To Make a Marriage(25)

She gave a shaky smile. 'I can't imagine how this could have happened.  There are no twins in my family, and- What is it, Adam?' She became  concerned as she saw the way his mouth suddenly tightened grimly.

'Nothing,' he muttered. 'Absolutely nothing.'

But Andie wasn't convinced. It was-something. 'Do you have twins in your  family?' she asked, aware that he didn't like talking about his family.

The two of them had made a list of people they wanted to invite to the  wedding as they'd lingered over dinner the evening before. Not one of  the names Adam had given her had appeared to be a member of his own  family. Knowing how sensitive he was on the subject, Andie hadn't  questioned it; after all, it was up to Adam who he wanted as guests at  his own wedding.

He released her hand, standing up abruptly to walk over to stare out of  the window, although there was no way he could actually see anything;  the glass frosted so that no one could peer in.

'Adam?'

His shoulders hunched defensively, but he didn't turn to face her. 'I  didn't think. But-yes, there have been twins in my family,' he finally  confirmed unhelpfully.

Andie watched the tenseness of his back, sensing that he wasn't about to  add anything to that statement. But there was no reason why he should,  she decided. This was here and now and the two of them were expecting  two wonderful babies.

'Adam … ?' She reached out a hand to him, relieved when he turned and saw  it, crossing the room in two strides to stand by the bed tightly  gripping that hand. 'I can't wait to see Rome's face when we tell him,  can you?' she said mischievously, determined not to let any sort of  dampener fall on the magic of this incredible day.

Some of the tension left Adam as he smiled. 'You do realise that if they're two girls, he's never going to forgive us?'

Andie grinned at the thought. 'I'll just suggest that it isn't too late for him and Audrey to have a son of their own.'

Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "You, my dear, have a decidedly wicked  streak! Even if it's true," he added slowly. "How would you feel about  that?"

"Absolutely fine," she replied unhesitantly, knowing that Harrie and  Danie would feel the same way. After all, why shouldn't Audrey want a  child of her own?

Andie smiled, mainly with relief that the brief moment of tension  between herself and Adam was completely dispelled. She would make sure  it never returned. If Adam ever wanted to talk to her about his family,  then he would do it in his own way and time; she wouldn't press him.

'Do you think we should invite Jonas back in now?' she suggested. 'After all, this is his clinic.'

'I think I quite like Danie's Jonas,' Adam said thoughtfully.

Jonas seemed to quite like the other man too, Andie thought, as a few  minutes later he explained to them both exactly what they were seeing on  the screen, shaking Adam warmly by the hand before the two of them left  the clinic a short time later.

'Don't tell Danie, will you?' Andie requested of Jonas excitedly. 'I want to tell her myself.'

Jonas shook his head. 'Doctor and patient confidentiality precludes  that,' he assured her. 'Even if the patient is my wife's sister!' He  grinned. 'Besides, your pregnancy has already made Danie broody; the  fact that it's twins will send her into hyperdrive!'

Andie's eyes widened. 'Danie is broody?' Somehow she couldn't quite see  her I-can-do-anything-a-man-can-do-and-probably-better sister in that  particular role. But, then, she had never quite been able to envisage  Danie as anyone's wife, either …                        
       
           



       

Maybe it was always that way with your own siblings, memories of your  childhood together making marriage and pregnancy seem slightly unreal?  Their family had certainly changed a lot-grown-in the last six months.  When the twins were born it would be even larger!

'She is,' Jonas confirmed, although he didn't look particularly bothered  by the fact. 'I believe Quinn is having a similar reaction from  Harrie,' he continued conversationally. 'It could have something to do  with the fact that their baby sister will be the first one in the family  to have children of her own.'

Andie was sure that it was, Harrie and Danie were protective of her when  they were all children together, that protective air still there,  despite their maturity.

'By the way-' Jonas walked down the corridor with them '-have either of you seen the newspaper today?'

'I was in the office all morning,' Adam rejoined. 'Andie?'

