TWENTY-TWO

“Sullivan.  I’m so sorry…”

Cate gasped breathlessly as she came to an abrupt halt at the small counter.  She tried not to pant as she struggled to regain her composure.  She could feel her heart pounding and her blood rushing in her ears, the result of her sprint up eight flights of stairs.

The petite blonde receptionist smiled understandingly.  “It’s okay, Mrs. Sullivan.  Your husband’s here.  He said you were running late.”

Cate nodded, sucking in a breath.  “I… I was at the Court…”  She reached up to impatiently shove an errant strand of mahogany hair away from her face.  Cate frowned slightly as she tried to remember the name of the young woman who had just recently joined Dr. Klein’s staff.

“No problem.  We’re ready for you.  Do you want to hang up your coat before you go on back?”

“No… Thanks.  I’ll hang on to it.”  Cate paused to pull in and blow out a long breath.  She needed the gulp of oxygen to dilute the adrenaline surging through her bloodstream.  “Where do you want me?”

“Your husband is waiting in Room Seven.”  The blonde’s smile brightened and a little squeak caught in her voice.  Cate chuckled breathlessly as she recognized the familiar signs.  Jon had clearly turned on the charm during his interaction with the New Girl.

Without answering, Cate gave a nod of acknowledgement.  She strode quickly to the far end of the room, slipping through the door that separated the treatment area from the waiting room.  Cate hurried down the hallway, glancing at the numbered placards beside each doorway.   Halfway down the hall she spotted her destination.

“Hey, I’m here.”  Cate burst through the door with her anxious announcement.  “Sorry I’m so late…”

“Baby, where’ve you been?  I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour!”  Jon’s scold was more relieved than annoyed.  He waved the iPhone in his hand at Cate.  “Why didn’t you answer my texts?”

Cate sighed breathily as she tossed her leather satchel onto a nearby chair and pulled at the loosely-knotted scarf swathing her neck.  “I was at the Court, then I was running and on the subway, headed here.”

“You couldn’t text me from the train?”

“Jon, my signal sucks in the subway.  You know that.”  Cate’s fingers scrambled over the buttons on her heavy coat.  She tipped her head toward her briefcase.  “And my phone was in my bag.”

“Why didn’t you just take a cab?”  Jon’s tone turned slightly accusatory, masking his worry.

Cate arched a brow at her husband’s mildly snarky argument.  “On Friday afternoon?  Yeah, right.”  She snorted softly.  “What does it matter now, anyway?”

“Why were you all the way down at the Courthouse?”

Cate succeeded in unfastening her overcoat and shrugging it from her shoulders.  She folded it over the back of the chair holding her briefcase before reaching to the small of her back.  She tugged the paddle holster containing her duty weapon from her belt, then tucked it into her satchel before turning to look at her husband.

An amused smirk curved her lips as she saw he was sitting on the examination table, his booted feet dangling over the side and swinging impatiently, not touching the floor.  On either side of Jon’s knees metal table extensions fitted with plastic stirrup footrests jutted forth.  Cate snorted softly at the comical vision.

“Because, Jon.  Gus and I had to go get the Magistrate’s signature.”  She held up a hand to silence his next question before he could ask.  “Can’t tell you.  But we had to get it before the weekend, and he told us to come straight over.”

Jon gave Cate a half-hearted glower.  “Gus couldn’t take it over himself?  You had to be there too?”

“We both had to be there.  I’m the primary affiant, Gus is the secondary.  It took a little longer than we thought, but it wasn’t like I could just walk out on a Federal Magistrate Judge.”  Cate snorted.  “And don’t you try to ‘stink-eye’ me, Mister.”  She fixed her husband with her own stern look.

Her mild scold broke Jon’s façade.  He gave Cate a sheepish smile, ducking his head to avoid her challenging gaze.  “Okay, okay.  I was worried.  You’re over a half-hour late.”

“Sometimes shit happens.”

Jon raised his blue eyes, peering contritely at Cate through the shaggy wisps of his sandy bangs.  “So, does that mean I don’t get a ‘hello’ kiss?”  His lips curved into a hopeful pout.

Cate felt a flush of warmth as she couldn’t stop her own little smirk.  Damn him, Jon always knew how to get to her.  She was as defenseless against his beguiling smile as was the little blonde at the front desk.

