by Dori Lavelle
“I don’t feel like ever going back to Serendipity.” Melisa stretched like a cat next to Heat. “I don’t want this to end.” During their wedding and honeymoon, Melisa had managed to keep her secret locked up. She was determined to start fresh with the man she loved.
The lights were out and the spacious room was illuminated by the moonlight, which spilled in through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Heat turned to face her and reached under the covers, slipping his hand between her legs. “I can live without the penthouse and all the luxury. But as long as I have this”—he gently squeezed her clit—”I have everything. Let’s make this another night to remember.”
That was all Melisa needed to ache for him again. She’d lost count of how many times they had made love while on honeymoon, but even though her body was sore and aching, he never failed to turn her on. All it took sometimes was a touch or a simple word. She squirmed as he moved his hand from between her legs up to her breasts.
She was so prepared to start their life together. She wanted to give him another child as soon as possible. She had to find the perfect time to ask if he was ready, too.
Chapter Sixteen
“My mom does like you,” Heat said to Melisa as they drove home from dinner.
His mom, Doreen Dane, who lived in Madison, had surprised them with an early morning call to let them know she was in Serendipity and asked to see them for lunch at the Lux. Doreen loved to travel and spent perhaps only fifty percent of her time in the U.S. When they got married, she couldn’t attend the wedding because she was in India. Melisa had only met her briefly once before she married Heat. This was the first time they’d seen her as a married couple, and Melisa was uncomfortable.
“I got the impression she didn’t approve of us. She was so critical of everything.” In truth, she’d given off the vibe that she was above them, and everyone else.
“That’s just her. Mom always finds something to complain about. But believe me, if she didn’t like you, you’d know.”
“Why wouldn’t she stay with us, then?”
Heat lifted one hand off the steering wheel and stroked Melisa’s hair. “That has nothing to do with you. When she came to town, even before we got married, she never stayed with me. My guess is she’s used to staying in hotels. Don’t worry about it. Even if she didn’t like you, it wouldn’t matter, because I do.”
Melisa grinned. “You’re so good at making me happy.”
“That’s because it’s my job, honey.”
Melisa exhaled. Nothing was better than knowing she was at exactly the place in her life where she was supposed to be. She loved Heat and he loved her. She just had to win over her mother-in-law. Maybe she would be much warmer when she came to their place for dinner, before she left town. “At least she’s a far better mother than mine ever will be,” she said, without meaning to say it out loud. “Sorry, I meant—”
“I know what you mean. Speaking of your mom, have you thought about what we discussed last time? I think you should go and see her, see if she’s all right. Maybe she’s changed since the last time you saw her. It has been years.”
Melisa dreaded seeing her own mother, if she could even call her that. She’d never been much of one. Her mother had been an alcoholic for most of Melisa’s life, and most of the time Melisa was the one taking care of her instead of the other way round. She’d helped her into the shower, cooked for her, collected the bottles from around the house at the end of each day. Was it any wonder that when things got tough for Melisa, she too had turned to alcohol? Thank God she was able to overcome the addiction. “She called me last week.”
Heat pulled up in front of their house and killed the engine. He had a frown on his face. “How did she get your number?”
“Beats me.” Melisa shrugged. “Serendipity is a small town full of people who love to talk.”
“What did she say?”
“That she wanted to see me. I refused. The only reason she ever wanted to see me before was to ask for money.”
The last time Melisa saw her mother was three months after Scott died. She hadn’t even called to comfort her daughter or come to the funeral. She’d just shown up out of the blue and pretty much said Melisa should get over it, because that’s life. People pack up and die, like Melisa’s father did when she was five. Then she asked her daughter for money. That had been the last straw. That day, Melisa swore she never wanted anything to do with her mother again.
Heat placed a hand on her knee. “Babe, maybe she wants to apologize.”
“There are people who are incapable of saying the word sorry. My mother is one of them, believe me.”
Heat leaned over and kissed her cheek. “I don’t want you to be unhappy. If getting in touch with her would upset you, then I understand.”
Melisa nodded. Thinking of her mother left a bitter taste in her mouth. What mother had sex with a different man almost every night while her daughter slept in the next room then drank herself into a stupor?
Maybe some things, once broken, could not be fixed. What if Heat felt the same about Melisa when he found out she’d given away their child? Was she as bad as her mother had been?
Chapter Seventeen
Melisa’s phone rang, and she forced her eyes open and reached for it. Before answering, she glanced at the time. 1:00 a.m. “Hello.”
“Melisa, Nick here. The baby…” Nick’s breathing was labored and he seemed to be having trouble getting the words out. “The baby’s here.”
Melisa hopped out of bed and grabbed one of Heat’s shirts. Her heart slammed against her chest, both from excitement and fear. Having a baby was a miracle, but in her opinion, it was also the closest some women came to death. She wanted to be there for her friend. “Carlene’s in labor? Is she at the hospital already?”
“No…yes. Everything happened very fast. She had the baby already at home, and yes, now she’s at the hospital. She’s asking for you.”
Melisa couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face as she buttoned the shirt that was too large for her. “I’ll be right there. Nick, congratulations.”
