Pulled(87)
Author: A.L. Jackson

“Scared, but happy. We were going to get married as soon as Melanie turned eighteen.” I drew in a ragged breath. I felt so exposed sharing this with Vanessa, but for some reason I wanted her to know. “We were in a car accident…our baby…Eva…she lived for two days.” I gave myself over to the pain that surged through me, all owing myself to relive it for that short time, blocking nothing.

Through bleary eyes, I looked at Vanessa who had sat up. Wringing her hands together in front of her, she bobbed her head once, urging me to continue.

“Her parents separated us. We were both young and naïve. We let our fears drive us apart. For nine years, we believed a lie, but we never stopped loving each other.

My heart has belonged to her since the day I met her.” I hesitated before pressing forward. “That dinner you came to?” Vanessa nodded. “That was the first time I’d seen Melanie in nine years. You can probably put the pieces together from there.”

She sucked in her quivering bottom lip, turning away as she battled another round of tears, wiping them with the back of her hand. Feeling I’d finally gotten through to her, I felt satisfied we could push forward and unite or at least cooperate and put this child before all of our past grievances.

I laid him against my legs, and he stirred, yawning and drawing his legs up to his belly. “He’s beautiful, isn’t he?”

Vanessa drew in a deep breath, whimpering as she grabbed a tissue from the box on the table next to her bed and vigorously nodded her head up and down as she squeezed her eyes shut, pressing the tissue against her mouth.

“Did you name him?”

She winced as if I’d slapped her. “No.” She gulped, looking down and tugging at the gown that was twisted at her waist. She took me by surprise when she suddenly rushed the words, “You name him.”

“Vanessa—”

She held up her hand, looking up to meet my eyes. “No. Just name him.”

She shuffled around, climbing underneath the covers and pulling them to her chin. “I’m really tired. Can you take him back to the nursery?”

I nodded, guarding my son protectively in my arms when I stood, kissing him and humming an indecipherable love song as I set him in the smal bassinet. Things I had thought would be so foreign to me now came so naturally, changing his diaper and dressing him in a fresh shirt, even wrapping him in the blue and pink striped blanket in the same fashion I’d seen others do time and time again.

Startled, I jumped when Vanessa broke through the silence. “Do you love him?”

I slowly turned to her, meeting her face and answering in all honestly, “With all my life.” Her lips spread into a flat line, neither a frown nor a smile, though enough to convey satisfaction. “Good.” I smiled at her, for the first time hopeful that she and I could work together and be the parents this little boy deserved. “Goodnight, Vanessa,” I whispered, but received no response.

As quietly as I could, I wheeled the smal bed from the room and flipped off the one light that had shed the faint glow. Blackness fel over the room. I reluctantly pushed my son down the hallway to leave him for the night. The movement jarred him awake, his deep, dark eyes fully opening to me for the very first time. I gazed down at him, overcome with a sense of belonging; positive he could feel it too. By the time we got to the nursery, he was fussing and trying to stuff his fist in his mouth, attesting to his hunger again. I gladly accepted the nurse’s offer to feed him in a rocker sitting in the nursery.

I rocked him and kissed his forehead while he drank. I relished the feel of his tiny, warm body in my arms, cherishing this child who had brought this part of my soul back to life.

I remembered those long forgotten dreams of a family, how important they had been, and now this baby boy had made them a reality.

My only worry was for Melanie. She would always have my heart, but now she had to share it. It in no way diminished my love for her; I loved him in a whole new capacity that I didn’t even realize existed. all the same, he had become just as important to me as Melanie was. I knew it would be difficult for her, and it broke my heart that something so precious to me was going to cause her pain.

I just prayed that in time Melanie would heal enough to forge a relationship with him. There were so many women who adored their stepchildren, and I prayed Melanie would be one of them. I knew she’d want to care for him and would try. I wasn’t blind enough, though, to believe there weren’t going to be huge obstacles in her path.

I looked down at my son, so beautiful, pure, and innocent, and was unable to imagine a world in which Melanie would not fal completely in love with him. It might take time, but I would be patient.

I kissed my child and whispered, “Goodnight, Andrew Daniel,” against his head, proud to give my son my grandfather’s name.

Chapter 28

“Daniel?”

I sat up, provoking a stabbing pain from the depths of my head. The splitting headache forced me to squint against the glaring, bright lights of the hospital room.

It made me almost regret forgoing the shot of morphine for the ibuprofen the nurse had administered at about five this morning. Daniel was here then, trying to sleep in the chair beside my bed when the nurse came in, checked my vitals, and asked how I felt.

I had been so tired of feeling drugged and suffocated by the cloud around my mind that I was willing to take the pain over the haze that blurred every thought. Now, through scrunched eyes, I scanned the empty room, already aware that I was alone. still , I felt safe.

It was over. Yesterday had been a nightmare.

Being in that house with Nicholas had been terrifying. I should have left that night three months ago when he’d first struck me. Instead of walking downstairs and into the guest room, I should have walked straight out the front door. It’s amazing what I’d deluded myself into believing because I was scared. It was a fear that had nearly cost me my life.

Even here, alone in my room, I could feel Daniel.

His presence was near. I took comfort in it, though I really wanted him beside me. With my mind clear, I wanted to look at him and celebrate that we’d made it, that we were free. His presence grew stronger, and I sat up in anticipation, propping myself up on one arm, waiting for him.

I was met with the most glorious smile I’d ever seen upon Daniel’s face. Total joy seemed to spring forth and flow before him into the room. He should have been tired from spending the night in the chair beside me; instead, he seemed invigorated, his whole spirit revitalized.