As the days went by, Delia became very adept at her job, even overshadowing the memory of the late Jeanne Lindahl. She was quick, bright, and not afraid to make helpful suggestions. She was also not above accepting correction and instruction in how to perform her duties even better.
The budding friendship between the two young people blossomed quickly into romance. The six older employees watched with amusement and approval as the two grew in their relationship with one another. Delia had already endeared herself to everyone on the ranch. The only ones she couldn’t seem to impress were Ivan’s grandparents. She began to look forward to spring when they would return to Oregon.
Lynne, Sue, and Betsy all worked together to decorate the house for Christmas. Ned, Jess, and Travis worked on the outdoor decorations while Ivan migrated back and forth overseeing the whole project and offering his suggestions here and there. Delia decorated her office and her little cottage, making both just as festive as she knew how. “The only real drawback to Arizona,” she told Betsy when the latter came into the office to admire her handiwork, “is that because it’s so warm and sunny, it doesn’t really feel like Christmas.”
“Yeah, I know,” Betsy said. “I was raised in Wisconsin and we always had snow for Christmas. Of course we had snow for months and was always glad to see it go. I don’t miss snow at all, except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Too bad we can’t cover the yard with fake snow, and skip the cold weather.”
“That would work,” Delia said, laughing. “No roads to plow either.”
“Right. Or sidewalks to shovel.”
Two nights before Christmas Eve, Ivan invited Delia to go for a ride with him to look at Christmas lights around town. She was delighted to go. Ivan chose to drive the Roadmaster that evening. He had a method to his madness. The Roadmaster had a front bench seat, and the gearshift was on the steering column. That made a lot of room for Delia to sit close beside him as he drove.
He could see why older cars were so prized by the folks who had grown up with them. They far outclassed the new cars with all their techno-gadgets and computerized this and that. Ivan had both the old and the new and truth be told, he favored the old over the new by a long shot. The Bird was sweet, but it didn’t have the personality that this old Roadmaster had. And the Roadmaster’s ride couldn’t be beat anywhere.
The couple enjoyed a two-hour excursion looking at all the Christmas lights and decorations. Ivan drove through a fast food place and got them each a hot chocolate to sip on as they went. When they got home, Delia invited Ivan to come in to watch an old Christmas movie on TV with her. She made popcorn while he turned on the TV and found the right channel.
They snuggled up together on the sofa with the big bowl of popcorn between them and tall glasses of apple cider to drink. The movie had a romantic ending, which incited them to follow suit with some serious making out and heavy petting. One thing soon led to another, and before they really stopped to consider what they were doing, they were making love.
When their passion had subsided and they were lying together in each other’s arms, Ivan murmured softly, “I love you, Delia. I really love you.”
“I love you, too, Ivan,” she responded. “But-but you, we didn’t use any protection.”
“Not to worry, my love,” he said, stroking her cheek. “I can’t make babies. The car wreck that killed my family injured me, making it impossible for me to father a child.”
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry,” Delia said caressing his muscled upper arm. “But for right now, it’s a good thing. I don’t really want to get pregnant right now.”
An hour later, Ivan pulled himself away and went home. He was beginning to seriously consider asking Delia to marry him, but he wasn’t ready to take that step just yet. Maybe in the spring.
Christmas was a quieter holiday at Ivan’s house than Thanksgiving had been. His employees, all but Delia, took the week off that he gave them between Christmas and New Year’s and each went to visit their own grown children or other family in various parts of the country. So it was just Ivan and Delia and Ivan’s grandparents that gathered around the large tree in his family room to exchange gifts, and later the dining table for a feast that Lynne had prepared in advance for them.
Delia still felt like the elder Peters’ weren’t all that thrilled with her, although they were politely friendly and pleasant toward her. When she brought up the subject to Ivan, he brushed off her concerns telling her that it was just their ways and not to worry. He didn’t think it necessary to tell her that his grandma had talked to him about his relationship with Delia, warning him that she was probably just after his money and that he should be careful.
When Ivan learned that Delia’s best friend, Kendra, was getting married on New Year’s Day, he insisted that she fly up to Denver to attend the wedding. Delia was ecstatic at the thought of getting to see Kendra again, as well as be there for her wedding. Because this all came about just two days before the wedding, Delia decided to surprise her.
“Will you come with me?” Delia asked Ivan when they were discussing the subject. “I’d love to introduce you to Kendra.”
“If you want me to, sure,” he replied. “I’ll charter a small plane just for the two of us.”
They flew from Scottsdale to Denver on New Year’s Eve, rented a hotel room for the night, and then went out for dinner and dancing until midnight. The next afternoon, Ivan guided the rental car to the church where Kendra’s wedding was being held. They arrived at the church about thirty minutes early because Delia hoped to be able to see Kendra before the ceremony.
