Moments In Time: The Complete Novella Collection (31 page)

“For all it’s worth, I do believe you now...
that Henry tried to... rape you. I’m sorry I didn’t before.” She
was close to Melisa’s back now.

Henry had been her mother’s on-again,
off-again boyfriend. A disgusting pig, who had tried on more than
one occasion to come on to Melisa.

Melisa slowed and when she wheeled around to
face her mother, tears streamed down her face. “I was thirteen
years old, and you believed him instead of me. Your daughter. What
if I hadn’t fought him? He’d have raped me and you’d still defend
him.” Melisa wiped off the sweat beading on her forehead. Being in
her mother’s presence, reliving painful memories on an empty
stomach, was literally making her sick.

Her mother was crying too as she stood
facing Melisa, tears glistening on her cheeks. “I’m so, so sorry. I
want to make up for it.”

“I don’t know if you can.” Melisa turned
away again and instead of waiting for the traffic lights to turn
green, she stumbled into the road. There was a loud screech; she
turned to the direction the sound came from and bright lights
blinded her blurry vision. Her heart almost stopped when she saw a
car speeding in her direction. There was another screech, a scream,
and then everything went black.

***

Melisa opened her eyes and lifted one of her
hands. She looked at it from side to side, then let it drop again.
It was too heavy.

“Ma’am, can you hear me?” a man asked. “Can
you tell me what happened?”

Her eyes took in the interior of the
ambulance, and her heart started beating fast. Oh, God, what had
happened to her? As she formed the words in her mind, she
remembered her mother, the car, blacking out. The car had hit her.
It had been too close to miss her. Maybe she was paralyzed. Why
else would her body feel so numb? She parted her lips to speak, to
ask the paramedic questions, but all she felt like doing was
sleeping. She closed her eyes.

She was still drowsy when they arrived at
the hospital, which she knew was just a five-minute drive from
Mel’s Delights. When she opened her eyes, the man from earlier
wasn’t there anymore. She had been handed over to nurses who now
wheeled her into a room that smelled of antiseptic and bleach. She
flashed back to the day of the fire. She wanted to get away from
this place.

When the nurses helped her onto the bed, she
sighed with relief; even if her body still felt limp, all her body
parts were intact. And her brain was clearly functioning just fine.
“I’m okay,” she said as she grabbed on to the metal bedrails. “I’m
okay.”

A nurse with very grey hair tied in a bun on
the top of her head smiled as she positioned the pillows behind
Melisa. “Yes, sweetheart, you are fine. But we do need to run some
tests to find out what caused you to faint.”

“A car was about to run me over. What
happened?” Melisa couldn’t help asking.

“Looks like you were lucky. We were told
that when you were found, the street was empty, apart from you and
the woman who called nine-one-one. She said she is your mother.
“

“My mother called nine-one-one?”

“She did. She’s in the waiting room right
now. She can come and see you after the doctor sees you. I just
need to ask you a few questions.”

The other nurse sat down at what looked like
a computer near the window and typed as her colleague asked Melisa
for her personal information, what she believed could have caused
her to faint, and her medical history.

Melisa answered her questions as accurately
as could remember, hoping that if she cooperated, she would be
allowed to go home sooner. “I’d been working all day at my bakery
and hardly had anything to eat or drink.”

“Well, that might explain it. But let’s see
what the doctor says.”

Melisa swung her legs over the edge of the
bed, feeling suddenly very strong and alert. “I don’t think that
necessary. I had a long day, that’s all.” And seeing her mother had
just pushed her over the edge. “I’m fine. I just need to eat
something and get some rest.”

The nurse smiled and walked out and the
doctor—John Garver, the same doctor who’d treated Melisa after the
fire—walked in.

“Ms. Bergfeld, it’s nice to see you again.”
He gazed at the computer monitor. “I see your surname has changed.
Are congratulations in order?”

Melisa pursed her lips. She should be
overjoyed to announce to anyone who would listen that she had
married the man of her dreams. Only problem was, she wasn’t sure
whether he was still hers. In the last month, she’d only spoken to
him twice over the phone for less than two minutes at a time. The
first time he’d called to ask if the repair guy he’d sent over to
fix the leaking bathroom tap had shown. The second time he’d simply
said hi and nothing further. As if what he’d wanted to say refused
to be said. “Yes,” she said to the doctor. “I’m married.” For how
long that statement would hold true, she had no idea.

