The queen-size bed was the most spectacular piece in the room. A wooden box frame surrounded the bed with four posts supporting a top piece. Draped from all sides and tied back, white flowing gauze drapes completed the elegant look.
The spectacular part was when you laid on the bed, you looked up into the box above the bed and it appeared you were looking at the night sky. Marti had spent hours painting the top of the bed. She wanted it to be just right.
A special surprise waited in the night sky too. On a cloud brightly reflected in the moon’s rays, Emma’s mother gazed down. While Emma slept, her mother would watch over her from heaven.
She waited to see Emma’s reaction to the room. The little girl stood silent next to her father staring. Tears ran down her face.
“You don’t like it after all. I can change it if you want something else, maybe a jungle, or a forest? No theme at all. You want a grown-up room.”
She looked at Cameron and he shrugged.
“It’s just what I imagined. You asked me once what my favorite things were about the pictures in the books. There were lots of different pictures and I liked different things from them all, but none of them was exactly right. This is exactly right.”
Marti stood speechless and filled with pride. Her eyes glassed over. Leave it to a five-year-old to tell you the truth and knock you to your knees.
Emma wiped her tears and ran to the toy chest and threw it open. She hollered about all the costumes. She ran to the windows and pushed the shades up and looked out at the garden below. She chattered and touched the designs on all the walls.
Energy and enthusiasm poured from Emma and filled Marti’s heart with joy.
“Emma, the two empty spots on the wall are where we’ll hang some paintings. They aren’t ready yet, but I left the spaces ready for them,” she pointed to the two spots and the hooks on the wall. She would give the paintings to Emma and Cameron at the benefit. “Come here. Up on the bed.”
Emma used the step stool to get up on the high bed. She bounced up the steps and landed on her knees on the mattress. She’d look like a dwarf when she slept in the bed. Marti wished she’d be there to watch the little girl grow up and fit in the queen-size bed.
Marti lay down next to her, and Emma oohed over the sky.
“Cameron, would you turn off the light for a minute?”
Cameron hit the switch and walked over to the bed to see what held their attention. When he came close, he looked under the ledge and saw the inside of the bed lit up with stars. They’d been painted with glow-in-the-dark paint, and around the outside of the painting were little white Christmas lights.
“Emma, when I sail, this is the sky I see. When I’m on my ship and you’re in your bed, we’ll see the same night sky. Your sky has something very special. Look up on that cloud, the one closest to the moon. Who do you see?”
“Mommy,” she squealed.
“That’s right, Sugar Bug. Your mommy will watch over you every night. She does anyway, but now you can look up and see her. When you’re sad or lonely, you can talk to her. She’ll always be here for you.”
Cameron’s hand lay on her thigh, he squeezed, letting her know in a small way how much this meant to him.
“Someone signed their name up there. M. Fairchild,” Emma pointed.
“You have good eyes. She’s the artist who painted this for you. She thinks you’re a very special girl.”
Marti signed the mural in the corner using dark blue paint only a few shades lighter than the night sky.
Before either of them said anything about the artist’s name, she rolled off the bed and almost fell again. The room spun and settled when Cameron grabbed her. Again. Unsettled, tired to the bone, and feeling very sad, she gave in and leaned her forehead to his chest. God, he smelled good and felt even better. His big hands held her hips and pulled her close. His breath swept through her hair a second before he kissed her on the top of her head.
“Marti, let me take you to bed.”
She leaned back. Their gazes met, and she glared at him.
“I meant because you’re falling down tired. Literally.”
“Well, I hope it’s what you meant, darling,” Shelly said from the door, turning on the lights.
Marti stepped away from Cameron, away from where she most wanted to be, in his arms.
“Wow. Nice work, Marti. Must have taken you quite a while to oversee all this. Whoever the artist is, they do great work. Maybe we can hire them to do the baby’s room.”
Marti couldn’t listen to any more. She didn’t want this moment ruined too. She’d made this room for the daughter she’d never have, Emma. She wouldn’t listen to Shelly talk about her doing a room for her and Cameron’s baby. The only baby room she was going to do was for her baby, her baby with Cameron.
She went over to the bed and leaned over Emma and whispered into her ear, “I love you, Sugar Bug. I made this room for you. This room will always be your special place. I love you so very much.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks and she didn’t care. She walked out of the room without saying a word of goodbye to Shelly or Cameron. She went down the long hall and into her room.
She fell down on her bed completely exhausted with her feet hanging off the end. She sucked in a deep breath, hoping the extra air would push the hurt out of her chest. No such luck.
Cameron and Emma came in a few minutes later, saw her sprawled on the bed, and looked at each other.
“She’s sleeping, Daddy. We should leave her alone.”
“Why don’t you kiss her goodnight? We’ll thank her for doing the room another time.”
Emma went over to the bed and kissed Marti on the cheek. “I love you too,” she whispered.
Emma gasped when Marti scooped her up onto the bed. Marti held the little girl to her and let the rest of her tears fall. Emma patted her face with her little hand.
“It’s okay to cry,” she whispered.