Sure enough, she was in one of the church’s classrooms with her bridesmaids all getting dressed and their hair and makeup being done. Delia cautiously opened the door and peaked in, scanning the room for Kendra. When she spotted her, Kendra’s back was to her. So she slipped in and sneaked up on her.
She put her hands around Kendra’s eyes and said, “Surprise!”
Kendra whirled around, eyes wide with shock.
“Dee! You came! You’re here! Is this real? Are you really here?”
“Yes, Kennie, it’s really me,” Delia laughed. “I’m really here.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Kendra demanded.
“It was only a couple of days ago that I mentioned it to Ivan and he said I should come,” Delia explained. “By then, I wanted to surprise you.”
“You sure scored on that point,” Kendra exclaimed.
The girls chattered animatedly for a few minutes. Kendra introduced Delia all around. Soon, Delia could see that she needed to excuse herself so the girls could finish getting ready. The ceremony was scheduled to begin in just ten minutes.
“I’ll see you at the reception,” Delia told Kendra, hugging her once more. “Then you can meet Ivan.”
“And you can meet Jared. You’re in love, aren’t you?” Kendra said. “I can see it in your eyes.”
“I am,” Delia admitted. “And I’ve never been happier.”
“See you soon,” Kendra said, when the wedding coordinator gave her the look that said, you’ve got to finish getting ready.
Delia rejoined Ivan in the hallway and they made their way back to the foyer and were escorted to a seat in the sanctuary by an usher. The ceremony was absolutely, beautifully perfect. Kendra’s gown was exquisite, the bridesmaids’ dresses were fabulous, the men were all handsome in their tuxes, and the music was heavenly. The reception was fun, and both girls enjoyed meeting each other’s man. All too soon, it was all over with and the bride and groom left amidst a flurry of confetti and well-wishing.
Ivan and Delia drove back to the airport where they met the pilot who flew them back to Scottsdale. It had been a whirlwind trip, but Delia was walking on clouds. Even though they had no time for a good heart-to-heart talk, just seeing Kendra again had given Delia a boost.
Two weeks later, Delia was beginning to seriously worry. Her period was several days late, and she was never late. Ever. No matter what Ivan had said, she was sure she was pregnant. And there were no other men in her life. So, he had either laid a line on her, or else something had changed over the years. She decided to wait a couple more weeks before saying anything to Ivan, just on the outside chance that she was only late.
By the first part of February, Delia knew she had to be pregnant. Not only had she completely missed one period and was now late for a second, but she was beginning to experience morning sickness. She decided to buy a home pregnancy test and see what it said. It said she was pregnant.
Her job and her life had been going so well. She and Ivan were openly a couple in love now, and had the blessing of all of his ranch staff. The elder Peters’ were her only detractors. And Ivan had been shielding her from their efforts to warn him about her, but she could sense their disapproval.
One morning in early February, she was so sick that she called Ivan on his cell phone and told him she couldn’t come in right away.
“I hope I’ll feel better in an hour or so, and then I’ll come over,” she told him.
“Can I do anything for you?” he wanted to know.
“Do you have any 7-Up?” she asked. “I think that would help.”
“Sure, I’ll bring it right over,” he told her.
He was there in just a few minutes with a two-liter bottle of the pop, found a glass in the cupboard, and poured her some. He tried not to get to close to her, assuming she had the flu.
“It’s okay,” she told him. “I’m not contagious. It’s not the flu.”
“What’s wrong then?” he asked, puzzled.
“Ivan,” she began hesitantly, “you know that I love you, right?”
“Of course, I know that,” he said. “I love you, too. What’s wrong?”
“You know where I’ve been ever since I moved out here. I’ve either been at work, at home, or with you. Right?”
“I guess so, except when you go to town. What’s this all about?”
“Ivan, I’m pregnant.”
You could have heard a pin drop. Ivan just stared at this woman whom he’d come to love, in whom he had complete trust.
“Pregnant? No, you can’t be,” he protested. “At least not with my baby. I told you, I’m sterile. You’re either mistaken or you’ve been cheating on me. It’s one or the other. Which is it?”
Ivan grew agitated as he spoke. He knew that he couldn’t possibly have impregnated Delia. The doctor told him fourteen years ago that his male reproductive organs had been damaged and that he would never be able to father a child. He had no reason to believe that anything had changed. Angry and hurt, he turned on his heel and left Delia lying there on the sofa and slammed out the door. He jumped on the ATV and roared off up into the hills.
He couldn’t go back to the house right now. Everyone knew that he and Delia were an item. Everyone also knew that he was sterile. So now everyone would know that Delia, sweet Delia, was a liar and a cheat. What to do? He wasn’t prepared to just toss her out on the street. Not just yet. There had to be a logical explanation. Maybe she wasn’t really pregnant. He’d heard of a phenomenon called false pregnancy. Maybe that was her problem.
