Pregnancy Countdown. Linda Wisdom Randall

was the loudest reminder. “I’m on the Pill,” she stated as if that said it all.

      Dr. Averick smiled warmly. “It’s not only possible, Nora, but very true. It can happen even when you’re on the Pill. All the symptoms you’ve been experiencing should have been your first warning. I’m sure you probably thought they were side effects to all you’ve gone through lately, but that’s not the case here. Besides, tests don’t lie,” he said gently. “I’d say you’re about six weeks along.”

      Six weeks. The night Mark came over to her house and she cried on his shoulder. The second time she invited him into her bed. And she had forgotten to take her pills when she was in Seattle and for about a week or so after she got back.

      She pressed her fingertips against her temples. It did nothing to cease the voice in her head. She closed her eyes as the softest of whimpers escaped her lips.

      Nora opened her eyes when a warm touch landed on her wrist. Dr. Averick’s fingers lay lightly against her skin.

      “Am I to gather you and the father are no longer together?”

      She smiled at his less-than-subtle probing. The man had been her doctor since she’d arrived in the Newport Beach area more than ten years ago. Here, she’d been afraid she might have something more serious than the flu. In a way, it was more serious. She just found out her flu would last another eight months.

      “Not exactly. He’s my best friend’s brother and, ah, he’s part of a large family,” she said lamely, afraid she wasn’t making much sense. “He has lots of nieces and nephews.” She swallowed then whimpered. “Excuse me, but I think I’m going to be sick.”

      Ten minutes later, Nora felt better after the doctor prescribed medication he assured her was safe for the baby and would calm her nausea. Armed with samples of prenatal vitamins and a prescription for the nausea, she left the office. Her head was still spinning and the sensation had nothing to do with nausea.

      Nora was grateful she’d cleared her schedule that day. She knew there was no way she could return to the salon and Ginna’s sharp eyes. The woman would have the truth out of her within minutes. Nora didn’t want to think what Ginna’s reaction would be. She wanted to wait on that conversation until she was more comfortable with it herself.

      She recalled it wasn’t so long ago that Ginna thought she was pregnant by Zach. A total surprise since Ginna was convinced she couldn’t have children. It took Gail interpreting an old medical report to explain that it wasn’t Ginna’s fault there were no children during her first marriage, but an allergy to her husband’s semen that caused her to reject every wiggly sperm that tried to do its job. It had turned out Ginna wasn’t pregnant, but it had given her the courage to go to Zach and make things right. Now Ginna was married to a man who loved her with all his heart and had two adorable stepchildren who loved her just as much.

      And now Nora was going to have her best friend’s brother’s baby.

      “Stay tuned for our next emotionally packed episode of ‘There’s Something About Nora’,” she muttered as she drove out of the parking lot. “She let her hormones take control and oh boy, they went wild.” She suddenly wondered if she’d be able to fit inside her car eight months from now. “Oh my God! I’m going to be a mother!”

      Nora had no idea how she made it home in one piece. Since the afternoon had turned chilly, she changed into forest-green leggings and a baggy black-and-green-striped sweater that hung down past her thighs.

      “It will probably be a snug fit before I know it,” she said wryly as she slipped on her tennis shoes.

      Brumby uttered growling barks when she picked up his leash.

      “Yes, we’re going to your very favorite place,” she told him, fastening his leash to his collar. She tucked her house key and wallet in her waist pack along with two small bottles of water, one for her and one for Brumby. She headed for the door with an eager Brumby pulling on his leash.

      Nora liked that her house was only a few blocks away from the dog park. What Brumby couldn’t do in speed, he could make up in enthusiasm at the sight of other dogs. Some days, she took him to the little park next to her house. His next favorite activity was sprawling on the grass and watching the kids play on the swings and the other equipment. Not to mention he graciously accepted all the attention the kids lavished on him.

      At the dog park, Brumby greeted a few dogs he knew then happily followed his mistress toward one corner of the park. Nora sat cross-legged on the grass while the bulldog plopped down beside her. He panted heavily as he surveyed the park in search of friends, old and new.

      “I have news for you, Brumby,” Nora began. His ears pricked up at the sound of his name. “We’re going to have a new addition to the family. Not a puppy,” she swiftly assured him. “A baby. There’s going to be a little boy or girl for you to play with although not like Theodore Train Engine or Sam the School Bus.” She mentioned two of his favorite toys that made appropriate noises when he bit down on them.

      Brumby looked up at her and made sounds that she hoped meant “Congratulations” and not “No way am I sharing my toys!”

      “Now I just have to figure out how to tell Mark. Not right away, of course. I have to get used to the idea myself first.” She suddenly groaned. “Oh no! Everyone is going to jump all over this piece of news. Another Walker brother turns into a surprise daddy. First Jeff, then Brian and now Mark.” She buried her face in her hands. “He’ll never live this down.” Tears that threatened to fall were halted when Brumby scrambled up onto her knees in his attempt to offer her doggie kisses. She hugged him tightly as he continued to lick her face. “We’ll do fine, sweetie. Once I figure out how I’m going to handle all this.”

      An hour in the park of playing Keep Away with Brumby cleared Nora’s mind and raised her spirits. She was still smiling during their walk back to the house. Her smile wobbled a bit when she saw a familiar truck parked in her driveway and an equally familiar figure seated on her front steps. He stood up as she and Brumby approached him. The dog woofed a couple of times and strained at the leash. Nora dropped it as he waddled toward Mark.

      “You must be feeling better,” Mark greeted her.

      “Just something I ate.” She almost choked on her lie.

      He frowned. “Ginna said you haven’t been feeling good lately. That has to be more than just something you ate.”

      “I’ve learned what foods to avoid. Why are you here, Mark?”

      He looked away and mumbled something.

      Nora felt tired and not in the mood to act nice. Not to mention, she was afraid he would just look at her and guess her secret. Mark might not be a doctor, but he was a paramedic. He had told stories of his delivering babies that weren’t going to wait to reach the hospital. She hoped it didn’t mean he could diagnose pregnancy by just looking at a person.

      “What did you say?”

      He turned back and kept his eyes trained on her face as he said, “I said I wanted to make sure you were all right.” There was no doubt of his sincerity. She didn’t want him caring about her. She wanted him to go on with his life the way she planned to go on with hers. She knew after their breakup he’d gone on with his life with the help of a public relations assistant named Daisy who worked at a local advertising firm. After Daisy came Kate, then Joanna. Nora wouldn’t be surprised if he worked his way through the alphabet. She was proud of herself for not once asking Ginna about Mark. That didn’t stop Ginna from occasionally dropping comments about her brother’s social life. Nora had always been grateful Ginna had never asked Nora her reason for breaking up with Mark. Nora had never admitted just how much it hurt to realize Mark was just like her father. The last thing she wanted was to be with a man whose eyes wandered too much.

      She refused to re-create her mother’s life. Nora thought she was safe because marriage had never been brought up when they dated.

      She walked over to the steps and sat down beside him. He shifted his