“It is,” Bella said with a nod. “I know I’m blessed, but having a baby is nerve racking. I don’t think I’ll be completely settled until the baby comes into the world.”
“It will happen, Bella. Just wait and see. I’m going to help you stay strong and positive. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart,” Heath said, reciting the verse from Proverbs.
“I will.” The corners of Bella’s mouth curved upward. “Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Bella Vincente,” a voice called out. One of the staff members was standing by the front desk with a clipboard in her hand. She was looking around the waiting room.
“That’s me,” Bella called out, swinging her gaze toward Heath. “Ready?”
“Absolutely,” he said, walking beside her toward the staff person. They were led down a hall towards an examination room and told to wait for the technician. Five minutes later the technician came in the room and introduced herself as Liz Tomlinson.
“Nice to meet you both. This is an exciting day,” she said. “Is this your first ultrasound?”
“Yes,” Bella said. “I’m a bit nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous,” Liz said. “It’s a great chance to meet your baby.”
After Liz rolled down the waistband of Bella’s pants and placed a protective cloth at the top. “I’m placing this cloth here so your pants won’t get messed up by the gel. Here we go. It might be a bit cold.”
Bella squirmed as the gel was placed on her stomach.
“Sorry about that,” Liz said. She began to move the wand over Bella’s stomach. Heath could tell that Bella seemed to be holding her breath. Suddenly, he felt a little bit nervous himself watching the screen.
“I-is everything all right?” Bella asked after a few minutes.
Liz graced her with a beautiful smile. “Everything is fantastic. Look! There’s your little peanut.”
Heath looked at the screen. All he saw was a funny looking shape that didn’t really look like a baby. He frowned at the image. Maybe he just didn’t know what to look at. It was like nothing he’d ever seen before. If he was being honest, it kind of looked like an alien. Note to self—do not say that sentiment out loud under any circumstances.
“Here’s the head,” Liz said. “And there’s the belly and arms. These are the legs.”
“Oh my goodness. I see it,” Bella exclaimed. “Our baby is beautiful.”
“Wow,” Heath said as the image came into sharp focus. At first it had looked like a blob, but now that Liz was explaining the body parts, it all came together. It was awe inspiring and wonderful and slightly frightening at the same time. A whole new world. In a matter of months, their child would be delivered into the world.
“So, do you guys want to know the gender? I can tell you if you like,” Liz offered. “The baby is situated just right so I can tell.”
Bella looked up at him. “Heath. What do you think? Do you want to know what we’re having?”
He shrugged. “I’m good either way. Why don’t you decide?”
Bella bit her lip. “I don’t know. I thought I did, but I’m not sure now. Heath? You decide. Please.” Her eyes were full of indecision. It felt nice to have Bella leaning on him for guidance. It made him feel ten feet tall.
“There aren’t many surprises in life, are there?” he asked. “Maybe this could be one of them. What do you think?” Heath asked.
Bella nodded her head. “Yes. That really would be a lovely surprise.”
“I won’t say a word,” Liz said, focusing her attention on the screen.
“Is the baby…moving?” Bella asked, her voice full of awe.
“Yes,” Liz said with a chuckle. “See right here? The fingers are moving around and the arms.”
“Oh, I just want to see this little person for real,” Bella said, wiping away tears. “I don’t really care what we’re having, just so long as the baby is healthy.”
“You don’t have much longer to go and all of the baby’s measurements look great,” Liz said. “Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy because when the baby arrives you won’t have much time to rest.”
“Do you have kids?” Heath asked. Liz seemed to know what she was talking about.
“Yes,” Liz replied, flashing him a big smile. “Don’t gasp, but I have five. Two sets of twins.”
“Goodness!” Bella exclaimed. “That’s quite a brood.”
“Bless you,” Heath said. “My folks raised eight kids, so I approve.”
“Wait. Are you a Donahue?” Liz asked, her eyes widening.
“I sure am,” Heath said. “How did you know? The eight kids comment?”
“Yes,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “I went to school with your brother Parker. And I’m a huge fan of the Silver Spoon diner. I love your parents,” Liz said. “Their food is heavenly.”
“Thanks,” Heath said with a grin, rubbing his stomach. “I was raised on that diner food.”
“What a small world,” Bella said.
“It really is,” Liz agreed. “Heath, please tell Parker I said hello. I heard he was married recently. Tell him congratulations from his old school friend.”
“I sure will,” Heath said. Today had turned into such a joyful experience. His chest was practically on fire from the warmth that had been stoked inside it. Warm and fuzzies. It was his mother’s favorite expression for when you felt something heartwarming and wonderful. He felt it deep down in his soul. When he had been in the depths of depression, life had seemed very fractured and uncertain. It hadn’t seemed as if there was much to look forward to in his life. A dark cloud had hung over him. Happiness had been in short supply during that time.
How very wrong he had been. Life was wonderful. There was so much on the horizon to look forward to. This moment in time—this precious, spectacular moment would be forever tattooed on his heart. He didn’t know what they were having—a boy or a girl—and it didn’t really matter to him. Either way, he knew this child was going to be the single most important person in his world. God had blessed both him and Bella. There was no way in the world Heath wasn’t going to be thankful for this tiny little life growing inside Bella. Hope seemed to be all around him. All he needed to do was believe.
