Romance Me (Boxed Set)

by Susan Hatler

  “My…my babies?” Lisa cupped her hand over her belly. “How are—”

  “We don’t know anything yet,” Judy said, gently pushing Lisa back down. “Don’t worry. I had lots of bleeding with my pregnancy, too, and everything worked out just fine.” Judy stopped and stared down at her. “Wait, babies?”

  “Yes.” Lisa could barely hear her own voice.

  Knock. Knock.

  “Yes?” Judy answered. “That should be the doctor now.”

  Dr. Hendricks and a nurse entered and approached her bed. “Ms. Mortan. How are you feeling?”

  “Okay, I guess.” Anticipation stung her skin and she wanted to blurt out for them to tell her about her babies.

  There was another knock and the door opened again, long enough for her to catch a glimpse of Mark pacing around the nurse’s station. “Has she lost it yet?” Mark’s voice traveled in with the nurse carrying a chart.

  “Here, Doctor,” the nurse said, handing the chart to Dr. Hendricks.

  Dr. Hendricks scanned the documents on the clipboard, flipping the pages back and forth. “I see you didn’t heed my warning about avoiding stress.”

  Lisa shook her head. “Stress found me.”

  Dr. Hendricks gave her a sympathetic look. “I see. Well, I have the test results here. Would you like the father to be present?”

  “No!” Lisa swallowed and sunk back into the bed. “No, thank you.”

  “Is it okay if I stay?” Judy squeezed Lisa’s hand.

  “Yes, please.” Lisa held tight to Judy, terrified to discover the fate of her babies.

  “Ms. Mortan, you went into preterm labor due to excessive stress,” the doctor said slowly. “I’m afraid you’ve lost one of the babies.” His words were harsh, but his voice soft, his eyes sympathetic.

  “No,” she gasped. But the shock quickly faded, replaced by grief and regret. “It’s all my fault,” she muttered, her voice breaking. “I…I didn’t mean it. I wanted both babies. I swear. Oh, God what have I done?”

  “You haven’t done anything,” Dr. Hendricks said, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s twin gestation. Sometimes one baby is stronger than the other and this happens, but I’m afraid there’s more.” Dr. Hendricks took a long breath. “We’re unsure about the health of the remaining fetus. There was excessive blood loss. We’ve been able to stop the bleeding, but it’s imperative you avoid stress and remain on bed rest for the time being. Possibly for the remainder of your pregnancy.”

  “What do you mean? Is it also dead?” Lisa sobbed.

  “No,” the doctor assured her. “There’s a heartbeat, but there’s no guarantee the baby won’t be born with some sort of issue, a mental or physical defect.”

  “I see.” Lisa scooted down until she was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. Punishment? Was that what this was?

  “I’ll let you rest.” Dr. Hendrickson squeezed her shoulder before he and his nurse backed away and disappeared from Lisa’s blurred vision.

  “It’s not your fault,” Judy whispered, stroking Lisa’s hair from her forehead.

  “Isn’t it? I didn’t want two babies. I hadn’t even decided what I was going to do with one. Mark was right. I’ll make a terrible mother.”

  “Says who?” Judy stopped stroking her hair and gave her a stern yet soft look. “Don’t let anyone convince you of such nonsense, especially him. He’s just being selfish. That man hurt you. The police will be in for a statement soon. Just you wait, he’ll be out of your life for good,” Judy stated.

  “And then what?”

  “Then you can move on with your life.”

  “How? As a single mother of a child with special needs?” Lisa shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do this alone.”

  “Oh, hon.” Judy rested her hand against Lisa’s cheek. “You’re not alone. You have me and Eric.”

  “Eric? You don’t see him in here, do you? He knows the truth now. He realized how screwed up everything is and bolted.” She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t blame him.”

  “No, it’s not like that,” Judy protested.

  “Then what is it like? He’s out buying a cradle for some other man’s baby?” The words rolled off Lisa’s tongue before she could stop them. Judy didn’t deserve her hatred. It wasn’t meant for her.

