Their Miracle Baby

She made herself some dinner and curled up on the couch to watch television, a treat she rarely allowed herself. Sleep soon followed, her stomach pleasantly full, the house warm and comfy although it was bitterly cold outside. She awoke hours later, her neck stiff, grabbed her phone, and stumbled to bed.

The next morning, she awoke to a world covered with snow and a message on her phone from Lewis. She was ridiculously happy to see that he’d called and decided to delay the gratification of listening to it until she’d had coffee. She made a full pot, then cup in hand, she went to the living room and called her voicemail.

Lewis had been called in to perform an emergency surgery, another aneurism that had turned ugly when he’d gotten into surgery. What should have been a simple procedure had become a major procedure, ending late the night before. He explained that he’d stayed at the hospital until the patient was out of danger then fallen into bed, calling her only as he was about to go to sleep.

The thought of Lewis in his bed brought an interesting picture to her mind, which she quickly pushed aside. He wanted her to call him when she got up in the morning so they could plan their date. Her heart was pounding as she pushed the call button, knowing that she was going to wake him up. It seemed much too intimate, but he’d insisted that she call so she did.

She could tell that he had been asleep when she called. “Hello,” he said, clearly groggy with sleep.

“Hi, Lewis. It’s Venetia. I feel bad calling you this early, I know you had a long night.”

“That’s okay,” he said, his voice coming out clearer. “I wanted you to. I’d really like to see you again. Just tell me when, my on calls are over, so I’m free any night.”

Venetia had known that he would be asking, so she’d checked her schedule for a night that she knew she’d be able to get out of the clinic early or at least on time. “How about Wednesday? I’ve got a light day that day.”

“Sounds perfect. Should we meet someplace or would you like me to pick you up?”

As much as she wanted the full date experience, she knew that it would be hard to make enough time to come home before the date so she said, “I’ll meet you. Name the time and place and I’ll be there.”

“I’m so glad,” he said, making her heart flutter.

Venetia jumped out of the cab she’d splurged on since she was late. Even with the light appointment schedule she always had on Wednesday, she’d still had a hard time getting away from the hospital. Luckily, Lewis had chosen a restaurant close to the hospital, but she knew that he’d probably still been sitting there alone for at least fifteen minutes.

She could have been on time if she hadn’t wanted to change her clothes, but she could hardly show up to a date wearing wrinkled scrubs, her hair pulled back in a functional bun. So she’d taken the time to make herself look presentable, a touch of makeup and a nice skirt and sweater, then her favorite boots to finish it off.

Either excitement or the cold had kissed her cheeks with a natural blush that made her chocolate eyes sparkle. It had been so long since she’d been on a date that she found herself really looking forward to the night. Lewis seemed different than the other men she’d dated and she was definitely attracted to him. But that attraction was making her nervous, an emotion she rarely felt.

Bernice hadn’t helped either. She’d hoped that she could get her nurse out of the clinic before she had to get ready for her date, but that hadn’t happened. When she’d suggested that Bernice go home early, her suggestion had been quickly rejected.

“No way am I going home early. You’re just trying to get rid of me before you get ready for your date,” Bernice said, as she locked the clinic door.

“I’m perfectly capable of getting ready by myself.”

“I know, but if I don’t stay you might let yourself get pulled upstairs. No way am I letting you mess up this date with Dr. Zeihr.”

“Okay, I get it. I know I’m not very good at taking time for myself, but I do want to go on this date,” Venetia said, taking off her lab coat.

“Good, because that man is quite a catch.”

“I really don’t know that much about him, which really puts me at a disadvantage since he knows all about me. What do you know about him?” she asked, knowing that Bernice would know all about him since she loved to gossip.

“Well, he’s rich and good looking. He’s a very good doctor who truly cares about his patients. There’s a rumor that he had a falling out with his parents, but no one seems to know any more than that.”

“That’s it? What about his love life, surely there are rumors about that?” she said, shocked that Bernice didn’t know more.

“As far as I know, he hasn’t dated anyone since he’s been here. There are rumors of a failed engagement years ago, but I don’t know any more than that.”

Venetia had gone off to get ready, not sure if that information had helped or hurt, but as she opened the restaurant door, she was glad that she had a little information about Lewis. She spotted him across the room as soon as she walked through the door. He was looking at his watch, an impatient look on his face.

But that look disappeared when he saw her coming across the room. He got to his feet and hugged her, sparking a little heat between them. When he kissed her on the cheek, desire leapt in her belly, shocking her into silence. He pulled out her chair and helped her get seated, a new experience for Venetia whose dates weren’t usually that gallant.