Chapter 7
They both stared at the doctor in something akin to shock as he imparted the news, but Cayden was the first to recover.
“Quadruplets. As in four babies? Is that what you just said?”
“Yes.” Dr. Melbourne looked back at Blair, his expression a little guarded. “We will be carefully monitoring…”
“No. No.” Cayden lunged to his feet, his face a mask of fury. “We are not skipping past this. My wife is not equipped to carry four babies, and you damn well know it. David, let’s talk about the incredible risks, shall we? Tell us right now, what we are up against and I don’t want it sugar coated.”
“Cayden…”
“No!” He repeated, turning to spear her with angry green eyes. “You wanted this. You fought for it, went behind my back to do it. Now we are going to hear the consequences.” He looked back at the doctor who had moved away from the monitor. “Well?”
“I… It’s a risk as we discussed before,” he intoned reluctantly. “As with every pregnancy…,” he paused as Cayden snorted. “The risk is increased four times.”
“You are playing around with words,” Cayden snapped.
“I am doing my best to ease the fear you have created for your wife.” The doctor responded tightly. “Look, I know you’re scared…”
“Out of my damn mind!”
Dr. Melbourne nodded in understanding. “There’s a risk…”
“I already know all of them.” Blair spoke up quietly. “Pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, postpartum depression and the babies will have to be delivered via C-section.” She eased up and used the tissues available to wipe the gel off her belly.
Ignoring Cayden, the doctor pulled up his stool and rolled towards the side of the examination bed. “This is an exceedingly rare occurrence and only one other I have been fortunate to be part of years ago.
I will gather a team immediately in order to monitor your progress…” He stopped as he heard the door slam shut and realized that Cayden had left the room.
The silence that followed was as thick as the tension in the room. Blair turned her attention back to the doctor, her hands trembling slightly as she clasped them in her lap. Dr. Melbourne gave her a reassuring smile, though it did not quite reach his eyes.
"Blair, I want you to know that we will do everything in our power to ensure the best possible outcome for you and the babies. We will schedule regular check-ups, and you will have access to a team of specialists."
Blair nodded numbly, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. She had fought so hard for this, but now, faced with the reality of carrying four babies, the enormity of the situation began to sink in. She could not help but feel the weight of Cayden’s anger and fear pressing down on her.
"Thank you, Dr. Melbourne," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
He gave her a small nod. "Take care of yourself, Blair. Rest as much as you can and try to stay positive. We will get through this together."
Blair managed to make a weak smile before pushing herself off the examination bed. As she gathered her things, her mind drifted to Cayden. She knew he was scared, possibly more than she was, but his anger had cut deep. She needed him now more than ever, but she feared the rift between them was growing too wide to bridge.
Stepping out of the room, she glanced down the hallway and saw Cayden standing by the window, his back to her.
She took a deep breath and walked towards him. His profile was etched in stone and when he turned towards her, his expression did not soften. Moving towards the doors, he pushed it open, allowing her to precede towards the parking lot.
They walked to the car in silence, the icy wind of winter tugging at their jackets.
Christmas had come and gone with the usual flurry of activities. On the surface, they appeared to be a happy couple, but it had been weeks since he touched her. They existed in a bubble of unspoken words and teeming emotions.
He had built up a wall, she could not breach it. Besides that, she had been feeling lousy. The fatigue was getting to her as well as the sickness that persisted throughout most of the day.
He slammed the door shut as soon as she entered the passenger side and came around to sit in the driver’s seat. She watched out of the sides of her eyes as he white-knuckled the steering wheel. She was scared. She had hoped for twins at least and had wanted to even the odds. But four babies was a lot to contend with.
It would mean in a few months; she would be bedridden. She was now ten weeks gone and had started showing in her breasts and her tummy. She had started wearing clothing to hide the fact that she was rapidly putting on weight.
But now the time has come for them to tell the rest of the family. Added to that, the press would soon get wind of the fact that she was pregnant. How much they could keep in the family, she did not know.
“Cayden…”
“Don’t!” He turned to face her, and she felt her anger and fear dissolving at the tormented look on his handsome face. “Damn you Blair! I asked you to wait, just give it some more time. Oh God!” Lifting his hands, he dragged his fingers through his hair and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Jesus! Jesus! I wished to God I never met you. I wished to God that I never decided to walk into the crappy café at that time. I would have missed you then and I would not be faced with this god awful fear that’s crippling me.”
“I love you.”
He turned to face her and laughed, harsh racking sounds that echoed in the car. “You love me. Well baby…,” he growled. “I am way past that. You possess every inch of me.
Everything. And I…” Breaking off abruptly, he pushed the start button and backed out. “We will announce the ‘good news’ at dinner tonight. It is understandable if we miss the wine and cheese party this Saturday.”
“I don’t want to…” She eased back with an intake of breath when he whipped his head to glare at her.
“From now on, you are confined to the suite. Is that bloody clear? You wanted this so badly; you are going to damn well follow the rules.”
