I drove away as a new crop of tears filled my eyes. I cursed myself for believing that I could have a man like Ryan. I’d forgotten who I was—a nobody with so-so looks. A handsome guy like Ryan could have any woman. Why would he settle? One of my foster mothers once told me never to aspire to something I was not. When had I stopped heeding that advice? Happiness and love weren’t for people like me.
I headed toward the expressway. I tried to concentrate on my driving, but my mind kept wandering back to Ryan. Add my constant stream of tears to that and it’s no wonder I didn’t see the guy who cut in front of me until it was too late. When I swerved to avoid him, my car hydroplaned and went sailing over the guardrail into nothingness. Then my entire world went black.
* * *
When I finally opened my eyes again I found myself in a hospital. I tried to sit up, but couldn’t. Aside from the fact that one of my arms was attached to an intravenous drip and the other was in a cast, my head felt as if it were stuck in a vise. I wondered if I was really in hell and not a hospital, after all. As I lay there trying to focus my pained eyes on the ceiling, I wondered how long I’d been there.
“So you’ve finally decided to rejoin us,” a pleasant voice said.
I tried to locate the source. A nurse had walked into the room presumably to check on me.
“Would you like some ice chips to soothe your throat?”
“Yes,” I tried to say, but I sounded more like a frog with laryngitis.
She left and returned a few minutes later carrying a bowl filled with chips of ice. She placed one on my tongue. Though the chip was cold and melted on my tongue, it did very little to curb my thirst.
“Here’s another,” she said. “In case you’re wondering, you’re in Good Sam, it’s Tuesday morning and you’re going to be just fine. The best part is that the baby wasn’t hurt in the accident.”
“Baby?” What baby?
“I told your guy that, too. Heck of a way for him to find out. He was so worried about you. I wish I had someone who loved me as much. You’re one lucky girl, that’s for sure.”
I wanted to scream. Not only had my beautiful world stopped spinning, it was now unraveling like a pull in a sweater. Pregnant. Just what I needed on top of everything else. I was afraid to think what else could go wrong. What in God’s name was I going to do? And if I heard the nurse correctly, not only did Ryan know about the baby, but he was at the hospital. So much for my great disappearing act and starting anew. If it weren’t so hysterically funny, I’d be drowning in my own tears.
“If you need anything, push the call button.”
What I need now is for you to make me disappear. My head throbbed and I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with all my wonderful news. And as if that weren’t enough, Ryan came walking through the door. He was definitely the last person I cared to see at that moment. He looked tired, his eyes were red-rimmed and concern was etched into his face.
The tears began to flow. He reached over and wiped them for me. “Oh, baby, what did you do?”
I tried to turn away from him. I didn’t want him to see me cry. “Go away,” I croaked.
“I’m not going anywhere. You’re my captive audience, now. Why didn’t you tell me about the baby?”
I tried to tell him that I didn’t know, but a wave of pain interrupted me and I gasped. It seemed to alarm Ryan.
“Don’t move! Do you want me to get the nurse?”
“No…I’m…okay.”
“Why did you run away? I thought we had something wonderful between us.”
I shook my head. “All a lie.”
“No, Sarah, it was beautiful. You let a stupid remark made by a shallow guy come between us.”
“Just a bet.”
“Yes, but that changed as soon as I got to know you. When you ran away, I was so worried. And now with the baby…”
“Don’t need you.”
“No. I want to be with you—and the baby. I want us to be a family.”
“I’ll deal with the baby. Don’t need your help.”
“What do you mean by you’ll deal with the baby?”
“I haven’t explored all my options,” I told him.
That part was true. I’d only found out about the baby moments before Ryan came strolling into my room. I really hadn’t given any thought to what I might do.
“I won’t allow you to sweep my child away like…a piece of garbage.”
When I didn’t answer he added, “I mean it, Sarah. That baby is a part of me, as well. I want to exercise my rights as its father and be a good one.”
I could tell just by looking at him that he meant every word. Then his face softened again and there was a great deal of emotion in his voice as he said, “Sarah, listen to me. It’s not charity I’m offering you. It’s my love. I want to share my life with you—and our child.”
Tears began to blur my eyes again. “Please, go away.”
“There’s no way I’m going to let you or the baby out of my life. Marry me,” he pleaded.
It would have been so easy to say yes. But I feared he might change his mind somewhere down the road. This could be only pity. And how long does one keep a stray around before one grows tired of it and kicks it to the curb?
Then I noticed the tears in his eyes. Unless the man was the world’s greatest actor,
