Manhattan Merger

She stopped in front of Rainey. They eyed each other for a long moment while unspoken messages flowed between them. Then they embraced each other. By the time they let go, they were both laughing and crying.

Rainey wiped her eyes. “You don’t know—you just don’t know what this is going to mean to Payne.”

“Yes, I do.” Diane insisted. “And seeing this will take away any residual pain.” She lifted her left hand, where Rainey spied a gold band on her ring finger.

“I’m Mrs. Unte now. My husband, Karl, is one of the doctors I met at the clinic in Switzerland. We’re expecting a baby too, but I’m only six weeks along.”

Three miracles.

“We live in Zurich, but we’re home for our first visit. If you can, I’d like you and Payne to come to my parents’ house for dinner this evening. I know it’s late notice, but we barely arrived and I couldn’t wait to see you.”

“I wouldn’t have wanted you to wait!” Rainey’s heart hammered with excitement. “I can hear the helicopter coming. Why don’t you run out and issue your invitation in person?”

“You think it will be all right?”

“How can you even ask me that question?”

Diane smiled, then headed for the entrance hall. Rainey followed at a slower pace, marveling at the other woman’s mobility after all she’d suffered.

This was a private moment for two people who’d been through a horrendous experience together. Rainey stood in the doorway to watch from a distance.

Payne couldn’t help but see Diane now. The helicopter had landed. She ran toward it, waving her hands.

When Rainey saw her husband jump down and crush Diane in his arms, she could hardly breathe. Two or three minutes passed while the two of them conversed. Suddenly Payne swung her around. Their happy laughter filled the air.

Two people had been let out of prison.

Their joy was full. So was Rainey’s.

She rested against the doorjamb, waiting for the most wonderful man alive to tell her all about it. She didn’t have to wait long. The second Diane drove off, Payne came running.

As he drew closer she saw the one ingredient that had been missing in their marriage. The look of peace. The one priceless gift needed to make their love complete.

She knew that was what he was trying to tell her as he pulled her into his arms and wept.