“No, of course not,” Cate relented, moving over to him.  She stepped close to Jon’s perch, between his parted knees.  Cate smiled gently as she turned her face up to her husband's.  Her reward was a tender caress of his mouth over hers.

“Missed you,” Jon murmured against Cate’s lips.

“Me too.”  Cate took a half-step back.  Her hand settled on Jon’s denim-clad knee as she gave him a quizzical smirk.   “Think I’m supposed to be the one up there, not you.”

“There’s room up here for two.”  The exam table’s paper cover crackled with Jon’s sideways shift.  He gave Cate a playful leer as he patted the vinyl upholstery next to his hip.  “Doc Klein had other patients, so we’re gonna have to wait until he can fit you in.”

Cate chuckled softly.  “And you wanna pass the time how, exactly?”

“We can come up with something.”  Jon smirked mischievously.  “Besides, this is a fertility practice.  We’d probably get extra credit for trying to make a baby here.”

“I don’t think that’s quite what they have in mind,” Cate chortled softly.  “Though I doubt the nurses would mind walking in and finding you naked.”

“Who said anything about naked?”

“Ha ha.”  Cate gave Jon’s knee a light smack before stepping back and turning toward the chair that held her belongings.  “I guess while I’m waiting I should check on…”

A loud click preceded the movement of the exam room door, making Cate pause.

“Ah, there she is!  Hello, Mrs. Bongiovi.”  The nurse gave Cate a broad smile.  “Sounds like you’ve had a busy day.”

Cate nodded, returning a genuine smile to her favorite of Dr. Klein’s assistants.  “You could say that, Edie.  Sorry to keep you all waiting.”

Nurse Edie waved a hand as she chuckled.  “No biggie.  Besides…”  She put a hand next to her mouth, shielding her words in a faux-secretive gesture.  “As much as you pay for this treatment, you can pretty much show up any damned time you want.  We’re at your beck and call.”  She gave Cate a wink and a grin.

Cate chortled at her revelation, blushing slightly as she shook her head.  “No, no.  I know better than that.  Dr. Klein is busy, and I hate being late.  So I’m sorry.”

“No harm done.”  Nurse Edie stepped further into the room, letting the door swing closed behind her.  She turned her attention to Cate’s husband.  “Hiya, Handsome.”

“Hey there, Gorgeous.”  Jon replied to the middle-aged nurse’s playful greeting with his own cheerful flirt.  “You’re lookin’ mighty fine today.  That color becomes you.”

“Oh, this old thing?”  The nurse made a sweeping gesture toward her attire of loose-fitting light blue scrubs and a white lab coat.  “Something I just threw together.”

“Well, it makes those beautiful eyes of yours look blue as a summer sky.”

Nurse Edie laughed.  “Alright, you win.  I’ve been out-flirted.  As usual.”  She shook her bottle-blonde head slightly and moved past Jon and Cate to the counter.  “Now, how about you get your tushie off-a there and let your wife sit where she’s supposed to be?”

Jon chortled at the nurse’s order.  “Yes, ma’am.”  He touched his fingertips to his temple in a little salute, then slid off the edge of the exam table.  His boots made a dull thump against the tile floor.

He turned to Cate and offered her his hand.  “All yours, Baby.”  Jon smiled lovingly as Cate placed her hand in his and stepped up onto the stepstool, then settled onto the table.  He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before releasing them and moving over to the empty chair in the corner.  Jon groaned softly as he settled into the seat and stretched out his legs.

“So, Cate… Another ultrasound today, with a blood draw,”  Nurse  Edie’s observation was a thoughtful murmur as she scrolled through Cate’s medical chart on her electronic tablet.  “Your last FSH injection was…”

“Yesterday,” Cate finished for her.  “That was number two.”

“I see that.  And your ultrasound Tuesday looked pretty good, so…”  The nurse tapped at the electronic screen, then turned her smile to Cate.  “Today will probably be your trigger.”

“Hopefully.”  Cate smiled tiredly.  “This weekend is going to be crazy, so if we can avoid another visit here this week… well, that’s one more thing to check off a long list.”

