by Pilar Lepe
Rebirthing in your arms
Pilar Lepe
Translated by Adriana Garcia
“Rebirthing in your arms”
Written By Pilar Lepe
Copyright © 2017 Pilar Lepe
All rights reserved
Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.
www.babelcube.com
Translated by Adriana Garcia
Cover Design © 2017 Pilar Lepe / Image: www.fotospix.com
“Babelcube Books” and “Babelcube” are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Rebirthing in your arms
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 32
Epilogue
Rebirthing in your arms
Pilar Lepe
Translated by Adriana Garcia
“Rebirthing in your arms”
Written By Pilar Lepe
Copyright © 2016 Pilar Lepe
All rights reserved
Distributed by Babelcube, Inc.
www.babelcube.com
Translated by Adriana Garcia
Cover Design © 2017 Pilar Lepe / Image: www.fotospix.com
“Babelcube Books” and “Babelcube” are trademarks of Babelcube Inc.
PILAR LEPE
Rebirthing in your arms
Rebirthing in your arms
Pilar Lepe
Original title: “Heridas del pasado”
© Pilar Lepe 2013
Safe Creative No. 1309295843170
All Right Reserved
Translator: Adriana García
Image: www.fotospix.com
Copyright Logo Design: Pamela Díaz Correa ([email protected])
2016
All rights reserved. Total or partial reproduction of this work, or incorporation into a computer system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior authorization is not permitted in writing of the holders copyright. The infringement of such rights may constitute an offense against intellectual property.
Chapter 1
Evelyn got down quickly from the van to open the shop’s door, she stayed staring at the windows for a moment, she still had not changed the Mother’s Day promotions from the window, and she would do it in the afternoon if she had the time. She later went back to the vehicle to get the flowers, she was exhausted but she still had to put together twenty center pieces for Miss. Cortez’s wedding, and the worst part was that the wedding was that same day. She went to bed very late to try and rest for a bit. Sometimes she had the terrible idea to delay orders and afterwards she would find herself strapped for time, but Sarah, her right hand and friend would always save her. What she really needed, she thought, was a new flower preservative. She was lucky she was almost done paying for Mark´s University. It had been five long years, but her son had become a successful lawyer; it was very likely that the most respectable law firms would fight over him.
Those ideas brought up a smile to her face making her forget how tired she was, her good mood overcame her exhaustion and raised her hand to greet Joe who was standing by the news stand around the corner. She met him since she opened the flower shop, fifteen years ago; She´d always observed him closely to guess his age because he looked the same since she met him.
She was just entering the shop when the cellphone rang on her jean´s back pocket. She calmly put the flowers on the shelf and looked for a cloth to clean her hands, she was waiting for the phone to stop ringing, but it didn’t.
Interruptions bothered her when she was busy, but the cellphone kept ringing in her back pocket, so she had no choice but to answer it. It was the Sandra Cortez´s whiny voice, creaming from the other side of the line.
“Evelyn?”
“Speaking.” She answered calmly.
“How is my order coming along? Are the center pieces going to be ready on time?” The tone of the lady sounded anxious. She spoke perfect English but with a strong Latin accent.
“Don´t worry, Miss Cortez,” Evelyn responded with an encouraging voice even though Sandra´s voice annoyed her. “I will take them at six o´clock just like we accorded.”
“I hope so,” Sandra kept talking with a harsh voice, and Evelyn pulled the phone away from her ear to actually hear what she was saying. “The decoration will be incomplete without the flowers...”
“Now,” Evelyn interrupted in the most polite way possible. “I have to let you go. I have to finish before I open the flower shop.”
“All right. I apologize, is the wedding stress, you understand how this is.”
“Of course, don´t worry, I will be there at six o´clock.” Evelyn made emphasis on the time they accorded so Miss Cortez would stop talking.
While she was arranging the flowers, Evelyn Thomas allowed her mind to go back in time. She didn’t remember having “wedding stress,” just fear and uncertainty.
In the summer of 1985, Evelyn was 15 years old and her parents were very strict with her; she was barely allowed to go out without her older brother David, they feared the bad influences would get to her. The Thomases were convinced that the popular music brainwashed the young and took them to the “bad side.” Fortunately, as soon as they stepped outside, her brother didn’t care what she did. He would let he do whatever she wanted as long as she didn’t mention the weed he sometimes smoked with his friends.
Back then, Evelyn was a shy but a romantic girl, she would spend her free time reading romantic novels without her mother knowing about them. The stories would fill her mind with fantasies, imagining what it would be like to live a great love story. For this reason, when she met her brother´s friend: Josh Taylor, she fell in love almost immediately or at least that´s what she thought.
One Saturday afternoon, a bunch of kids gathered at his house, it was his birthday and his parents thought that the best way to celebrate was by having a BBQ at his house by the pool. They were new in St. Clair, and this was a great opportunity for him to meet friends from school. A lot of kids showed up, it was a mix party and the Thomas brothers were there as well: David and Evelyn.
