Bundle of Joy

Copyright © 2013, 2014 Nadia Thornton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-3450-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3451-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3452-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014908386

iUniverse rev. date: 06/23/2014

Contents

Part One

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Part Two

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

About the Author

For Mom and Dad

The worst thing about being lied to is knowing you’re not worth the truth.

—Unknown

Part One

Chapter One

It was two o’clock in the morning when Joy’s eyes opened. Every night she struggled to get a full night’s sleep. All she wanted to do was rest, yet her mind would not turn off. She tossed and turned for hours until she surrendered. She wearily got out of bed at five o’clock and decided to go to the kitchen and make herself a strong cup of coffee so she could get through the day.

Before Joy went downstairs, she decided to peek through her bedroom window to see if there was any trace of her husband, James. It was pitch-black outside. Cars were parked for the evening in each laneway, lights in every home were turned off and families were sleeping for the night. The only hint of movement was the falling snow. She was mesmerized for a few minutes with the beauty of the snowflakes. She watched from her bedroom window as the mass of them came down from the sky in all different shapes.

The snow was lightly falling while everybody slept. It was late October, and this was, unusually, the second snowfall in Ottawa; this time the snow looked like it would stay for a long time. It was weeks after the Canadian Thanksgiving and just before Remembrance Day. It was almost the holiday season, and this Christmas looked as if it would be a white one.

As Joy suspected, there was no sign of James.

As she rubbed her eyes, she wandered into the den. Still no trace of him. She turned on all of the lights and continued to walk down the winding stairs. To her dismay, her conscientious husband was passed out over the kitchen table. He’d been working on yet another case and was now asleep on his files. James looked so peaceful at rest. As Joy pondered what to do, she took a few moments to really examine her husband, who had one true passion in the world—the law. He was an incredible defense lawyer who worked tireless hours to defend those who were in trouble.

James was the man who wanted to help anyone who had problems, and he wanted to fix any situation to make life easier. He lived to make everyone feel comfortable, secure and protected from harm. That was James when Joy first met him.

It had been nearly ten years since James and Joy met at her best friend, Alisha’s, wedding. Joy was her maid of honour, and James was the best man. They’d felt an instant attraction for each other all those years ago. Things certainly had changed over the past few years.

Joy’s thoughts were interrupted when James suddenly moved. He was startled to see her hovering over him. At first he looked dazed and confused and seemed to wonder whether Joy was part of his dream.

Hi, honey. What time is it? he asked as he rubbed his eyes. I must have fallen asleep on my work again. He kept looking around in a sleepy daze. He had his laptop computer on the table, and piles of books and files were sprawled all over the kitchen table and stacked on the floor. He looked tired and overwhelmed.

Joy? What time is it? I am on a tight deadline, and I am never going to finish if I keep falling asleep on my case files. Damn it!

"James, will you relax? Everyone needs sleep. At least you had some, Joy said. I have been up most of the night, dying to get some rest, and you’re complaining about sleeping too much. What time did you get in last night? Why didn’t you come home for dinner? We had a date, remember? Don’t you realize I worry about you?"

Sorry, sweetheart. I am on a really tight timeline. I get into a zone when I am reading the cases and then lose track of time. I am so far behind that there aren’t enough hours in the day to complete everything.

I know you’re tired, but you need to find some balance in your life. It’s not healthy. By the way, you still haven’t said what time you arrived home and why you chose not to call.

Joy, I have a job to do. I have clients whose lives are at stake! Stop nagging me! You knew when we first met that my life was about helping my clients get justice!

As his voice began to escalate, Joy tuned him out and reflected on their courtship before they married.

She remembered the daily phone calls and the many dates when they talked and laughed for hours. They had a real connection before James started working insane hours. They always enjoyed having fun together before his career became Joy’s competition.

When they got engaged, they discussed how wonderful life would be once they were married. They daydreamed about starting a family and how they’d raise their children and then eventually grow old together. Over the past few years they hadn’t lived the life that they’d imagined. James continued to work long hours and was sleep deprived, which led to him frequently snapping at others.

Joy! Have you heard anything I’ve just said?

I am not picking a fight. I just wanted to know where you were last night.

I am tired of you getting on my case for not calling you. I am not a child!

I know you’re not a child, but what about the fine things in life, like spending time with your wife? I need some support, too, once in a while.

While James was talking, Joy continued to appear relaxed, but inwardly, she was enraged by his unnecessary outbursts. Many thoughts were going through her mind while he was having his tantrum.

James was obviously upset, but it was clear he didn’t want to have another disagreement. He lowered his voice and stared his wife straight in the face.

Joy, honey, I am sorry I worried you. I don’t want to argue with you. It’s too early in the morning, and I need to get ready for work.

