CHAPTER
TWO
Leigha
walked up the wooden steps to Meghan's door and knocked. No one answered, so she walked in, to make
sure her friend wasn't home. It was an
unspoken rule that their doors were always open to the others. They even knew where the spare keys were
hidden. "Meghan!" She called out. However the cabin was empty. Then she noticed a piece of paper on the
couch. Walking over she picked it
up. Then silently read the note.
Leigha,
I knew
you'd come in!
Thanks for
sending Macen
to my
rescue. He talked me
into going
to the doctor's office (gag).
You worry
too much, but
it was
probably the right thing to do.
See you
later, Love and hugs
Meghan
She
folded the note up and slipped it into the back pocket of her jeans. Then turned and walked out of Meghan's cabin,
shutting the door behind her. Crossing the narrow road to her own cabin, she
glanced up at the afternoon sky. She walked up her front steps, turned the knob
opening the door, and went in leaving the door open. As soon as she stepped inside she saw the red
light on her answering machine blinking.
So she pushed play and listened.
"Leigha? Leigha Mauve Zelmorre where are
you?" Her mother's annoying voice
came across. "Are you working or
are you out with 'that boy' again? This
is your mother. Call me!! I want to talk to you." Leigha couldn't help but to stick out her
tongue after she stopped the machine.
Sighing, she picked up the phone and dialed her home phone number. She rolled her eyes as her mother's answering
machine picked up.
"Hi,
Mom, it's me. I was working with 'that
boy'. Not that it's any of your
business, really. You must not want to
talk to me all that bad because you're not home shortly after you originally
called. You know my number. Bye."
She hung up. She pushed play
again and let the second message play.
"Hi,
Honey. It's your lover. I'll be over soon. I just have to lock up and drive over. Love you." A smile crept across Leigha's face. "And I really do love you." A strong male voice said from behind
her. She turned around and saw Alec with
a handful of roses.
"Well
that's nice to know." She said with
a light giggle in her voice. "I
think you've been dreaming again, though.
I'm not your lover."
"Yet,"
Alec grinned slyly.
Leigha
nodded. "Yet. And you know that I'm a sucker for
roses."
Alec
crossed the room and pulled her into his arms.
"I know." He grinned as
he tossed the roses aside. He kissed
her, mentally patting himself on the back when she didn't protest. After a moment, Leigha pulled back.
"I
said I'm a sucker, not a pushover."
"I
never said you were a pushover."
Alec declared as a sly smile extended across his face. "But I would like to push you
over." He laughed wickedly.
Leigha
smiled and turned her back to him as she picked up the roses. "I'm worried about Meg." She whispered.
Alec
wrapped his arms around her then and pulled her close being careful not to
crush the roses. "Why?" He asked resting his chin on her shoulder.
"When
I went over there this morning she was laying on the couch. She didn't look good at all. She looked pale and tired. She said that she threw up this
morning." Leigha paused. "I told Macen and I guess he dragged her
off to the doctor's."
"That's
good," Alec told her. "At
least she's getting checked out."
Alec was a first year resident at the Forrest Hospital Emergency
Room. Extremely good at what he did, and
pretty young to be at that point already, but he had worked very hard to get
there taking an overly max-ed class load the whole time he was in college and
med school.
"I
know. It's just that something has been
really weird about her. Ever since that
celebration with the big bon fire."
Leigha paused, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. "It's like she's been trying to hide something." She turned and looked into Alec's blue
eyes. "I don't know how to explain
it but it's like she has gotten really withdrawn and quite. It's been three months. I just don't understand it."
"I
don't know what to tell you, Leigh.
Maybe something happened that night that she hasn't been able to tell
you or is afraid to. Maybe she has just
been upset about Codie leaving. I guess
that they were close and he left that night." He told her.
"No,
they weren't." Leigha threw
out. "Meghan turns green every time
Codie's name is brought up."
"He
said that they were. In fact he said
that they were really close, if you catch my drift." He paused as he watched Leigha eyes change
color from violet to a smoky gray. He
knew that deep down inside her the tempers were starting to brew. "Maybe that's what she is afraid to tell
you. She knows how you hated him."
"She
would have told me,” Leigha stated angrily.
More so to convince herself than Alec.
He
leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"I think that I'll go make us some dinner."
"Alec,"
she whispered. "I don't have any
food. We were going to go shopping
remember?"
