As Summer sat thinking, a strong emotion weighed heavy on her…fear. Part of Nick’s ruthlessness was attacking a person’s most vulnerable spot. Summer loved children. Whenever Starr babysat her niece and nephew Summer volunteered to help keep the adorable toddlers entertained.
Even though Summer wasn’t pleased with the whole single mother thing, she would love her baby enough to be both mother and father to it. If by any chance Nick believed she had crossed him he’d strike like a cobra at her weakest spot. As much as she loved him an overwhelming sense of fear chocked her. Nick could never find out about the baby…ever.
Brrrg! Brrrg! Brrrg!
The loud ringing of the phone snapped Summer out of her reverie.
“Hello?”
“Hi baby.”
A huge smile broke across Summer’s face. “Hi mommy, how are you doing?”
“The question is ‘how are you, Miss Summer?’ Ava called me, told me ‘bout you passing out at work. Baby, why didn’t you call us?”
Summer groaned. Ava had a big mouth; she couldn’t hold water sometimes to save her life.
“Mommy, I’m all right, my hemoglobin was a little lower than normal. I’m feeling much better now.”
Summer was trying her best to sound convincing as not to worry her mother.
“All right baby, but the next time you better call me and your daddy. You hear me?” Her mom’s tone was firm but loving
“Yes ma’am, I promise.”
With that out of the way she and her mother talked. They caught up on the latest as Summer padded back and forth with the cordless phone from her bedroom to the bathroom. She was getting everything set up to take a nice relaxing bath. Lately her lower back had been bothering her, probably from how the baby was laying. Which she didn’t understand since the little munchkin moved all over the place, all the time.
The conversation flowed nice and easy. Summer kept her fingers crossed hoping her mother wouldn’t ask about Nick. She hadn’t seen nor heard from him in months. Doubt she ever would, at least no time in the near future.
Thank goodness, her mother never asked about Nick. Before hanging up her mother told her Ava might stop over to check on her since Starr was away at a conference.
“Okay, mommy, I’ll keep an ear out for Ava. Tell daddy I’m sorry I missed him and I’ll call later.”
“Bye baby.”
“Bye mommy.”
Finally adjusting the water temperature, standing in front of the mirror piling her hair on top of her head with hair pins, Summer couldn’t wait to soak her sore back. Before she stripped out of her clothes she started to call Ava to tell her not to come over. “I just want to be alone tonight.” With any luck she wouldn’t see Ava until Sunday morning at church. But just in case, she left the bathroom door slightly ajar to hear the doorbell.
Lighting scented candles, strategically arranged throughout the room, Summer turned off the light before easing down into the soothing water. She didn’t know what smelled better, the rose scented candles or the lavender bath salts she added to the water. Whichever it was totally relaxed her. Taking baths always reminded her of Nick.
The first time they made love she was a virgin. Nick had been gentle with her, yet she still was sore and swollen. Wanting to ease her discomfort he drew a bath for her in his Italian marbled Jacuzzi. When he returned to let her know her bath was ready she attempted to walk
to the bathroom.
“No, Beautiful, I’ll carry you.” As he lifted her in his arms, Summer tucked her head in the crook of his neck. She couldn’t believe how he was taking such good care of her.
Although her heart ached over losing Nick, memories like this one caused her to smile. Things with him from the beginning were always good. That’s why for the life of her she couldn’t comprehend his logic for ending their relationship.
When the baby moved Summer shifted her attention to her belly. She placed her hand on her stomach and rubbed a soft circular pattern as she closed her eyes and hummed a lullaby. This usually calmed the baby’s movements.
She was definitely having a Calgon moment. Moments like these, reminiscing about Nick and his ability to be tender was giving her a glimmer of hope. Maybe if I call his office he’ll speak to me and then I can tell him. He’ll understand.
As Summer daydreamed pleasant thoughts of the man she still loved, her eyes closed and she drifted between deep relaxation and sleep.
Summer’s eyes popped wide open at the sound of a loud, obnoxious doorbell.
“Great timing, Ava.”
Chapter 5
Turning off the ignition, Nick had second thoughts now that he was outside of Summer’s house. The clock on the interior of the Benz read 10:05 p.m. Glancing up at her bedroom window, the lights were on. She was home. Summer was a homebody; she was probably reading a book or watching television.