Page 105 of The Tempted

She’s silent for a moment and I think she doesn’t remember. This will be even harder than I imagined.

“We were in a car accident,” she says.

“Yeah,” I nod.

“But we’re okay, right?” she asks, with traces of fright laced into her voice. “I mean I feel okay. My head hurts and my body aches but…,” she moves her legs slightly, “I can wiggle my toes and all.”

I glance down at our joined hands and even though I’ve rehearsed it repeatedly in my head for the last couple of hours, I have no idea how to tell her, our baby is gone.

“Anthony? You’re scaring me. Is it the other driver? Did he die?”

“I’m sorry,” I blurt, not wanting to frighten her. “No. I know nothing about the other driver.”

“Then what is it?”

I lift my eyes to meet hers and I get lost in her beauty for a moment. How did we get here? How did we go from just two people crazy in love with one another to two people destined for heartache?

“A…,” I say gutturally, before clearing my throat and attempting my words again.

“It’s the baby.”

“What about the baby?” she says, sitting up forcing me to act quickly and I place my hands gently on her shoulders to keep her from making any sudden movements. I lean over her and press a kiss to the top of her forehead in an attempt to calm her down before pulling back and holding her gaze.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry but the baby…the baby didn’t make it,” I whisper.

“What? No,” she looks at me confused and then shakes her head. “You’re wrong,” she pauses to study my face. “Anthony! Stop it! Tell me the truth,” she demands and sits up pushing away my hands from her shoulders.

“I wish I was,” I mumble before reaching for her again only to have her shrug my hands away.

“No you’re lying. Why would you say something like that?” Angry tears make their way down her face.

“I know you’re lying because I’d feel something. I’d feel different some way and I feel nothing. Stop looking at me like that, Anthony. Stop it!” She yells as her body shakes with sobs.

“I’m sorry A, I wish I was wrong,” I whisper.

“I’d feel it!” she demands through her tears as she lays her hand over her stomach. She looks at me, her eyes pleading with mine to tell her what she wants to hear.

“No,” she whimpers.

“No. No. No,” she shakes her head violently.

I take her into my arms, her fists clench my shirt as she sobs against my chest. I cry right along with her as we mourn the child we never had a chance to know, the child taken from us, the child that will forever live in our hearts.

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