Dr. Garver stepped over to her bed and shook
her hand. “Congratulations, Mrs. Dane.” He paused and regarded her
for a moment. “I didn’t think you’d be back here again so soon. How
are you feeling?”

“I feel fine. I think I fainted from not
eating all day.”

Dr. Garver asked her a few more questions,
jotting down her answers on a notepad. “From what you’re telling
me, the signs point toward hypoglycemia, a low blood sugar
condition. To know more, I’d like to run some blood tests. Do I
have your consent?”

“Do whatever tests are necessary to find out
what’s wrong with my wife.”

Melisa’s head snapped up and her eyes met
Heat’s. How did he find out she was here?

He quickly shook Dr. Garver’s hand and came
over to the bed. “Are you okay, baby?” Concern laced his voice. He
kissed her cheek and smoothed back the curls from her forehead.

Melisa nodded, dumbfounded. He was here. Her
husband was here. Without a moment’s hesitation, she sat up and
threw her arms around him, holding on for dear life. “I’m fine now
that you’re here.”

“I’m so happy you’re all right.” He kissed
her.

“Mrs. Dane,” the doctor said, interrupting
their reunion.

Melisa considered him; she’d almost
forgotten he was there. She smiled at him. “Yes, doctor. You have
my consent.”

“Excellent. I’ll send someone to come and
draw your blood. In the meantime, please don’t eat anything.”

While they waited for the results, Heat kept
his arms wrapped around Melisa. They didn’t speak about Ben, the
threat to their marriage, or anything else that hurt to talk about.
The only thing Heat told her was that he was moving back home, that
he’d never intended to leave her for good.

“Right now, I want you to concentrate on
getting better. I almost lost you,” he said, his voice cracking. “I
can’t bear to not have you in my life.”

“But—”

“We’ll talk about everything else
later.”

“Thank you for coming,” she said.

“Your mother called me. She told me what
happened.”

Melisa frowned. “How did she know that you
and I... And how did she get your number?”

“Small town, remember?”

Melisa nodded. “She showed up at Mel’s
Delights when I was leaving. Meeting her again after all these
years was too much for me.”

“But she seems genuinely upset about what
happened. And she feels responsible. Maybe you should let her come
and see you. She refuses to leave until she knows you’re all
right.”

“That’s new.” When Melisa was sick as a
child, she always nursed herself back to health; her mother had
been too drunk or didn’t give a damn.

“I think she’s changed, Mel.”

Melisa’s near-death experience had changed
her, too. And here was Heat, giving her a second chance. Maybe her
mother deserved one too. “Babe, please tell her I forgive her, but
I can’t see her right now. Invite her to come for lunch next
week.”

“Sure.” Heat got to his feet. “I’ll be right
back.”

Carlene walked in a few minutes after Heat
left.

“I came as soon as Heat called. Are you all
right, sweetie?” She sank down on the bed next to Melisa and rested
a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

“I’m fine. Everything was just so scary.
Where’s Daria?”

“Nick’s watching her.”

A broad grin split Melisa’s face. “Heat came
back to me.”

“I’m not surprised. He’s loved you for a
long time. I always knew he’d come back to you. But not under these
circumstances.”

Melisa sighed. “Yeah.” She filled Carlene in
on what had happened, but before Carlene could comment, Dr. Garver
walked back in, followed by Heat. He politely ushered Carlene out
so he could talk to Melisa and Heat alone.

“Mrs. Dane, as I suspected, you had an
episode of hypoglycemia caused, perhaps, by overexertion on an
empty stomach.”

“So there’s nothing to worry about?” Heat
asked.

“Hypoglycemia is common in people suffering
from diabetes. I’d like to have an oral glucose tolerance test
done. Have you eaten anything?”

“No,” Melisa shook her head. “You said I
shouldn’t.”

“Good. The test will take around three to
four hours.” He peered at his watch. “It’s late. I think it’s best
you spend the night here. All the results will be ready
tomorrow.”

