"Want some breakfast, Bill?" Alice asked, as she heard him come downstairs behind her and head out the door to the canal. "Before you start your morning assault on the local fish population?"
"I'll be back in in an hour or so," he answered. "Gotta get 'em early!"
"You hungry, Regina?" Alice asked.
"No," she replied glumly. "I've already thrown up once this morning."
"Don't worry," Alice reassured her. "That will pass in a few days. Eventually the back pain is what will make you miserable. But you DO have to eat--that whole 'eating for two' thing is serious."
"Okay, I'll have some chicken broth," Regina agreed.
"Hey, what do you want to do about a nursery?" Regina asked.
"I guess I figured I'd just put a bassinet in my room," Alice said. "That is--in the bedroom that you and Bill kindly allow me to stay in."
"And that's of course fine, but since there will now be TWO babies, I thought it would be fun to have a nursery," Regina explained. "So they could keep each other company. And it would sure be great to decorate a nursery!"
"Yeah, it would," Alice agreed. She suddenly realized that, because she and Dude were living there, her newly pregnant friend now had no available bedroom for her own soon-to-arrive child.
"I should really move out," she said. "Especially now that I have all that money from Rafael."
"No!" Regina protested. "That's the LAST thing I want!"
"I NEED you here, Alice," she said sincerely. "I need you to help me through my pregnancy--since you will have already gone through yours."
_______________
Bill came back in an hour later from fishing. "Got some great stuff, hun!" he said, putting some freshly caught fish into the fridge.
"That's great, Bill," she said. She was reading more about Herbalism.
He got some breakfast and sat down next to her.
"I talked to Alice," Regina reported, "and she said she'd talk to Dude about sharing a room so we can build a nursery."
"Great!" Bill said. "And she's going to be out this afternoon, right? So Derek and I can put in the new bathroom?"
"Yup, she's going shopping for some baby things," Regina reported.
_______________
Zoe awoke in "her" bedroom. Rafael was not there.
She woke up happy, though.
She put on one of her many new silk robes,
and went to find Rafael.
"Mi amor!" he cried, hurriedly shutting off his computer.
"I very much hope you slept well, Corazon," he smiled. "I fear I may have tired you out quite a bit last night."
"Yes, I slept well," Zoe replied snakily. "And I'm not tired NOW...."
_______________
Zoe made coffee,
while Rafael made them French toast for brunch.
"I DO like how you look when you make coffee, mi amor!" Rafael enthused. "Especially from behind!"
"Now, Corazon," Rafael cautioned Zoe, "I hope this will not upset you, but the director of the TV show in which I am the leading man telephoned me this morning. They need to re-shoot a scene that was supposed to be finished a month ago."
"So, what does that mean?" Zoe asked, as they sat down to eat.
"It means I will have to be away for--at most--a couple of days," Rafael explained. "It is only ONE scene that needs to be re-shot--some 'continuity problem,' whatever that means."
Zoe was confused as to what she was supposed to do while Rafael was away.
"You should enjoy yourself while I'm gone, lovely one," he assured her. "Swim, play piano, go to the spa, go shopping. Have friends over for a party if you wish!"
_______________
Zoe was leaving for the day spa soon thereafter.
"Rafael, are you SURE you don't want me to stay here till the airport limo comes for you?" Zoe asked.
"It's just that--we've only just begun our relationship, and now you have to go away!" she wailed.
"I will be back home soon enough, mi amor," Rafael answered. "And then we will resume our budding romance."
"My real worry is that other men are going to see you in that marvelous dress!" he told her. "I am VERY jealous."
"Rafael!" she cried. "You KNOW you have nothing to worry about!!!"
_______________
After Zoe left, Rafael cleaned up from brunch,
took a shower,
and changed his clothes before leaving for the airport (because--as an internationally famous Latin soap star--he had a reputation to uphold for being dashing).
There was a knock at the door.
"Nina--Corazon!" he cried. "You have luggage, correct?"
"Of course," she said, kissing him. "My bag is in the limo. But I certainly hope I won't be needing TOO many clothes for the next two days...."
"Would you like 'a quick one' before we leave for the airport?" he asked brightly.
"And by that," he added, "I mean a cocktail--of course."
*************************
Custom content credits--thanks to:
kardofe for Alice's bathrobe
Devilicious for Rafael's shirt
Harmonia for Zoe's dress
MJ95 for Zoe's shoes
lagusta for Rafael's suit
MJ95 for Nina's shoes
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