  “Listen, I know you’re upset, but there are things about Eric you still don’t know. Eric has his own troubles. He came home early from Europe so he could tell you. He’s never spoken about it to anyone before as far as I know. That means something, doesn’t it?”

  “Then tell me why he isn’t here,” Lisa demanded.

  “I can’t. That’s for him to say.” Judy stiffened, her arms like mechanical robots as she poured water from a plastic pitcher into a cup before offering it to Lisa.

  Lisa took a sip from the straw, the cool liquid coating her sore throat, then collapsed back into the pillows. She’d done this. Caused all this pain and suffering in people she’d already grown to appreciate, possibly even love. But it wasn’t just her. It was Mark. He’d been a big part of the death of her baby.

  Hatred she’d never felt before wiggled up her back like a serpent of pure anger. “Can you call the sheriff, please? I want to make a statement and be done with this. All of it.” She clenched the sheet. She needed to put her life in order for the sake of the baby that had survived, and the first place to start was with Mark. He needed to be gone, for good.

  Judy snuck out of the room without another word and returned with the sheriff.

  “Hello, ma’am,” the sheriff greeted her, tipping his hat. “I’m ready to take your statement.”

  “Great.” Lisa bowed her head, grinding her teeth with the knowledge she’d done this to herself. How did she become the one thing she promised never to be? A battered woman.

  “Can you tell me what happened this morning when Mr. Brenson arrived at your residence?’”

  Lisa lifted her chin. “He came in the front door, uninvited, and told me he’d found out I was still pregnant. He wanted to know why I hadn’t terminated the pregnancy.”

  “Did he believe you were going to?” the sheriff asked.

  “Yes. I told him I’d already taken care of it before I left New York,” Lisa answered.

  “I see. What happened after that?”

  “He was angry. I grabbed my keys from the kitchen counter and tried to leave, but he grabbed me and I dropped the keys. When he bent down to pick them up, I smashed a bowl over his head before fleeing out the front door.”

  “You were found without any shoes on, your foot bleeding. Did he attack you as you were leaving?”

  “No. I ran. I didn’t want to take a chance on him catching me. I didn’t know what he’d do. I thought he’d harm my babies.” She swallowed, forcing down the scream of despair that tried to escape. “Turns out he did.”

  “So, he never physically assaulted you, but you hit him over the head with a bowl which required stitches?” the officer asked.

  Stitches? Good. It served him right for wanting to hurt her babies.

  Judy rounded the bed. “Now, wait just a minute. That man intended harm, and you and I both know it. She did the smart thing and fought back, long enough to escape. Yet, you make it sound like she’s the abuser. Now, you listen here, little Jimmy Mason—”

  “It’s Sheriff Mason,” he corrected, his face turning red.

  “I used to babysit you when you were a little thing,” Judy retorted, “and if you’re gonna act like a naïve little boy, I’m gonna treat you like one.” Judy’s accent thickened the angrier she became.

  “He’s right,” Lisa said. “Mark isn’t stupid. He’s got money and influence. He’ll get away with everything.” Her insides twisted at her realization that she’d never win.

  “Listen, I don’t want to upset you right now,” the sheriff said, “but Mr. Brenson states he won’t press charges if he’s allowed to speak to you.”

  “What?” Judy said. “Have you lost your m
ind, Jimmy? That man is obviously upset and you want to let him see her? Did the doctor forget to mention how she’s supposed to avoid stress?”

  Lisa bit back a frustrated laugh. Mark held all the cards, just like he always did. But this time she wouldn’t let him stack the deck. One way or another, that man would be out of her life for good. He was right about one thing. He could never be a father. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’ll speak to him. I need to face him, tell him the truth, and there isn’t a safer place than this. Besides, I don’t want to give birth to my baby in a jail cell.”

  “Do you want me to stay, dear?” Judy rubbed her arm.

  “No, this is something I need to do alone.”

  “Okay, we’ll be right outside. Right, Sheriff?”

  “Yes, ma’am. All you need to do, Ms. Mortan, is shout and we’ll be in quick.”

  “Thank you.”

  Judy shuffled to the door and waved Mark over. “You upset her and I’ll do a lot worse than cause a few stitches.”

