The Question by Zena Wynn

clothes mussed. She wished she had a mirror. This was one time she was glad she wasn’t a makeup wearer. At least she didn’t have to worry about smudged lipstick.
    Greg kept his hand on her back as he escorted her out of the office and into the elevator. More than a courtesy, it felt like he was staking claim. When the elevator stopped at her floor, he said as she was getting off, “If I get the opportunity, I’ll call you tonight.”
    Gail nodded to acknowledge that she’d heard him as the doors slid shut and went back to her desk. Miraculously, nobody seemed to have missed her or inquired as to her whereabouts. She got back to work, happily anticipating the weekend to come.

 
     
     
    Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    It was another week before Crystal and Rashid returned from their vacation. Gail was home when she received the call.
    “We’re back,” Crystal announce flatly.
    “That must have been some trip. Four days that turned into two weeks? That’s not a mini-vacation. It’s a second honeymoon,” Gail teased.
    “Yeah, I guess you could call it that.”
    “What’s wrong? You just spent two weeks relaxing with your man. Why do you sound so depressed?  Didn’t you have fun?” After a vacation like that, Crystal should have been so mellow it oozed out of her voice.
    “Oh, the trip was great. He took me to Paradise Island and it was beautiful. Anything I wanted to do, and any place I wanted to go, we did. You should see the stuff I bought. Oh, and I got you a souvenir.”
    “Then what’s the problem?”
    “It’s Rashid. He’s making me crazy. You’re right, the trip was a second honeymoon.  Everything would have been perfect if it weren’t for those damned condoms,” Crystal complained.
    “Did you say condoms?” Gail wasn’t certain she’d heard correctly.
    “Yes, condoms,” Crystal confirmed bitterly. “I hate those things. Rashid knows this but he refuses to make love without one, like I’m going to give him a disease of something.”
    “Well, have you discussed this with him? If you haven’t, you should talk to him about how you feel.” Gail was really uncomfortable with this discussion.  A couples’ sex life was their private business. She didn’t want to know what went on in her friend’s bedroom. 
    “I’ve told him I don’t like the damned things and we don’t need them. He insists. Says he won’t chance me getting pregnant again. It doesn’t matter that I’m on the Pill.”
    “Other than that, you enjoyed your vacation, right?” Gail tried to redirect the conversation. “I hope you got plenty of rest, because I’m sure your work was piling up while you were gone.”
    “I have assistants but some of my projects still got behind schedule. I’m going to have to work some long hours to catch up. That’s another reason I called. I may not make it to your next doctor’s appointment. Will you be okay by yourself?”
    “Yes, I’ll be fine. It’s probably going to be routine, and hopefully very short. You won’t be missing anything,” Gail assured her.
    “I just wanted to make sure. I know we’re supposed to be doing this together and I promised to be there with you at all of the appointments.”
    “Hey, stuff happens. I understand completely. You just make sure your schedule is free when Dr. Hagan does the sonogram to tell you what you’re having.”
    “I will. I wouldn’t miss that for the world. Well, I better get off of the phone. We just got back and I have things to do. Before I go, is everything okay with you? Anything new in your life?”
    “I’m fine. Things are quiet. I go to work and come home. I have been getting out of the house a little, renewing old acquaintances. Things of that nature. Nothing worth talking about.” Gail wasn’t ready to tell Crystal about Greg. The relationship was too new. Maybe in another month or so, if it lasted that long.
    “Alright then, why don’t you come over for lunch tomorrow? We can catch up and I can show you