The Apartment (27 page)

“Do you want to know the sex?” she asked them both, and they nodded in unison and laughed as they held hands. Max had never seen anything so beautiful in his life as the woman he loved and the baby inside her. And as they looked, Sasha pointed at a spot on the screen and smiled. “It's a boy.” Max grinned broadly and kissed Morgan again, and she smiled tenderly at him. They seemed like blissful parents, not two people who had broken up and not spoken for two months. And Sasha was pleased too, for them.

Morgan got dressed after that, and Sasha said she could go home, and should take it easy for a week, maybe two. “No Pilates for two weeks. And no make-up sex for two weeks, please, you two.” She handed them two copies of the photo of their baby, and they walked out of the hospital in a daze after thanking Sasha.

In a couple of hours, everything had changed and turned around. Max was back, and she had made peace with the trauma and disruption they'd been through. They spent the rest of the day together in the apartment, taking it easy, and then he thought of something.

“Will you come back to work at the restaurant? My books have been a mess since you left.” He was grinning and had an arm around her when he asked her, and she laughed.

“Is that all you really wanted?” she teased him.

“Yes, the baby is just a side attraction. I need you to help me with payroll and petty cash.”

She laughed at him then, and they kissed. Things were looking up, and then she pulled away from him with a serious expression. “I won't marry you, though. That would ruin everything. We can have the baby, but I don't want to get married.”

“You're a damn difficult woman,” he said good-humoredly. “Can we live together?”

“Yes. But not married. That would kill the romance in our relationship.” To her, marriage was a nightmare, like her parents'.

“You're a nut, but I love you. After the tenth kid, can we get married? I love big Irish families.”

“Okay, but not till after the tenth one, then I'll consider it.” And as they bantered, she realized that they would have to move. They couldn't live in the loft with a baby. That would leave only Claire at the apartment. Morgan had planned to stay on at the loft alone with the baby, and Claire. They had room now without Abby, and Sasha gone in June. But Max and the baby seemed like too much and not fair to Claire. And as a couple with a child, they needed their own home.

Claire and her mother came in from an appointment at Bergdorf's shortly after, looking pleased. And Claire was as surprised to see Max there as Sasha had been when she saw them together earlier.

“We're having a baby,” Morgan blurted out with a grin. Suddenly it was real.

“A boy,” Max added.

“But we're not getting married,” Morgan said, smiling.

“It would kill the romance in the relationship,” he mimicked Morgan's words, and they all laughed.

“Congratulations,” Claire said, startled. “When is it due?”

“October.” Claire could figure out the rest. They'd have to move, and she and her mother would have the loft to themselves. She could run the business from there. She could afford the rent alone now, but she would miss her friends, and it was shocking and sad how fast things had changed. Maybe Abby would come back in a year, as she said she would, but Claire wasn't counting on that either. And by the summer, she'd be living at the loft alone with her mother.

As May progressed, Prunella was driving Sasha crazy. The invitations had gone out, engraved by Cartier. They were very simple and elegant. They had chosen the menu, with a tasting at the apartment, and tried five different wedding cakes from three wedding bakers. And Max was giving them the wine as a wedding gift, and the champagne.

Prunella had recommended a photographer and videographer, which she insisted they needed. She had chosen lace tablecloths and linen napkins for them at Sasha's request, and she had her own supply of candelabras, and the caterer was bringing the crystal, silver, and china. They had toured the penthouse on Fifth Avenue, where they were giving the reception, and they had found a small church near the penthouse that was willing to do a six o'clock wedding. The reception was due to start at eight. And Sasha had managed to decide on all of it, in her meager time off from work. They hadn't had a weekend off since they'd gone to Atlanta in March.

And she had found the dress entirely by accident, in a magazine she was reading in the doctors' lounge. It was a simple white satin dress with a lace coat over it that she could take off at the reception, with a lace veil. The coat had a beautiful long train. She didn't have time to try it on, so Valentina went to the fitting for her, and Sasha fell in love with it when she saw it on a cell phone photo her sister sent her, although Valentina thought it was boring.

“Why don't you get something sexy, with some cleavage and a low back?” The dress was perfect for Sasha. And the bridesmaids' dresses were a warm beige color, simple strapless gowns, which Valentina said would have looked better in red. Everything was tasteful and simple. The bridesmaids' bouquets were going to be small beige orchids, and Sasha's lily of the valley. She had thought about having her half-sisters as flower girls, but it would have caused a war with her mother, which just wasn't worth it to her.

The men were going to wear black tie, and Alex was wearing white tie and tails. And Helen Scott had told her she was wearing navy blue. Muriel hadn't decided, but had seen an emerald green dress she liked, or possibly a gold one.