  “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Eric’s voice floated into the room from the hall, like a firefly illuminating Lisa’s way to a happier place, but then Mark stepped inside and the light immediately vanished, leaving her heart in darkness.

  Mark waited for the door to shut before he approached.

  Lisa stiffened, but refused to allow him to cause her surviving baby any more stress. “What do you want?”

  “You know what I want.” He stood rigid by her bed, looking up and down the length of her. “Weak. Just like your crack whore of a mother. You couldn’t even keep both babies. Why do you think you’ll be strong enough to care for the one that survived? Especially one that’s deformed.”

  “The baby is not deformed,” she said through clenched teeth. “And even if it does have challenges, I’ll be there to help. You don’t have to worry about the money. I don’t want anything from you.”

  The machine beside her bed beeped. She didn’t have to look to know her blood pressure was rising. The heat on her cheeks and her tingling fingertips was evidence enough.

  “That’s what they all say.” His eyes flickered to the window, a distant look casting over his dark features. His jaw loosened, and his Adams Apple rose up then down. Fear. That was what she saw in his eyes.

  Lisa straightened in the bed. “What are you so scared of?”

  “I’m not scared of anything.” His face morphed back into the stone cold, hard-lined lips and furrowed brow she was so used to.

  “I’m not sure what’s going on, but this isn’t a repeat of what happened with your parents. This baby will not be placed in an abusive foster home. I won’t let that happen. I’m stronger than you think I am.”

  He stepped closer, glaring down at her. “And I won’t let you trap me. I’ve already demanded a DNA test be performed. I know you were whoring around on me.”

  Lisa gasped. “Never.”

  “You think I’ll believe you? After the lies you told me in New York,” he said, his voice growing louder.

  Hearing the machine beep again, Lisa took a deep breath to calm herself. “If you’re so sure it’s not yours, then why are you so insistent I terminate?”

  He gaped at her a moment, but before he could form words Dr. Hendricks shuffled into the room.

  “Mr. Brenson, I’m afraid I can’t authorize a test to determine the baby’s DNA at this time,” the doctor said, his usual jolly bedside manner lost for the moment. Glancing beyond him, she spotted Judy and Eric in the doorway. Her heart thundered at the sight of them both. The embarrassment at her situation made her want to crawl under the sheets and never come out.

  “Ms. Mortan is too high risk. Perhaps in a few weeks, or possibly not until the baby is born.”

  “Born? That’ll be months.” Mark spun around to face the doctor.

  “That’s normal biology, yes,” Dr. Hendricks joked.

  Mark advanced on him. “You think this is humorous? I’m being trapped by some second rate, sorry excuse for a whore and you’re making jokes?”

  Eric stomped to the doctor’s side. “It’s time for you to leave,” he snarled, the calm, endearingly handsome man not his usual friendly self. Instead, he puffed out his chest and dared Mark to cross him.

  “Ms. Mortan cannot handle any more stress,” Dr. Hendricks explained, “and I’m afraid the monitors are indicating you are a stressor. So we’ll need you to leave her room for now.”

  To emphasize the doctor’s point, Sheriff Mason rounded the corner, his arms crossed. “I believe you need some time to calm down, son.”

  Before Mark could respond, Mrs. Mitchell entered, flamboyant in a purple and red hat. The hospital room was becoming a public display of Lisa’s epic failure in bedding a man who wanted his own child dead.

  “It’s you!” Mark snapped at Mrs. Mitchell. “What’re you doing here? I thought you said you and the other purple hat, crazy blue hairs were having some secret meeting in the antique store?”

  Mrs. Mitchell blinked then waved her gloved hand at him. “Oh, honey, we’re just a bunch of old senile ladies who can’t get the date right. Turns out our meeting is next Tuesday.”

  Mark growled then turned on Lisa. “Is this what you want? To live in this freak show of a town?” He stormed out of the room, leaving her to deal with the looks of disgust on everyone’s faces.

  Sheriff Mason followed him out, with Eric close behind.

