Chapter 9 #2
Barbara decided that it was time to face the woman living in her home. She had issued instructions to the staff to ensure that she was fed and taken care of, because that was what her son wanted.
But she had been avoiding going into her son's suite because she did not want to face her.
"I will take the tray up," she told the maid briskly.
Ignoring the woman's surprised look, she took the laden tray from her and made her way up the stairs.
She had been up since before dawn, dressed and ready to tackle the day's activities.
There was a tour bus due in the morning, and the movie crew had requested that filming be done in the east side of the ranch.
Bryson had left it all in her hands and she had instructed her assistant to deal with the matter, warning her to make sure that they stuck to their designated areas.
Then she had a luncheon meeting with some of the ladies of the committee in charge of homeless children. Her day was full. So was her son's. She had seen the utter weariness on his face when he downed three cups of coffee before heading out.
She entered the suite without knocking, taking the time to look around the neat and tidy sitting room, before pushing the bedroom door open.
Instead of seeing the woman in bed, Barbara was surprised to see her dressed in what looked like a yoga outfit and lying flat on a mat.
"Oh, please put the tray on the table, I'll get to it in a minute. Thanks."
She had her arms lifted, palms clasped together.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
Julianne's eyes flew open and she scrambled to her feet hastily at the sound of the familiar voice.
"Mrs. McNab!" Reaching for a towel at the edge of the loveseat, she dabbed at the moisture on her face. "You're here..." Her eyes flew to the tray. "You brought me breakfast. Why did you... I did not expect you."
Barbara felt a perverse kind of pleasure at how flustered the younger woman was. Taking a seat on an elegant tan and gold cushioned chair, she crossed her legs at the ankles. "Evidently. I decided to come and have a talk with you."
"About what?" Julianne was not prepared for the woman and honestly, if, while she was here, she never encountered her, it would have been a bonus.
"You're the woman carrying my son's child."
"And that never seemed to make an impression on you before."
Barbara realized with reluctant admiration that the woman was recovering nicely. After the initial nervousness, she was rallying around. She watched as Julianne walked to the tray and poured herself a cup of tea.
"Would you like a cup?"
"No thanks." Pleating her hands in her lap, she lifted her chin. "My son never discussed you moving in here."
Taking the tea with her, Julianne went to sit on the loveseat. She was calm and surprisingly unintimidated. There was nothing the woman sitting across from her could say to her to make her lose her cool. At least, she hoped so.
"I think that's something you should take up with him." She sipped the tea slowly. "I expressed myself strenuously about coming here and he rolled over me. Your son has a way of getting his own way. And he made some valid points and a few threats." Her eyes glinted in amusement.
"Normally, I would tell him to go straight to hell, but I realized he was right. I needed the care and here's where I can get it. I apologize if my being here is offending you, but like I said, you should take it up with Bryson."
"I love my son."
Julianne inclined her head in agreement. "I believe you do and he loves you too. The thing is, we're going to be parents, which means we're going to be in each other's lives for the foreseeable future. I know that's not what you wanted, but here we are."
"And that's it? You're just going to be parents and nothing more?"
Julianne's tapered brows lifted. "I do believe you're asking if we have plans on tying the knot. If that's the case, then I have to tell you it's between me and Bryson."
"I've seen the way he looks at you." Barbara gripped her fingers together tight. "I used to dream of my husband looking at me that way. It never happened."
"And I'm sorry you went through such a lousy marriage," Julianne told the woman sincerely.
"I don't need your pity," Barbara shot back primly. It galled her that this woman could feel sorry for her. "I did what I had to do for my son and have no regrets."
Julianne eyed her steadily, suddenly realizing that Barbara McNab had endured years of abuse, and that was what it had been.
The man might not have been physically abusing her, but the emotional and psychological abuse had taken its toll.
"I'm sure you don't," she answered quietly.
"But you have my sympathy and the assurance that I'm not with your son for what he can do for me.
I love him." She smiled slightly, the assurance of how she felt filling her heart with wonder.
She had not declared her love for him since she returned, thinking unfairly that if she did, it would mean she was staying.
But wasn't that already decided for her, she mused in wonder.
Brian had warned her and seen what she refused to.
Being here with him like this, sharing this pregnancy experience with him, meant she was here to stay.
"I love him," she repeated, her smile widening.
"And I'm not leaving." She looked at Barbara, her expression one of determination.
"You can either stand in my way or stand with me.
You mentioned that you love your son and I have no doubt about that, but I happen to be in love with him and he loves me. "
Rising gracefully, she went to lift the cover off the silver tea service. The potent scent of the sausage hit her full force. At first, it felt as if she was going to endure the smell and handle the queasiness that had sprung up, but that was wishful thinking.
Slamming down the tray cover, she bolted for the bathroom, a startled Barbara lunging to her feet.
Barbara waited a few minutes, an unwilling feeling of concern pouring through her. She had been in this situation before, where nothing would stay down. Firming her lips, she picked up the bedside phone and summoned a maid. As soon as the woman hurried in, she ordered her to take the tray away.
"Have the kitchen prepare a fresh pot of herbal tea and some crackers."
When Julianne still had not come out of the bathroom, she ventured towards the open door, her footsteps hesitant. This was the woman carrying her son's child after all, and he would have wanted her to lend a helping hand.
"Do you need some help?" she called out uncertainly.
"You don't have to stay."
"I'm aware." Barbara stepped closer. "I used to go through the same thing myself. I suffered with nausea for almost the entire nine months."
"That's not making me feel better. In fact, it's downright depressing."
Barbara smiled in spite of herself and edged even closer. Her heart contracted when she saw the woman sitting on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chin.
"You should get up. I sent the tray away and asked them to send up some tea and crackers."
"You don't have to stay, and I don't want Bryson hearing about this." Taking a deep breath, she shoved herself up and staggered to the sink to rinse out her mouth.
"You're very fortunate, you know."
Spitting out water, Julianne turned to give the woman an incredulous look. "Fortunate?"
"I went through a tremendous amount of stress while I was carrying Bryson." Stepping inside, she took a folded washcloth and handed it to Julianne. "My husband was never there for me. I went through all of it alone." She folded her hands and watched as the younger woman put away the cloth.
"He was out with one of his sluts when the labor pains started. I had to call the doctors myself and they sent an ambulance. He surfaced right when I delivered the baby, him and three of his friends. And he handed out cigars. The proud father of a very healthy baby boy.
"He never asked me how I felt or how I reached the hospital.
I lay there in that bed and hated him with a virulence that was disturbing.
But I loved my son and he made up for all the rotten things that man ever did to me.
So, yes. You're fortunate." She turned away when the door opened. "Your tea is here."
Even though Julianne was uncomfortable with the woman being there, she appreciated the fact that Barbara McNab had set herself in charge.
She issued orders to the maid who brought up the tray, instructing her where to place it, and actually poured the tea herself, waiting to make sure that Julianne was comfortably seated before taking a sip.
She waited another few minutes to ensure that she wasn't about to puke it all out.
After she left and quietly closed the doors behind her, Julianne sat thinking, the words, painful and poignant, coming back to haunt her.
The woman had been through a hell of a lot, she mused.
It did not excuse her behavior in the past or even recently when she had just arrived, but it explained a lot.
She strongly doubted that she and Barbara McNab would ever be bosom buddies, but at least the woman was warming up.
She had stayed to ensure that Julianne was all right and in her books, that was something profound.
And she was pretty sure that Bryson would be informed.
Rolling her eyes, she settled back to enjoy her tea as it coursed into her raw stomach. Munching on the saltines, she decided she was going to insist that a car be assigned to her. She needed to get out and get some fresh air.