Edie chuckled softly as she turned back around to face Cate, a blood pressure monitor in her hands.  “I’m pretty sure you won’t have to come back tomorrow.  And ‘Tis the Season, huh?  Only a week ‘til Christmas.”

“Yeah.  If I can just survive this coming week, maybe I’ll have a chance to take a breath.”  Cate slipped an arm out of her dark green cashmere cardigan, then pushed up the short sleeve of her matching shell.  She offered her exposed arm to the nurse, who adeptly wrapped it in the blood pressure cuff.

“Me too,” Edie replied.  “After next week I’m off to the Poconos with the family.  Two weeks with parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces, nephews… and twin teenagers.  By the end of it we’ll all be ready to kill each other.”  She grinned as she pressed a stethoscope against Cate’s arm and watched the cuff inflate.  “How about you?  Big holiday plans?”

Cate nodded.  “Well, the biggest thing is our Christmas party tomorrow night, out in Jersey.  Next weekend is family, then we finally get to relax a little.  Somewhere warm.”

Edie squinted at the machine’s digital readout at the sound of the beep.  “Your pressure’s a little high, but that’s probably from you rushing around earlier.”  She pulled the stethoscope from her ears, then tugged the cuff loose from Cate’s arm.  “So, a little getaway from the cold, huh?  Sounds nice.”  She glanced at Jon, giving him a little smile.

“Yeah.  We usually go to the Caribbean over the holiday break.  I’m too old for this winter shit.”  Jon replied with a self-deprecating grin.

“I hear ya.  I’ve often wondered what possessed my family to buy a cabin in the mountains instead of a house on the beach.”  Nurse Edie nodded as she pushed the blood pressure monitor back to its place, then turned to pull open a drawer.  “White sand, blue skies.  Where in the Caribbean?”

“Saint Barth.”

“Ah,” Edie replied sagely as she extracted several items from the drawer.  “Beautiful.  I went there a couple years ago.  A little crowded this time of year, though.  Lotsa famous folks.”

Jon chuckled.  “Yeah, well… we just smile for the cameras and hope they decide I’m too boring to hassle for long.  Usually works.”

“Good strategy.”  The nurse turned back to Cate, two glass vials and a plastic-wrapped syringe in her hands.  “Okay, Cate.  Vampire time.”

Automatically Cate held out her arm, offering her vein to the nurse in what had become a familiar ritual.  Edie knotted a rubber tourniquet above Cate’s elbow, then swiftly prepared the syringe.  With a light tap against her patient’s inner elbow joint she raised the vein, quickly swiped an alcohol wipe over the skin, then capably slipped the needle into Cate’s vessel.  A flick of her other hand released the band.  Cate watched placidly as the first, then the second vial quickly filled with dark crimson liquid.

“All done,” announced Nurse Edie in barely a minute.  She pressed a cotton ball against the puncture wound, then smiled at Cate.  “I’ll run these down to the lab, and let Dr. Klein know you’re all set.  You can go ahead and get undressed for the ultrasound.   Gown and drape are behind you.”

“Thanks Edie.”  Cate smiled gratefully as she cradled her freshly-pierced arm, squeezing the cotton ball in the bend of her elbow joint.  The nurse waved in response as she moved to the door, then paused.

“Since I probably won’t see you before then… Merry Christmas.”

Jon and Cate simultaneously smiled at the nurse’s well-wish.  “Merry Christmas, Darlin’,” Jon drawled.  “Hope you get somethin’ good in your stocking.”

“You know I don’t expect nothin' but coal.”  Nurse Edie gave Jon a playful wink, then slipped through the door.

Cate giggled softly at the woman’s response.  She had immediately liked Edie when they first met at Cate’s initial consultation with Dr. Klein.  She was grateful for the experienced nurse’s cheerful demeanor and brash sense of humor, which she always seemed to know just how to use to boost her patients' spirits.  The nurse had certainly eased Cate through a roller-coaster ride of hormonal emotions in the past few months.

“She’s a good one.”  Jon quietly voiced his wife’s musings.

“Yeah, she is.  They’re all nice, but Edie’s something special.”  Cate nodded her agreement.  She turned her wistful smile to Jon.  “So, guess this is it.  At least for this month.”