Amazingly, everything was on track, and Prunella had turned out to be as organized and efficient as Oliver had been told. Sasha couldn't stand her, but had to admit she was doing a great job. In spite of that, Sasha was nervous about all the details coming together on the big day. There was so much that could go wrong. Helen kept offering to help her, but Prunella seemed to have it all in control.

A month before the wedding, Sasha's roommates planned a bachelorette dinner for her. She couldn't get enough time off for a weekend, but the dinner sounded like fun. Abby had promised to fly in from L.A., and Claire's mother was invited too. They were having it at Soho House. And Sasha even had a dress for that, and a short sexy black one for the rehearsal dinner Alex's parents were giving the night before the wedding at the Metropolitan Club, to which they belonged through their sister club in Chicago.

Her hair was coming in blond again, although it was still short, to get rid of the brown dye. She was going to get it trimmed before the wedding, by a hairdresser Valentina had recommended. And Alex was having his bachelor party the same night as hers, in a private room in a nightclub downtown.

The bachelorette dinner was a big success. Abby was staying at the apartment with them. Claire had cleared the shoe boxes off her bed. And Abby confessed during dinner that she was dating Josh, and she loved his boys. And Morgan talked about the baby. They were already looking for an apartment, and she wanted to move that summer before she got too huge. Sasha and Alex hadn't found one but were apartment hunting too. And they only wanted something short term. Sasha was planning to transfer her residency to the University of Chicago when Alex finished his. It appealed to both of them to establish their practices in his native city. And Sasha really liked that idea a lot, and living close to Alex's brother and parents.

Everyone discussed their plans, the wedding, the baby, Abby's movie. There was so much to talk about.

The women were all relaxed and happy when they got back to the apartment, and Claire looked at her mother ruefully.

“I guess it's just going to be you and me here, Mom. Everyone's moving out.” It still made Claire sad when she thought about it. Her mother didn't say anything for a minute, and the others had all gone to bed, after a lot of champagne. Only Morgan wasn't drinking, but she had gone to bed too. Sarah took Claire's hand in her own with a sheepish expression, as they sat on the couch at two in the morning.

“I have some plans too. You don't really need me here anymore. The business is taking off. You've got Claudia to help you, and she's very good. And you know how to run this business without me. I've just been along for the fun and the ride, and to support you in the beginning. I'm still going to back you, but I think it's time for me to go home.”

“To San Francisco?” Claire looked stunned. “I thought you love it here.”

“I do. And it's been a fantastic five months. It's been the best thing that ever happened to me, other than having you. Your father and I have been talking. He's really been trying. He stopped drinking two months ago, and he wants to start traveling and doing some things together. It may not be perfect, but I love him and we'd both like to try, and see how it goes.” Claire looked both happy and sad. She had so loved having her mother there with her. It had filled a huge void for her, and given her an opportunity she would never have had otherwise. She was eternally grateful for that. And now she'd be living in the loft alone. It felt suddenly too grown up.

“When are you going?” Claire looked wistful. Her mother gave her a hug.

“I thought after the wedding might be a good time, in a month.” Claire nodded. It was a lot to think about, but she could see that her mother thought it was the right thing to do. And her eyes lit up when she talked about doing things with Jim. And Claire knew she couldn't hang on to her mother forever. The past five months had been a wonderful reprieve from the blows that had come before that.

“You know, you need to think a little more about getting out too.” They both knew what she meant, but Claire always said she wasn't ready. It had been six months since George had spun her around and dumped her, and she hadn't recovered yet. Her mother thought she should try. All Claire wanted to do was work, which had been her style before George too, and now even more so. But if her father could change, Claire wondered if she should too. It was a thought.

Claire and Sarah went to bed that night, in the bed that they shared, and it made Claire sad to think about her mother leaving. She turned over on her side in the dark and saw that Sarah was awake. “I'm going to miss you, Mom,” she said softly. “Thank you for everything you did. I couldn't have done it without you. Everything had gone so wrong, and then you fixed it with the biggest gift of my life.”

“That's what mothers are for,” Sarah answered, and kissed her daughter's cheek, and they fell asleep holding hands. It was like being a little girl again, and she felt safe.

The day of the rehearsal dinner, Sasha and her bridesmaids all went to get manicures and pedicures at a place Valentina recommended. Sasha had gotten her hair cut in a stylish bob for the wedding the day before, and it was all blond now. She couldn't wait to wear her new short sexy black dress that night. The girls were all laughing and talking at the nail salon when her father called her. They had arrived from Atlanta that morning, with the children and their nanny. Muriel was due in that afternoon, and the Scotts had arrived the night before. Alex and Sasha had stopped by the hotel to give them a hug. They were staying at the Plaza, and Ben went out with them afterward, and they stayed out too late, but had fun.

