Soon To Be Brides. Joan Elliott Pickart

had volunteered to stick like glue to Caitlin to be ready to assist her in any way he was needed. He was the extra pair of hands, hands that would not be allowed to touch her again. This trip was suddenly losing its appeal. Big-time.

      “I’m ready,” Caitlin said, bringing Matt from his now-gloomy thoughts. “I’ll go first, then you take the elevator after me. That way we won’t arrive in the lobby at the same time and create a scenario ripe for rumor.”

      “Ripe for rumor?” Matt said with a burst of laughter. “I can sure tell you write for a living. You certainly have a unique way with words.”

      He paused and became serious. “Caitlin, I think you’re making far too much of this business of us being seen together. Everyone is focused on their baby, that little munchkin waiting for them to arrive tomorrow. The last thing on the minds of anyone in our group is whether or not you and I are getting it on or… Well, I could have said that nicer, but you get the drift.”

      Caitlin opened her mouth to deliver a retort to Matt’s statement, then frowned and snapped it closed again. A long, silent minute passed as she stared into space, deep in thought.

      “You’re right,” she said finally, looking at Matt again. “I’m acting like an idiot. It’s very self-centered of me to think that everyone would be in a twitter over what may, or may not, be going on between the two of us. I should be thinking about my daughter, too, not about how I felt when you kissed me, or how much I had wanted you to kiss me, or how long it seemed that I had been anticipating your kissing me, or…”

      Caitlin’s eyes widened and a flush stained her cheeks.

      “I didn’t just say all that,” she said, shaking her head. “Oh, tell me I didn’t say all that. This is so embarrassing and… No, this is jet lag. Yes, that’s what’s wrong with me. I’m suffering from a severe case of jet lag. Food. Maybe food will help.”

      Caitlin hurried to the door and flung it open.

      “Let’s go,” she said. “We’re probably holding up the whole group. I need nourishment so my brain can start functioning like something I recognize again. Where’s my key card?”

      “It’s still in the slot to turn on the electricity,” Matt said, crossing the room slowly.

      “I knew that,” Caitlin said, pulling the plastic card free.

      “You’re sure we should ride down in the elevator together?” Matt said, pulling the door closed behind them. “I’ll do whatever makes you comfortable.”

      “Of course we’ll go together,” Caitlin said as they reached the elevator. “You were the one who made me realize how silly I was being about all of this.”

      “Mmm.” Matt nodded. “Well, for the record, Caitlin, I felt as though I’d waited an eternity to kiss you, too, and I’m going to remember those kisses we shared. Oh, yes, ma’am, I certainly am.”

      As the elevator door swished open, Caitlin said, "The subject is closed.”

      “Hold the elevator,” a man called as Caitlin and Matt stepped inside.

      Matt pressed the proper button to keep the doors open, and another couple from the group hurried inside.

      “Oh, I was so sure we’d kept the whole bunch waiting for us,” the woman said, “but you’re just going down, too. That makes me feel better. We wasted so much time trying to figure out how to get the electricity to work in the room.”

      “Really?” Matt said. “I read all about it on the plane.”

      “I was totally baffled,” Caitlin said, “if that makes you feel better. I just stood there like an idiot wondering where the phone was so I could call for help. Matt came across the hall and poked the card in the little slot.”

      “Came across…” The woman paused. “Oh, that’s right. You’re not a couple, per se. It’s so difficult to keep so many new people straight at the same time. You sat together on the plane and—”

      “Honey,” her husband said, smiling, “you wouldn’t keep it straight if you had a scorecard to look at, because you are thinking about the baby, and everything else is just sort of floating on by you.”

      Matt looked at Caitlin with a very smug expression. She rolled her eyes heavenward.

      The addition of Caitlin, Matt and the couple with them on the elevator completed the group waiting in the lobby to go to dinner, except for a missing Elizabeth Kane.

      Despite their jet lag everyone was in fine spirits and the chatter was lively and quite loud.

      Marsha and Bud joined Caitlin and Matt and the four agreed they were looking forward to a meal that was not airplane food. Marsha reached up and swiped her thumb over the left edge of Matt’s top lip.

      “You should have freshened your lipstick before you came down here,” she said, laughing merrily. “I just removed the last dab. I mean, hey, either wear it or don’t, whatever floats your boat.”

      To Caitlin’s amazement and delight, an embarrassed flush crept up Matt’s neck and onto his face.

      “Marsha,” Bud said, chuckling, “give Matt and Caitlin a break, would you? It’s none of our business if they… Well, it’s just none of our business.”

      “Of course it isn’t,” Marsha said. “But that doesn’t mean I can just cancel being snoopy.”

      “Changing the subject now,” Bud said. “I wonder what’s keeping Elizabeth?”

      As though she’d heard her name being called, Elizabeth emerged as the elevator doors swished open, and hurried across the lobby to join the others, glancing at her watch when she finally stopped.

      “Only ten minutes late,” she said, “but I’ll still apologize for keeping you waiting. I was making my usual telephone call to Dr. Yang in Nanjing to confirm our plans. He’ll notify the director of the orphanage that we’re on schedule and good to go. Dr. Yang will leave a message for me at our hotel in Nanjing informing me of the time the vans will arrive to take us to the orphanage so you can meet your daughters.

      “As you’ve been told, you’ll have about an hour’s visit with them tomorrow, then take them with you the next day when we go back to the orphanage to get them.” She paused and laughed. “Uh-oh, there’s no tissue box to pass around and some of you are getting weepy. Let’s head for the restaurant before we flood this lobby.”

      Darkness had fallen and more neon lights had come alive when the group left the hotel and began the walk to the restaurant. The name Las Vegas was heard several times from the various conversations taking place.

      Caitlin replayed in her mind the moment when Marsha had wiped the lipstick from Matt’s lips and couldn’t curb her smile. She should be totally mortified, she thought, but she wasn’t. Matt had been so endearingly embarrassed, she’d wanted to give him a hug and tell him not to worry about what anyone might be thinking about the telltale clue, and to remember that he was the one who had said that new daughters were the main focus of the entire group, not the doings of Caitlin Cunningham and Matt MacAllister.

      Elizabeth was greeted warmly when they arrived at the restaurant, and they were soon settled at a large round table with a lazy Susan in the middle.

      Three waitresses appeared and began to place steaming hot, intriguing-appearing offerings of food on the turntable. Plates were soon piled high with the fragrant food, and they dug in.

      “Did Dr. Yang say anything about the babies, Elizabeth?” one of the women asked. “Anything at all?”

      “Only that they would be ready and waiting for you to see and hold them,” she said, smiling.

      “Oh-h-h,” the woman said. “I can hardly wait. I hope the hours between now and then pass quickly. This is torture.” She smiled at her husband. “Just think, Bill. Tomorrow we meet Emma Lin. Tomorrow.”