“Edward tracked me down.”
“I asked him to keep it secret.” Laura distantly felt angry about the betrayal, but at the moment she couldn’t focus on that.
“He did for a while, but then he couldn’t anymore, and I’m glad he didn’t.” Mark glanced at her stomach in awe. “Why didn’t you tell me? About...this.” He put his hand gently on her giant stomach. Even his big hand couldn’t quite cover the top. The baby had grown too big. “I would never have sailed off if I’d known.”
“I know. But...you said you didn’t want children. You didn’t want to dishonor Timothy’s memory. And then it seemed like you couldn’t trust me, either, that maybe you didn’t love me like I loved you. And then...you didn’t call me.”
“You broke up with me. How was I supposed to act? I thought I was respecting your wishes.” Mark shook his head. “But believe me, you have to know that I’ve thought about you every day since you left. I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Laura, I love you. So very much. My life without you...it’s not what I want. Let’s make this work. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much.”
Laura felt her heart fill up with love. He loved her, and she believed him. But they had more problems.
“But what about Timothy? What about his memory...you said—”
“I was wrong,” Mark interrupted. “I thought I only had room in my heart to love Timothy, but then you came and showed me that I could love him and love you.” Mark paused, as he put his hand on her leg, his voice choking with emotion. “And now I realize I can love this baby inside you just as much and not love Timothy any less.”
Her heart filled with joy. Could this be true?
“You want to be a father?”
“I want to be the father of your baby. More than anything else in the world. I sailed halfway around the world—without shaving—just to come and tell you that.”
Laura chuckled a little. “You do need a shave,” she said and ran her hands down his thick, dark beard.
“I know.” He grinned.
“But...what about what you said...about me and Edward—”
“I realize how wrong I was. I can’t say sorry enough for that. I jumped to conclusions, and the very next day realized I’d been stupid, but then I came back to the condo and you were already gone.”
“I nearly miscarried,” she said. “It’s why I had to leave.”
“I know that now. You should’ve told me, Laura. I wanted to be there for you. No matter what.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it and then kissed the ends of her fingertips. “When I think of all you’ve gone through—alone—I just feel so sick. I should’ve been here, looking after you. Making you meals, making sure you were comfortable. I should’ve been here.”
Laura felt joy and guilt all at once. Had she robbed him of the opportunity to care for her? She’d just never imagined...that he would. She realized in that moment she’d made the same assumptions about him as he’d made about her. She’d assumed he was just like Dean. That he’d run at the first real test. Mark had assumed she’d also fail the first real test of their relationship. In that way, they’d both been blinded by their past experiences.
“I’m sorry. I should have told you. I was just afraid you’d leave.” Like Dean.
Mark gripped her hand a little harder. “I’ll never leave you,” he said. “I promise.”
“But you wanted to sail around the world...and there’s no way we can do that with a baby.”
“No. But what I wanted was to be with you. I don’t care if it’s on a sailboat or in the suburbs. Laura, I love you.” Mark shrugged. “We can sail around the world when our daughter is in college.”
“That’s a long way away.”
He flashed a grin. “I’m a patient man.”
“Mark...” It all seemed so overwhelming. He was here, declaring his love. “But how can I know that you’re not just here for the baby?”
“Laura, it’s you I want. It’s always been you. And I’ll prove it.” Mark rummaged around in his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. He got down on one knee at the side of her bed.
Laura felt shock and, more than that, a happiness bubble up inside her. Could this be real?
“Laura, I promise never to doubt your loyalty again. I promise to love and honor you, if you just give me a chance. Would you make me just about the happiest man alive and be my wife?”
Tears streamed down Laura’s face and her heart filled with unimaginable joy. “Yes,” she cried. Absolutely yes.
Several weeks later
LAURA WOKE IN the middle of the night and instantly knew something was wrong. A sharp pain traveled around the small of her back, squeezing all the muscles of her large belly. She tried to go back to sleep, thinking it might be another Braxton Hicks contraction. But when she was roused a half hour later by another, she knew these contractions weren’t fake. Unfortunately she was still three weeks from her due date.
“What’s wrong?” Mark was by her side. He’d also moved into Maddie’s house temporarily until the pregnancy was over. Maddie had insisted, fearing that moving Laura might prove dangerous. Mark had been scouting out jobs and places to live, but he thought he had at least three more weeks before he really had to have a nursery ready. He realized he was wrong about that.
“I feel a contraction,” she said.
“It’s too early.” Mark frowned, worried.
“I know.” Laura grabbed his hand, feeling nerves shoot up and down her spine.