As soon as Evelyn saw Josh, the rest of the world stopped. He was the cutest guy she had ever seen, he looked like a rock star: long hair, blue eyes, ripped jeans and a shirt tight to his body. She was amazed, someone that was from a big city like Chicago, surely he was different than the rest of the boys from school that had nothing to do and just talked about fishing.
Evelyn didn’t bother hiding her interest for Josh, with her stare she would follow him everywhere; when he went to the yard, when he ate, or when he went into the pool. When the guy realized this, he took advantage of the situation and he wanted to know what he could get from her.
He watched her when she didn’t notice, waiting for the right time to get to her. In the moment when Evelyn went inside the house and made her way to the bathroom, Josh followed her and wait
ed until she got out.
Evelyn almost tripped over him because he was leaning against the wall, very close to the door.
“Sorry!”
“Don´t worry about it, it was my fault. I should´ve knocked first.” He pretended to be sorry about the little incident. “What´s your name?”
“Evelyn...but my friends call me Eve.”
“Nice name, I like Eve. Did you come by yourself?”
“No, with my brother David.
“Ah! You´re Thomas’ little sister. He didn’t tell me he had such a cute sister.
“Thank you.” Evelyn blushed.
“You have such beautiful eyes, a color I cannot tell, they´re nor green nor blue.”
“I got them from my grandma.” She answered, she couldn’t believe Joshua had noticed her.
“And your hair is like the color of a ripe corn,” he continued, getting a grasp of her hair in his fingers. “Do you want something to drink? I have a beer in my bedroom.”
“I´m under aged. If David finds out, he would get upset.”
“Come on, noting will happen, I can assure you. Besides, we´ll be back soon enough.”
Evelyn shrugged, she couldn’t waste the opportunity to spend time with him. He friends would envy her when she´d tell them about how she was Josh´s girlfriend, because in her mind, that´s what was going to happen.
The boy took her by the hand and they went up the stairs to the third floor. His bedroom was in the attic.
The room was big and bright, it had a beautiful porthole window, which offered an amazing view to the river. The walls were painted black and covered in posters with crystal frames, like wanting to give a recording studio feeling to it. However, the most noticeable part of the bedroom was the mess: clothes and books amongst other things everywhere.
Josh rushed to pick his clothes from the floor, and tried to fix his bed so Evelyn could sit because there was nowhere else to do so.
Evelyn observed everything so she wouldn’t miss a detail of this precious memory with Josh. When she saw a drum set on the other side of the bedroom, she got closer to look at it.
“Josh, is it yours?” He didn’t answer because he kept picking things up from the floor. “Do you have a band?”
Josh brought her to the bed again eagerly.
“I will take you to see us play some other time. We practice in an abandoned barn.” He turned to the night stand, and from the bottom shelf, he took a beer bottle. He opened it giving a light bump in the corner of the stand, and he gave it to Evelyn. “Ladies first.”
She was nervous, but took the beer bottle with determination and took a sip. She didn’t want Josh to think she was childish.
“It´s good,” She said even though she found it to be bitter. “Now you drink.”
“First I need to do something I´ve been wanting to do all afternoon.” Josh put the bottle on the ground and without hesitation, grabbed Evelyn and kissed her.
At first, she didn’t know how to react, no one has ever kissed her like that before; her experience was nothing more than childish games, at most a peck on the lips.
“Open your mouth.”
Obediently, Evelyn opened her mouth. Josh then, introduced his tongue into her small mouth, making her body react. At that moment, she felt like the main character from one of her novels, she was walking in the clouds with thousands of butterflies in her stomach. Later, the kiss became rougher, more aggressive and Evelyn tried to set some distance because she could hardly breathe.
Josh let her go so he could take a long sip, but with his free hand he kept holding onto her arm, as if Evelyn could escape any second.
“I´m sorry...” Evelyn was embarrassed. “I don´t know how to kiss very well.”
“You´re wrong, you kiss really good.” Josh took her by the hand again and gave her a wet his on her palm, then he gave her the bottle. “It´s your turn.”
While they were kissing, they drank all the beer. Evelyn was starting to feel a little light headed, it was actually the first time she drank alcohol; she tied to stand up but failed, instead she laughed hysterically.
“Josh, the room is upside down.”
“Don´t worry, that sensation will pass. I will help you.” While talking, Josh was lying down and tried to take Evelyn with him.
“Are you sure?” Evelyn was worried; she couldn’t go home like that.
“I know how.”
Josh got on top of her and started kissing her roughly, sliding his hands up her shirt; when he tried sliding his hands down her waist, she jumped.
“What are you doing?” Evelyn looked at scared, she tried to free herself but his arms seemed wouldn’t move. “Let me go or I´ll scream!”