Cameron took off her shoes and rubbed his hand over her ankle and foot. She pulled her feet away.
“Please, Cameron, take her home. I can’t take anymore.”
Cameron picked up Emma and kissed her cheek. “Emma, wait downstairs for me. Marti is very tired, and she’s already missing you.”
“I miss her too.”
“I know you do, sweetheart. Go. I’ll be there in a minute.”
He waited for her to leave the room and kneeled beside the bed and looked at Marti sobbing. He’d done this to her. Whatever the reason for all the tears, he knew they were his fault.
He brushed her hair away from her wet cheek. “Sweetheart, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m tired and it all just overwhelmed me. I can’t bear to let her go.”
He leaned over and kissed a tear from her cheek. “Then you know how I feel about letting you go.”
“Don’t kiss me. Don’t touch me. It hurts too much,” she sobbed. “Go. Leave.”
“I can’t leave you like this.”
“Shelly is waiting for you. Your daughter is waiting for you. Go be with your family. I’m just someone who had a moment with you. Our moment has passed.”
“I live in that moment every minute of every day. Never forget that, my love.”
She sobbed harder. If he cared so much, loved her so much, why wasn’t he marrying her?
She thought about telling him about the baby and decided it wouldn’t change anything. She was so tired. Her heart hurt and she just couldn’t listen to him tell her one more time he was marrying Shelly because of their baby. She couldn’t bear to hear him say his baby with her would come second, just like she had every time he’d chosen Shelly over her.
The door closed, Cameron left, and she continued to cry herself to sleep. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.
Cameron leaned against the door, listening to the sound of Marti sobbing. It washed over him in a wave of pain. The pressure in his chest grew so tight, if he took too deep of a breath, he’d explode.
He turned to go back inside. He couldn’t leave her like this.
“Darling, it’s time to go home,” Shelly called from the stairs.
Cameron laid his palm on the door and dropped his head. Eyes closed, he silently said the words he had no right to say to her.
I love you.
He left with his family, hoping Marti had somehow heard him and it healed some of the hurt he’d caused. Nothing would, but maybe one day thoughts of him and their time together wouldn’t make her cry.
Chapter Thirty-One
* * *
THE NEXT DAY turned out to be the beginning of the end. She woke up feeling sick. She knew it was the pregnancy and decided it was time to confirm what she already knew. She had three different boxed tests in her bathroom. She took one, read the directions, peed on the stick, and waited all of ten seconds to see the test reveal she was in fact pregnant. The test said it took up to three minutes, but apparently it didn’t need that long to tell her what she needed to know. She didn’t need the other tests to be sure. She was pregnant with Cameron’s baby.
She promptly threw up, sat on the floor, and cried. Overwhelmingly happy and sad at the same time, she lost Cameron and gained the child she’d always wanted. She dreamed of having a family of her own. She couldn’t have it all, but she’d at least have a child to make it easier to bear losing Cameron and Emma.
Once she pulled herself together and dressed, she stepped out of her room only to see the physician running up the stairs and racing to George’s room. She ran after him.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s begun. He’s on a downward spiral. He woke up this morning and he can’t move his legs. The night nurse called me.”
“How long does he have?”
“It’s hard to tell. He can still speak, though it’s slurred. He’s breathing on his own and he’s awake. We’ll watch him today and see how things go. I’ll stay for the duration. I’ll make him as comfortable as possible.”
“I’ll stay with him. Have you called his son and daughter?”
“Not yet.”
“I’ll make the calls first and come back in to sit with him.”
She made the calls to George’s children. To her dismay, they both said they had busy days and would get there when they could. Their cold and callous attitude made her sick. No wonder she’d found him on the dock almost two months ago. Her promise to him meant even more now. She was all he had.
She called Cameron at the penthouse, hoping to catch him there. Surprisingly, Shelly answered.
“Shelly, this is Marti. I need to speak with Cameron.”
“He’s busy getting Emma ready to go.”
“It’s important. Will you have him call me right away? It’s urgent. George is dying.” She had a feeling Shelly didn’t want to give Cameron the message. She didn’t know what else to do.
“I’ll give him the message when I see him. Goodbye.”
Marti stared at the dead phone in her hand and frowned. She left it on the table and shelved her own anger and frustration to go to the man who needed her.
She entered George’s room, dismayed to see how pale and gaunt he looked. In just a few days, he’d deteriorated to a shell of his former self. She went to the bed and sat beside him and took his hand.
She’d sat by her grandmother’s deathbed and been there for her death. A difficult task, but one she wouldn’t abandon. George was her friend, and she wouldn’t let him die alone.
“Tell me, Marti, are you in love with Cameron? I know there’s something special between you, but there are also obstacles. Tell me, despite everything he’s put you through, you love him.”
“I do, George. I love him with my whole heart and I believe he loves me in the same way.”
“He’s marrying her because she says she’s pregnant. I don’t believe she is, and neither do you.”
“No, I don’t. I’ve tried to talk to Cameron, but he’s adamant about giving his baby a mother and a father. He wants Emma to have a mother.”