Mark called her doctor’s on-call service and in a few minutes received a call back. He told her all the symptoms. Calmly, but deliberately, her doctor let them know it was serious.
“Stay calm, but I’d like to see you in the ER. Just to make sure everything’s okay.”
Inside, Laura knew everything was definitely not okay. I’ve made it this far, but what if I can’t make it across the finish line? It had been such a joy to feel the baby inside her these last few months. The baby kicked hard against her spleen and Laura welcomed the poke. Hang on, little one. Hang on.
Mark drove her to the hospital in the dead of night as Laura squeezed her hand.
“It’s going to be okay,” Mark said.
“How do you know?”
“I don’t,” Mark said, anxious. “But I can’t think about the alternative.”
Neither could Laura. She glanced at the diamond engagement ring on her finger and felt a swell of love. Surely their story would end well. Surely God wouldn’t see fit to take another baby from her, and yet she felt anxious all the same. What if she lost this baby? Would her relationship with Mark survive?
“Mark...if somehow we lose this baby...” She clutched his free hand.
“We won’t,” he declared.
“But if we do—”
“Then I’ll be here for you. You understand? Then we’ll sail around the world together and figure it out.”
Laura sent Mark a weak smile. “That’s one hell of a plan B.”
“I know. Let’s hope we never have to use it. This time next week, I want to be elbow deep in dirty diapers.”
Laura couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s so romantic.”
“Actually, it is.” He grinned. “Hallmark should make a Valentine’s card with just that on it.”
Laura laughed more. Then another contraction hit and the laugh turned into a grimace.
“Hang on,” Mark said, face serious. “I’m driving as fast as I can.” He clutched her hand and squeezed. She hoped everything would be all right. But secretly, she worried that something was very, very wrong.
* * *
THEY’D GOTTEN TO the ER hours ago, and Laura was hooked up to monitors with doctors rushing in and out of her room, talking amongst themselves. Mark didn’t like the baby’s heart rate, which seemed slower than it ought to be.
He’d remembered that much from Elle’s delivery of Timothy. He’d kept his eyes on that monitor above all others, and he’d noticed in the last hour that the baby’s heart rate had slowed. He didn’t like that. Not one bit.
Laura was already fatigued by the labor pains, and she clearly looked worried. She was three weeks premature, and Mark worried about what that might mean for the baby.
The doctors had been trying to see if they could stop the labor, but everything they tried failed. All the while, the baby seemed to be more and more affected.
“I’m worried,” Laura said and reached for Mark’s hand.
That’s when the doctors came in and told them she needed a C-section. There was no more trying to stop the labor, and the baby was starting to be in distress.
“Are you all right with this?” Mark asked her.
She nodded. “Whatever it takes,” she said.
That’s when the medical staff got her ready and then wheeled her away to the operating room. Mark was outfitted with scrubs, all the while his heart hammering. Let her be okay. Let the baby be okay, but more than anything, let Laura be okay.
He couldn’t imagine his life without her, and he was kicking himself for ever leaving her side. He should’ve been there for every prenatal doctor’s appointment, for every day she was assigned to bed rest. He wanted to spend the rest of their lives making it up to her. Mark was never going to leave her side again.
“Mark,” Laura called as the sheeting was put up and the doctors readied themselves.
“I’m here, baby,” he called, holding her hand. She looked at him, relieved, as she squeezed his fingers. All too quickly, the doctors went to work, and soon enough, they had the baby, but she wasn’t breathing and she looked pale.
“Is she okay? I don’t hear crying,” she said, worry fraying her voice. Mark frowned, watching the medical professionals work.
“She’s in good hands,” he said, hoping that was true as he watched the doctor clear the baby’s airway. After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, the baby wailed.
“There she is,” Mark said, feeling a rush of relief. He glanced at Laura and saw tears stream down her cheeks. The doctor brought her by so Mark and Laura could see the baby, wrapped up in a blanket and crying for all she was worth.
“Hey, little one,” Mark said.
“We’re so glad to meet you,” Laura said and sniffed back tears. “I’m so very glad you hung on.”
“Now we’re the perfect family,” Mark said and leaned down to kiss Laura and then the baby. He’d never felt so happy in well...ever. This was exactly where he needed to be, here by Laura’s side, starting this beautiful family with her. He raced forward in his mind to their wedding, the milestones with the baby, maybe even a younger sibling for this beautiful little girl. He stroked Laura’s cheek.
“Thank you,” he said. “For making me the happiest man on earth. For saving me and giving me a second chance.”
“Thank you,” she replied. “For saving me right back.” He grinned at her and then glanced down at the amazing bundle of joy in his arms. He couldn’t wait to get to know this little person and watch her grow, with Laura by his side.
