Page 75 of Honor ’N’ Duty

As Laia watched Rosa upend the bucket to make the first of what would become sandcastle turrets, she lay back on the blanket to finish drying off.

They’d walked to the end of the beach where the ocean meandered inland, then gone in the water for a quick swim. The hot, late afternoon sun was quickly drying her bright orange two-piece bathing suit and any remaining droplets on her skin. With the sun beating down on her and a light breeze to keep the air from being oppressively hot, she finally began to relax.

When they were both dry enough, she rubbed sunscreen on Rosa’s face, arms, and legs, then did the same for herself. She put on her sunglasses and closed her eyes, going back over everything that happened since the moment she’d called Kade four days ago.

There’d been numerous times when she’d questioned the wisdom of calling him in the first place because of who she’d thought he was. Then she’d gotten to know him, really gotten to know him, and stopped judging him by the preconceived notions she’d had of an aloof, selfish person. Now she and Rosa had started to fall in love with him.

“Mommy, can we order pizza now?” Rosa continued shoveling sand into the bucket.

“Yes, we can order pizza.” She smiled as Rosa turned over the bucket, creating another perfect turret. Her daughter’s culinary inclinations tended to go in one direction and one direction only: pizza.

In the distance, the town’s July Fourth kiddie carnival was in full swing, the Ferris wheel spinning round and round, the occasional bell ringing as someone won a prize at one of the many game vendors. Perhaps, if the carnival was still there when things were safer for her and Rosa to go out in public, she’d take Rosa on the Ferris wheel. Maybe Kade could come with them. If they were talking again by then.

A brief vision of them crammed into a Ferris wheel seat, Rosa plunked between them, popped into her mind. “Maybe,” she whispered to herself, smiling.

Rosa looked up. “Maybe what, Mommy?”

“Nothing, sweetie.” She smiled, then leaned back on the blanket and propped herself up to watch a young couple strolling along the water’s edge a hundred yards away. They were too far away to hear what they were saying, but there was no mistaking their body language. Hand in hand, turning every so often to look at each other. They were in love.

As she watched Rosa construct the walls of her sandcastle, a tiny seed of regret rooted itself in her belly. Not for having Rosa, never that.

The person Laia was now would never marry any man just because she was pregnant. That woman was strong. That woman would have made things work and found the security and financial stability to raise her daughter on her own. And waited for love.

Did she have that with Kade?

Her heart did a little flip flop. Despite all the hurdles yet to climb, she did have that with him. At least, she hoped she did. With all their secrets out in the open, now they could start building a relationship, the one she’d always dreamed of having.

Raised voices drew her attention back to the couple. They’d stopped walking and seemed to be arguing. The woman had her hands planted on her hips and the man jabbed a finger in her direction as he shouted something Laia couldn’t hear. Then he grabbed the woman’s shoulders and began shaking her.

Laia bolted upright just as the woman began screaming.

“Let go of me!” She struggled in the man’s grasp. “Somebody, help me. Please!” Catching sight of Laia, she screamed again. “Please, help me!”

“Mommy, why are they yelling?” Rosa asked.

She rummaged in the pocket of her sundress, then in her shoulder bag, searching for her cell phone to call the police, then realized she’d left her phone on the kitchen counter. She got to her feet, looking around the beach for someone to assist, but this part of the beach truly was deserted.

“Rosa, you stay here. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“I mean it.” She pointed to the blanket. “Right here. You do not go anywhere near the water without me.”

“Okay.”

Leaving Rosa, even for a minute, didn’t sit well, but neither did leaving a woman alone to be beaten.

She pounded over the sand, running as fast as she could. As she neared the couple, the man caught sight of her and released the woman’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” he shouted. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I swear it.”

“Well, you did.” The woman rubbed her shoulders.

“Are you all right?” Laia asked, breathing heavily. “Do you want me to call the police?” Without a cell phone, it was an empty threat, but the guy didn’t know that.

“No!” The woman’s eyes widened. “Please don’t do that. But would you stay here with me for a minute?”

The guy hung his head. “I really am sorry. This won’t happen again. You just made me so angry.”