“Facing the past isn’t an option for adopted children. We need that closure, no matter where the journey takes us. There isn’t really a choice.”
Caleb Donahue
Chapter Five
Bella drummed her fingers on the counter at her father’s place of business. From where she was sitting she could see Pelican Bay Harbor and the fishermen and boats in the distance. For Bella it was an incredibly calming vista. Growing up in Pelican Bay, Bella had always been surrounded by water. She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.
Fish Tails was so quiet one could almost hear a pin drop. The problems with her father’s shop broke her heart. For the life of her, Bella couldn’t figure out how her father’s robust business had taken such a rapid nosedive. Her dad was trying to keep a stiff upper lip about the situation, but if things didn’t turn around soon, Fish Tails might be in big trouble. It was so hard to imagine it going out of business since the shop had been a part of her life ever since the day she was born. What would her father do without it? She let out a ragged sigh. Jimmy Vincente had endured so many losses in his life. She prayed he wouldn’t have to suffer much more.
The jangle of the bell hanging over the door caused Bella to sit up straight in her seat behind the counter. A customer! With a smile on her face, she turned towards the door, a greeting on her lips. Her jaw dropped when Heath sailed through the door.
What was he doing here at Fish Tails? Something told her it had absolutely nothing to do with the merchandise.
“Afternoon, Bella,” Heath said, walking over to the counter and grinning at her. “You look beautiful today. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” she said in a curt voice. “What brings you out here?”
She wanted to let out a groan of frustration. W
hat was Heath doing stopping by her dad’s shop in the middle of the afternoon? And why was he complimenting her as if they were still together? Hadn’t he gotten the message the other day when he had asked her out to dinner after the ultrasound appointment? She had made it crystal clear that they were still broken up and going out on dinner dates wasn’t going to happen. Heath had taken it in stride. He hadn’t even seemed mollified by her rejection. Bella should have known. Heath hadn’t given up on them. And from the looks of it, he wasn’t showing any signs of backing off.
And she couldn’t ignore the rush of feeling flowing through her at the prospect of being pursued by Heath. He was making it hard for her to resist his charms.
Heath looked so handsome in his oatmeal-colored shirt and blue jeans. His rugged physique radiated pure, raw energy. Why in the world did he have to be so gorgeous? It was hard staying mad at him, but she still felt angry. She didn’t want it to fester inside her, because she was a firm believer that babies felt emotions from their mother inside the womb. But she wasn’t going to give Heath a pass and reunite with him as if he hadn’t trampled all over her heart. Frankly, she didn’t trust him enough. He had burned her badly. At the moment, her heart couldn’t take any more. It was far better not to fall back into his arms and get caught up in the dream of happily ever afters.
“I was in the neighborhood on a home construction job and I wanted to check in on you.” He dropped a brown paper bag on the counter. “Just a little something to make you smile.”
Bella wrinkled her nose. “What is it?”
“Look inside and see,” Heath suggested, arching his brows in her direction.
Bella peeked inside the brown paper bag and let out a gasp. “Ooooh. Peanut butter cups. My favorite!”
“I figured you might be craving something sweet.”
“I haven’t really had any cravings, but now that you’ve brought these, I’ll probably be craving them for the rest of my pregnancy.” She couldn’t help but smile at him. “Thanks for bringing this over.”
“No problem. It’s my pleasure.” Every time he smiled at her, Bella felt butterflies in his stomach. He still had the power to make her heart melt. Bringing her peanut butter cups was such a sweet gesture. It was crazy how Heath knew her inside and out—all of her little quirks and favorites and weaknesses. She wondered if Heath knew that he was her number one soft spot. Did he have any idea how firmly he was entrenched in her soul?
“Hey. Just to let you know, I told my folks about the baby the other day. And last night I showed them the ultrasound photo you gave me.”
Bella’s pulse began to race. She hoped Jude and Penelope didn’t think poorly of her for getting pregnant. She knew how much they loved and adored their son. If things had been different between her and Heath, they might have become her in-laws. The very thought of it made her want to cry with disappointment.
“W-what did they say?” she asked, trying to tamp down her nerves.
“They said that they can’t wait to meet our little one. So you can stop worrying, Bella. My parents weren’t going to judge us.”
Her shoulders sagged with relief. “Jude and Penelope are great,” she raved. “My father’s reaction wasn’t the most positive, so I was bracing for another blistering attack. Not that I thought your parents would do that.”
“Your dad loves you. He probably regrets his reaction.”
A sudden fear gripped Bella. She’d totally forgotten that her father was doing inventory in the back room. She could hear him moving around at this very moment.
“Heath, I’ve been meaning to tell you something about my father. I probably should have mentioned it before, but—”
“Donahue!” a voice barked from behind them. Bella cringed and shut her eyes tightly. Her father had come out of the back room and seen Heath.
Please Lord, just let the floor swallow me up. I don’t want to be here right now.