Jon nodded slowly.  “Hope so.  No more pincushion.”

Though they had both been so busy over the past week that they had little time together, Jon had made a point of asking Cate to share her new daily medical routine with him.  The oral fertility drugs hadn’t fazed him, but the first time he watched Cate self-administer her injectable hormones had left Jon a bit shaken.  Suddenly the extent of their quest for parenthood seemed more daunting than he had previously perceived.

“It’s not that bad.  I’ve been through worse.”

“I know.”  Jon’s smile turned tender.  “I guess I just feel a little guilty, all you have to put your body through for this.”

Cate sighed softly, his words touching her.  “It will all be worth it in the end.  Right?”

“Absolutely.”

The couple gazed at each other for a silent moment, sharing the sentiment without need for words.  Then Cate reluctantly slid off the end of the exam table and toed off her shoes.  Her hands moved to her waist, unbuckling her sturdy leather belt.

“Want some help?”  It was obvious from Jon’s gentle tone that his offer was genuine, not a sexual tease.

Cate tipped her head toward the door, indicating the chrome hook that adorned the wood.  “Can you hang these up for me?”  She bent at the waist to slide her charcoal-gray slacks down her thighs before stepping out of them.

“Sure.”  Jon stood and took the pants from Cate, then stepped across the room to carefully arrange them on the hook.  He turned back to see Cate wiggling out of her modest black bikini panties.  “Want me to hang those up too?”  He couldn’t stop a little smirk.

“No.”  Cate snickered softly.  “Just stuff ‘em in my bag or something.  I don’t need my panties flapping in the breeze when that door opens and closes.”

“Didn’t think so.”  Jon took the proffered undergarment.  He smirked as he carefully folded the black cotton, then stuffed it into the back pocket of his Levis.  “There.  Panties secured.”

Cate rolled her eyes as she smiled at his playfulness.  Then a sudden flash of discomfiture hit her when she realized she was naked from the waist down, save for her black knee-high socks.  Her cheeks flushed lightly as she turned to grab for the folded paper drape.

Jon couldn’t hold back a chuckle at his wife’s unnecessary modesty.  His eyes automatically settled on her shapely behind as she turned away from him, reaching for her covering.  But, not wanting to embarrass Cate further, he said nothing as she scrambled back up onto the table and shook the drape out over her lap.  She had suffered all kinds of indignities over the past months, for him.  Jon couldn’t bring himself to exacerbate her vulnerability.

Once settled, Cate gave Jon a sheepish smile.  He stepped over to brush a light kiss of encouragement across her cheek, then returned to his chair.  As Jon settled back on his seat Cate glanced at the clock.

“Shit.  It’s almost five.”  She gestured toward the chair holding her coat, gun and briefcase.  “Could you hand me my phone, please?”

Jon reached to do her bidding.  He rummaged in the open mouth of Cate’s satchel for a moment before extracting her iPhone, then leaned to pass the device to her outstretched hand.  “What happens at five?”

“Nothing.  It’s just later than I thought.  I have a lot of last-minute things to do before we head out to the house.”  Cate’s fingers slid nimbly over the touchscreen of her phone as she searched for her checklist.

“So we’ll go out a little later.  No big whoop.”  Jon settled back in his chair and propped one ankle on his other knee.  “We can always drive out in the morning, ya know.”

Cate shook her head vigorously, her auburn tresses swaying with the movement.  “No, we need to get out there tonight.  The caterering company is coming to set up at ten.”

“Ten?  Shit, that’s plenty of time.  We can get up early, drive out before traffic gets too bad.  It’s only an hour.”

“Jon, you know you can’t predict the tunnel, or the parkway.  Especially not the weekend before Christmas.”  She stabbed fiercely at the phone with her index finger when it didn’t respond quickly enough for her liking.  Cate’s mouth curved into a frown when finally her calendar lit up the screen.  “Aw, shit.”

“What?”

“I forgot to pick up the dry cleaning.  And they close at six on Friday night.  Fuck.”

“So?”

“So, my blouse is in there.  The one I’m wearing for the party tomorrow night.”

Jon rolled his eyes.  “So wear something else.  You have a closet full of nice clothes.”

“But I want to wear my blue blouse.  The satin one.  You know, the one you said you like to see me in?”