“Thanks, Melisa. See you soon.”
Melisa dropped the phone and almost tripped as she pulled on a pair of jeans. She looked forward to seeing her friend’s little miracle. Even if it reminded her of what she wanted most in her life… and what she had lost.
On the way to Serendipity Memorial Hospital, she gave Heat a call so he wouldn’t worry if he got home early.
***
Nick was waiting for Melisa when she arrived at the hospital twenty minutes later. His eyes sparkled and his face was flushed with undiluted happiness.
Melisa gave him a quick hug and then he led her to Carlene’s room.
The last time Melisa had been in this hospital, it was because of tragedy. As she walked down the corridors, it was with hope that a new page was about to be turned.
The first thing Carlene said when Melisa walked in was, “I’m a mommy,” and then she burst into tears.
“Are you okay?” Melisa asked as she rushed to her friend’s side. The baby was bundled in her arms. She kissed Carlene on the cheek.
Carlene nodded vigorously. “More than okay.”
Nick approached the bed and kissed both Carlene and the baby. “I’m sure you two have a lot of catching up to do. I’ll leave you alone for a few minutes, but not too long. I want to see my baby.”
Carlene reached up and touched her husband’s face. “Just a few minutes, promise. I love you, Nick.”
“Not as much as I love you,” he said and walked out, closing the door behind him.
“Can I hold her?”
Carlene placed the baby in Melisa’s arms. “Of course you can. You are her godmother.”
“I am?” Melisa’s heart swelled as she gazed into the sleeping face of the ruby-cheeked baby girl. She walked toward the window so Carlene wouldn’t see her tears. “I’m so honored. She’s gorgeous, Carlene. I wish I could see her eyes.”
Carlene laughed. “You will.”
“I hope it went smoothly. The birth, I mean.”
“To tell you the truth, I was frightened when my water broke. But everything went really fast after that. There was no time. Little Daria wanted to see her parents. Nick had to deliver her.”
“Looks like he did a fantastic job.”
“He was amazing, Melisa. He attended a prenatal course a few weeks back and he followed the instructions to a T.”
“I’m so happy for you guys. Daria Johnson is gorgeous.” Melisa kissed the baby’s milky white forehead and placed her back in her mother’s arms.
The door opened and a huge bouquet of roses walked in. It took a minute before Melisa and Carlene could see the face hidden behind them.
It was Nick’s mom, wearing slacks and a cardigan. Her hair was in a messy ponytail. She was far from the woman who, ninety percent of the time, looked like she’d stepped out of a glamour magazine. Now she looked like a grandmother who couldn’t wait to meet her new grandchild. Too harried to find an empty surface to put the flowers on, she placed them on the floor and went to meet her granddaughter.
Melisa’s heart swelled as Eleanor kissed Carlene and placed a loving hand on her cheek. Was this the same woman who had despised Carlene at the start? Maybe time really did heal most wounds.
“I’ll come and see you again later, sweetheart,” Melisa said to Carlene. She wanted to give Eleanor her moment with Daria, too.
Outside, Melisa waved at Nick, who was headed back to Carlene’s room, an almost life-sized stuffed panda in his arms. He was one proud daddy.
Melisa wrapped her scarf around her neck and walked out the main doors of the hospital without paying attention to where she was going. The chilly air was refreshing on her hot cheeks. She fumbled in her pockets for her car keys and pulled them out, but they slipped out of her hand and fell to the ground, disturbing the light veil of fresh snow. She bent to pick them up, but someone beat her to it.
“I’ll drive,” Heat said, placing his arms around her waist. “I thought you might need me. This must remind you of the baby you lost.”
Melisa stiffened in his arms, but then remembered the baby he was talking about was Scott’s, not his. She tightened her arms around Heat’s neck and closed her eyes. “It would be nice to have a baby.”
Heat cocked his head to the side. “You mean it? You want a baby? You’re ready?”
“I think so.” Melisa smiled nervously.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go and make one of our own.”
When they got home, they showered together, then slipped into bed and made love for a long time.
Chapter Eighteen
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Dane, for calling so early.” Dr. Beverlin said over the phone. “The test results have revealed something you might want to be aware of.”
Melisa swallowed and shifted to the edge of the bed. “Is something wrong with me?”
“I wouldn’t put it quite like that. However, you might be finding it hard to conceive because one of your fallopian tubes is completely blocked. This might be caused by the severe infection you had after you miscarried the last pregnancy, but fallopian tube blockages have different causes.”
Melisa shook her head and gripped the phone tighter. “What does that mean? I can’t fall pregnant again?”
“You have one other perfectly healthy fallopian tube. So, you could still conceive.”
“But it’s been seven months and nothing.”
“Sometimes one just can’t rush these things. I suggest you give it a few more months.”
“And if nothing happens?” Something had to happen. Heat was so excited about being a father, and she couldn’t take his second chance away. Even though she made him believe it was his first.
“Then we could look into several treatement options such as surgery but, as with any surgery, there could be side effects. Right now, please relax and enjoy the process. Come and see me if you want to discuss further.”