“I know you’re angry…”
“I am way past that.” It was late afternoon, and the traffic had built up. He had several appointments but had called to reschedule all of them. He was in no frame of mind to face anyone and discuss business.
“It’s going to be fine.” She insisted, trying her best to diffuse his anger. “The good thing about it is we have the resources and Dr. Melbourne is already gathering a team to make certain I have the support.” Her eyes went moist.
“I just need yours. Your support is the most important part of all this. Without you…” She inhaled a shaky breath. “I cannot do this on my own Cayden. If you want me to apologize for jumping ahead, then I will do so again. But please, I need you.”
Cayden's grip on the steering wheel tightened even further, his knuckles turning a stark white. The weight of Blair's words hung heavily in the air, mingling with the tension that had cocooned them both. He knew she was right, but the fear gnawed at him relentlessly, poisoning his thoughts and actions.
The car ride was silent, save for the occasional hum of the engine and the distant thrum of traffic. When they finally pulled into the driveway, Cayden turned off the engine and sat there for a moment, his jaw clenched. Blair watched him, her heart aching, wanting so desperately to bridge the chasm between them.
"Cayden," she said softly, reaching out to touch his arm. He flinched but didn't pull away. "We can get through this. Together. But not if we keep letting this fear control us."
He exhaled deeply, a shuddering breath that seemed to carry the weight of the world. Turning to face her, his eyes were dark with a storm of emotions. "I'm scared, Blair," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm terrified of losing you. I do not know how to handle it."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she gripped his arm tighter. "We'll handle it one day at a time, one moment at a time. We have to trust each other, lean on each other. Please, Cayden. Let me in."
For a moment, he just stared at her, the conflict evident in his gaze. Then he shook his head. “Let’s get you inside. I am going to need time to sort through my feelings.” Jerking the door open, he got out and came to open her door. Blair felt her heart aching with the realization that he avoided touching her completely.
Lifting her chin, She wrapped her jacket around her more securely and sailed ahead of him. The massive redwood doors open as if by magic and she had to force a smile at the ramrod straight frame that offered a pleased smile as he took her coat.
“Ms. Blair, Mr. Cayden.” Bryce Lowell was the unofficial butler and official ruler of the household staff and had been with the family since before Cayden was born. “The family are all gathered in the blue and white salon. Dinner will be served at eight.”
“Thank you, Bryce. Will you tell the family that we’re going upstairs to freshen up and will be right down?”
“Of course.” The man bowed formally and disappeared.
“Go on up.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have some business to discuss with the family.” His eyes were cold and remote. “Do not worry, I would not dream of imparting the news without you. I will be up in a few minutes.” Without waiting for her to respond, he turned and strode down the hallway. She stood there for a moment before making her way up the spiral staircase.
As Blair reached the top of the staircase, she paused, glancing back down at the empty hallway where Cayden had disappeared. Her heart felt heavy, the weight of their unresolved tension pressing down on her. She moved towards their bedroom, hoping that some solitude would help clear her mind.
Entering the room, Blair was struck by the familiar comfort of their shared space. The soft lighting, the warm tones, and the scent that was uniquely theirs. She took a moment to steady herself, running her fingers through her hair before heading to the ensuite bathroom to freshen up.
Cayden, meanwhile, walked with purpose towards the blue and white salon. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, but he knew he had to put on a composed front for his family. As he entered the room, his family members looked up, their conversations halting momentarily.
“Cayden, glad you could join us,” his father said, his voice carrying a note of authority that never failed to command attention. “We were just discussing the latest developments.”
Cayden nodded, taking a seat, and trying to focus on the matters at hand. But his thoughts kept drifting back to Blair, to the look in her eyes when he had left her at the foot of the stairs. He knew he had to make things right, but for now, this was where he needed to be.
Back upstairs, Blair finished freshening up and sat on the edge of the bed, her thoughts racing. She understood the pressure Cayden was under, but it didn’t make the distance between them any easier to bear. She resolved to be patient, to give him the space he needed, while also being ready to support him when the time came.
After what felt like an eternity, Cayden finally came upstairs. He found Blair sitting by the window, staring out at the sprawling estate.
“I will go and freshen up.” He tugged the sweater over his head and carelessly tossed it on the side of the loveseat. “This will only take a few minutes. We are already running late.” Without another word, he strode into the closet to finish undressing.
The last thing she wanted to do was face the entire family and tell them the news that was no doubt going to stir up a mixture of conflicting reactions. On top of that, they were going to notice the tension between her and Cayden. Clive had already remarked on it in anger, blaming his brother for being a fool. She had defended him of course.
But now, they would know why things were not all right between them. Rubbing a hand at the back of her neck, she rose a little unsteadily to see about her makeup.
*****
“My dear, you’re not drinking your wine?” The conversation ceased immediately around the dinner table at the comment from the head of the family. Alberto Caruso had turned his attention from speaking with his son, Clive, towards her.
Blair was so taken aback that she froze in the middle of reaching for her glass of water. The food was entirely too rich, and she had to force herself to stay around the table and try and settle her heaving stomach with the garlic and tomato soup.
