wasn’t assured. And given her recent bouts of feeling under the weather, she wasn’t taking any chances.
Her GP greeted her cheerfully. “Hi, Mari. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, just feeling slightly tired most days. I am not sure if there is something wrong, but I don’t feel exactly ill, just mostly tired and out of sorts,” Mari explained.
“Let’s see what we have here, then.” He gently directed her to recline on the table and proceeded with a thorough examination. “When did you last have your cycle?”
She thought for a moment and mentally went through her activities over the past few weeks. “I can’t remember,” she stated thoughtfully. “But it had to be about three weeks ago—it was light but sometimes when I’m stressed that happens.”
He then asked a nurse to assist in a urine test and left the room to afford her some privacy. Mari wasn’t concerned. She knew that she took good care of herself and had never been ill in her life, except for the occasional light colds. Her workouts were intense and grueling, but this unusual tiredness was alarming and depressing. She ran four to five miles daily, did light weight training three times a week, and swam several laps in the pool of her flat three times a week. She had convinced herself that the exercise regimen, together with her punishing work schedule, and the strain from constantly thinking about Nico, were probably contributing to her weakened state.
The GP returned some minutes later with a broad smile on his face. “Well you’re definitely not sick. You’re in prefect health, which is a good thing, because you’re pregnant.”
“What!” Mari was stunned. “But I can’t be! It was only the one time. This isn’t possible.” She was confused. How could she not have known? With the emotional turmoil she’d been going through, she hadn’t even considered it. How stupid was she?
“It only requires one time, kid,” the GP assured her gently. He gave her a number of pamphlets to read and suggested some antenatal vitamins. After recommending several gynecologists she might consult to care for her during the pregnancy, he again congratulated her.
Mari walked out of the GP’s office in a daze and went back to work with feelings alternating between stark fear, awe, and extreme happiness. Was she too young to start a family? But after further thought she was overwhelmed with elation—finally she could have someone’s unconditional love and someone upon whom she could lavish her love in return. She was two months pregnant, she thought in wonder. It was a frightening position to be in without any family support.
Niccolo sat slouched down in the back seat of his chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz. The words his physician had shared a few moments ago had left him numb.
His siblings all had multiple children, ten in total. Shit, his brother had four of them! How could he possibly be sterile ?
The visit to the doctor was warranted after Celina’s repeated accusations of his inability to father a child. He’d laughed at the bitch! But now the joke was on him.
He thought of that summer when he and his siblings had all contracted the measles. It had started with his two-year-old sister Sarah, then his nine-year-old brother Marco, then twelve-year-old Giuliana, and
The team was scheduled to meet on an overseas location in two days. Mari couldn’t get out of it. It was gratifying, however, to know that Nico was unlikely to join them, as he was scheduled to close another deal in Hong Kong later that week.
Mari contemplated all of this as she sat on the hard examination table of her GP’s office. A medical check-up was a requirement for each member of the team before leaving on any international travel, but especially if they had to travel to more exotic places where medical attention wasn’t assured. And given her recent bouts of feeling under the weather, she wasn’t taking any chances.
Her GP greeted her cheerfully. “Hi, Mari. How are you doing?”
“I’m fine, just feeling slightly tired most days. I am not sure if there is something wrong, but I don’t feel exactly ill, just mostly tired and out of sorts,” Mari explained.
“Let’s see what we have here, then.” He gently directed her to recline on the table and proceeded with a thorough examination. “When did you last have your cycle?”
She thought for a moment and mentally went through her activities over the past few weeks. “I can’t remember,” she stated thoughtfully. “But it had to be about three weeks ago—it was light but sometimes when I’m stressed that happens.”
He then asked a nurse to assist in a urine test and left the room to afford her some privacy. Mari wasn’t concerned. She knew that she took good care of herself and had never been ill in her life, except for the occasional light colds. Her workouts were intense and grueling, but this unusual tiredness was alarming and depressing. She ran four to five miles daily, did light weight training three times a week, and swam several laps in the pool of her flat three times a week. She had convinced herself that the exercise regimen, together with her punishing work schedule, and the strain from constantly thinking about Nico, were probably contributing to her weakened state.
The GP returned some minutes later with a broad smile on his face. “Well you’re definitely not sick. You’re in prefect health, which is a good thing, because you’re pregnant.”
“What!” Mari was stunned. “But I can’t be! It was only the one time. This isn’t possible.” She was confused. How could she not have known? With the emotional turmoil she’d been going through, she hadn’t even considered it. How stupid was she?
“It only requires one time, kid,” the GP assured her gently. He gave her a number of pamphlets to read and suggested some antenatal vitamins. After recommending several gynecologists she might consult to care for her during the pregnancy, he again congratulated her.
Mari walked out of the GP’s office in a daze and went back to work with feelings alternating between stark fear, awe, and extreme happiness. Was she too young to start a family? But after further thought she was overwhelmed with elation—finally she could have someone’s unconditional love and someone upon whom she could lavish her love in return. She was two months pregnant, she thought in wonder. It was a frightening position to be in without any family support.
Niccolo sat slouched down in the back seat of his chauffeur-driven Mercedes-Benz. The words his physician had shared a few moments ago had left him numb.
His siblings all had multiple children, ten in total. Shit, his brother had four of them! How could he possibly be sterile ?
The visit to the doctor was warranted after Celina’s repeated accusations of his inability to father a child. He’d laughed at the bitch! But now the joke was on him.
He thought of that summer when he and his siblings had all contracted the measles. It had started with his two-year-old sister Sarah, then his nine-year-old brother Marco, then twelve-year-old Giuliana, and
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