Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75516 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75516 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Both my in-laws had been amazing, but Rebecca had always gone above and beyond as if somehow sensing my need for maternal love. Something I had never had, never knew existed, until her. And I thanked her by running away with her grandson.
I rubbed my hand across my tummy, which was getting more and more upset the longer I stood there in the living room while Calen and his mom had disappeared down the hallway with the baby. I can only imagine what they’re saying as I felt the heat of shame fill my cheeks, and I wished for the clock to turn back.
I wish I’d never gone to that mall. Or that I’d seen Donovan before he saw me so that I could’ve made my escape. I wished for a million things because I had nothing with which to fight Calen if he did indeed decide to take my son away from me.
I felt cold dread fill my heart and spread throughout my body at the thought of his anger and how justified it was. If I were in his place, I’d probably feel the same. Even though I know the truth of why I left, and the fact that had it only been me in danger, I would’ve stayed, but had to leave when the threat was made against him, I know that keeping his son from him was criminal.
Still, I can’t lose my baby. He can’t be the consolation prize. I fixed my clothes, making sure everything was neat when I heard their voices heading back my way. I wasn’t sure what kind of reception I was going to get from Rebecca, but I was prepared for the worst and braced myself. I just have to remember that it was well deserved no matter what awful things she had to throw at my head.
She came into the room and made a beeline over to my side with her arms outstretched. At first, I didn’t know how to react. Was this a trap? It wouldn’t be the first time I’d fallen for a setup like this. At least with mom, I’d learned to read the signs after years of training. As I got older, I knew not to trust any kind of affection and to evade accordingly.
A hug like this one would usually end with some form of physical attack, either a punch to the gut or a slap across the face. So when Rebecca ignored my unease and wrapped her arms around me anyway, I flinched, expecting the harsh words that I was sure were going to be whispered in my ear. That was another form of attack as well.
“How are you, dear? It’s so good to see you.” She pulled back and took both of my hands in hers, my shaking hands. I tried to bring myself under control, not willing to give too much away, but her greeting and the lack of malice or hatred was almost too much for me to bear.
“I’m sure my son has forgotten to thank you, so let me be the first to do it. Thank you very much for my grandson. I can’t wait for my husband to meet him. He’s out of town until tomorrow, so I hope you don’t mind if we come by first thing in the morning, as I’m sure he’ll want to see the baby as soon as he lands.
I’d almost forgotten what a steamroller she is. I started to answer her, not sure what I was going to say since I had no idea what the next day would bring, but Calen cut me off before I could speak. “You don’t need to ask her permission, mom. The baby will be here, of course. You and dad may come by anytime you’d like. I’ll be working from home for the next little while, at least until my son gets settled in.”
Calen said this as he was looking at me over the baby’s head, and my knees almost gave out on me. What did he mean? I almost asked him that, sure that we were about to argue, but Rebecca interrupted me this time.
“Oh. Does that mean you’ve set up the nursery? How fun. I know you two have some stuff to work out, so I’m guessing Giselle, you’re staying in the wife’s quarters; it’s closest to the nursery after all and would be perfect until you two get things sorted.”
“Mom!” Oh, dear! Calen looks like he wants to strangle his poor mother. The wife’s quarters is the other half of the master suite. Since the house is an exact replica of a sixteenth-century castle, it came equipped with rooms built the way they had been back then, when men and women slept separately. I never slept there before, of course, and from the look on Calen’s face, I wasn’t about to sleep there now either.