He
smiled as he looked back into her violet eyes.
"Yes I remember," he laughed.
"Or at least now I do."
After a quick trip to the nearest
grocery store, fifteen minutes away, Leigha sat in her den reading while Alec
sang in the kitchen. The strong smell of
pasta, spaghetti sauces and garlic bread surrounded her. Her stomach growled every few minutes in response.
It
was a classic romance novel that she held in her hands. Man and woman meet. Man and woman fall in love. They both deny their feelings. Problems arise causing man and woman to
become thrown together. Resulting in
their not being able to deny their feelings any longer. Growing closer. Eventually they make love. One still tries to deny their feelings but
the other convinces them not to. Then
they all live happily ever after. The
end. "I could write one of these
things." Leigha uttered.
The
phone rang and Leigha jumped up to answer it hoping it was Meghan. "Hello?"
"Where
have you been? I've tried calling you
four times today. And I did not enjoy
that snotty message that you left on my machine, young lady."
"Hello,
Mother." Leigha mumbled. She could feel herself tense up the instant
her mother's voice raced into her brain.
"So
where on Earth were you?" The older
woman asked apparently irked.
"For
your information, Mother, I do have a job and a household to take care
of." Leigha defended which annoyed
her. She knew that she had no reason to
defend herself to her mother.
"A
small one!" Her mother spat through
the phone. "You told me that you
don't go in until the afternoon."
"No,
I said that I don't get home until the afternoon. I work the morning shift." Leigha explained for the hundredth time. Her temper was rising higher every second.
"Well,
make it clearer next time." She
yelled.
"I
don't know how much clearer I could have made it," she all but spat
out. "You've had no problems the
past four months." Her retort was
out before she realized it.
"Fine,
but I called an hour ago and you weren't there. I suppose that you were with that boy."
"For
your information, Mother, my life no longer revolves around you. I have a job. I have a roof over my head. I pay my own bills. And I happen to be in love. An hour ago, by the way, Alec and I was
grocery shopping.”
"I
don't like your attitude." The
woman yelled. "Is that boy living
with you now? Is that why you have to go
grocery shopping together. I'll just
have to call up that boss of yours and let him have a piece of my mind about
this co-ed rooming that he allows."
"Mother!" Leigha shouted. "He lives in his own cabin. Plus, since you stopped making payments on my
car, I no longer have one. I need some
way to get to town and get what I need."
Now Leigha was really getting angry.
The woman knew how to push her daughter's buttons.
"Since you're making your
own money you can get your own car."
Leigha
took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"That car was a birthday present." Leigha tried to say calmly. "You didn't even give me the chance to
finish paying off the car myself. In
fact, you didn't even warn me, what so ever, that I should find new transportation."
"I
told your father not to get it for you."
"It
wasn't from you, it was from Dad. You
had no right to do what you did after he died." Leigha said still trying to maintain her
composure. Yet, she was very close to
tears. "I need to go, Mother, Alec
is making me dinner."
"What's
he making? Macaroni and
cheese?" She asked sarcastically.
"No,
pasta with a spicy tomato sauce and gourmet bread." She told the older woman playing it out
some. "And by the way, he is an
amazing cook."
"He's
trying to get you in bed. That is what
he's trying to do!"
"So
what if he is, Mother!" Leigha
wailed not being able to hold back her anger any longer. She wanted to piss the woman off now. She wanted to make her as mad as she
was. "As you very well know, Alec
and I have been dating for 3 years. If
that was the only reason he was seeing me, he would have left long
ago." She paused, debating on
saying what she wanted to say next. She
decided to give into the urge.
"Plus, not that it is any of your business but Alec and I have made
love many, many times." She lied.
"Leigha!!"
"I
am so sick and tired of arguing with you, Mother. When you want to talk to me without trying to
run my life or interfere, let me know.
Until than, Good-bye." The
receiver hit the cradle before she thought twice about hanging up on her
mother. She turned around and saw
Alec. "Sorry," she whispered
near tears. She threw the book that she
was reading across the room. She had so
much anger and frustration built up inside her from the woman who called
herself her mother that it was eating away at her insides. She let Alec wrap his arms around her. "I wish that I was adopted." She told him honestly letting the tears break
free.
"You lied to your
mother." Alec smiled and looked at
her. He gently wiped away a few fallen
tears. "We could always make that
lie a truth."