When had she had time to carry on an affair with someone else? From what she told him, she had to have gotten pregnant around Christmas. He really could account for her whereabouts most of that time. He hadn’t been out of town. Even though the weather was mild in his area, in much of the country where his properties were located it was winter, so he just stayed home in January.
The times that Delia went to town alone, she was usually on an errand for him. She often called or texted him when she was gone, so it seemed unlikely that she was carrying on with someone in town. So what was the answer to this mystery? He knew what his grandparents would think. She had cheated on him, and then tried to convince him that the baby was his in order to extort money from him. They had warned and warned him. Maybe they were right.
His head was about to split with all the thoughts and suppositions that swirled around, chasing one another and stumbling over each other as he tried to make sense of this bombshell. After an hour of hard riding, he stopped on top of a hill to try to think things through. It was the hardest thing he’d had to deal with since his family died.
Finally, he decided to play it cool for a few days. Let her take her sick time off or come to work as she felt like it. See if she still persisted in the notion that she was pregnant. If she insisted, he would send her off to do some property inspections on her own—far away. Like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida. That would get her off the property for a month or so. Then, maybe by the time she came back, he would have figured out something.
A week later, on a Friday afternoon, Ivan pitched the idea to Delia.
“I’ve decided to send you out on some property inspections on your own,” he told her.
“Oh? Where?” she asked warily.
Their relationship had been strained at best, non-existent at worst for that week. The other employees knew that something was amiss, but she didn’t know how much Ivan had told them. At least no one had said anything hateful to her. They had just pretty much avoided her. Maybe it would be good to get out of there for a while. While she was gone, she could look for another job in another state, since he seemed unable or unwilling to deal with the fact that she was carrying his baby.
He spent the next thirty minutes outlining her itinerary, while she tried her best to hold back the tears. She numbly acknowledged each stop she was to make and what he was expecting her to do. When he finished, he dismissed her for the day. She picked up her purse and water bottle and walked the half mile home. As soon as she was inside the refuge of her cottage, she burst into tears. She knew that he was sending her on this inspection tour just to get her out of his sight. At least he hadn’t fired her yet. But maybe while she was gone, he would look for her replacement.
Her heart was breaking as she packed a large suitcase and an overnight bag, preparing to leave early the following morning. She tidied up her home, and wondered how much longer it would be her home. She had let herself go and believe that she could live here just as long as her work pleased Ivan. And then, when they fell in love, she had allowed herself to imagine living at Shadow Mountain Ranch forever. So much for dreams.
Delia was preparing for bed when she was surprised to hear a knock on her front door. She threw on a bathrobe and went to see who was there. It was Ivan. He looked nervous, but asked if he could come in.
“Uh, Delia,” he began, “I just came by to see if you needed anything before you go.”
“No,” she answered, “I’m fine. The only thing I need, you seem incapable of giving me.”
“We’ve been through this already,” he said with a tired sigh. “I can’t make babies. That’s all there is to it. So you’re either having a false pregnancy or you’ve cheated on me—even if it was only once—or you’ve experienced an immaculate conception. And I’m quite positive it’s not the last choice.”
“I have never cheated on you, Ivan Peters, and you should know that by now,” Delia said fiercely. “NEVER! I don’t even have any men friends except for the men on this ranch, and I doubt that they are my friends anymore. I knew a few men that worked at the store, but we weren’t what I would call friends, much less boyfriends.”
“What else could it possibly be?” he demanded. “I am sterile. Sterile. I will never be able to father a child. Don’t you get it?”
“I get it,” Delia said wearily. “I know that’s what the doctor told you, what fourteen, fifteen years ago. But have you been checked out since then? Maybe something changed. Maybe something in there fixed itself. How do I know? All I know is that you are the ONLY man I’ve had sex with and I know that I am pregnant. So you figure it out.”
Ivan ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He just couldn’t believe that his body could repair itself. Could it? Maybe while she was gone, he would make an appointment with a doctor to see if it was barely possible.
“I’ll see you when you get back,” he finally said. “Call me if you need anything while you’re gone.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Delia slept fitfully that night, understandably upset about her situation. She felt determined to do a flawless job on this assignment she was going on, even if its only purpose was to get her off the ranch for a while. Maybe left alone, Ivan would come to his senses and see a doctor. At any rate, he would have no cause to fault her work. Throwing herself into the trip would also help her get through this difficult time.
Ivan, too, spent a restless night. He knew that the only reason he was sending Delia out on the road was to get rid of her for a while. Was that really fair? Would she be all right out there alone? She did seem quite capable of taking care of herself. She’d been on her own for ten years or so. But now she was pregnant. Should she be seeing a doctor? Even though the baby wasn’t his, he didn’t wish any harm to come to it. Maybe with her gone, he could clear his head. Out of sight, out of mind. By the time she came back, maybe he would have gotten over his feelings for her. Yeah, right.