The Doctor's Secret Bride(112)
She sat in the living room of her rented condo, arms folded over her enormous stomach, watching as rain formed puddles in the parking lot outside her window.
Her first book was sold, and would go to print within six months. In addition to that elated feeling of success, she had been fortunate to obtain a contract with the publishing house for a three-book series about ‘The Littlest Dreamers’.
She was expecting a sizable advance any day now, which she would use to buy a decent car to replace the piece of junk that spent more time in the garage than it did on the road. She’d started freelancing in an effort to provide for her child. With Ryan photographing for her, she was doing pretty well. He loved to take pictures of her, too, she thought, glancing around at the many photographs in the room—some with her alone, some with the kids at the center, and an enlarged one of her and Ryan on the wall—his hand resting on her stomach as if he were the father of her child.
He’d given her that photo for Mother’s Day, and had asked her to marry him again. Said he wanted to take care of her and her baby. And again, she’d turned him down. He deserved a woman who could love him for the wonderful caring man he’d morphed into. She couldn’t. Not him. Not any other man. Ever. Perhaps if there was no Erik…
A slow smile twisted Michelle’s lips as her baby kicked in her womb. She patted her stomach, love flooding her heart. She would have to love this child enough to make up for its father and sister—the family it would never meet.
Her eyes misted as she thought of Precious. She hadn’t seen her since that day at the mall. Mrs. Hayes had told her that Erik had put the house on the market and was planning to return to Granite Falls. Felicia had already moved back there with Philippe. There was nothing keeping Erik in Amherst. She might never see him or Precious again.
Michelle’s heart still ached with a raw pain for that child. She wondered if she remembered her, and if she still thought of her. She may as well face facts. Children forget quickly. Precious had Bridget to fill the void in her little life.
Her baby kicked again. “Just two more weeks,” she said to it. Just two more weeks, then she would hold her baby, Erik’s baby, in her arms. It was all she had left of the love they’d shared. And she would cherish, adore, and protect it with her life.
She thought about the upcoming opening for the new center. She should be there. She’d done most of the work to raise funds and find sponsors, but she didn’t dare. Erik was the keynote guest speaker.
She couldn’t risk Erik knowing about her child, not after what Bridget Ashley had said. She would lose any custody battle with him. And so to avoid running into him, or the local press, she’d moved out of Manchester, months ago when she really began showing, into a town close to the Massachusetts border where nobody knew her.
Trembling fingers stroked her stomach as she tried to connect to the child inside her. This was her only reason for living, her only hope for survival. Nobody was taking it away from her.
She was sorry it might never know its father. It would be just like many of the kids in her neighborhood—fatherless. Michelle was sorry, so very sorry for a whole lot of things. A permanent sorrow seemed to weigh her down.
***
“…And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the true meaning of neighborhood. When we pull together as a community and help our brothers and sisters less fortunate that we are, there is no greater joy, no deeper pleasure or satisfaction than in knowing we have helped one small soul, made one tiny dream come true, kept hope alive in one tender, little heart.”#p#分页标题#e#
Erik nodded and smiled at the resounding round of applause coming from the crowd of donors, sponsors, and grateful parents for the new Youth Neighborhood Center.
He cast an anxious glance once more toward the door before he stepped from the podium and took his seat with the other speakers on the makeshift stage. He listened halfheartedly to the vote of thanks and closing remarks by Rose Marlon the president of the organization.
Where was Michelle?
He couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t be here. It was her hard work that had made all this possible. Her love and devotion had moved people to give generously to these needy children.
“Great speech, Dr. LaCrosse.” A petite woman who looked as if life had been hard on her came up to Erik and shook his hand. “Thanks for all the help you’ve given to our community and our children. My Jessica has benefited so much from hanging out at the center instead of idling on the streets after school. Michelle is a good influence on her, on all the kids.”