Page 41 of Mine to Keep

He tipped his head to the side. She hadn’t realized a woman was standing there. She looked familiar, and then it hit her. She turned back to him and waited.

“I see you remember her.”

Laila nodded slowly. “I thought you said she wasn’t your mist … never mind.” She turned back to the woman. “Do you love children?”

The woman looked startled. “Yes. Very much.”

“And you care about Roland?”

“Yes.”

Laila turned back to Roland, relaxed, and tried to smile. “She’s very beautiful.” She ignored the pain of losing him, but she guessed if he was introducing them, she never had him in the first place.

“Why does that make you happy?” Roland asked.

“Because I don’t have to worry about the baby knowingthe two of you will be in its life.”

The other two looked confused.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’ll leave you two alone.” She didn’t make it two steps when Roland wrapped an arm around her waist.

“Where the hell are you going?” Roland asked her.

“Oh, well, I thought the two of you would like your privacy.”

He turned to her to face him. “You think I brought my mistress into this house to meet you?”

Laila felt confusion. “I … I thought it…”

“Do you not care about me at all?” Roland asked.

Her brows puckered together. “Yes. I’ve given you everything. You have my heart and soul.”

“So why give in and not fight for me even a little?”

“Because I’m not going to be … I mean, it will be nice for you to have friends around after your … I mean, the baby is born.”

She caught the look of concern on both their faces. “I’m sorry. What exactly do you want me to say?”

The woman got her attention as she walked to her with her hand out. “Hi, Laila. My name is Stacey. I’m an old friend of your husband’s. And I am not his mistress. You couldn’t pay me enough to kiss him.”

Roland snorted.

Laila felt a little lightheaded as relief and fear filled her.

“That’s a good thing, Love. Do you believe me now?”

“What are you talking about? I believed you the day we got home from the hospital,” she said.

“But when I showed you the movie, you cried and acted like you didn’t.”

She shook her head. “No. I wanted to say I believed you, but I couldn’t stop crying.”

“Why were you crying, Honey?” Stacey asked.

“Because…”

Roland gripped her shoulders. “Why, Love?”

---