Melisa gazed at Heat as fear blurred her
vision.

Heat’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed
and Melisa knew he was scared too.

“Okay,” she said in a tiny voice.

A nurse came in later and gave Melisa a
sweet drink, and then, within the next hours, samples of her blood
were taken at regular intervals.

Heat stayed by her side through it all,
telling her he loved her and assuring her everything would be
okay.

Melisa believed him. As long as he was with
her, everything would be fine.

***

Dr. Garver came to Melisa’s room shortly
before noon.

“Good morning, Mrs. Dane. Sorry to keep you
waiting. Your results came in.”

Melisa wished Heat were with her to hear
whatever Dr. Garver had to say, but he had gone out to get coffee.
She didn’t like the doctor’s pinched expression today. Her stomach
tightened. “Do you have bad news for me?”

“Good news first. You are pregnant.”

Melisa clapped a hand over her mouth. “I am?
How?” She laughed. “I mean... I’m really going to have a baby?”

Dr. Garver’s face softened. “That’s
right.”

“A baby?” A choked voice came from the
door.

Melisa grinned at Heat and placed a hand on
her flat stomach. She smiled at him for what felt like the first
time in years. “We’re having a baby.”

Dr. Garver turned to face Heat.
“Congratulations, Mr. Dane.” He glanced at Melisa. “To both of
you.” He flipped open a folder in his hands. “Unfortunately,
there’s something else we need to discuss. You were diagnosed with
gestational diabetes.”

“What is that? Will my wife and the baby be
all right?” Heat rushed to Melisa’s side; his words sounded like a
warning.

Melisa’s heart shriveled. Having been
pregnant before, she knew what gestational diabetes was. “It’s a
type of diabetes that affects pregnant women and can be dangerous
for the baby.”

“We’ve detected it early. The results show
you’re about a month or two along. With a proper diet and exercise,
gestational diabetes can be managed. The chances of you delivering
a healthy baby are quite high. I advise you to make an appointment
with an OBGYN of your choice as soon as possible.”

“We will,” Heat said, beating Melisa to it.
He held onto Melisa’s hand so tight, she was afraid it might crack
at any moment. “We did it,” he said when the doctor left, and
kissed Melisa so hard, he left her breathless. “I love you, Melisa.
We’ll work through everything together.”

“I love you so much, Heat.” She hesitated
before asking the next question, but she had to. She needed to
know. “Do you forgive me?”

Heat’s features tightened, but only for a
fleeting second. “What’s important right now is you and this baby.”
He laid a warm, comforting hand on her belly. “Let’s talk about
everything else later, okay?”

“But you’ll never leave again?”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think, and one
thing I know for sure is that I want to be with you. I’m not going
anywhere.”

That was enough. They were going to raise
their baby together.

***

Heat and Melisa were able to see Dr.
Beverlin, her gynecologist, before they got home from the hospital.
She was overjoyed for them and answered all their questions. When
they walked out of the practice hand in hand, Melisa felt lighter,
as if they’d left all their fears behind.

At home, Heat insisted she rest. He cooked
her a late lunch and tucked her in. Melisa fell asleep almost
immediately. She was exhausted after the rollercoaster ride of the
past few days.

When she opened her eyes again, it was dark
outside and the room was warm and golden from the lamp on Heat’s
side of the bed.

“Did you sleep well?” Heat said, putting
aside a brochure on gestational diabetes.

Melisa snuggled into him. “I feel like I’ve
been sleeping for a week.”

“Good,” he said and cradled her in his arms.
“Are you up to talking? I think we need to clear the air so we can
move on from here.”

Melisa nodded, even though a stone was
sitting in the pit of her stomach.

“Mel, what you did really hurt me. I was
hurt and angry that you had deprived me of the chance to get to
know my son. If you had told me, I would have never allowed you to
give him away. I understand you were not ready to be a mom then,
and I respect that, but I would have raised him myself if I had
to.”

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you.” Heat was
holding her in such a way that she wasn’t able to see his face,
which she was glad for. She could feel, and almost breathe, the
hurt dripping from his voice. It would kill her to see it.