Leigha
turned around and punched Alec playfully in the gut. "I didn't lie," she announced with
the bite of anger still in her. "I
always have my dreams."
Alec
noticed that Leigha's eyes were the darkest gray he had ever seen them. Stone gray...almost black. They were beautiful. She was beautiful when she was angry. "I could always make you dreams into
reality." Alec declared with a
playful look on his face.
Leigha
smiled. "You know that I want to
wait until Mr. Right comes along and asks me to marry him."
Alec
pulled away suddenly with his hand over his heart acting as if he had just been
shot. He gasped a couple of times and
then fell onto the couch. "I'm not
Mr. Right," he whined. "Oh,
God, my poor broken heart."
Leigha
walked over to the couch and leaned over him.
"I should just laugh in your face and go eat. But you look so pitiful." She whispered before pressing her lips to
his. "I love you. Maybe you are Mr. Right. But how would I know. You haven't proposed." Alec threw his arms around her and pulled
her down onto him. They started kissing
again. Only this time with more passion.
Alec
stopped to breath. "Are you saying that
if I did ask, that you'd say yes?"
He questioned.
Leigha
shrugged. Then she lifted her head as
far as she could and sniffed the air.
"Do I smell something burning?" She asked.
Alec
jumped up and ran into the kitchen forgetting that Leigha was on top of
him. Leigha never saw the floor coming,
but she sure did feel it. Then burst
into laughter, as she rubbed her bruised behind.
Macen
watched as Meghan walked from the bathroom and laid down on her bed. All the color had drained from her face. He walked across the bedroom and sat down
next to her on the satin burgundy sheets.
"How are you feeling?"
He asked pushing her golden brown hair away from her face.
"Dinner
just came up." She whined. "And it really didn't taste that good on
the way back up."
"I'm
sorry, baby." He whispered stroking
her golden hair. "Can I do anything
to help?" She shook her head and
closed her eyes. "Are you
tired?"
She
nodded. "I am so sleepy,
Macen." Her eyes shot open and she
looked at Macen. "We have to think
of names...we need to get stuff."
She shot up to a sitting position.
"What if it's more than one?
We have only six months to prepare!"
"Calm
down, Meg. Lay down and get some
sleep. You have an appointment next
week.... and we'll talk about the rest after you wake up. Okay?"
Macen said stroking her hair to try and get her to relax.
"Don't
leave me tonight." She
pleaded. "Stay here with me,
please." Her eyes were wide with
fear. He could tell how upset she
was. Which made him worry. It hurt to see her like this. She was so collected before. He detested his brother for what he had done
to her. So much that the next time he
saw the sight of Codie, his evil twin, would have more than a black eye.
"Okay,
Meggie. I'm going to go and get some of
my stuff from my cabin and I'll be right back.
Alright?" He asked as he
started to rub her back a little.
"Swear
you'll be right back." She
whispered closing her eyes.
"I
swear," he muttered than leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep. I love you." A smile spread across her face before he
kissed the corner of her mouth.
"I'll be right back, I promise."
"I'm
sorry that your mom hates me." Alec
said putting a fork full of pasta in his mouth.
"It's
her loss. You're a wonderful man and I
love you." She reached across the
small round table and touched his hand.
"Your my man." She whispered with a smile. "With her attitude I'd give her up
before I'd give you up." She stated
matter-of-factly. "She has always
been a bitch to me...I've never understood that."
"Want
some champagne?" Alec asked
feeling her anger starting to spark again, and wanting to nip it in the bud
before it wrecked the mood of the evening.
"I know that you don't drink and are still underage, for a couple
months" he whispered grinning.
"Though this is a special occasion."
"Special,
why?"
"Because....
indulge me." He whispered. "You can just have a sip, you don't have
to drink it all."
"Alright,
I suppose,” She smiled laughing.
"Planning on seducing me, Alec?
Trying to get me drunk?" She
asked watching him pour the bubbly into the glass.
"Not
planning on it, yet...but hey, if it happens...” He laughed with a sly smile.
"What's
the special occasion?" She asked a
little nervous.
"Take
a sip first," he told her handing her the champagne flute.
She
took it and sipped. She heard something
clink in the bottom of the glass.
"What did you put in my glass?" She questioned.
"You
might just have to drink the rest to find out."
The black haze started to disappear
behind the images.
She saw the woman standing, looking
out the curved window. She stood in the
tower looking over the large body of water.
