Married to a Stranger

Chapter Four "I'm gonna have to make you quit driving," said David. Emma opened her eyes and yawned. "Where are we?" she said. "Almost there. Every time you get into a car these days you fall asleep. I'm not sure it's safe to let you behind the wheel anymore." Emma smiled and sat up. "It's true. It's the pregnancy. I'm always sleepy. Although I usually can stay awake when I'm behind the wheel." "Usually?" he said with disbelief in his deep, languid voice. Emma laughed. "Hey, it's not your average day. I got married a few hours ago. It was a little bit exhausting." She revisited a few of the day's events in her mind's eye. After the ceremony, the buffet lunch, the toasts, and the wedding cake, Emma had run back upstairs, removed her gorgeous dress, and squeezed into her jeans, which she could now just barely button, a long-sleeved thermal Henley shirt, and a down vest. She had pulled her shining, honey-blond hair up under a baseball cap, although a few curly tendrils fell loose around her face. She and David had escaped to their car in the obligatory shower of rice and good wishes. Twenty minutes out of town Emma had confessed that she'd been too nervous to eat a bite at the wedding. David admitted that he had not eaten either. They got off the highway and took a scenic detour, stopping at a truckers' diner. The hostess seated them in a booth at the back, where they relaxed over a couple of hamburger platters. They got back on the road feeling full and, in Emma's case, pleasantly drowsy. "All in all," she said, "I'd say it was a success." "I think so," he said. "You looked incredible. I thought the other men there were going to fall over at the sight of you." "The other men? What about you?" He gave her a sly grin. "Oh, baby, you know about me." Emma grinned. Then she took a deep breath and pulled down the brim of her cap. "I'm just so sorry about that business with the prenup." David shook his head. "Don't be. Rory was looking out for you." "Rory," Emma said disgustedly, shaking her head. "I think he does care about you in his own weird way. Anyway, I told him I'd sign it." "Well, I told him I wouldn't. We don't need that," said Emma firmly. "It's your decision," said David. "My mother agreed with me. She said we needed to start our marriage with hope and trust. I thought that was kind of nice." "I agree with her," he said. "Even though her own husband can't be trusted," she said. "You didn't mention that to her today, I hope," said David. Emma frowned. "No, of course not. She was happy today. I wasn't about to ruin it for her. Although I'm going to have to deal with this when we get back. I can't sit on this secret indefinitely. But not today. She's always dreamed of this day. And she was so thrilled. Actually, both our mothers seemed happy," Emma said. "Well, you heard my mother," David said. "She was sure I was not the marrying kind." He was silent for a moment, and Emma saw the frown in his eyes. She wondered what was making him frown. "I'm glad you decided to become the marrying kind," she said. His handsome face broke into a sweet smile. "Me too. You ready for our camping trip?" he asked, abuptly changing the subject. "It's not a camping trip," protested Emma. "There's a cabin, running water, electricity. And a fireplace. It's gonna be great." "A pregnant woman in the wilds of New Jersey," he teased. "Oh come on. The phrase 'wilds of New Jersey' is an oxymoron," said Emma. "You look cute in that outfit," said David. "Just like a Piney!" "Thanks. I guess," said Emma. Glancing in the car's sideview mirror, Emma saw herself dressed for the woods, her face burnished by the sun's weakening rays. The perceived wisdom about pregnancy was true. Or was it the glow of being a newlywed? Her skin had never looked better, and her blue-graMacDonald, Patricia is the author of 'Married to a Stranger ', published 2007 under ISBN 9780743269599 and ISBN 0743269594.