He thought of his own life. What righteous thing had he done with it? He’d worked and saved money, yes, but he’d yet to see his dreams come true. Had yet to attain the proof of his success.
The baby was no notion, no unfulfilled objective. It was real, alive, a miracle he’d had a part in bringing about.
He thought of kin. He had none. No relatives anywhere in the entire world.
He did now. The baby was his own flesh and blood.
He thought a thousand things and connected all of them to the small life dwelling inside Theodosia’s womb. The precious life he and Theodosia had created together.
“Roman,” Theodosia murmured, her head bowed, “what I set out to do has been done. I have conceived.”
He tried to reply but remained too astonished to speak.
“I am grateful for all you have done for me,” Theodosia continued, still staring at the hardwood floor. Anguish filled every corner of her heart, but she valiantly resisted tears. “And I wish you happiness and success in all your endeavors.”
The meaning behind her words struck him instantly.
She was leaving him.
He couldn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend why she was leaving. What about their baby? he wondered frantically.
Their baby.
No.
God. He’d forgotten. He’d been so totally involved with Theodosia herself that he’d forgotten what she wanted from him.
A baby.
He’d given one to her, and now she was going to give it to her sister and brother-in-law! Was going to bear the child and hand it over to two people he’d never met. Then she’d set sail for Brazil and wade in some beetle-infested river for the rest of her life.
Those had been her intentions all along, andshehadn’t forgotten them. But in light of all that had happened between them…in light of all the times they’d shared, how could she continue to hold on to her original intentions?
He wasn’t exactly sure what the shared times had meant to him, but they’d meantsomething.Apparently, though, they’d meant absolutely nothing to Theodosia. If they had, she wouldn’t be so eager to return to another life without him.
He wasn’t good enough for her, he realized suddenly. Wasn’t smart enough for her. He’d been but the chosen candidate to her, the man who’d satisfied her needs and wants.
Just as he’d been for Flora. He’d never been good enough for Flora, either. She’d used him, then sold everything he’d thought belonged to him. She’d left him with nothing but a dream.
And now Theodosia was about to take away the baby that belonged to him and leave him with the same unfulfilled dream Flora had.
Everything bad…all the terrible things that happened years ago were happening again.
Rage burned straight through his heart and consumed his very soul.
And at that moment a vibrant truth flared to life inside him, so bright, so strong he shook with its intensity.
“No way in hell,” he seethed aloud. “No way in hell, Theodosia!”
He stormed toward her. “It’smybaby, too, got that?”
His shout thundered through her. Confusion fairly overcame her. “Roman—”
“You arenotgiving the baby to your sister!”
“What?”Her mind spinning, she stepped backward until the backs of her legs hit the bed.
You are not giving the baby to your sister!His words shouted through her endlessly, and her heart skipped so many beats, she felt sure she would collapse and die.