“Thank you,” Melisa said in a small voice. The doctor did not sound worried about the blocked tube, but the news drove a knife through Melisa’s heart. One blocked tube meant she only had a fifty percent chance of getting pregnant again.
Melisa allowed the cell phone to slip from her hand and land on the cream-and-gold embroidered comforter. She stood and gazed out the window.
Heat was pulling weeds in their small garden, so handsome in an old blue T-shirt and white washed jeans. She gazed out the window. How was the news going to affect him? Their marriage? What if it never worked out for them again? Would she be forced to tell him about the baby she gave away? For a while, these thoughts wandered through her mind, breeding fear.
“Mel, are you all right?” A voice asked from the door and Melisa whirled around.
How long had she been standing there? She hadn’t even seen Heat leave the garden.
She smiled at her husband. She wouldn’t spoil their afternoon. He didn’t have to know, not yet. Not before the ink on their marriage certificate had dried. She wrapped her arms around his neck and inhaled the smell of his sweat and citrusy cologne. “Of course I’m fine. I have you as my husband.”
Heat pulled her close and ran his fingertips down her spine. “Where were you? You seemed so far away.”
He knew her so well. But she wasn’t about to cave. She needed time to collect herself, digest the news before she told him.
“I was thinking about how lucky I am to have you.”
He kissed the tip of her nose. “Mrs. Dane, I’m the one honored to spend forever with you.”
“Forever,” Melisa echoed. For some reason, the simple word felt broken in her mouth. Would he still say it so easily once he knew the truth? Would he stick around?
Chapter Nineteen
“Carlene, can I come over tomorrow? There’s something I need to tell you.” Melisa found it hard to breathe between each word.
“Sure. Are you all right?” Carlene asked over the sound of a baby crying. “Why do you sound like that?”
“Like what?” Melisa tugged at the hem of her skirt.
“As if someone died.”
“Someone sort of did. I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk now?”
Melisa considered blurting everything out, but suddenly the room grew silent as the shower in the adjacent bathroom was turned off. Heat would walk into the bedroom any moment.
“Carlene, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow after work.”
Melisa ended the call and sank back into the pillows.
Before she and Heat curled against each other and fell asleep, Heat made love to her and she responded as best she could, despite her heart not being in it. She couldn’t get Carlene’s words out of her mind. She had been right. Something had died: Melisa’s hope for the future.
***
“Spit it out,” Carlene said as soon as she opened the door. She carried baby Daria in the crook of one arm and held the door open with her free hand.
Seeing her godchild unleashed Melisa’s joy and pain. She loved the baby so much, but she was also a constant reminder of what was missing in her life.
Melisa smiled in spite of herself and planted a kiss on sleeping Daria’s warm forehead. “On the doorstep? Can I come in first?”
Carlene laughed. Despite the exhaustion in her eyes—she refused to hire anyone to help her with Daria—she looked happy. “Sure.”
Melisa kissed Carlene on the cheek and walked past her into the house, unwinding her scarf as she headed for the kitchen, where she sat at the massive island, their favorite place to talk.
Carlene closed the kitchen door and placed Daria in a hand-woven wicker bassinet positioned close to the island. “Okay,” she said, pulling out a chair. “Tell me what’s bothering you. You look so upset.”
Melisa drummed her fingernails on the marble surface of the island. How could she utter words she wished weren’t true? B
ringing them out into the open would only breathe life into them. But keeping them tucked away didn’t make them less of a reality. “I might never have children again.”
Carlene shook her head, her sleek new bob swaying. “I don’t understand.”
“I had some tests done, and one of my fallopian tubes is blocked.” With those words, time stood still, while outside, life went on. The wind whispered through the leaves of the tree outside the kitchen window and a car honked in the distance. “Say something,” Melisa whispered. She longed for someone to tell her everything would be okay, that it was all a mistake and her body wasn’t letting her down.
Carlene wheeled Daria’s bassinet closer. “But you’ve conceived before with no problems. Why can’t that happen again?”
“The blockage must have happened after my last…pregnancy. The doctor said I could still get pregnant, but it could take a while.” Melisa formed fists with both her hands and blinked against the burning sensation behind her eyes. “It hurts so much to know my chances have dwindled to fifty percent. I feel as if a hole was punched through my heart.”
“Miracles happen every day. A blocked fallopian tube doesn’t mean it’s over. It just means you get to have a bit more fun with Heat before you conceive.” She smiled wickedly.
Melisa leaned her head against Carlene’s shoulder. “What if miracles are reserved for good people? This could be punishment for what I did.”
Chapter Twenty
Heat extracted the scrunchie from Melisa’s hand. He raked warm fingers through her hair, then pulled the stubborn curls into a low ponytail, Melisa’s everyday style.
In the bathroom mirror, she watched him smooth down the flyaways. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them discreetly away. She had so longed to give him everything. It was a week since she’d talked to Carlene, and she still hadn’t been able to tell him. She didn’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes when he found out he might never be a father.
“We should go,” Melisa said, dabbing perfume on her wrists. “Let’s not keep your mother waiting.”
