to her black hair and olive skin.
But others who knew the Simonides clan well were aware of Leon’s slip during a rough spot in their marriage. It had been a one-night mistake in a state of inebriation with Thea Turner, a Greek-American woman, now deceased, that had produced his beautiful children.
Incredibly, Deline, who was pregnant with Leon’s child, had loved him enough to forgive him and take him back. They were now a family of four with another baby on the way.
“Problem taken care of,” she announced as she hurried back in the room.
If only that were true…
“Tell me what’s wrong,” Deline begged after sitting on the sofa.
Irena eyed her dear friend who would have been her sister-in-law if fate hadn’t stepped in to change lives.
Overnight, nothing was the same as it had been before. Leon’s twin brother, Andreas, was the man Irena had thought she would be marrying. But two months ago she’d gone to Cinque Terre in Italy for her job and had met another man. So strong was the attraction and feelings between them, she hadn’t wanted to leave him.
When she had returned to Greece to tell Andreas the truth, he had been unavailable because of some mysterious circumstance. Irena had soon learned that Thea’s half sister, Gabi Turner, had appeared on the scene and Andreas had taken one look at her and had broken it off with Irena. The next thing she knew Andreas had married the blonde American woman and had just left on his honeymoon.
“Irena Liapis—Talk to me!”
Her body started to shake. “I don’t know how to tell you this.”
“What?”
“You’re not going to believe it. I don’t believe it.”
“It’s that bad?”
“Much worse.”
“Are you dying?”
Irena knew it was a serious question. “No, but at least it would solve my problem.”
Without warning Deline jumped to her feet. “That’s never a solution!” she scolded. “I was about to say that unless an incurable disease is about to take your life, nothing else you could tell me would rival what I’ve lived through while I decided whether to stay with Leon or not.”
“Try this. I’m pregnant.”
Deline paled. “Andreas’s baby…”
After a brief pause; “Probably,” she answered in a shaky voice.
Her friend’s eyes widened with incredulity. “What do you mean probably?”
“The doctor worked out the dates with me. He’s ninety percent sure it’s Andreas’s, but it could be another’s. Oh, Deline, what if it’s Vincenzo’s baby?”
“Who’s Vincenzo?” Her friend’s loss of color alarmed her so much, she guided her back to the couch where they could both sit.
“Vincenzo is a man I spent all my time with when I was in Italy doing my article for the paper. He is handsome and…Oh, what a mess!” Irena let her head drop into her hands, a sudden feeling of despair washing over her.
“How long have you known you were pregnant?”
“I’ve felt queasy for the last week and finally went to the E.R. yesterday. I thought maybe I’d come down with flu or something. The doctor there referred me to an ob-gyn who confirmed it this morning before I came here. I’m six weeks along.”
She’d begged the doctor to go over the dates again…and again. When she’d left Greece for her newspaper assignment in Italy, she’d only slept with Andreas, the man she had assumed she would marry on her return to Greece.
But those ten days in Italy had changed the course of her life forever. There she’d met Vincenzo, had been hit hard and fast with feelings she had never experienced or felt before. So much so that she’d extended her stay to be with him and hadn’t wanted to go back to Greece…or Andreas.
Her friend’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Irena. No matter what, you’re going to have a precious baby.”
“I know.” Moisture glazed Irena’s cheeks. “I want it more than anything in the world.” Wanted it to be Vincenzo’s…she added silently.
“Of course you do.” Deline squeezed her arm gently. “What are you going to do?”
Irena took a deep breath. “I know one thing I’m not going to do. Andreas will never learn the child I’m carrying is his, if it is his. I’m going to another OB this afternoon to get a second opinion. I have to be sure.”
“I was just going to suggest that you see another doctor. This is too important.”
“Oh, Deline…I want so much for Vincenzo to be the father.”
“But if the next doctor tells you the same thing—”
“If he does, I still refuse to hurt Andreas and Gabi. You and Leon had to live through a nightmare when he came to you with the news that he’d fathered Thea’s twins. I don’t want to start another nightmare for them. They’re in love. Andreas couldn’t marry her fast enough. They’re on their honeymoon making plans for their future. I won’t do that to them.”
Deline sat there shaking her head in disbelief.
“I want to be on my honeymoon with Vincenzo. I want to be able to tell him I’m carrying his baby. Sometimes I wonder how you got through it, Deline. I was so crushed for you.” The twins were adorable, but they should have been Deline and Leon’s.
“I’ll never forget you were there for me.” Her voice shook.
“I don’t mean to bring up the past to hurt you. I just can’t do that to them.”
Deline got to her feet. “The truth has a way of coming out, Irena. What if everything had remained a secret until years down the road? I’m not so sure our marriage could have withstood such a blow then. At least we’re starting out with the truth now, before our own baby is born. And Leon has been so good to me—incredibly kind and understanding. Patient, you know?”
Irena understood. “Believe me, I’m thankful things are working out for you so well. But think, Deline—Maybe Gabi is pregnant already. I’m afraid of history repeating itself.”
Her friend groaned.
“Wouldn’t my news be a lovely belated wedding present for the two of them after they get back from the Caribbean…I can’t do it to them.”
“One day he’ll find out, and when he does…” Deline actually trembled. “I know Andreas. Leon’s brother is noble to a fault and he’ll always care about you, but if you were to keep knowledge of that kind away from him and then he discovered it—especially after what he went through to make sure Leon was united with his own children—” She shook her head again. “I’d fear for you, Irena.”
Put that way, so did Irena. She cleared her throat. “There’s one way to handle it so he never finds out. That’s what I came over to talk to you about.”
“What? Move to another planet?”
“Not quite so far away. After I returned from Italy, I resigned my job at the newspaper. My plan had been to break it off with Andreas before I went back to Riomaggiore to be with Vincenzo. That’s where I’m going now. What I’m hoping is that he meant what he said and still wants to marry me.”
“Still? You mean in ten days you got to a point that he asked you?” Deline cried out aghast. “Not that you aren’t the most beautiful and intelligent woman I’ve ever known. Any man would want you, but if he knew about Andreas—”
“It sounds complicated, I know. He didn’t