Jon sighed as Cate’s crestfallen reply hit him square in the soft spot.  He did love the sight of her in the curve-hugging satin blouse she had bought during their Italian holiday.  It brought out the sparkling beauty of her deep sapphire eyes.  He reached for his own phone.

“What cleaners?”

“Kisan.”

Jon tapped the speed-dial, then held his phone to his ear.  The courteous answer came promptly, after only one ring.

Jon raised his eyes to meet Cate’s curious gaze.  He couldn’t help but smile at her as he spoke to the party on the other end of the line.

“Hey, Rudy.  It’s Jon Bon Jovi.”

“Hello, Mr. Bongiovi.  How are you this afternoon?”  The young  Assistant Concierge’s voice was a bit brighter at the realization of his caller’s identity.

“I’m good, Rudy.  Thanks.  Listen, I need a favor.”

“Anything, Sir.  What can I assist you with?”

“My wife and I are out, and we’ve been delayed by a rather important matter.  We’re not gonna make it back to the building in the next hour, and Cate needs a garment she left at the cleaners around the corner.  They close at six.  Can you or Phillip run over and pick it up for me?”

“Certainly, Sir.  Which cleaner?”

“Kisan.  Can you pick it up without the claim ticket?”  Jon’s brow furrowed as the thought occurred.  He saw Cate react to the comment, immediately tapping away at her phone to pull up the electronic receipt.

“I believe so, Sir.  They know the residents of this building pretty well.”

“Hang on… my wife’s got the number…”  Jon waited until Cate retrieved the notice, then recited the numbers.  “Eight-eight, seven four seven, two nine.  Got that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Great.  I think the tab’s taken care of…” Jon paused until he saw Cate’s vigorous nod.  “Yeah.  My wife already paid for it.  So, if you can just pick it up and bring it back, we’ll grab it from you when we come in.  Okay?”

“Got it, Mr. Bongiovi.  No problem.  I’ll go now.”

“Great.  Thanks, Rudy.”

“You’re welcome, Sir.  See you soon.”

With a smug grin Jon lowered the phone from his ear and closed the call.  “See?  Crisis averted.”

He chuckled softly at Cate’s grateful expression.  He knew she hated to ask their building attendants to run errands for her, even though that was part of their job and one of the perqs of living in an exclusive SoHo co-op.  Cate had never become quite comfortable with all aspects of his privileged lifestyle.  Jon doubted she ever would.  It was one of the things that both frustrated and endeared her to him.

“Thank God.  Thank you, Baby.  One less thing to worry about.”  Cate half-sighed her reply.  “Now, as soon as we’re done here we just have to get home, finish packing, I have to remember to call to re-confirm the pianist, but I guess I can do that while we’re driving…”

Jon growled softly, knowing his next words would fall on deaf ears.  “Cate, we have people to do this stuff for us, you know.  We can stay here in the City tonight, you can make your calls from home, then you can relax.  Christ, you’ve hardly been home all week.  And Nancy can meet the caterers in the morning.  You don’t have to be there.”

Cate looked up from her phone, fixing Jon with a serious stare.  “Yes, I do.  The party is tomorrow night, Jon.  I can’t just waltz in a couple hours before and assume everything’s gonna be done for me.”

Jon raised a hand to drag it through his sandy hair, biting back another weary sigh.  “Baby, you have everything covered.  You hired professionals.  Hell, that catering company knows my kitchen inside out.  They’ve been in and out of there so many times since we built that place…”

“Jon, this is our first holiday party… together.”  Cate’s quiet statement cut him off.  “I… I just need for it to be perfect.”  The waver in her voice revealed the truth.

Jon’s expression softened.  “Cate, this isn’t the first time you’ve played Hostess.  Not since we’ve been together, not since we were married.  Hell, look at the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving you pulled off just a few weeks ago.”  He gave her an encouraging smile.

“That’s different.  That was family.”  Cate took a deep breath, then looked Jon in the eye.  She knew he would be able to see right through her, but she didn’t care.

He did see it – her insecurity, her vulnerability.  It tugged at his heart.  “Aw, Baby.”  Jon shook his head slightly, his smile remaining.  “It’s just a holiday party.  Friends and family, hanging out.  That’s all.  It’s not the Red Bank High Society Event of the Year.”

