"Are you married?"
It seemed that Sabra had forgotten Doc was there. Her back was to him, so to her he was like a piece of furniture.
Tiel, however, was facing him and keenly aware that he was listening to every word. "No. Single."
"Have you ever been?"
After a slight hesitation, she replied, "Years ago. For a short time."
"What happened?"
The grayish green eyes didn't waver. "We, uh, went different directions."
"Oh. Too bad."
"Yes, it was."
"How old were you?"
"Young."
"How old are you now?"
Tiel laughed nervously. "Older. Thirty-three last month."
"You'd better hurry up and find someone else. If you want to have a family, I mean."
"You sound like my mother."
"Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Want to have another husband and kids?"
"Someday. Maybe. I've been awfully busy establishing my career."
"You could be a single mom."
"I've considered it, but I'm not sure I'd want that for my child. The jury's still out."
"I can't imagine not wanting a family," the girl said with a gentle smile for Katherine. "That's all Ronnie and I talk about. We want to have a big house out in the country.
With lots of kids. I'm an only child. He has one little stepbrother, and they're twelve years apart in age. We want a large family."
"That's an admirable ambition."
Unobtrusively, Doc signaled Tiel with his chin that it was time to switch sides. Tell assisted Sabra, and soon Katherine was happily sucking away at the other breast.
Then the girl surprised them by angling her head back and asking, "What about you, Doc?"
"What about me?"
"Are you married?"
"My wife died three years ago."
Sabra's face fell. "Oh, I'm so sorry."