Baby Comes First by Beverly Farr Page A

I’m lying down, it will be
a very small ceremony with only a few friends and family
members.”
    “But you must have food!” Margaret insisted.
“What are you going to feed people?”
    Hannah had a feeling that bulldozers must be
the norm in Luke’s family. “Mrs. Parker is planning to make a
cake,” she said.
    “Well, I’ll just pop over and see what I can
do to help,” Margaret said, “Would this afternoon be all
right?”
    Hannah agreed. She was anxious to meet some
of Luke’s family. He had two sisters and a brother, and each of
them was married with children. After years of almost no family,
she was suddenly going to have an abundance of in-laws.
    Margaret turned out to be a tall, middle-aged
woman, and Hannah could see a family resemblance in the shape of
her face and her eyes. “So you’re the woman who has trapped my
brother,” Margaret said cheerfully. “It’s nice to meet you.”
    What exactly had Luke told his sister? He’d
said he wasn’t going to tell anyone about her going to the sperm
bank, but what had he told her? Margaret must think it was strange
that he was going to marry his pregnant secretary, unless she
thought the baby was his, too.
    “It’s about time someone snatched him up,”
Margaret continued, apparently not noticing Hannah’s silence. “I
was afraid he’d be a miserable widower the rest of his life,
thinking about nothing but his legal cases.” She smiled.
“Personally, I wouldn’t blame him if he had. Living with Gloria
would be enough to sour anyone on the idea of marriage. Nothing was
ever good enough for her.” Margaret stopped herself. “But I
shouldn’t speak ill of the dead.”
    I wouldn’t mind . Hannah wished she
could learn more about Luke’s first marriage, but she wasn’t going
to ask. No doubt Margaret thought Luke had already told her
everything she needed to know.
    Margaret glanced around her living room. “I
like your house,” she said approvingly. “You’ll be good for
Luke.”
    Why, because Margaret liked her decor? Hannah
watched her future sister-in-law with amusement, wondering when, if
ever, she would have a chance to speak. She could see now, where
Luke had developed the ability to talk a mile a minute. It must
have been a necessary survival skill when he was growing up.
    “You love him, don’t you?”
    Hannah gasped, startled by the question. “I
think we’ll be happy together, if that’s what you’re asking.”
    Margaret peered at her closely. “I hope you
are,” she said seriously, then changed the subject with lightening
speed. “Do you have a dress?”
    It took Hannah a moment to realize what she
was talking about. Hannah said, “I have a light green dress that
will do.”
    Margaret frowned. “Don’t you want something
new for your wedding day?”
    Hannah pointed to her rounded stomach. “I’m
hardly in the shape for white lace and satin.”
    “Nonsense,” Margaret said, and Hannah could
hear the family resemblance in that word as well. “They have
wedding dresses to fit everyone these days. Would you like me to
help you find something?”
    “If it wouldn’t be too much of a bother,”
Hannah said, beginning to get excited by the idea. She’d like to
have a new dress and to look as beautiful as possible. After all,
it was still her wedding day.
    Margaret beamed. “This is going to be
fun.”
    #
    Luke slammed a racquetball against the back
wall of the court. It felt good to move. He felt as if he’d been
holed up in his office for days, only taking breaks to make
arrangements for the wedding.
    He was getting married again. For something
that ought to be simple, there were an increasing number of details
to take care of -- including getting his house ready, changing his
will and getting Hannah added to his insurance. He hoped he wasn’t
forgetting anything important.
    But at least it wasn’t the circus he’d had
when he married Gloria. They’d had a huge reception with over three
hundred guests. That had