James, I wish we could spend more time together. I really miss you.

Things will get easier once this case is over. Why don’t I take you out for dinner tonight? I think it will be a great way to reconnect with one another.

Will you have the time tonight? I know you’ve been swamped with work and everything, Joy said, giving him a half-smile.

If I leave soon I will see to it that I get home at a reasonable hour. I will meet you back here at six thirty.

Okay. Let’s go out tonight. It sounds wonderful, Joy said. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss his forehead.

I have to get ready for work, but I’m glad we’ll finally be able to spend some time together tonight, James said as he gave Joy a long embrace.

I’m glad we’re going out tonight too. It will finally give us a chance to enjoy each other’s company like we used to.

They stood in silence for a few moments.

Joy broke the silence and asked, Why don’t we sit and have breakfast together today? I will make your favourites… blueberry pancakes, sausages and some strong black coffee, she said eagerly, obviously ignoring the fact that James was rushing to work.

Sorry, honey. I have a head start on the day now, so I think I should get ready to go to work. I’ll get something to eat on the way to the office. I hope you’re not upset. We can do breakfast another time, James said as he walked up the stairs.

Okay, I thought I would ask, she said. Joy watched him go upstairs and then continued to wander around the kitchen.

It wasn’t even six o’clock. Joy made another strong cup of coffee while James took his shower. As she sat sipping it, she read the newspaper. Then she began to prepare her lunch to take to work. Twenty minutes later, James came down the stairs wearing his usual black suit and fancy tie. He walked straight to Joy and gave her a half-hearted kiss on the cheek.

Joy, I will see you at dinner tonight. Have a great day, sweetheart. James winked and flashed his dazzling smile as he sauntered through the door.

After he left for work, Joy cleaned the kitchen, and then she got ready to go to the office. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with people today. She felt drained from the day-to-day pressures of being a communications college professor. Her day flowed from lecturing to creating presentations to constantly marking midterms, essays and examinations. She was so thankful that it was finally Friday and that James and she had the weekend to relax together. She just wanted to stay in her pyjamas and watch old movies in bed for the entire day. That was a fantasy; her reality was to finish the workweek and then enjoy the rest of the weekend with James.

She wandered through the house doing the chores—making the bed, putting away laundry and packing the dishwasher with dirty dishes. When Joy glanced at the time, she immediately grabbed her cell phone, lunch and car keys. By the time she left for work, it was close to eight o’clock. She had at least a 20-minute commute to the college, so she often listened to either the radio or music or pondered in silence about issues that she needed to attend to in order to get through her day.

On her drive into work she thought about her entire relationship with James. She reflected on how committed and attentive he used to be compared to now. When they were dating, James created ways for them to spend time together. Joy remembered when he crammed for the Bar exam and she worked different shifts to make ends meet. James often surprised her at lunch and whisked her away to go on a short picnic. Now, they could go for days without even seeing or speaking to one another, and it didn’t seem to matter to him. Joy felt as if she was just another fixture in the house.

While Joy was driving, she imagined what their evening would be like tonight. She was grateful that James offered to take her out for dinner. She pictured them having an intimate evening after a long, gruelling workweek. She envisioned them sharing a bottle of red wine in front of the restaurant fireplace. The thought of relaxing was comforting enough to motivate her to get through her day.

Joy signalled and then turned left into her parking spot at Brighton College. She stopped and turned off both the car and her thoughts. She reached for her purse, briefcase and a box of files for the office. Her hands were full, and she struggled to carry everything from the car to the side entrance.

As Joy was walking, she met her friend and colleague Carole Majors.

Hi, Joy. How are you? It’s a lovely morning, isn’t it?

It certainly is, Carole. Joy panted as she struggled to get to the door.

Can I help you, Joy? Carole relieved her of the box of files.

I thought you would never ask, Joy chuckled, relinquishing the box.

So what are you up to this weekend, Carole?

Nathan and I are going away for the weekend. We’re looking forward to getting away, just the two of us. You?

James and I are going out tonight for the first time in a long time. I am actually excited about it.

Where are you going?

We’re going out to dinner somewhere. James hasn’t told me where yet. I am excited.

Yeah, I can only imagine how excited you must be. I have known you for so long and have yet to meet your husband. I have never once seen you two together, Carole said.

That’s because we don’t get to go out much. It’s terrible that you have never met him. I will introduce you one day.

It would be neat to see him in the flesh. We’ve worked together for a while now, and I have only seen his pictures on your desk.

"That is crazy, isn’t it?" Joy said. She felt embarrassed that Carole had never met James after so many years.

