Chapter Seven
D espite the morning sickness Charlie couldn’t shake, which surfaced on and off all day, she took the girls to the Museum of Natural History, as promised. Dylan loved the Butterfly Vivarium where she saw hundreds of species. Dakota, naturally, flipped over the pupae incubator where she viewed chrysalises and watched butterflies emerge. Thanks to Egypt, Charlie was used to the eighty percent humidity in the enclosure, but it didn’t help her queasy stomach or dizziness.
She sat with the girls while they shared a cheese panini and she sipped on a cup of iced decaffeinated tea. After the space show and movie, which were hits, they toured the dinosaur exhibit, a place Charlie used to frequent with her own mother.
She also used to bring the girls before she left for Egypt. It warmed her heart to be able to share the foundation of her love for archaeology with her children, and it gave them something unique to bond over.
Once their long day ended, she brought the girls back to Noah’s for the night. Charlie had a meeting scheduled with Jared to do a final walk through the available apartment and make a decision, but she wanted to talk to Noah first.
Once at Noah and Fallon’s, Charlie turned to Fallon. “Can you take the girls to get something to eat? I need to discuss a few things with Noah.” She didn’t mean to exclude Fallon but she needed the privacy from the kids.
“Little ears,” Dakota said with an eye roll.
“Yep. The parents need to talk,” Dylan chimed in.
A grin lifted Fallon’s lips at their word play and she glanced at the twins. “Who wants homemade cookies?”
“Me!”
“I do!”
Putting a hand on their backs, Fallon quickly herded the girls into the kitchen, leaving Charlie and Noah alone.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “But I need to tell you something and because you know me better than most, I also need your opinion.”
“Okay. Do you want to sit?” He gestured to the family room.
“I’d rather pace,” she said, and began to walk back and forth in the entryway, keeping an eye on him when she strode his way.
He leaned against the wall, studying her. “Okay, I’m braced. Let’s hear it.”
“I’m pregnant and I’m telling you because you’re the twins’ father and when I’m ready to explain it to them, you’ll need to know.”
His eyes grew wide. “Holy shit, Charlie.”
She wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. “My thoughts exactly.”
“Are you… happy about it?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
She nodded. “I’ve had some time to let it settle and, yes, I’m happy. Thrown and shaken, but excited.”
He treated her to a smile. “Then I’m happy for you. And I can help talk to the girls when the time comes. Or you can handle it yourself. Your decision.” He paused, then said, “You also said you needed my advice?”
She bit down on the inside of her cheek. “When I leave here, I’m meeting Jared to look at the apartment in his building. He gave me a rental amount that was definitely not the going rate. It gives me a financial break, it gives you a break… and he takes the hit. You know how I feel about standing on my own two feet.”
Noah tapped his foot against the floor, obviously in thinking mode. “You should know I spoke to him this morning. I knew about the rent.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Is that all he told you?” she asked warily, wondering if Jared had shared the pregnancy news and Noah was pretending to be surprised.
“What else is there?” Noah asked, genuinely confused.
Without thinking, her hand went to her stomach, partly because she was nauseous and in part in reflex.
As soon as he caught the gesture, Noah’s lips parted, his shock obvious. “Jared’s the father?” he asked in a hushed whisper.
She nodded.
“Jesus.” He ran a hand through his hair as the surprises kept coming.
“What?” she asked. “It’s not like we’re blood-related. God, would you relax?”
“Hey, you startled me. At least now I know why he’s being so generous with the rent,” he said.
She shook her head. “Technically, he was being generous even before he knew about the baby.”
Noah nodded. “Okay, then. That brings me to that advice you want. I know you and I’m sure I know what you’re asking, so here’s my answer. Take the apartment.”
“But—”
He stepped closer and placed a friendly hand on her shoulder. “Put aside your pride and concerns. It’s good for you, good for the girls. The area is beyond safe, there’s a doorman, and I’ll feel better knowing that’s where you’re all sleeping at night.”
As close as she and Noah were, he didn’t know the cause of her insecurities, her past with her parents… they weren’t emotionally connected in any way but through the twins. As for the apartment… “Leo said to take it, too.”
“He’s right.” After all these years, Noah knew her best friend, having met him many times.
She nodded. “And I know that I should be more grateful to you and to Jared. So thank you again for the financial help, Noah. And the advice.”
“Of course. If you need anything, Fallon and I are here for you.” He paused. “I have to tell her, you know that, right?”
“Yeah. I understand. I’ll let Jared know his sister knows. Life really can change in an instant,” she said with a shake of her head.
Noah chuckled. “That it can. In your case, twice.”
She rolled her eyes, mimicking Dakota’s favorite gesture. “Let’s not go there, okay?” Charlie turned toward the kitchen. “Girls, come say bye!”
After getting her hugs, Charlie said so long to Noah and Fallon, and went downstairs to meet the Uber she’d sent for. Next stop, Jared Sterling’s place.
She sat in the back of the car in stop-and-go traffic, the movement of the vehicle combined with her morning sickness working to increase the nausea and dizziness she’d already been feeling. She texted Jared as they turned the corner on which his building was located, as he’d wanted to meet her downstairs and take her up to the apartment.
By the time the driver pulled up to the curb, she was so relieved to be getting out of the vehicle for fresh air, she thought she might cry.
