Many of them barely spoke English. Many had come to America never having seen the inside of a doctor's office. They provided her with a challenge she didn't face in her brother's practice.

But all of the parents she saw had one thing in common. They all loved their children and wanted what was best for them. She admired them all, so much.

Not that she saw children anywhere on her own personal horizon. She had, once, when she and Steven were first married, but that dream had disappeared along with the marriage. Then again, Steven had been enough of a child himself to not want competition from some sweet-smelling adorable infant.

Claire hadn't thought about Steven in months, or their home in Chicago, or the life she'd had there. But he'd phoned her today, to tell her he was getting married again. Had he thought he'd needed her permission? Or maybe he'd just wanted to rub it in. See? Other women find me lovable. I told you it was you, not me. You're the one with the problem, babe.

Maybe this time Steven had found the right woman for him. One who was content to be Steven's wife, and nothing else, no one else. He was very, very possessive. Claire hadn't seen that side of Steven when they were dating, but once they were married, everything had changed. When she'd been late to dinner because of an emergency at the pediatric office she worked in, or tried