The Doctor's Secret Bride(82)

“First grade,” Yasmine supplied. “We were pavement poor, but happy.” She glanced at Michelle. “Well, sometimes we were.”

“Michelle told me about the abuse she suffered from her father,” he said to let her know she was not betraying her friend by telling him about her past. “I’m really impressed at how all of you have made such successes of your lives. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, yet I feel like a failure compared to you who had to work so hard for your achievements.”

“To balance it out, Erik, lots of kids from your side of the fence end up on ours. The teenage daughter of one of my affluent clients got hooked on drugs. They tried everything to rehabilitate her, but eventually had to let her go for the sake of their other children. She’s now living on the streets of Boston, doing any and everything to find her next fix. That’s just one example,” Robert added, dolefully. “We have no control over where we come from, only where we end up.”

“A proven truism,” Erik declared. “You’re all survivors, and now you’re helping others find their way out of the same situations you were in.” He glanced at his darling Michelle, the sweetest, most altruistic soul he’d ever met. “The work Michelle is doing at the youth center is absolutely amazing. She gives of her time to make sure those kids have a chance to make it over the fence.”

“Michelle has the biggest, kindest heart. I’m not surprised at the path she’s taken.” Robert smiled at his sister. “We had very little as kids, but Michelle still gave away what she had to her friends who had even less.”

“You’re very protective of her.”

“Yes, I am.”

Erik reached for an escargot. He heard the pride in Robert’s voice. He’d done an excellent job of raising a beautiful, self-assured young lady who’d easily held her own in a room full of brilliant doctors. “I’m an only child. Often I wish I had the support of a sibling, like what you and Michelle had when your mother passed away, and more recently when your father died.”#p#分页标题#e#

Yasmine coughed. Michelle glanced at her, and their eyes held for a few seconds before Yasmine looked away. Michelle could just imagine what was going on in her friend’s mind.

“Sorry.” Yasmine covered her surprise and took a long sip of wine. “The shrimp’s a little too spicy for me.”

Robert got up, walked to the back of the divan and placed his hands on his sister’s shoulders. “I’ve been taking care of Michelle since the day she got home from the hospital, Erik. Our father was so busy feeling sorry for himself over the loss of our mother, he forgot about us. I was only five years old, but with the help of kind neighbors like Mrs. Hayes, I learned real fast how to feed, bathe, burp a baby, and change diapers. So, yes, Michelle and I have always had each other, and I will continue to protect her until another man steps up to the plate.”

Michelle trembled with anxiety, but gathered strength from her brother’s supportive touch. She was such a hypocrite for teaching the children at the center to always tell the truth, no matter what, when she, herself, was living a blatant lie.

She glanced at Erik. He stared back at her with tenderness and admiration brimming in his eyes. Michelle knew at that moment that she had to tell him the truth. He didn’t deserve this kind of dishonesty. She could not continue with this lie. Not after what they had shared in Boston. Not after all the sweet things he’d just said about her. And not after dragging Yasmine and Robert into her dark dungeon of deceit. She hadn’t had time to warn Yasmine, but her friend had come through for her, as well. Robert and Yasmine had proven their loyalty. It was time she proved hers.

Coming clean was the ethical thing to do. She didn’t think Erik would fire her since she took such good care of his daughter. Precious’ happiness was the most important thing to him. Although it may mean losing whatever it was he felt for her, at least she would regain her dignity. She had no idea what he would do, but she had to trust in what they shared.

So when Mrs. Hayes announced that dinner was ready, it was with a prayer in her soul and a strained smile on her face that Michelle took Erik’s arm and allowed him to escort her into the dining room.

His eyes were warm as they stared into hers. His hands were strong as they guided her. He had shared his name and his body with her. It would make her confession so much easier if she only knew exactly what was in his heart.

That part of himself he kept locked away from her.

It still belonged to Cassie.