“Friends and family who remember how the parties used to be.”

Jon heard the subtext loud and clear.  “Friends and family who know you are my wife.  Baby, nobody’s gonna compare this party to the ones Dorothea used to put together, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Cate shrugged and dropped her gaze to her paper-draped lap.  Now that he said it aloud it sounded even more petty than it felt.  “How can you be so sure?  Everybody on the guest list has known you -- and her --  a long time.”

“Listen, Cate.  Here’s what happens at our Christmas parties.  A bunch of people show up with bottles even though there’s an open bar.  Johnny's gonna be half in the bag when he walks in the door, and he's gonna flirt with you all night.  Somebody steals my camera and takes a bunch of goofy pictures, including at least one of somebody's anonymous Johnson. Obie complains about the food but eats all the shrimp.  Somebody tries to corner me to talk business but I escape because it’s Christmas and I don’t wanna talk about fucking business.  Stevie gives me shit about having a Napoleon complex because I live in a big French house even though I have an Italian last name.  We laugh a lot.  We drink too much wine.  Eventually somebody sits down at the piano and we all start singing Christmas carols but end up singing James Brown and Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis.”

Jon chuckled softly.  “And we stay up all night, until sooner or later everybody realizes we’re old fucks and we need to get some sleep.  Then we call a few cabs if we need to, and they go home.  That’s how it goes.  And I guaran-Goddamn-tee you nobody’s gonna walk out that door bitching about their Hostess, or saying ‘Dorothea did it better’.”

Cate looked up, her eyes shining.  “What makes you so sure?’

“Because if they do, they’re not my friends.”  Jon’s answer was soft, but fiercely adamant.  “And they’ll never set foot in my house again.”  Jon stared at Cate for a long moment, wanting to be sure she got the message.  When he saw acceptance in her glittering blue eyes, he smiled.

“Besides, you’ve already done way more for this party than Dorothea ever did.  She always hired a party planner.”  The statement was a bit of a fib, but Jon didn’t feel the least bit guilty when he saw Cate’s smile of a relief.

“Well… okay.  I guess… if you want, we’ll stay here tonight.”

“Good.  And we’ll get up early tomorrow, head out to the house, and you’ll be there in plenty of time to meet the caterers.  Promise.”  Jon gave Cate a reassuring grin. “And tonight we can…”

His proposal was interrupted by the re-opening of the exam room door.

“Well Hello, Cate.”  Dr. Klein’s warm greeting was accompanied by a grin.  “You finally made your escape, I see.”

Cate smiled guiltily.  “I’m so sorry.  I was in Judge’s Chambers.  Things took a little longer than I thought they would…”

The doctor chuckled as he nodded a greeting at Jon and moved over to the counter.  “No need to apologize.  Trust me, I get it.  Judges like to hear themselves talk almost as much as doctors do.”

Cate laughed softly at the little jab she knew was meant for Dr. Klein’s wife, who was an Administrative Judge in Nassau County.  “Well, still.  I apologize.  I know you had other patients waiting.”

“It’s fine, Cate.”  Dr. Klein quickly consulted the tablet displaying Cate’s medical chart before turning to his patient.  “So, let’s take a look at your ovaries, shall we?”  He clapped his hands lightly together to emphasize his readiness, then looked over at Jon.  “Wanna watch from down there or up here?”

Jon chuckled.  “Depends where the best view is.”

“Well, I think you’d probably rather watch the monitor than the insertion of the probe.  This is a transvaginal ultrasound, not abdominal.”

Cate chuckled softly as she saw Jon cringe, then jump to his feet.  He moved swiftly to her side, opposite Dr. Klein.

“I’m good up here with the monitor,” Jon announced, grinning.  “Besides, I’ve already seen all that down there.”

Cate rolled her eyes as her cheeks heated.  “Thanks, Dear.”

Dr. Klein laughed.  “That’s the prevailing view among husbands.  They’d rather be up here.  Can’t say I blame you.”  He turned his attention back to his patient.  “Okay, Cate.  Assume the position, please.”   He chortled as used the vernacular of her profession.

