“Not quite, Trento, is it?” she pondered.
Liam grinned. “Not quite.”
“I don’t miss it,” she said. “I don’t think I ever will.”
“Nothing wrong with that.”
“But there is something wrong with me.”
Liam had no answer. Athena moved to peer out the window at the dim, yet lively streets below.
“Who is the father?”
She kept her back turned when his question touched her ears.
“Is it Nandi? One of the others?” Liam asked, sounding as though the questions pained him to speak.
“No, no Liam,” Athena shook her head quickly and turned. “They love you and are far too loyal and...none of them like me enough to look at me given what I am. I guess that’s a good thing,” she paused for a beat and then inhaled. “It was Diamante, the ship’s captain. I hadn’t planned for this, I, all of my... items for...taking care of it were stored away on the ship and then...I just forgot about it-about that part of it anyway. I was more concerned about what I’d done to you-to us or...what could’ve been us.”
She sniffed, collected herself. “There’s still time, though. I only came down for the mortar and pestle to crush the herbs-”
“Athena wait,” Liam called when she was halfway to the door.
She eyed him strangely, yet did as he asked.
“Please don’t get rid of it,” he said.
“I have to.”
“Because you’re afraid to raise it on your own?”
“I should be,” Athena looked to her hands clenched tightly before her. “But that isn’t it. I don’t have what it takes to be the kind of mother a child needs. A woman knows such things. Most have had motherhood forced on them, some are lucky enough to make the decision themselves.”
“What would it take to make you keep it?”
“Hmph. You being the father.”
“Then let me be.”
She seemed to stumble back. “What are you saying, Liam?”
“Marry me.”
She appeared horrified. “How could you want that?”
“I’ve always wanted it. I want you-want children with you.” He moved to her then. “I don’t want you to feel forced into motherhood, but I hope knowing I love you and will love your child like it’s my own might make you see things differently.”
Athena shook her head then, eyeing him in wonder. “Your good heart may get you into trouble one day, Liam Tesano.”
“I don’t doubt that.”
She bristled then. “You said there would be consequences if I ever-”
“You weren’t my wife then.”
“Is your proposal about saving me for you or saving me from myself?”
Somehow, laughter found its way into the conversation. Athena’s melancholy soon resurfaced, however.
“I lied when I said being preoccupied about what I did to you is why I hadn’t done anything about the baby sooner.”
Liam returned to his desk while Athena paced.
“I thought to trick you into sleeping with me and then saying the baby was yours.”
“I already said I wouldn’t sleep with you until you wore my name.”
She gave a coy smile. “I could’ve changed your mind-there are ways...I’m not the woman for you, Liam.”
“But you’re the woman I need.” He offered a hand and pulled her into his lap when she rounded the desk.
“All the things I want to accomplish...” he studied her hand in his. “I don’t think I can do any of it without you.”
She smiled. “I don’t need to be your wife to be your seamstress.”
“How about my muse?”
She laughed then and took his face in her hands. “You’re a romantic fool, Liam Tesano. How far do you expect to get in life this way?”