They continued to make small talk as they walked through the crowded halls of the college. They arrived at the end of corridor D. Joy pulled out her office keys, opened the door and plopped everything on her desk.

Thank you for your help, Carole. Have a great weekend.

Thanks. You too, Joy, Carole said. She turned and walked back in the direction of her office.

Joy took the box of files and placed it on the chair closest to her desk. She removed her jacket, hung it on the coat rack and logged onto her computer. Her first lecture was at nine thirty, so she had time to respond to e-mails, mark papers and putter around her office. Her goal was to have an efficient, productive day.

Joy was focused and content with her morning until she was suddenly overwhelmed with phone calls and students asking for assistance with their studies.

It became a long, gruelling Friday, and Joy was able to mark only a few term papers. She put the rest in a box to bring home to complete over the weekend.

As Joy was collecting the term papers, her office phone rang.

She hesitated as she picked up the telephone. Hello. Joy Wildman-McInnis.

Hi, darling. How is your day going? James asked.

My day is going well. I have had a very productive day. Why are you calling?

I am calling to let you know that I will be home at six thirty, and we have reservations for seven o’clock. I also wanted to hear your voice and surprise you.

Oh, that’s really sweet. I will see you at home. I was just about to leave the office.

You are leaving before five o’clock? That’s not like you.

I’m tired, and I would like to get some rest before our big date. Besides, I am only leaving half an hour earlier than usual. Where did you say we are going tonight?

It’s a surprise, Joy. Please dress nicely, as you always do. I will see you soon. Goodbye.

See you soon, Joy said and hung up the telephone.

Joy gathered her belongings and headed home. She ran a hot bath and soaked in the tub until she looked and felt like a prune. She slipped into her white robe and then combed through her closet to determine what she would wear.

Joy decided on a form-fitting black and red wraparound dress. As she was putting on her earrings, she heard James open the front door. She fussed, primped, grabbed her clutch purse and headed downstairs. As she walked down the steps, she noticed his back was turned. He was wearing a suit and tie with a long, black trench coat.

Hi, sweetie. I am ready to go, Joy said.

When James turned around, Joy noticed he was on his cell phone. He continued his conversation and gave her an approving look before he hung up the phone.

Who was that? Joy asked.

It was Ben Sherwood, my legal assistant. He helps with details of the cases, and he confirms the facts of each case. I honestly don’t know what I would do without him. By the way, you look lovely. I made reservations at the Colonnade Room tonight. We had better leave so that we won’t be late, James said as he helped Joy with her coat.

*   *   *

They arrived at the Colonnade Room a few minutes after seven o’clock and entered the romantic ambience of the restaurant. They noticed a dance floor in the middle of the room, where couples danced to classic songs while they waited for their dinner. It was the perfect setting. The lights were dim, and each table had two lit candles as centerpieces and was dressed in a black-and-white tablecloth. Each chair was draped in white.

The soft music playing in the background set the mood to perfection. The maître d’ took their coats and led them to a table tucked away in a corner by the window near the back of the restaurant.

James and Joy expressed their awe. This was their first visit to the Colonnade Room, which friends had recommended to them.

James, this is a beautiful restaurant. It’s just amazing! Joy said as she looked around in wonder.

I am glad that you approve of my choice, he said, placing the serviette on his lap.

Before Joy could say another word, their server appeared.

Hello, and welcome to the Colonnade Room. My name is Roy. I’ll be your server tonight. May I interest you in some beverages to start?

We’ll order a bottle of your best Riesling wine, James said confidently. When the server left he leaned over and reached for Joy’s hands.

We’re going to have a great time tonight, sweetheart.

Joy was about to respond, but his cell phone rang. James reached for it and became involved in a conversation. The waiter came back with their water and wine. James remained on the telephone as the waiter poured the wine. Joy sipped her wine and waited patiently, but she was annoyed that he took the phone call when they were on a date. After a few more minutes, she crossed her arms and glared at him. James quickly got off the phone.

Sorry. It was Ben again.

Are you going to spend the evening with me or Ben? Joy asked.

Well, it’s important that Ben understands what I’m asking of him.

I’m sure Ben will understand if you trust him enough to do his job. Please turn off your phone. I would like you all to myself tonight, without unnecessary distractions.

James reached for his cell phone and turned it off. I’m all yours.

Finally I have you all to myself, Joy said.

The server came to take their orders. James ordered a lamb sirloin with a baked potato and steamed vegetables, and Joy ordered the beef tenderloin with mashed potato and mixed vegetables.

While they waited for their meals, they caught up with each other’s lives. They lived such separate lives that Joy had no idea what James’s career triumphs and failures were. They amused themselves telling their stories.

Would you like to dance, Joy? James asked suddenly, and he reached out for her hand.