She opened her mouth to respond, when to her surprise, she felt her husband’s hand covering hers. His eyes met hers briefly before turning to take in the people around the table.
“We have an announcement to make. We are pregnant.” He said it without preamble and with as little emotion as possible. “There’s more.” He continued as everyone lapsed into silence. “We just came home from having an ultrasound done and it’s…,” he faltered slightly. “Quadruplets.”
A collective gasp echoed around the room, the weight of the revelation settling heavily in the air. Blair squeezed Cayden's hand, her heart pounding in her chest. She glanced at Clive, whose expression shifted from shock to an unreadable mask. Across the table, Alberto's eyes widened, his stern facade momentarily breaking.
“That’s an unexpected news.” Alberto’s gray eyes swung from Blair to his eldest son. “How…?”
“IVF.” Cayden offered tightly, his fingers pressing against hers on the table. “We decided to take that route.”
Her soft gasp went unheard and only two people at the table realized it was not quite the truth. Marianne and Clive.
Conail’s grin was forthcoming. “I guess congrats are in order. Brother, you really go for the mega, don’t you?”
Ignoring his son’s comment, Alberto flicked a glance at Blair. “I want to be on board with all of this and consider it wonderful news, but…,” he paused and waited for the maid to set the side dishes down and left the room. “I know a bit about multiples and figure out that this comes with high risks.”
“Yes.” Cayden clipped. “David Melbourne is heading the team who will be monitoring my wife for the entire time.”
His gray eyes switched to Blair who had so far remained silent. “My dear, what do you have to say for yourself.”
“She…”
“I can speak for myself.” She was getting annoyed at her husband’s take-charge manner. His pretending to be on board was not sitting well with her.
Taking a deep breath, she tugged her hand from beneath his. “Full disclosure. I went into this on my own. I went behind my husband’s back and proceeded with the IVF. I was desperate…,” her breath hitched slightly, but she carried on.
“I wanted a family – want a family and thought it was the only way out. I never expected four…,”she paused again and took a sip of water. “I know it’s a lot and my husband,” she avoided his eyes, “he is furious with me. I am going to need everyone’s support.
I know I was never the ideal wife you would have chosen for Cayden, but I love him and right now I am pregnant with four babies. In another month or so, I will be – things will change…” She shook her head. “I never dreamed I would – that this would…”
“Hey.” It was Clive who reached out to place his hand over hers, sending his entire family sweeping glances. “We’re absolutely here for you and I am sure my hardheaded brother will come to his senses…”
“Stay the hell out of it! She is my goddamned wife and…”
“Then bloody well start acting like it!” Clive snapped back. “She needs your support!”
“Enough!” Alberto’s authoritative voice sliced through the argument and was effective in silencing the siblings.
“This is not the time nor the place.” He continued, looking from Cayden to Clive. “My dear,” he looked at Blair, “I do not know quite what to say. This is unprecedented. Clive is right,” he glanced at his eldest son. “Your wife is going to need your support.” He looked around the table.
“All of our support. In this family, we face our challenges head on.” He glanced back at Cayden who remained rigidly silent and unyielding. “If you want to cut back some of your responsibilities at the office…”
“No. I will be accompanying her to all of her appointments and whatever can be done here at home, I will see that it’s done.”
“If you think that’s best,” his father nodded, “in the meantime, we are here if you need anything.”
“Thanks.” Blair told him soberly. Pushing back her chair, she rose before Cayden could get up. “I am not feeling well and would like to be excused.”
“I could come up…”
“No.” She shook her head as her husband stood up and took her arm. “I need to be alone right now.” Pulling out of his hold, she left the room.
The silence was resounding and fraught with tension. Cayden’s appetite had complete deserted him and all he wanted to do was to go somewhere and have a strong drink, probably an entire bottle of alcohol. Pulling out his chair, he sat back down.
“I will go up and talk with her a bit.” Marianne broke the silence and had her son looking over at her.
“Just as long as you’re not stressing her out even more.” He smiled grimly. “I think I am doing that all on my own.”
*****
She went straight into her private salon and seriously considered locking the damn door. She had taken off the dress she worn for supper and put on something comfortable. The sweat suit was old and one she had kept when Marianne had insisted on her getting rid of her clothing.
The shirt was one of her husband’s a plain white undershirt that she grabbed from his drawer. The comforting scent of his cologne somehow managed to soothe her.
She had finished the painting of the cabin, and it was propped up on the opposite wall. A new canvas was on the easel – the stark white waiting for her to put some color to it. She was feeling particularly emotional right now and sick to her stomach. The pills, myriad of them were making her feel a little dizzy.
Sitting on the stool, she picked up the paintbrush and stared unseeingly at the canvas. She was going to have to tell her dad which would start another series of worries. She had involved people in her drama. The news should have been great, something for the family to rejoice about, but it was causing considerable tension.
If she had been able to foresee what this would cause, would she had done things different? She wondered. Probably. But how she wished things were different. She could not blame Cayden for the fear or the anger.
She had blindsided him and this was the end result. Pressing her hand against her stomach, she took a deep breath and started painting.