Heavenstone 02 - Secret Whispers

each other because we might fall. I sensed he was trying to be careful about anything he said now. In truth, I was as well.
    “Your father and I were talking about naming a new horse he bought Sam. He thought your uncle would like that, too. Wouldn’t that be fun? Having a horse named after you? I’m actually surprised he has never done it.”
    “He had a horse named Cassie Girl, named after my sister.”
    “Well, now it’s your turn.”
    “As long as no one blames me for not being a winner. Cassie Girl was a winner.”
    “Of course, no one would. Don’t be silly.” He took my arm and stopped walking. “Look, Semantha, I’m sorry if I did or said anything to disturb you before. I know you had a little relapse of sorts, and right now, you’re a little fragile, so you’re seeing everything from the dark side. I’m hoping I can change that. I hope you believe me.
    “Anyway,” he continued when I remained silent, “I’m more convinced than ever that the best thing that could happen to us would be for you to get pregnant. Nothing binds two people as much as their children. Maybe that would help put your past unhappiness further behind you as well.”
    He waited anxiously for my response, but I had none.
    “I’m a little cold suddenly,” I said, embracing myself.
    “Yes, I thought it would be warmer. Okay, let’s go back inside. Do you want to be with your father and Lucille or—”
    “Let’s just go up and watch television in our own suite, Ethan.”
    “Sure. I’ll just let them know,” he said, and went right to the den after we entered.
    “He’s probably telling them you’re under control,” Cassie said.
    “I am,” I replied, and went upstairs.
    When I entered our suite, the phone was ringing. It was Uncle Perry.
    “How are you, Sam?” he asked. “I understand you’ve had quite a day.”
    “I’m all right, Uncle Perry.”
    “You know, if you need someone to talk to, I’m here for you.”
    “I know.”
    “Your father can be a bull in a china shop.”
    “It’s all right,” I assured him. “I’m fine. We’re fine.”
    “You sure?”
    “Yes.”
    “All right. I’ll see you soon,” he promised.
    Ethan didn’t come up for nearly half an hour. I distracted myself watching a movie, but when he finally came up, he tried again to start a conversation about having children.
    When I didn’t respond, he said, “I guess this is important to me because I was an only child. I’d like us to have four, at least. What about you?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “You’d want some sons to get to grow up and become executives in the Heaven-stone Corporation, right?”
    “Of course,” Cassie whispered.
    “Not necessarily,” I said.
    “What? Why not?” he asked with an incredulous smile.
    “The business was always more important to Cassie than it was to me. I wouldn’t force my children to work in the corporation. Suppose one of them wanted to be a doctor or an actor or something?”
    He laughed. “No one growing up here could avoid becoming a part of the Heaven-stone Corporation.”
    “I did,” I said.
    “I thought you were going to work for your uncle.”
    “But I didn’t, did I? Actually, Lucille talked me out of it. And then you did as well. Remember?”
    He was quiet, and we didn’t talk about the corporation or having children any more that night. Despite how everyone had acted at dinner and afterward, I knew my having visited my daughter was still quite shocking. I had even heard it in Uncle Perry’s voice when he had called.
    I imagined he and Daddy had some conversations about me over the next few days. I was sure Uncle Perry took my side of things and probably persuaded Daddy to wait before getting me back into formal therapy again. He never mentioned it. In fact, as Ethan had hoped, my visiting the Normans wasn’t mentioned again, either. Ethan and I had our dinners out. He was as sensitive and caring as could be the first night and tried to repeat the warm, romantic times we’d had in Monaco.
    The second time, we did meet the executive he had mentioned, Charles Duncan, and his wife, Sandra. They had two children: a boy, age five, and a girl, age four. Sandra was a stay-at-home mother, who had gone to college and majored in English, intending to become a teacher. She said she had made the choice to be with her children during their younger years and expected to go into teaching when they were older.
    Although Sandra was very nice, I had the feeling Ethan had