When I wrote this book, I wanted to show both the struggles of an unwed mother but also the pain of not being able to have a child.
Hope you enjoy the excerpt.
“It just doesn’t make sense to me, Kelly. He’s a smart guy. Why would he need me to help him with the class?” Susan watched the blade of the knife go through the onion. She was glad her job in Kelly and Jason’s household didn’t include cooking. Kelly had insisted she liked the chore. Susan, as the maid, only had to clean up.
“Jason is a smart guy, too. But he can’t spell worth a damn,” Kelly said around the matchstick in her mouth. Susan really didn’t believe the technique kept the tears away.
“Yes, but Jason loves you.” Susan wondered if anyone could not find Kelly loveable. Besides being a beautiful blonde with blue eyes and a killer figure, she was smart. Too bad she . . .
“Maybe, but when we were teamed up together in the master’s program, he was a royal pain.” Kelly threw the match in the trash. “I think the man went out of his way to find big words to use in our report so he could ask me how to spell them.” She scooped onion pieces off the cutting board and put them into a skillet. “And believe me, he was just like Colt. Jason wanted me to go out with him, and he thought if he pestered me enough, I’d give in.”
“So what should I do?” Susan shifted on her wooden barstool to get more comfortable. The baby rolled over and stretched. The soft pressure against the wall of her abdomen drew her hand to her stomach. “The man is hot. I’m not going to be able to resist him.”
“What’s wrong?” Concern rang in Kelly’s voice.
“Nothing, why?” Susan said, confused by the quick shift in topics.
“You had a funny look on your face.” Kelly picked up the green bell pepper and started chopping.
“Oh, the baby is moving.”
“Really?” Kelly’s eyes lit up.
Susan knew how much Kelly wanted to have a baby. It was part of the reason she was living with Kelly and Jason. “Do you want to feel the power of an all-star kicker?”
“Yes.” Kelly put down her knife and walked around the counter.
Her hand must have alerted the baby, because a kick hit Kelly’s palm.
“It must be amazing to feel a little person growing inside you,” Kelly said in awe.
“Usually.” Susan shrugged. “Sometimes, though, it’s more discomfort than amazement. Like at night when the baby wakes me, or during the day when he lays on my bladder. Sometimes I feel like an alien is invading my body, with demands I can’t meet.”
“You know you don’t have to face this alone. Jason and I will help you in any way we can, even if you don’t want to let us adopt your baby.” Kelly placed her hand on Susan’s shoulder. “You know we think of you as part of the family.”
“Yes, but . . .” Susan didn’t want to go over this again, but she still didn’t know what she should do. “If I keep the baby, how am I going to be able to go to school and get a degree? And if I let you and Jason adopt it, my parents will never forgive me.”
Purchase at:
www.amirapress.com
Tina
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