Page 1 of The Emperor's Concubine

CHAPTER 1

“Great this is just what I need,” Callie Randall mumbled to herself as the heavens opened up to release a torrential downpour.

Driving in the rain was her least favorite thing in the world, but this trip was unavoidable.

She’d risk a hurricane for her children and one of them was sick enough to warrant a visit to the pediatrician. But when she’d set off tonight, she didn’t think she’d actually have to battle the elements.

At least her other baby, Paris was safely back home with her neighbor while she and London were gone.

Taking a quick look in the rearview mirror to check on London, Callie smiled. The little girl slept peacefully without an apparent care in the world. Sometimes Callie wished she could be two all over again, with no worries instead of being a single mother with twin daughters, a heavily mortgaged house and a struggling dance studio.

Though she didn’t regret having her beautiful daughters, she often wondered what might have been if she hadn’t fallen for Terrell’s bullshit. He was the perfect partner right up until theminute he learned of her pregnancy. He wanted her to abort the baby because they both had goals they’d yet to accomplish.

Both were dancers who wanted to travel the world with their talents. Callie had reluctantly made an appointment with a family planning clinic, thinking herself incapable of taking care of another human being at that point in her life. However, hearing two heartbeats on the fetal monitor quickly changed her mind.

Terrell couldn’t dump her fast enough. He made some platitudes about being there for the girls and sending financial assistance but he essentially ghosted her and his unborn children. Callie later discovered he was living out her dreams in Europe with the dance troupe she’d worked so hard to be a part of.

Alone and pregnant, Callie had left New York to go back home to the small North Carolina town she’d grown up in, only to hear her parents say they told her so. The first year had been a struggle, but when she got a small inheritance from a distant relative, she used it to get her own place and open up a dance studio. She had a few students and hoped that she’d eventually have more, but until business really picked up, she moonlighted as a waitress on the weekends.

Life wouldn’t be such a struggle if Terrell occasionally sent the child support he’d promised, but that sorry bastard always had an excuse. He’d only seen his daughters twice in the two years since their birth and then completely disappeared from their lives. Knowing what a spineless snake he’d become, Callie didn’t miss him but it sucked that her daughters would grow up without a father.

Breathing a sigh of relief when she pulled into the doctor’s office, she shut off the engine. Once she got an umbrella out and shrugged back into her raincoat, Callie walked to the rear passenger side to unbuckle London. “Baby, we’re here.”

London opened her big brown eyes, a dazed expression on her face, before she started to cry. “Hurts, Mommy,” she whined, cupping a small hand over her ear.

Callie suspected her daughter had an ear infection. Paris had the same problem just a couple weeks before. “I know it hurts, baby. That’s why we’re here at the doctor’s office. Now hold onto Mommy’s neck while I lift you up.”

“Do I get a lollypop?”

“Only if you’re really good. Can you be Mommy’s big girl today?”

London nodded, her pigtails bobbing. “I want a red lollypop.”

“We’ll see.”

With her daughter in one arm and her umbrella in the other hand, she raced to the big stone building, trying not to get wet. Once it was London’s turn to see the pediatrician, it was just as Callie had suspected—an ear infection. The doctor gave the toddler some ear drops to ease the immediate ache and Callie a prescription for the pharmacy. Not only did London get her red lollypop for being such a good girl for the doctor, she got a purple one to take home to Paris.

Callie felt a lot better once she and her daughter were back in the car, although the rain hadn’t subsided a bit. London sat strapped in her car seat happily licking her red lollypop while gripping the blue one tightly in her other fist. When Callie had suggested putting the extra lollypop in her purse, London adamantly refused, wanting to be the one to give it to her sister.

London was the younger twin by ten minutes, but she was the nurturer of the two, always making sure her sister was taken care of and content to let Paris take the lead. Paris was the more assertive twin, but just as sweet and had her caring moments as well.

Callie didn’t realize she could love two people as much as she did her twins. People often asked why she chose to name themafter European cities, but in her mind, they seemed to be the most logical choices. After all, had she not gotten pregnant she’d be in Europe, dancing. But from the moment she held them in her arms, Callie knew she wouldn’t trade her little treasures for all the trips to Europe in the world.

Callie couldn’t wait to get home to see Paris, get in her pajamas and cuddle with her girls. When she was away from her kids, she always missed them. So, she decided to take a shortcut on a back road.

Halfway home, the rain let up. “That’s good at least,” she muttered to herself. It was getting dark and driving at night was bad enough without the slashing of water on her windshield.

“How are you doing back there, London?” she asked, looking into the rearview mirror again to check on her daughter.

“Good,” London answered between licks.

Callie glanced over her shoulder to make sure London wasn’t making a mess, and when she looked straight ahead again, she was surprised to see a blinding white light. It was so glaring in fact, she couldn’t see where she was going and ended up swerving off the road. Panic sliced through her as she lost control of the vehicle. The more she tried to right the wheel, the more out of control the car went.

In the backseat, London began to cry, obviously sensing her mommy’s plight.

“Hold onto your seat tight, baby,” she cried out trying to keep the panic out of her voice for the sack of her child, but it was no use.

They were going to crash.

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