  Mrs. Mitchell gave her triumphant smile, as if she’d exiled an evil villain and saved the damsel in distress. She meant well, and Lisa was thankful for any help in ridding her life of Mark Brenson. She returned the smile and watched the woman march from the room, the red plume atop of her hat fluttering in the air.

  “Rest,” Dr. Hendricks told her. “The nurse will be in shortly to give you something to help you sleep.” Then the doctor left, too.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Lisa said to Judy, rubbing her temple, and the IV cord caught on the bed rail. Her entire world was spinning out of control and she was stuck in bed, trying not to get upset.

  “Let me help you with that, dear,” Judy said, coming to her side.

  Eric stuck his head in. “Can I come in for a moment?”

  Lisa nodded, but part of her didn’t want him to come in. She knew he was too much of a gentleman to flee without a word, despite what he’d said. He wasn’t Mark, but he was still human. No one would stick around for this insanity.

  Judy snatched her bag from the tray beside Lisa’s bed. “Well, I need to go take care of a few things. Can you stay with Lisa until I get back?”

  “Of course,” Eric said.

  Judy kissed Lisa’s forehead. “Get some rest, dear.”

  As Judy disappeared from the room and Eric closed the door behind his mother, Lisa kept her gaze on the thin white blanket stretched over her legs. She heard his heavy footsteps cross the room then Eric placed a finger under her chin and tugged her face up to look at him.

  “Hey, now. I’m here as a friend, not a judge and jury.”

  She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn’t manage a single word, so she closed it again. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was, or how she wished things were different, or that he deserved so much better than being dragged into her mess. She hoped he didn’t hate her, but none of those words escaped. When she finally cleared her throat and managed to speak, all she could say was, “I lost a baby.”

  He nodded then lowered the arm of the bed and sat beside her on the edge of the thin mattress. “I heard. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s my fault,” she choked.

  “No. It’s not. Don’t blame yourself.” When he took her into his arms, the tears flowed. “Shh.” He rocked her gently, kissing her head.

  “I know you must hate me,” she sobbed into his chest.

  “No. Never.” Eric tightened his hug. “I’m so sorry.” His voice cracked.

  Footsteps entered the room then coldness flooded up her arm. She didn’t have to see the nurse to know she’d been given s
omething through her IV.

  When the sobbing slowed, he grabbed tissues from the table and leaned her back against the pillow. “Rest. You’re exhausted. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “You don’t have to be. I can do this on my own,” she mumbled, but her eyes fluttered, trying to stay open. She caught his concerned gaze, saw his eyes full of tears.

  His hand brushed strands of hair from her moist cheek. “I can’t believe it’s happening again,” he muttered. “But this time I’ll do the right thing.”

  “What?” Lisa managed before darkness won.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Eric held her against him as she slept. The warmth of her body made him feel connected to someone for the first time in years, like they could handle anything together. They weren’t together, though. Mark was the father and he was right outside in the hallway.

  He leaned to the side, slipping his phone from his pocket while trying not to wake her. It wasn’t his place to get involved, but the lawyer inside of him urged him to look into Mark’s background.

  Searching Google, he didn’t find anything more on the man than he’d learned when he was researching Lisa, just that Mark Brenson was a well-to-do philanthropist in New York. If the man didn’t own something, then he donated to it, indicating he had power and influence. So then, why didn’t he have an attorney represent him, instead of driving all the way out here? Perhaps he did care for Lisa, but his ego wouldn’t let him show his true feelings in front of all these people.

  Eric set the phone down on his lap and watched the clear liquid drop into the tube leading to Lisa’s arm. Even as she slept her brow was still furrowed. She’d face so much grief every day for the rest of her life. People didn’t understand the connection between an unborn child and its parent. How many people had told him he could always have more children? Although it was true, he’d never have the child he lost that day in the wreck.

  He shook his head. It was stupid to still think that way, but sometimes feelings got in the way of rationality. Something he learned the hard way.

  The door opened. “Oh, sorry,” his mother whispered.

  “No, it’s okay. I need to do a few things. You should stay with her.” Eric slipped his arm from around Lisa’s shoulders and tucked the covers in around her. Her angelic face still looked pale, but she’d stopped shivering, so that was a good sign.