Another Man's Child

“But that’s just it, my dear. I’ve fathered my children. I’ve raised my family. You haven’t even started yours.”

“I raised my family when I was still a child, Oliver. My mother died when I was eight, leaving me five younger brothers and sisters to care for. When the last one finally made it into college, I knew I’d be hardpressed to give up my freedom again. I figured out a long time ago that I’m much happier being an aunt than I would be being a mother.”

“But I’m a grandfather!”

“So?”

“I know that a lot of people today are happy to just live together, but I can’t do that, Beth. Not to you or to myself. It leaves too many doors open.”

“I understand,” Beth said. And she did. She just didn’t like it. She was tired of living alone. Of eating alone. Of waking up alone.

“I guess we’re just going to have to be patient a little longer until I can talk to Lisa. I can’t ask you to marry me until I’ve at least warned my daughter that I’ve rejoined the living.” His sheepish grin charmed Beth—and then his words sank in.

“What?” she squeaked. Had he said marry her? She hadn’t even dared consider such a thing. Whenever she’d looked into their future, she’d just assumed Oliver would want her as a long-standing “friend.”

“She’s my daughter, Beth. I have to tell her.”

“Did you just ask me to marry you, Oliver, or did I miss something?” Beth asked, hoping she didn’t sound as young as she felt.

“Not yet. But I intend to. Just as soon as I have a talk with my daughter. Little Sara’s getting better every day, so we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer.”

Beth worried a moment as she thought of Lisa’s likely reaction to the news. She was not at all sure her friend would be happy for them. Especially when her own marriage was in so much trouble. She hadn’t told Oliver about that last conversation she’d had with Lisa in the hospital, when Lisa had said she was planning to leave Marcus as soon as she brought her baby home. But in any case, she knew her own happiness wasn’t worth causing Lisa more distress.

“Maybe we should wait at least until Sara’s home.” She entwined her fingers with his.

He nodded. “You’re right. Lisa’s a strong woman, as was her mother, but everyone has a breaking point and I can’t risk putting any more on her shoulders just now.”

“Lisa always said her mother could handle anything. She envied that,” Beth said, looking out over the lawn that still showcased the gardens’ Barbara Webster had cultivated.

Oliver squeezed her hand. “Thank you, my dear.”

Beth smiled. “What for?”

“For allowing me my memories.”

And suddenly Beth understood. “You never have to worry about mentioning Barbara around me, Oliver. No more than I ever want to have to worry about talking to you about John. I can’t go through life being threatened by the past. Nor do I want to lose the beautiful memories I have of it.”

“I love you, Dr. Montague,” Oliver said. He leaned over to kiss her, and for the first time since John’s senseless death, Beth felt real hope for the future.

“Tell me something,” Oliver said several minutes later as he walked her out to her car.

She grinned up at him. “Anything.”

“When I do get around to asking, is your answer going to be yes?”

“THIS IS BETH MONTAGUE. I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you’ll leave a message, I’ll—”

Lisa hung up the phone with a frown. That was the fourth time she’d tried to call Beth in the past week and found her out. Not that Beth wasn’t free to go away, of course she was, but over the years, Lisa had become so familiar with Beth’s schedule that she almost always reached her friend on the first try. She called Beth’s office to make certain Beth had been showing up there, to assure herself that Beth was at least all right. Then she put a call through to her father, asking if he was going to be home for the next hour because she wanted to stop by. She knew he had a faculty meeting that evening, but Sara had been breathing on her own for almost four hours. She had to share her news with someone!

Oliver looked great when he opened his door to her fifteen minutes later. “How’s our little one?” he asked immediately.

“She’s breathing on her own, Dad! Has been for over four hours now.” Lisa could barely contain her excitement.

“She’s off the respirator?” he asked, pinning her with his no-nonsense gaze.

Lisa nodded. “Yes!”

“And she’s getting enough oxygen?” Oliver was well versed on every aspect of Sara’s progress.