Heath turned around just in time to come face-to-face with Jimmy. In the past, they had been the best of friends. Her father had always given Heath the official stamp of approval. He had held him in high esteem due to his military service and coming from the Donahue clan. Penelope and Jude Donahue were well-respected in Pelican Bay, as were their offspring.
“Jimmy,” Heath said with a nod. “I was hoping to see you today.”
Jimmy let out a snort. “Really? I’m not sure you want to hear what I have to say to you, Heath Donahue.”
“Daddy, please. Not here. Not now,” Bella pleaded. “Somebody could walk in and overhear.”
Her father sent her a glare. “What makes you think I care about that?”
“I care!” Bella said in a mortified tone.
“Whatever you have to say to me, I’ll take it on the chin. I’d like to say a few things to you as well,” Heath said, his expression calm. Bella didn’t know how he could stay so cool and collected under the weight of her father’s steely gaze and bellowing voice.
“I’d love to know what you have to say to me,” Jimmy said, his face blotchy and reddened. “For the life of me I simply cannot imagine.” He folded his arms across his burly chest. In Bella’s opinion he resembled a volcano about to erupt. One wrong word from Heath’s lips and her father would explode.
“First of all, I’d like you to know I still love your daughter. I never stopped. And even though the circumstances aren’t ideal, I am happy and excited about the baby. I’m hoping Bella will change her mind about my marriage proposal and—”
Jimmy’s jaw dropped. His gaze narrowed as he stared down Heath. “Marriage proposal? What marriage proposal?”
Bella blushed and bowed her head. She could feel two pair of eyes trained on her. She hadn’t mentioned a word about Heath’s proposal to her father and she’d sworn her three sisters to secrecy.
“Bella?” her father asked, his voice unusually subdued considering the circumstances.
She swung her gaze up and met the surprise and confusion in both of their eyes.
“Heath proposed?” her father asked.
“You didn’t tell him?” Heath asked, hurt visible in his expression.
Bella shook her head. “Yes. Heath proposed, daddy. Once he found out I was pregnant he asked me to marry him. For the baby.”
“And you said no?” Jimmy asked.
“She turned me down flat,” Heath explained.
“You did what?” her father bellowed.
All of a sudden everyone was talking at her in raised voices, to the point where she felt as if her head might pop off. “Enough!” she yelled. “It may not matter to either one of you, but I don’t want to get married simply for the baby.” She stood up and cradled her belly. “This child is my everything, but I won’t marry someone for reasons other than the ones I’ve always held dear. I deserve to be proposed to on my own merits. And if the two of you can’t understand that, then you can just go down to the end of the pier and take a flying leap.”
Bella reached for her purse and the bag of peanut butter cups then stormed away from them, flinging open the door to the shop as she heard both men calling after her. She didn’t stop until she’d reached her car. She revved the engine and roared away from the pier. Bella had no idea of where she was headed. All she knew was that she had to get away from Heath and her father. The topic of Heath’s marriage proposal was a sore one for Bella. If it had happened under other circumstances she would have happily said yes. She wouldn’t settle for less than love everlasting! But what no one seemed to understand was that Bella had hopes and dreams and aspirations that she’d held dear since she was a little girl.
She loved Heath Donahue with all of her heart, but she wasn’t going to exchange sacred vows with him unless he made it perfectly clear that he wanted to spend the rest of his days by her side. To have and to hold. Till death us do part.
And he was still keeping things from her, which wouldn’t be a great way to start a life together. As far as she was concerned, Heath Donahue still had a lot of work to do in or
der to get his act together.
*
“Wow!” Jimmy said, scratching the side of his head. “She blew out of here like a Nor’easter. She kind of reminded me of her mother, Tammy, whenever she got really upset about something.”
Heath shook his head. He hadn’t stopped by Fish Tails to make trouble. He’d wanted to bring Bella the peanut butter cups and have a man to man conversation with Jimmy. Then everything had blown up. He had thought about following after Bella, but had stopped himself. She was in a real mood and he knew his face was probably the last one she wanted to see.
“She really erupted,” Heath said. “Maybe it’s the hormones.”
“Heath, let me give you some good, old-fashioned advice. Don’t repeat that to Bella. Ever. Women don’t want to hear that their pregnancy hormones make them act a certain way. Trust me on this. If you want to get back in Bella’s good graces, don’t go there.”
“Okay,” Heath said with a nod. “I feel like I’m dodging landmines with her these days. I want you to know I’m well aware of my shortcomings. When I broke up with her I was still in the grip of my PTSD and depression. I thought I was doing what was in her best interest.”
“How’d that work out for you?” Jimmy asked, his expression intense.
“Terrible. Hindsight is twenty-twenty. If I’d only known then what I know now, I would never have let her go. Sometimes when you think you’re doing the right thing, it turns out it isn’t the right thing at all.”
“It backfired on you, huh?”
“I thought giving up Bella was possible. I was trying to be noble. In the end, I realized I can’t live without her. I don’t want to.”
Jimmy shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “So how are you going to convince her of those sentiments?”
All This Love Page 7