Pulling herself together, she thanked the driver and exited the car. She stepped out of the vehicle as Jared walked through the doors and strode toward her.
She paused and breathed in fresh, though warm and humid, air, fighting the dizziness. Just a few more seconds and she’d be in an air-conditioned space and feel better, she assured herself.
When she recovered enough, she started toward Jared just as another wave of nausea and dizziness assaulted her, black spots circling in front of her eyes. She reached for him but stumbled and fell against his chest, Jared’s strong arms wrapping around her. Without warning, her knees buckled, before everything went black.
***
Jared watched Charlotte exit the vehicle and he strode to meet her. She paused and wobbled despite not wearing heels, so he picked up his stride to get to her faster. She suddenly reached for him, staggering and falling into him. His heart skipped a beat, grateful he was close enough to catch her.
He wrapped his arms around her and just as he thought she was safe, her knees buckled and she started to go down. He scooped her into his arms and rushed toward the building.
The doorman held open the entry and Jared strode inside, sitting down with her in his arms.
“Charlotte?” He patted her cheeks, his heart beating too fast in his chest. “Charlie.” He resorted to her nickname. Anything to wake her up. He glanced at the doorman. “Ronald, call an ambulance. Tell them she’s pregnant.”
“Yes, Mr. Sterling.”
“Charlotte,” he said again.
“No ambulance,” she said as she blinked her eyes and began to regain consciousness.
Relief filled him and he took his first full breath since watching her stumble. “Sorry, sweetheart. You fainted and you’re pregnant. That means you’re going to get checked out by a doctor.” He needed to know the baby was fine and so was she.
“They’re on their way,” Ronald said from his position behind the desk.
Given they were in New York City, the sirens sounded fairly quickly and two paramedics rushed into the lobby. They took her pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen levels before they walked out and returned with a stretcher.
“Is this really necessary?” she asked, as she was settled on the gurney.
“We want to make sure the baby is okay,” Jared said.
She placed her hand on her flat stomach. “Okay. I agree. We need to check on the baby.” She turned her head away from him.
He glanced up at the paramedics. “I’m coming with her,” he said without asking for permission, but demanding it.
“Ma’am?” They looked to Charlotte.
She nodded. “He’s concerned about his baby. Let him come.”
He narrowed his eyes. He was worried about her too. Before he could give her comment much thought, he was following the stretcher and getting into the ambulance for the ride to the hospital.
They were brought through to the ER and settled Charlotte in a room. Someone came to do intake forms, a nurse checked her vitals, and after forty minutes of uncomfortable silence because Charlotte didn’t have much to say, a doctor arrived, pushing a machine with her.
“Hello. I’m Dr. Messing, an OB-GYN. I understand you fainted. I’d like to ask you some questions, okay?”
Charlotte nodded. “Of course.”
The doctor, an attractive woman with red hair pulled back in a bun, stepped closer to the edge of what the ER considered a bed.
“How far along are you?”
Charlotte wrinkled her nose as she thought. “About two months.”
“And how has your pregnancy been? Nausea? Dizziness?” she asked Charlotte.
Charlotte let out a small laugh. “Lots of nausea and not just in the morning. The dizziness didn’t happen until today.”
The doctor smiled in understanding. “That nausea is very normal.”
Charlotte grinned. “Oh, I had twins. I’m well aware of pregnancy symptoms.”
The doctor’s eyes opened wide. “A pro then. Good. Was that an otherwise typical pregnancy?”
She nodded.
“And did you eat today?”
She sighed and Jared knew the answer. He let out low noise, frustrated she wasn’t taking care of herself.
“I understand you don’t feel great but you need to keep up your strength and not let your blood sugar levels drop. Have you seen an obstetrician yet?”
She nodded. “I just got back to this country two weeks ago and it was a priority.”
“Okay, I want to do an ultrasound and check the baby. Is this the father?” she asked, glancing at Jared.
“Yes. He can stay,” Charlotte murmured.
“Wonderful.” The doctor began to set up the machine, plugging it in and preparing the wand. “Okay, Mom and Dad, let’s find the baby’s heartbeat.”
Charlotte pulled up the thin gown she’d changed into when they arrived and drew a deep breath.
His gaze on her pale stomach, Jared stepped closer and instinctively grasped her hand. She curled her fingers around his and he took note of the roughness on the pads, no doubt caused by her work. He couldn’t help but admire the dedication it must take to sift through sand to find ancient artifacts.
“Here we go.” The doctor’s voice drew his focus back to the ultrasound.
Whooshing noises sounded around them as she moved the wand over Charlotte’s belly. She squeezed his hand tighter and he put his free hand on her shoulder.
Suddenly, a fast, thumping sound surrounded them and the doctor smiled. “Aah, here we go. A nice, fast, healthy heartbeat.”
A lump formed in his throat, the pregnancy becoming real for the first time. That was his baby’s heartbeat. His and Charlotte’s. Excitement and happiness filled him in ways he’d never experienced before.
“Look,” Dr. Messing said, turning a black-and-white screen toward them. She pointed out various things he wouldn’t have recognized, a gestational sac, the yolk sac, umbilical cord, and, finally, the fetus.
His future.
He looked at Charlotte, who had happy tears in her eyes, as she met his gaze.
His whole future.