Along Came Twins…

Leandros loved it because tourism hadn’t been developed in this quieter area, thus preserving the whole place’s authentic character. After their wedding, at the church in Chora, Kellie had thought she’d found paradise on her honeymoon here, until she learned the Paulos family, among other wealthy families, lived on the same part of the island. The two families had enjoyed a warm relationship over the last fifty years.

Once she’d realized this was where Leandros had fallen in love with Petra, Kellie never felt as excited when they flew over on the weekends he didn’t have a business commitment elsewhere. To her growing discomfort, she’d often discovered Karmela and her parents were there visiting Leandros’s family at his parents’ villa. They would always call Leandros and ask him to join them. Their presence had to be a reminder of what he’d lost.

Since his feelings for home were intertwined with his memories of Petra, Kellie imagined he was a prisoner of both. To fight her pain, she’d preferred they stay at the apartment in Athens when she wasn’t traveling with him on business.

Now there was no apartment, but none of that mattered at this point. Wherever Leandros took her so they could talk, nothing would change the fact that they were getting a divorce, children or no children. There were some things they just couldn’t overcome, no matter how much her heart broke at the thought.

She’d done the right thing by coming to him with the news of his impending fatherhood. It was his Godgiven right. If he found a way to prevent the divorce from happening as soon as she’d anticipated, she would still go back to Pennsylvania day after tomorrow, and let her attorney deal with it.

While she was deep in thought, Stefon flew them over the capital town of Chora, where the tourists came in throngs to see its charming Venetian architecture. Farther on she spotted the seventeenth century tower of Bisti-Mouvela and the nearby church of Agios Georgios. Soon they were passing over the Petralia estate. It was a wonderful place with an old olive press building, all part of Leandros’s idyllic childhood and an intrinsic part of who he was.

The first time Kellie ever saw his romantic stone farmhouse with its flat roof, she’d fallen instantly in love with it. When she stayed there with him, she enjoyed the many terraces planted with fruit and nut trees that flourished in the climate, as well as shrubs, flowers and kitchen gardens. Hidden in the foliage was a small swimming pool.

One of her favorite features was the kitchen with its open fireplace. They could eat on two of the terraces, one alcoved between the kitchen and living room, the other above the master bedroom with its own garden and a view of the beach just steps away. Farther along the beach was the private boat dock housing various watercraft, including the sailboat he’d given her. One thing she’d learned early: Leandros loved the water and swam like a fish.

She thought about the babies growing inside her. After they were born, they’d enjoy this legacy from their father. When they came on visitation, they’d become water babies, too. But their roots would be firmly planted in Philadelphia.

There couldn’t be two places on earth more unalike. Almost as unalike as the way she and Leandros viewed their marriage and what was wrong with it. Kellie couldn’t bear to look back at what had happened to destroy their happiness, and fought tears as Stefon set them down on the east side of his parents’ villa.

Leandros was already removing his headset. Now that she was pregnant, she had to expect that he would watch over her with meticulous care for the short time she was back in Greece. He didn’t know any other way. That was one of the reasons she loved him so much.

Too much.

As he helped her down from the helicopter, his pulse raced to see moisture glazing those velvety brown eyes that used to beg him to make love to her. Until this minute, Leandros hadn’t seen a sign of emotion from his normally loving, vivacious wife.

Since Kellie had first told him she wanted a separation, she’d turned into an ice princess, erecting walls he couldn’t penetrate. For the last month they were together, he hadn’t been able to get through to her on any level. The hurt he’d felt had turned to anger.

During the months when she’d gone through one procedure after another to get pregnant, and been so brave about it, they’d both felt the strain. Every time her period came, they both suffered depression and had to fight their way out of it.

Sometimes the strain made them short with each other. Other times there were periods of silence over several days. The emotional turmoil took its toll. By the last month, he didn’t feel he knew his wife anymore. His disillusionment was so total, he’d been devastated.

Only the pregnancy could have caused her to venture back here. Though he was euphoric to learn he was going to be a father, his world would never be right again if the divorce went through without one more attempt to try and heal their wounds.