Cate reclined back onto the table, smoothing the paper drape over her lap as she lifted her legs.  She settled her feet into the stirrups, then took a deep breath.

The doctor pulled a flat screen monitor out on its swing-arm from the wall, and adjusted it where both he and his patients would be able to view the picture.  Then he rolled the metal tray-topped instrument rack to its place near Cate’s feet before taking his position on the stool.

Jon laced his fingers between Cate’s and gave her a little smile.  “This doesn’t hurt, right?”

“No.  Not at all.”  Cate shook her head slightly.  “I hardly feel anything, except…”  She winced as, with perfect timing, she felt the chilly wetness inside her.  “Except the gel is kinda cold.”  She chuckled softly.

“Okay, the probe is in…” Dr. Klein looked at the monitor, which flickered to life with a three-dimensional grey-toned image.  “And here we go.  First, left ovary…”

Together Jon and Cate turned their attention to the screen.  Cate’s lips pursed as she studied the familiar view, noting the differences from the image of just days before.  “Wow,” she muttered.

“Looks like we have a number of well-developed follicles on the left side,” Dr. Klein commented.  “Jon, can you see those circles on the screen, that look like bubbles?”

Jon nodded.  “Those are eggs?”

“Egg follicles.  They release eggs into the fallopian tubes.”

Jon squinted at the screen.  “Looks like a lot of ‘em.  Like…” He muttered a count.  “Seven.”  His eyes widened as he swiveled his head to look at the doctor.  “Does that mean she’s gonna have seven eggs that could be fertilized?”

“Potentially.  But not all follicles will release eggs.  In older women undergoing hyperstimulation we often see multiple matured follicles, but only half or less actually contain and release fertile eggs.”

“Can you tell how many are released?”

Dr. Klein shook his head.  “No.  We can’t detect the number of eggs in the fallopian tube.  We have to wait and see if any are fertilized and attach to the uterine wall.  That’s the only way to know for sure if there was one or more.”  He returned his attention to the screen.  “Now let’s take a look at the right ovary…”

Cate glanced at Jon as the images on the screen blurred while Dr. Klein manipulated the probe in her vagina.  She smiled at his transfixed expression.  His active interest in the details of her treatment gave her comfort and encouragement.  Cate squeezed Jon’s hand before looking back at the monitor.

“Yes, it looks like we’re well-developed on the right, too,” Dr. Klein observed.  “At least five viable follicles, notably more mature than they were Tuesday.”  He looked at Cate and gave her an approving smile.  “Looks like you’re ready for the trigger shot, Cate.”

“Great.”  Cate sighed with relief.  “I was hoping we could do it today.”

Dr. Klein nodded as he slipped the probe from Cate’s body, depositing it on the waiting tray at his side.  The screen went dark at the loss of signal.  Jon turned his questioning gaze back to Cate.  “So, this ‘trigger shot’… it’s just big hit of hormones?”

“Yep, pretty much.”  Dr. Klein tugged the paper cover down over Cate’s knees and stood.  “You can sit up, Cate.   I’ll give you the injection now, before you get dressed.”

Cate gratefully pulled her feet from the stirrups and dropped them over the side of the table.  Jon helped her lever herself back up to the seated position as Dr. Klein turned away to notate Cate’s chart.  After a brief pause he continued his explanation to Jon.

“So, this ‘trigger shot’ is actually a high dose of HCG, which kick-starts the production of progesterone, which in turn enriches the lining of the uterus.  Changes in hormonal balance will cause the follicles to release their eggs into the fallopian tubes for their travel to the uterus.  With a little luck and good timing…”  Dr. Klein turned to face Cate and Jon.  “One or more of those eggs will be fertilized and will implant in the uterine lining.”

“And I’ll be pregnant.” Cate’s hope slipped out in a half-whisper.

Dr. Klein smiled.  “Yes.  And you’ll be pregnant.”  He moved for the door.  “I just need to check with the lab to be sure your blood test was fine, then I’ll be back to administer the HCG.  Sit tight.”

Cate and Jon were quiet for a long minute after Dr. Klein’s departure, digesting what they had just heard.   Jon broke the silence.

“So does this mean you’re ovulating right away, after you get this shot?”

“No, not right away.  In about 24 to 36 hours.”

