My heart jumped into my throat!


    Tarquin noticed her expression. "What''s wrong?"


    Elysia''s breathing quickened. She ignored Tarquin, tucked Winona''s hand back under the covers, and discreetly checked her pulse again just to be sure.


    Once she confirmed it, Elysia was stunned.


    Good Lord, no wonder her appetite''s been through the rooftely!


    It turns out... she... she''s pregnant!


    What... what was she going to do?!


    A pregnancy should be a happy asion, but Winona was single, fresh off a painful breakup, and had no ns to get married or have kids...


    "Elysia, what is it?" Tarquin asked again, worried about her.


    Elysia nced at him, then at Keaton, her brow furrowed.


    She took off her coat and shoved it into Tarquin''s hands.


    "I''m staying here. You''ll have to handle the kids, or just call Lowell."


    Elysia sat down on the edge of the sofa, watching over Winona. Winona was pregnant and didn''t even know it. What if she identally hurt herself or the baby?


    The thought of them drinking coffee that morning made Elysia''s heart pound. Then she looked at Winona''s stiletto heels and pictured her rushing around in them, and her heart beat even faster.


    Beyond the physical safety issues, there were the psychological ones. Winona was a firm believer in not getting married. A woman who didn''t even want to tie the knot, at the peak of her career, was suddenly pregnant! Should she keep the baby or not?


    And whose baby was it? Was it Keaton''s? If it really was Keaton''s, what then? Keaton was also against marriage, a total yboy who was all about the physical and not the emotional. Would he want a child? Would he forbid Winona from having it?


    If she had an abortion, it would cause serious physical and psychological damage to Winona.


    "Sigh..." Elysia sighed, looking at Winona.


    Tarquin and Keaton just stared,pletely baffled. What was going on?!


    Before Targuin could ask, Elysia said, "While you''re at it, tell the kids I''m staying with their Aunt Winona tonight and won''t be back. Tell them to be good eat their dinner and go to bed early."


    No matter what, when Winona found out she was pregnant, she would be shocked and emotionally burdened. This was a huge deal, and Elysia had to stay with her.


    Tarquin didn''t get it. "Why the sudden change of ns?"


    Elysia made up an excuse. "There''s a good chance Winona is going to throw down with Beatrix today. I need to be here for her."


    Tarquin was still confused and was


    about to ask another question, but "If you''re going to


    Elysia hurried h


    get the kids, go now. If not, call


    Lowell right away."  fo


    Tarquin sighed. "...I''ll have Lowell go."


    He pulled out his phone to call


    Lowell. As soon as he hung up,


    Keaton started making faces at him.


    "Hey Tarquin, I''m feeling a little


    weak Can you help me to


    restroom


    Tarquin got the hint. "Sure."


    He re-hung Elysia''s coat, took off his own, and led Keaton to the bathroom. The moment they were inside, Keaton whispered, "What''s up with Elysia?"


    Tarquin shook his head. "I don''t know, but it''s got something to do with Winona."


    "I can see it has to do with Winona. The point is, what''s wrong with her?"


    "I don''t know that either."


    Keaton''s mind raced. "You don''t think Winona has some kind of... disease, do you? Elysia looks so worried. Maybe you should ask her?"


    Tarquin wasn''t about to do that. "What if Winona''s fine? If I ask, Elysia will think I''m cursing her best friend. She''ll flip out."


    Keaton grew anxious. "Well, I definitely can''t ask. And even if I did, she probably wouldn''t tell me."


    "She wouldn''t tell me either," Tarquin said. "If she wanted us to know, she would have just said so." Elysia was obviously keeping a secret.