He almost felt as though Timothy, wherever he was, was looking down at them, happy to see his little sister.
Epilogue
Three months later
MOVING BOXES LAY strewn around their new house, half unpacked since neither Laura nor Mark had time to properly settle in their new house. Mark was still looking for work, but the race prize money meant he wasn’t in as big a hurry to find a job. Plus, their options were wide open. They could move back to the Caribbean; they could settle here. They were leasing their house month-to-month while they decided the future. Laura, for her part, had never been happier.
The baby cried, letting her know she was not in the mood for the nap Laura had planned for her. Laura made her way to the crib and picked up the adorable bundle of joy in the pink onesie.
“Tiffany, what is it?” she cooed in the baby’s ear. She felt the heavy weight of sleepless exhaustion, but she’d never been so glad to be so tired. She’d never thought she would ever get to be a mom, and every day felt like a day worth celebrating, even when she was at her most un-showered and exhausted.
“Is she hungry?” Mark popped his head in the nursery, not one minute behind her. His eyes were lined with dark circles, too. He’d gotten as little sleep as she had, insisting on doing the heavy lifting while she recovered from her C-section. He’d been on strict night duty the first six weeks as she recovered from surgery. She smiled at him.
“Maybe.” Tiffany’s cries softened as Laura cradled the baby against her shoulder. She was just the most perfect little baby, and Laura’s heart felt like it would burst every time she glanced at the little girl. “Or maybe she just wanted a snuggle.”
“That’s exactly what Daddy wants,” Mark said and grinned as he moved behind Laura and wrapped his arms around her. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”
“No,” she said.
“Daddy’s falling down on the job already,” Mark told the baby as he gave her tiny nose a playful tap. “I love you. You’ve changed my life for the better every day.”
“You’ve changed my life,” Laura said. “Look at this beautiful baby. I just...never thought this would happen for me. After the miscarriage, I just really never thought this would happen.”
Mark laughed ruefully. “You and me both. It’s all just...such a miracle.” Mark traced Tiffany’s cheek with his finger. “Can you believe she’s so perfect?”
“Nope. Can’t believe it,” Laura said and grinned.
“Well, I can. Her mother’s absolutely perfect. That’s why.” Mark hugged Laura again and lay a soft kiss on her cheek.
Tiffany grew quiet in Laura’s arms and pretty soon she could feel the deadweight of the baby asleep against her. Softly, she laid the baby in the crib, being extra careful not to rouse her. Amazingly, Tiffany stayed asleep, her tiny little mouth an open o.
“She’s got your beautiful eyelashes,” Mark said.
“And your chin,” Laura pointed out.
Mark sneaked his arm around Laura’s waist, and then he kissed her neck. “Mmm. You smell like baby powder.”
“Sexy, isn’t it?” Laura joked as Mark pulled her out of the baby’s room and softly shut the door.
“You have no idea,” he murmured. “How about I show you how sexy in the bedroom?”
“But the baby...” Laura frowned, worried.
“Is asleep,” Mark pointed out, and then he pulled Laura into his arms and kissed her deeply. His tongue probed hers, and she felt white-hot heat rush through her body.
She didn’t know if she’d ever get tired of kissing Mark. They fit together in a way she’d never imagined possible. He deepened the kiss, setting off fireworks in her brain. Suddenly, she forgot all about the baby. In that moment, Laura would do anything he asked. Anything.
“Maybe we can get working on baby number two.”
“Mark!” Laura cried, pulling away from him. Everything but that. “You can’t be serious. I just had one!”
“All I know is we make the most beautiful babies.” He grinned and then pulled her close, dancing her to the bedroom. “Why not make some more? How about four...or five?”
Now, Laura had to laugh. “No way. I don’t think I could take it.”
“Okay, then. Just three. Three more.” He tugged off her shirt and she giggled as it popped over her head.
“You’re ridiculous.” He kissed her neck and then laid a trail of kisses down to her nursing bra.
“Am I?” he asked as she lifted up his shirt, and she ran her hands down his fit, tanned chest. Then again, with him shirtless in front of her, she couldn’t quite manage a coherent thought. He gently laid her down on the bed, kissing he
r belly, and her mind went blank.
“All I know is, Mrs. Tanner, I want to spend the rest of my life doing just this.”
“Me, too,” she breathed as the two quietly explored each other. Sleep could come later, Laura thought. All she wanted right now was Mark’s touch.
“I love you,” she breathed.
“I love you right back,” he murmured into her ear.
* * * * *
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ISLAND OF SECOND CHANCES,
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Island of Second Chances Page 24