'I'm afraid I lazed half the morning away in the bath, and then I felt  too lethargic to bother going down for a newspaper,' she admitted,  having lain in the bath dreaming impossible dreams-mainly that Adam  would fall madly in love with her! 'Why?' She frowned up at Jonas as he  held the door open for them.

'Your father put the announcement of your forthcoming marriage in the newspaper today,' Jonas told them happily.

'He did what?' Adam exclaimed.

Andie turned to look at him, a sinking feeling in her stomach as she saw the unmistakable anger in his face.

She had believed Adam had spent some of this past weekend away dealing  with any loose ends that still remained from his bachelor existence, but  as she looked at him now she knew there was still someone out there  that Adam didn't want to read in the newspaper about his forthcoming  marriage!

'Where's Danie today?' Andie changed the subject to something more neutral. 'I telephoned her earlier, but she wasn't at home.'

Jonas smiled at the mention of his wife. 'Your father needed to go up to  Edinburgh today. He asked Danie to fly him up there. She left at about  eight o'clock this morning. But she assures me she'll be back in time to  cook us both dinner.'

'Danie has always loved flying,' Andie said.

Once again Andie knew she was talking for the sake of it. But this time  it was to give Adam time to recover from the fact that Rome had  announced their marriage in the newspaper. A fact that seemed to have  disturbed him …



Adam wasn't listening as Andie and Jonas talked affectionately of Danie  for several minutes, glad of the respite. Today was turning out one  shock on top of another, he acknowledged grimly. He and Andie were  having twins. Which was amazing, incredible, wonderful! And now Rome had  put the announcement in the paper without consulting either of them.  Which was far from wonderful … !

He forced himself to relax slightly as Andie looked at him warily. His  three weeks' grace, it seemed, had been swept away by Rome's  announcement, and he couldn't say he was pleased by the fact, but that  was still no reason to worry Andie. Especially when she was expecting  twins!

It hadn't even occurred to him when he'd learnt of Andie's pregnancy  that she could be carrying two babies. In the circumstances, maybe it  should have done. But it hadn't.

The two of them walked outside into the sunshine, Andie speaking after  several minutes' silence. 'I'm sure Daddy thought he was doing the right  thing by putting the announcement in the newspaper,' she said.

He was sure Rome had thought so too, didn't for a moment think the other  had acted maliciously. Why should he have done? Rome had no idea of the  tangled mess Adam's life could sometimes become. Only Barbara had known  that.

'Of course he did.' Adam gave Andie a reassuring smile.

'With the amount of weddings in the Summer family needing to be  announced in recent months, the newspaper editor must be rubbing his  hands with glee.'

Andie grinned. 'Six months ago none of us had even thought of marriage!'

Adam took her hand in his as they walked along side by side. 'I think we  should go out to celebrate tonight, don't you? Possibly with Danie and  Jonas? Jonas did say that Danie will be back in time for dinner.'

Andie's smile showed that she was pleased by this suggestion. 'I think  that's an excellent idea,' she confirmed. 'This way Danie may have  missed out on the engagement, but she'll be the first to hear about the  twins.'

Adam's stomach seemed to rise up, turn a somersault, before falling back  into place again. He had seen the two babies on the screen, even had a  photograph of his very own showing those two tiny beings curled up  together in foetal bliss-and he still found it incredible to believe  that he was going to be a father soon, not to one baby, but two.                       
       
           



       

'You really don't mind?' He looked down intently at Andie.

'Of course not,' she answered instantly.

'But it's going to be more difficult with two,' he persisted, needing to  be absolutely sure that Andie was happy with the way things were. It  could be disastrous if she weren't.

Andie shook her head. 'Harder work, maybe. In fact, I'm sure it will be.'

'It might make it harder for you to return to work afterwards,' he pointed out.

Andie's laugh had a slight catch in it. 'I have a feeling I won't want  to go back to work! Awful, isn't it?" She screwed her nose up  endearingly.