“And what about your baby?”
She gasped. “How did you know?”
“I know everything that goes on in my house. You’ve been looking ill the last several mornings, but by afternoon you glow. It’s been nice to see. My wife looked and acted the same when she was pregnant. Somehow, I always knew before she did. Will you tell Cameron?”
“Not yet. I don’t think it will make a difference. He’s supposed to marry her next Friday. I wanted him to choose me because he loves me, not because I tell him I’m carrying his child. I want to know this thing between us is more than just an obligation, the way he’s treating his impending marriage to Shelly. He makes it seem like he really wants to be with me, and he has no choice but to marry her because of the baby.”
“And you think if she really is pregnant, he doesn’t need to marry her in order to be a good father to the baby.”
“Yes. He doesn’t see it that way.”
“You understand, part of the reason he’s so adamant about marrying Shelly is because he grew up without his father.”
“Yes, and Emma and Caroline are the other reason. I understand, but marrying Shelly won’t guarantee a happy life for those kids. In fact, it will probably make things worse. Children know when their parents don’t love each other. Without a solid relationship between the parents, the children will suffer in some way. I don’t want to see Emma hurt. Or the baby, if there is one.
“I want him to marry me. If Shelly is pregnant, I’d never ask him to give up the baby or be less than the father he is to Emma to the new baby. I want him to see he has options. I guess I want the world,” she said and shrugged.
“Your grandmother gave it to you in a way. I wish I could give it to you now. Things will be difficult for you when I’m gone. I have something to ask of you. I won’t ask you for a promise, but I hope you’ll consider it a favor. If you can, you’ll do it. It’s something you may not be able to do for me, and I’ll understand if you try and can’t finish.”
“I don’t understand. What is it you want me to do?”
His mind ran in circles. “I should have started by saying there’s something I need you to tell Cameron. He has to understand. I think he’ll only understand if you tell him. You have a way of seeing things for what they are and not what we think they are.”
“I’ll tell him. What is it?”
“He’s my son.”
“Of course he is. You’ve been like a father to him since he was born.”
“No. He truly is my son. I had an affair with his mother when my wife and I separated for a short time. My wife and I reconciled later and I found out Cameron’s mother was pregnant. She wanted him. I wanted him, and I wanted to be with my wife. We had a great love despite some problems at the time in our marriage. Cameron’s mother was a good woman. She wasn’t in love with me, nor I with her. We made an agreement. She wanted to raise Cameron. I already had two children, so I agreed, so long as I could stay in his life. My wife was agreeable to the arrangement. When Cameron was born, I became the perfect weekend father, so to speak. I love that boy. I’ve been there for every significant and everyday event in his life. I had a better relationship with him than I did with my own kids, because he didn’t know I was his father. He talked and confided in me because I was a mentor and a friend to him. He could count on me.
“His mother insisted I never tell him I was his father. I’ve kept my promise, even after her death. But when I die, I want him to know he did have a father. Me. I may not have been there every day of his life, but I think I did a fine job raising him. Of all my children, I am the most proud of him. You tell him that.”
“I will tell him. I’ll tell him all of it.”
She knew why George wanted Cameron to know, now. He was in the same situation George faced years ago. He’d gotten a woman pregnant and wanted to be a father to the child, despite other circumstances. He’d been a father to Cameron, and been a good father without being there every day or marryi
ng Cameron’s mother. Cameron could do the same with Shelly, if he wanted, and the baby would grow up just fine. Cameron had.
“See, I knew you’d understand. Cameron is a fine man. I had a hand in his raising. Being married isn’t what makes you a good father. Being a good father when you’re with your child, no matter how little time you share, is what makes the difference. Look at you and Emma. She’s a better girl and will be a better woman for knowing you, even if you leave tomorrow. You’ve left your mark on her heart. I hope I’ve done the same for Cameron.”
Marti thought about it and had to agree. She’d shown Emma what having a mother is like. Emma would carry that with her the rest of her life. She might grow up and have children of her own and use what she’d learned from Marti to mother her own children.
“Yes, she’ll be hurt when I’m gone, but at least we had a little bit of time together. If Shelly is a terrible mother to her, at least she knows I loved her with my whole heart. I’ll still see her when Cameron comes to see his baby, but it won’t be the same as being with her every day.”
“You’ll do your best, which leads me to my request. Once you’ve told Cameron my story, I ask you stay here for two months and watch over Emma.”
He patted her hand when she tried to protest. “Hear me out. You know I left the house to Cameron. That’s why I had you do the room. It’s beautiful, by the way. Emma loved it.”
“Yes, she did.” Marti gave him a sentimental smile. She’d remember Emma’s reaction for the rest of her life.
“They don’t know you’re the artist.”
Not a question, so she didn’t respond.
“You should tell them. You have an extraordinary gift, and Cameron has no idea of the kind of woman you are. He’d need a lifetime to discover them all. This is the joy of marriage. But you should tell him who you really are, and you’re carrying his baby.”
The Right Bride: Book Three: The Hunted Series Page 18