Then she looked down and she longed to sit in the front garden next to
the stone lions. Maybe even play in the
fountain. But it was to chilly out.
Then she looked down at her large
rounded belly. She turned and started to
make her way to the perfectly made bed that rested in the center of the
room. She sat on the bed, which made the
sheets and quilt wrinkle under her weight.
Suddenly she clenched her rounded
middle and screamed something awful. For
a moment the scream seemed to echo though the house. It took her a moment to realized that it was
someone else's bellow.
` Meghan
shot up, waking in a panic. She looked
around, finding herself in her own room, in her own bed. Her heavy eyes begged to be closed again as
her heart raced. She laid back down,
and fell back into the land between sleep and dreams.
Macen
walked back into Meghan's cabin. She was
still asleep. He stood in the doorway of
her room and just watched her for a few moments. He then went back into the
living room and dropped his bag next to the couch. He sat down and started watching TV. He wasn't sitting there 5 minutes before she
came out.
"Did
I wake you?"
"No.
I don't think so." She whispered
rubbing her eyes.
"Feeling
better?" He asked as she sat next
to him.
"Kinda...a
little," she paused.
"Still
tired?" He asked as she laid down
with her head in his lap. He instantly
started stroking her thick golden brown hair.
"A
little."
"Nauseated?" Figuring she'd say "a little" he
asked anyway.
"Not
at the moment." She turned her face
towards him. "Six months...so much
to talk about and do. I don't know where
to start."
"Us,
or the baby?"
"Both,"
she muttered.
"No,
which do you want to start with?"
He asked.
"We
should start with you and I, I guess.
When do you think that we should get married?" She inquired.
He had done so much for her. He
did love her. She was so happy that he
did and that everything was working out the way it did. She wasn't absolutely sure she was "in
love" with him. She thought she
was. Figured she was pretty sure, that
she was. If she wasn't she knew she
could take that leap with him, her feelings were strong already for him. She just couldn't get over the fact, Codie
had damaged something inside, and she wasn't sure about anything she did anymore. She didn't want to lose Macen. She wanted to marry him, which she knew for
sure.
"What
do you think? Before or after the baby
is born?" He asked smiling at her.
"Before...I
was thinking...soon. How long do you
think we'll need to plan the wedding?"
"At
least 3 months. You'll be six months
than, honey. Are you sure you want it
before?"
"New
years!" She exclaimed. "Small, friends and family, candle
light."
"That
sounds really nice." Macen said
thinking that she'd be almost due.
"I
have no family, though."
"I
am sorry that your parents died."
Macen whispered still stroking her hair.
"You've had so much pain through your life." Her eyes were looking up...at the
ceiling. They seemed distant. So far
away. "Baby, what's wrong?"
"I
have no family that I know of, well, some distant relative, grandparents, aunts
and uncles, that sort of thing...but I have some somewhere, I have real family
out there." She whispered.
"What?" He asked very confused. He thought that her parents died.
She
suddenly snapped back. "I'm
adopted."
"My
goodness," Leigha gasped looking at the ring she found in the bottom of
her glass. "It's a half caret. You could afford this?"
"Leigha,
it's paid for in full." Alec
laughed loving every minute of her reaction.
"Now," he said getting down on one knee beside her. "I want you to marry me. I want you to be my wife. I know we've had a wonderful past couple
years, other then the time, not even a year ago we broke up for a few weeks,
but love prevailed right? Forever and always, you and I. Will you Leigha? Will you marry me?" He asked with her hand in his, placing the
ring on her finger.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" She yelled bouncing in her chair. "Of course I will. I love you Alec." She said smiling from ear to ear. She threw her arms around him and hugged him
knocking him down. "When? When will we be man and wife?" She asked still on top of him.
"Any
date that you pick." He laughed
then pressed his lips to hers. In the
distance they heard thunder crash, and the lights flickered. "Was that anything like
fireworks?" He whispered. She laughed and crushed her mouth back
against his.
Thunder
crashed and made Meghan jump a little.
"I found out after my father died." She wiped away the tear that had escaped down
her cheek. "I always wondered why I
was the only child that ever survived for them."
"Does
Nate know this?"
"No.
I haven't told him." They were all
close to Nate McCrady and his family, but especially Meghan. She cuddled up against him. Enjoying his warmth, taking in his
scent. "Tomorrow," she
whispered.
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