A Baby Affair (Parent Portal 2)

“A house is just a building. I have a feeling he might love you more.”

He couldn’t. His pain would be unbearable if he did. He’d already lost both Tricia and Gavin. And now her, and Isabella.

She couldn’t breathe for a second as the weight of it all crashed in on her.

“He doesn’t love me,” she said. “You’ve never even met him, so how could you say that?”

“Because I see what he’s done for you. And I don’t just mean the bike riding. Or great sex.” Angie grinned at that last part.

Amelia did, too, for a brief second.

“You’ve softened, sweetie. You’ve been happier in the past few months than I’ve ever seen you. Ever.”

“Because of Isabella.”

“I’m sure that’s part of it, but look at you.”

She glanced down. And though she knew Angie wasn’t talking about her clothes, she couldn’t look her sister in the eye. Wasn’t ready to see what Angie had already seen. So she focused on the clothes, as though the answer would come in a softer way from the things that she’d lovingly created. She was wearing a pair of their high-end blue jeans from the new spring catalog, modified with a maternity

waistband. A gift from Angie when they’d found out that Amelia was expecting. And a white, oversized cotton top that she’d picked up for a few bucks over the weekend because it was soft.

The top wasn’t her style. But...it felt good. Better than any other shirt in her closet. Being with Craig felt better than anything she’d ever known in her life.

“What if you love him, Mel?”

She hoped she didn’t. Hoped it would pass. But even if it didn’t. “It wouldn’t matter if I did. He wants to get married.”

“Maybe you should think about that.”

She shook her head. Adamantly. “I know I can’t.”

“Maybe you can.”

“I can’t live in that house.”

“Maybe he’d move in a heartbeat if it meant he could be a family with you.”

She shook her head. Again.

“I’m not saying he’d move. Or that you should marry him, Mel. I’m only saying that something’s not right deep inside you. And it seemed perfectly right a week ago. Maybe it’s time for you to reassess. Maybe you’ve learned from your mistakes with Mike, but you’ve let your fear that you can’t trust yourself blind you to the fact that you’ve grown up. You’ve changed. You know your limits now. And yet, you could be letting them stop you from finding happiness.”

“I’m happy with Isabella.”

“And what is it going to do to her if she grows up with your entire happiness resting upon her? Can you imagine how hard it would be for her to ever leave home? Leave town? Follow her own dreams? If she loves you as much as I think she will, she’d be eaten up with guilt, leaving you alone...”

“Stop.” She couldn’t hear any more.

But she also couldn’t deny that there was some truth in what her sister was saying.

“I don’t want to love him.”

“I think you do love him, though.”

“I’m scared to death to love him.”

“And right there...that’s your truth.”

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