Page 60 of Burned

Chapter Twenty

Rhys had called Sadie over the past couple weeks with no response. He’d gone to the office on campus where she worked in hopes of talking to her, but he’d been told she was taking some personal leave and wondered if everything was okay with the baby. Tired of being ignored by her, he finally drove to her house in hopes she’d be home. Though her car was parked in her driveway, she didn’t answer. All the lights had been out. He even checked her mailbox to see if she’d been home. It was full.

It was almost as if she’d disappeared and he had no idea where to. In his desperation, he drove to her house every day. Today was different. He knew it the minute he pulled into her driveway. Her car was parked at a different angle as if she’d been here and gone out and come back home.

Anxiously he rang her doorbell, wanting desperately to see her.

She answered the door after the second ring. “Rhys.”

“Hello, Sadie. May I come in?”

God, she was beautiful. She practically glowed with health putting his mind at rest that something was the matter with her. She’d cut her hair which she now wore intight little curls.

“Um, sure.” She stepped back just enough to let him in. Her belly was noticeably rounder from when he last saw her, not obviously pregnant, but he could tell only because he already knew.

“Would you like something to drink?” she offered,leading him to the living room.

“No thank you. I’m fine. I like your hair, by the way.” He took a seat on the couch.

She touched her curls as she sat in the armchair across from him. “Thanks. I thought I’d try something new. I’m going natural and now I’m only using organics product for my hair. I hear it’s good for the baby.”

“Pregnancy certainly suits you. You look lovely.”

“Thanks.”

“I, er, see that your cast is still on.”

“Yeah, two more weeks and I’ll have it removed. Then I’ll wear an arm brace for a little while.”

“Oh. I stopped by your office a few times. They said you were taking some leave?”

“Yeah. I needed some time off to deal with personal issues. I stayed with Lily this past week. It’s only my first day back home actually.”

“And I trust the baby is doing well?”

“Yes. Look, Rhys, I’m sure you didn’t come over here to make small talk, so I’d rather you just tell me what you wanted to say. I’m really tired and I have a lot to do around the house today.”

An awkward silence fell between the two of them. What could he say to make amends for the wrong done to her? “Yes, of course. First…Sadie….I owe you an apology. The things I said to you, were inexcusable. You came to me about your pregnancy and I acted like a complete jackass. If it would make things right I’d cut out my tongue.”

“You don’t have to go that far, Rhys. I accept your apology.”

“That easily?”

“Of course. We’ll have to get along for the baby’s sake won’t we?”

His heart lurched in his chest. “Only for the baby’s sake?”

“What other reason could there be?”

“You and me maybe?”

“There is no you and me. It’s you and Carys. She’s your daughter, but I’m not going to pretend to like her. And I’d never make you choose between me and her. She’s a child and she needs you more than me.”

Rhys closed his eyes against her matter of fact tone. “I’m sorry for being so blind. For not seeing what was going on.”

Sadie raised a brow. “So you finally realized what she was up to?”

“Carys confessed. She felt horrible about what she’d done to you.”

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