“Stay still.” He commanded shutting her mouth with his hand. “You brought this upon yourself, you were staring at me all afternoon with that inviting look that you have. So, if this is what you wanted, this is what you´ll have.”
While he was covering her mouth with one hand, with his free hand he was taking her pants down. Right away, he opened his zipper and made his way through her open legs with his erected member. Evelyn moved desperately below him and that only turned him on more. Realizing that moving only made it worse for her, so she stayed still and only prayed that this would end fast.
After finishing his wild act, Josh ordered her to go to the bathroom to fix he clothes up hiding the rape evidence. At the door, he waited with a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Drink... you won´t say a word, if you talk I´ll say you were drunk, nobody will believe I made you do it.”
Evelyn, afraid of what her parents would do if they find out, she didn’t say anything and got out of there, not without giving Josh a hateful look first.
Chapter 2
Since that summer afternoon, Evelyn´s world changed completely, a premature pregnancy would change her life forever. She managed to hide it until it became more than evident by the lack of prenatal care. She felt ashamed and fearful which stopped her from telling her parents, and her dad as always, would not defend her.
Even though she was very outgoing, she didn’t dare to tell her friends about the situation, she couldn’t risk he friends telling their mothers and having them talk about it at church, her parents would never forgive her. She had to take care of her situation on her own, because when she went to Josh for help, he told her it was impossible to get pregnant by having sex just once. Next day, Josh left for San Diego University with the excuse that he had to get used to a new place.
Evelyn, very overwhelmed emotionally with a huge weight over her shoulders, started eating less, she stopped reading and would lock herself in her bedroom. Judith, her mother, thought it was a teenage phase.
One afternoon, a counsellor from school called her mother expressing his concerns: she was distracted in class and her grades were dropping, he had also noticed that she was not talking to her friends and would spend her time alone. On the way more, showing more anger than concern, Judith questioned her daughter, but she assured her nothing was wrong and she would study harder to raise her grades. Her mother satisfied with her reply, stopped asking questions.
She didn’t know how much longer she could keep her secret, she was in her sixth month of pregnancy and her jeans were getting tighter. The stress, sleepless nights and the lack of nutrients, finally made her young body upset. One afternoon when Judith Thomas came back from a charity event, she found her daughter lying on the kitchen floor. She quickly called Doctor Harris, the family doctor, pleading he´d leave everything he was doing and make his way to the Tomases house as soon as possible.
“Please doctor, Evelyn is upstairs.”
“O.K. Judith, give me a couple of minutes alone with your daughter. Come up when I call you.”
“I hope it´s nothing serious, my daughter has always been healthy.”
About half an hour, Doctor Harris slowly came down the stairs. Judith Thomas could tell the thoughtful look in his face.
“What´s wrong? Why
didn’t you call me up?”
“Judith,” he said in a very serious tone. “We need to talk.”
“All right, let´s go to the living room. Ah! Listen, it´s Gus.” The sound of a car made her realize that her husband had arrived.
Gus Thomas went up the porch stairs in a rush. In spite of, his face was red due to the rush in which he took off from his office when his wife called. This better be an emergency because he didn’t like to get out of work early.
“Hello Ed, how are you?” Gus greeted the doctor, he had a glove in his hand, while with the other one, was taking off his winter hat.
“Doctor Harris wants to talk to us.” Judith said with a bitter tone of voice. “But before that, I´ll make some coffee.”
After a couple of minutes, the woman came back to the living room with a tray with coffee and chocolate muffins, she quickly put it on the center table roughly. The men, who were discussing the textile industry, stopped talking while she was handing out the cups.
“Doctor, please,” Judith pleaded. “Tell us what´s going on.”
“Well, I...Eve is presenting anemia by the lack of nutrients...”
“But it´s not serious, is it?”
“For the love of God Judith, let the man finish.”
“Yes, but I´m asking you to stay calm.” Ed Harris took out a white cloth to dry his sweat on his forehead, even though it was cold out, he was feeling very warm. “Eve is pregnant.”
“What?” Judith jumped out of the sofa letting the porcelain cup fall to the ground and broke into tiny pieces when it hit the hardwood floor.
“She´s more than twenty weeks pregnant,” the doctor continued calmly. “It is important that she goes with a gynecologist to get prenatal care and run some tests.”
“But how?” asked Judith, her face red with anger, stepping on the porcelain pieces without even noticing.
“That´s out of the question, I think we know how, don’t we? Now, you´ll have to excuse us Ed, we have to talk to our daughter.”
“I´ll leave, but I´m begging you to stay calm, she´s really scared.”
As soon as her parents reached her door, Evelyn wished the earth would swallow her, or better yet, that her bed would absorb her like in a movie she watched with a friend at the movies, which obviously her parents didn’t know about.