“What's up, Dad?” Sasha saw his name come up on her cell phone. She was off call, and officially on vacation since the day before, and had two weeks off for a honeymoon in Paris. She couldn't think of anything more romantic than Paris in June, with Alex.

“We have a little problem,” he said to Sasha in a falsely calm voice.

“What's wrong?” Sasha was instantly on alert.

“Charlotte's having contractions, some pretty strong ones, and she's only seven months pregnant. This shouldn't be happening. She thinks she's in labor.”

“Did she call her doctor?” Sasha asked in her professional voice.

“Yes, but she can't evaluate her over the phone. She thinks she should be seen. And to be honest, so do I. The pains are pretty powerful, and they're five minutes apart.”

“Do you want me to recommend someone?” Sasha was instantly the doctor, and no longer the daughter.

“Would you take a look at her?”

“Does Charlotte want me to?” Sasha asked fairly.

“Yes, she does. We both do. Are you busy?” Sasha was stunned.
Me? Getting married tomorrow? With a rehearsal dinner for a hundred people tonight? Of course not. Just sitting here eating bonbons waiting for you to call.

“That's fine. I can meet you at the hospital in twenty minutes,” she recovered. Her nails were dry, and she was wearing sandals so she didn't mess up the polish on her toes, which was a pale shell pink, called Ballerina, by Chanel. When she told the others she had to leave, they pleaded with her to stick around—they were going back to the apartment to drink champagne.

“Charlotte has a problem. I promised my father I'd see her.” She looked serious as she said it.

“Is she pregnant?” Morgan asked her, surprised.

“Seven months.”

Claire rolled her eyes. “Your mother will love that.”

“Won't she ever,” Sasha agreed with her, and she left the nail salon and found a cab. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, and she got to the hospital ten minutes later and put on scrubs. Her father and Charlotte were right behind her. She was in a wheelchair and hunched over in pain. She looked like a woman in labor. At seven months, that was not good.

Sasha took them to an examining room in labor and delivery, and told the nurses she was there.

“Aren't you supposed to be getting married?” one of them asked her.

“Not till tomorrow. I was bored at home. Nothing good on TV,” she said, and went to join her father and his wife. Charlotte was crying and scared.

“Were the girls early?” Sasha asked her calmly.

“No, they were late,” she answered through another pain.

“What did you do today? Did you lift anything heavy? Your suitcase? The kids?”

“No…well…kind of. I picked Lizzie up for a minute, but I've done that before. And she's pretty light.” Sasha nodded. Normally that shouldn't have done it, unless she had a predisposition for preterm labor, which she didn't, and she was young.

“Did you have sex? Any fooling around?” she asked them, pretending to herself that he wasn't her father, and he looked sheepish, and Charlotte giggled.
Oh Christ.

“Could that do it?” Charlotte appeared instantly guilty, and Sasha's father cleared his throat.

“It could. Orgasms can set off labor. Let's check things out.” She smiled easily at both of them, as she would any patient, and Steve stood next to his wife's head as Sasha examined Charlotte. There was definitely some bloody show, but her waters were still intact, and her cervix was closed, so nothing major had happened yet. She reported her findings to them, and they were both relieved.

“But we're not in the clear yet. Those contractions will get things going if we don't stop them. If you don't mind, I'd like to give you a shot and see if that will stop the contractions. And I want you on bed rest for a few days.”

“But I'll miss the wedding,” she said, crushed.

“What would you rather have?” Sasha asked her gently. “Wedding cake and a baby born two months premature tonight or tomorrow, or a nice healthy baby in two months?”

“A baby in two months,” Charlotte said sadly, and Steve leaned down and kissed her. “But I bought such a pretty pink dress for tonight, and a gorgeous red one for tomorrow.”

“I'd feel a lot safer with you in bed, with no contractions,” Sasha said honestly.

“Me too,” Steve said in a firm voice as he held his wife's hand. “Can you give her the shot?” he asked, trusting his daughter and grateful for her help. She had been wonderful about it. She went to get it and came back a few minutes later, and Charlotte didn't even feel it. Sasha had a nurse hook up a fetal monitor, and everything was looking good. She noticed that the baby was big, but they said it wasn't twins and it didn't feel like it, just a big baby.

Sasha went back to the nurses' station then to see what was going on.

“You just can't stay away from this place, can you?” the nurses teased her, and Sasha noticed that it was five o'clock, and she called Alex to tell him where she was, and promised she'd make it to the dinner on time. She still had plenty of time to dress. And then she went back to check her stepmother again. The contractions were persistent, but slowing down a little. She waited two hours and gave her another shot, and sedated her, which she thought would help. By then it was seven, and she was going to be late for the dinner. She still had to bathe and dress.