That’s why he’d planned to leave today, with a proposition to save their marriage before it became final. For her to have flown here with news of their babies had saved him from flying to Philadelphia. Leandros couldn’t have asked for a greater gift than her presence right now.

While the men disappeared to the guest cottage, she walked ahead of him, strolling down the flower-lined path to his villa in her pale orange sundress and jacket. His eyes followed the feminine lines of her hips and legs as she moved. In the summery outfit, his wife took his breath away.

Once upon a time they’d paused and kissed as they made their way along the ancient paths. But he had to push those rapturous memories to the background of his mind and start over with her again in a brand-new way.

Kellie waited for him to unlock the door, then stepped past him into the beamed living room with its simple white walls and hand-carved furniture. Her arm brushed against his, triggering a surge of desire for her with an intensity that caught him off guard. They’d been apart too long.

He set down his briefcase. “Why don’t you rest on the couch by the window and I’ll get us something cold to drink.”

“Thank you.”

When he returned a minute later with an icy lemon fruit drink for her, he found her seated on one end of the sofa, staring out at the beach. He handed her the glass. “Wouldn’t you like to put your legs up? Since we’re having twins, I’m sure the doctor told you to stay off your feet after your long flight from Philadelphia.”

“You’re right, but I had a good night’s sleep at the hotel and ate breakfast in bed before I took a taxi to your office.” She sipped her drink. “It’s a hot day and this tastes wonderful. Thank you.” Her controlled civility was anathema to him.

“You’re welcome. When you’re hungry, I’ll fix us some sandwiches.”

“I’m fine for now, but you go ahead.”

He frowned. “I haven’t had an appetite lately, but I can’t claim the excuse of pregnancy.” It wasn’t meant to be a joke and she didn’t take it that way. “How are you feeling physically?”

She avoided looking at him. “Dr. Creer says I’m in great shape. No problems in sight so far, but twins require special monitoring and I intend following his advice.”

“That’s good. Are you taking any other medicine besides your antinausea medication?”

“Just prenatal vitamins.”

He drank part of his drink, then got to his feet, too restless to sit there. “When you walked in my office, I was on the phone with Frato.”

“I know. I recognized his voice.”

Leandros stared at her moodily. “He’s taking over for me while I’m gone.”

That statement caused her to lift startled eyes to him. “Where are you going?”

“I told him I needed a vacation, but no one knows my plans.”

“You’re taking another one?”

It didn’t surprise him she’d ask that question. A month ago he’d taken time off to fly her back to Philadelphia. He was pleased to detect a note of concern in her voice before she smoothed her hands over her knees in what he recognized was a nervous gesture. “That’s right.”

“For how long this time?”

“For as long as it takes.”

She stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

Leandros rubbed the back of his neck. “I was going to take my jet and fly to Philadelphia today to talk to you about giving us another chance. If you hadn’t come to the office this morning, we would have missed each other.”

Her eyes widened, then grew shuttered, and her lovely features hardened. “It’s too late. Our divorce will be final soon. The fact that I’m pregnant changes nothing.”

“I get that, Kellie, but I’d like you to hear me out first.”

“What more is there to say?” The bleakness in her question crushed him. “I only came to discuss future visitation for our children and get it in writing.”

He had to weigh his words carefully. “Our babies haven’t arrived yet. Until they do, we have a lot to talk about that impacts our lives right this minute. What I need you to know is that I did listen to what you said to me before I flew home from Philadelphia a month ago. To my shame, it took me until last week to come to terms with it. I can’t lose you, so I’ve made a decision that will affect both of us.”

A troubled expression entered her eyes. “That sounds ominous.”

He sucked in his breath. “I’m willing to do as you asked and go to marriage counseling with you.”

Looking dumbstruck, she put her glass on the coffee table. “I thought you didn’t believe in it. I brought up the subject a year ago, but you were adamantly against it.”

He scowled in self-deprecation. “It’s my nature to believe only in myself, but after being apart from you this last month, I recognize how arrogant that was of me. Since you suggested counseling as a last resort, I’m willing to try anything to save our marriage.”