Jon grinned.  “So not, like… in the cab on the way home.”

“No,”  Cate giggled quietly.  “More like tomorrow or Sunday.”

“So there has to be lots of sex this weekend?”  Jon gave Cate a sly grin as he squeezed her hand.

Cate frowned slightly as her mind flew over her party preparation to-do list.  “Well not lots, exactly… The timing is more important…”

Jon read her thoughts.  “So maybe we oughta pencil it in somewhere on the schedule?  Squeeze it in between ‘caterers’ and ‘florist,’ maybe?”

His comment came off more sarcastically than he intended.  Immediately Jon regretted his snarky half-joke when he saw the hurt in Cate’s surprised look.

“Baby… I didn’t mean…”  Jon stammered softly, then swore.  “Fuck.  I’m sorry.  I’m an asshole.”

Cate snorted.  “Yeah, you kinda are.”  She pulled her hand free of Jon’s grasp, crossing her arms over her abdomen in an unconsciously defensive pose.

“Cate, I mean it.  I’m sorry.”  Jon gave Cate’s arm a gentle squeeze.  “I just meant… well, that this is more important than some stupid holiday party.  If something gets bumped off the list so we have time to spend together… to make our Baby… Well, it’s just a party.”

“I know what you meant, Jon.  It’s okay.”  Cate’s resigned voice hinted that she wasn’t quite sincere in her forgiveness.  “You’re right.  This is more important.”

Jon leaned over to press a kiss against Cate’s temple, then slipped his mouth to her ear.  “Forgive me, Baby?  I’m just a stupid big-mouthed prick.  You know that, right?”

Cate couldn’t stop a little snort of laughter at Jon’s self-deprecating plea.  “Yeah, well… you’re not wrong.  And you’re forgiven.”

“Good.”  Jon gave Cate another kiss on the cheek for good measure, as Dr. Klein re-entered the room.

“Everything looks good, Cate.  Right on target.”  He smiled brightly and strode over to the cabinet.  The doctor pulled out and unwrapped a syringe, then inserted the needle into a small vial.  Cate could see the clear liquid fill the plastic cylinder.

“Okay, here we go.”  Dr. Klein stepped to the exam table, next to Cate.  “Which side do you want?”

“This one’s fine.”  Cate leaned onto her left hip, raising her right toward the doctor’s hands.  He pushed away the paper drape, baring her skin, then quickly stabbed the small needle into her flesh.  Cate winced slightly at the sting, then smiled.

“Done and done.”  Dr. Klein pulled the needle from the syringe and dropped it into a sharps container.  Then he turned to lean back against the counter’s edge, giving his patients a friendly smile.  “So, Cate… you should ovulate in about 24 to 36 hours.  I’d recommend intercourse in the next twelve hours or so, then again in about 24 hours, just to be on the safe side.  After that, pretty much as frequently as you wish.”

Jon grinned.  “Now those are doctors’ orders I think I can live with.”

The doctor laughed and extended a hand, first to Cate, then to Jon.  “You two have fun.  Good luck, and give me a call if you have any questions.  Otherwise, Cate… I’ll see you back here after the holidays.”

“How soon can we take a pregnancy test?”  Cate had to smile at Jon’s anxious question.

“No earlier than two weeks after ovulation.  Which means…”  Dr. Klein turned to glance at the calendar on the wall next to the door.  “December 31 or later.”

Jon waited for Cate to look at him before giving her a gentle smile.  “Would be a helluva way to ring in the new year.”

“That it would,” Dr. Klein agreed with a smile.  “And on that note… I have one more patient waiting.  Happy Holidays to you and your families.”  The doctor moved toward the door with a cheerful wave.

“Thanks, Doc,” Jon called after him.

“Happy Holidays,” Cate added.

She turned her gaze to meet Jon’s.  He gave her a smile, the special one he saved just for her.  As always, it made her melt.

Suddenly everything else seemed trivial.  To-do lists, dry-cleaning, caterers, traffic, party-planning… even her job.

“Let’s go home, Jon.  Let’s order in, have a glass of wine….” Cate smiled back at her handsome husband, her eyes glowing with affection.  “Then let’s make our baby.  Doctor’s orders.”