The contractions stopped almost completely at eight after the second shot, and by then Charlotte was dozing, and Sasha told her father she should spend the night at the hospital. She could go back to their hotel the next day, but for now Sasha wanted the nurses to keep an eye on her and the monitor, and her father agreed.

“I think I should stay with her tonight,” he said in a whisper, and Sasha nodded. His two daughters were at the hotel with the nanny. He was going to miss the Scotts' rehearsal dinner, but hopefully he'd be there tomorrow to walk her down the aisle, and she said as much to him.

“Of course.” It was eight-thirty by then, and there was no way she could go home to dress. Alex had been texting her for the last hour, and she kept promising him she'd be there and not to worry. She couldn't miss her own rehearsal dinner the night before her wedding, and she couldn't get home to change. She only had one choice, to go as she was. It was better than missing it entirely, and she knew they weren't sitting down to dinner till nine.

She took a last look at Charlotte sleeping, and told her father to call if they needed her, and she told the nurses the same thing. And then she flew into the elevator in her scrubs, hailed a cab on the street, gave him the address, and told him she was in a huge hurry. And as they drove there, she realized that Charlotte had just solved a major problem. She couldn't come to the dinner or the wedding, and Muriel would never see that she was pregnant or have to deal with her looking young and beautiful. And her mother would only have to put up with her father for one night, not two, since he was staying with Charlotte tonight.
Yes!
she thought to herself, as they pulled up in front of the Metropolitan Club, and she paid and jumped out, and ran through the door. She was tempted to say to the liveried doorman as she ran by, “Did someone call a doctor?” but she decided to behave, and walked into the beautiful room filled with flowers at the dinner organized by her soon-to-be in-laws, in scrubs and sandals. It was either that, or arrive at ten, when they finished dinner. She saw Alex's look of surprise out of the corner of her eye, and her roommates' as she went to find Helen to apologize.

“I'm so sorry. My father's wife went into preterm labor, and I've been at the hospital with them till now. I couldn't get home to change.” Helen smiled broadly, and gave her a warm hug.

“Don't even think about it. You look adorable. I love your hair. How is she?” She was an amazing woman, and Sasha hugged her again as Alex joined them.

“I think she'll be fine. I admitted her for tonight.”

“What happened?” Alex asked her, jangled and shocked at what she was wearing.

“It was either this or my cut-off shorts. I went with this. Or come after dinner. Charlotte went into preterm labor.”

“And they called you?” He was stunned, although he knew nothing should surprise him anymore—her mother, her sister, bad divorces, or preterm labor.

“Who else would they call in New York?”

“They could have gone to the ER. It's our rehearsal dinner.” He seemed a little put out, but his mother was fine about it.

“I know. I'm sorry. I love you. But look at it this way, she's not here tonight, and she can't come tomorrow. I put her on bed rest. And now my mother won't go nuts.” He laughed at the silver lining. And then after asking Helen's permission, she went up to the podium, from where Alex's father and some of the guests would be making speeches after dinner. And Sasha picked up the mike and spoke to the room.

“Good evening, everyone. I'm the bride. Until tomorrow, my name is Dr. Hartman. And I wanted you to know that, as my close friends and family know, these are the only clothes I own,” she said, pointing to her scrubs, and everyone laughed. “But please don't worry. My sister is lending me a dress for tomorrow. And thank you to the Scotts for this wonderful dinner.” She put down the mike then and ran to her table to take her place next to Alex.

“I hope that's not true,” he said, serious for a minute.

“What?”

“That your sister is lending you a dress for tomorrow.”

She laughed. “Wait and see.”

Valentina was wearing a spectacular, very short gold dress that night, and was there with Bert. He was proud to be at her side.

Helen had done the seating and had put Muriel at their table, and she made a point to spend time talking to her. Muriel looked like she was having a wonderful time. She caught up with Sasha later with a disapproving frown.

“Why didn't you wear a dress?”

“I got stuck at the hospital on an emergency,” she said blandly, and her mother walked away shaking her head.

The speeches went smoothly, and were very touching, particularly by her roommates, and Alex's father. Her father was going to speak at the wedding, and Ben, the best man.

She and Alex parted company after the evening, so she wouldn't see him until the wedding. She was spending the night at the loft with the girls. And she called the hospital on the way home to check on Charlotte. They said she was sleeping soundly, the contractions had stopped, and they had rolled a cot in for Sasha's father. All was peaceful.

And Sasha went back to the apartment in Hell's Kitchen for her last night as a single woman, with her best friends.