Veins popped out on each side of his temples, and his brows knit together in an angry scowl. “Well, it’s just plain embarrassing to have my mother marry a younger man. What am I going to say to the Tomlinsons? Can’t you think of anyone but yourself, Mom?”
“I am thinking of someone other than myself, Mark,” Anna said firmly. “What about your sister, Melody? Doesn’t she have the right to a father in her home just as you had?
“Yeah, right,” he huffed. “God saw fit to let me grow up with a father in a bed, so why should it be any different for … I’ll never consider that illegitimate kid my sister.”
Anna gasped at his mean words. She bit her lip to stem the flow of an angry retort.
“I don’t know why I bothered making this trip,” Mark griped. “I thought maybe you’d finally see some sense, but instead, you tell me you’re engaged.” He spat the words out as if they were poison in his mouth, turned on his heels, and slammed out the door.
Anna had been looking forward to Mark’s visit. She had hoped and prayed he would’ve softened and want to spend time and bond with Melody. Instead, his visit lasted less than fifteen minutes.
Anna dropped into the nearest chair. A deep sigh slipped from her lips. She glanced up on the wall above the fireplace and viewed her three babies, chubby, happy, and full of innocence. No scars, no pain, no failure to mar their tender hearts.
She felt for Mark. He’d taken on the brunt of responsibility far beyond his years. People used to say, “Mark, you’re the man of the house now that your dad is sick, take good care of your mom and younger brother.” Mark had always nodded in agreement, and then Anna had leaned into him after he graduated. She allowed him to take on the heavy role of arranging his father’s funeral while she remained locked in grief and fear of her future.
She bent her head in despair. Tears blurred her vision.
“God, can I really marry Matt and sacrifice Mark?”
Anna’s stomach churned. Matt was on his way over to pick her up and take her around the hospital and his office to introduce her to his world. She wilted at the thought—she hated the idea of being in the limelight.
She pulled a brush through her wayward curls and grumped at the way, today of all days, they refused to cooperate.
Melody, who normally loved her rocking swing, began to fuss. When Anna went to check on her, she noticed Melody had spit up all over the cute outfit Anna had chosen.
“Oh, Melody. Not today.”
Melody Joy rewarded her grumbling with an easy grin.
Anna frowned in frustration and pulled her from the swing. “Let’s get you changed, you little monkey. You’re going to make me late.” She scowled at the baby in an exaggerated face and kissed her brow. Melody giggled in reply.
“Now what am I going to put on you?” Anna stood frozen gazing into Melody’s closet. She couldn’t make a simple choice.
She heard Matt call out as he entered the house and groaned. She was nowhere near ready.
“We’re in Melody’s room.”
He waltzed through the door of the nursery with a smile and bounce to his step. Today, even that annoyed her.
He planted a big smack on each of their cheeks, then stepped back in surprise as Anna blew out a deep breath and plunked Melody in his arms. “Matt, sorry, but I’m not ready. My hair is a disaster, and I don’t know what to wear. I had Melody ready, but she spit up all over her pretty little dress, and now I don’t know what to put on her.”
“No worries, sweetheart. Take a deep breath, there’s no rush or schedule today. I’ve got the whole day off, and I intend to take it slow and enjoy showing off my two girls.”
“Go … take as much time as you need, but I think you already look gorgeous.”
“Come, sweet pea. Daddy’s going to find something nice for you to wear and give your mommy time to put on her sweet face … because this sour one doesn’t work on a beautiful day like today.” He winked and fixed another kiss right on Anna’s lips.
“Now go!”
“Yes, doctor, anything you say, doctor,” she teased and stuck her tongue out at him on the way out the door.
He laughed a loud boisterous laugh. “Love the maturity, Anna. Good thing to teach your daughter.”
She swung her head back in the room and gave him another one.
He laughed all the more.
She marveled at how he had successfully removed her jitters and set the tone for a better day.
She wanted to jump in the shower and start over with her frizzy mop but knew it would take hours for her thick hair to dry, so she opted to pull it back into a French braid and be done with it. She knew Matt loved it loose, but that just wasn’t an option today.
By the time she dressed and fussed with her makeup, Matt had Melody changed and ready to go. He was seated on the floor holding her on his lap while she played with an array of colorful toys spread around her. Everything went in her mouth. Anna enjoyed a couple of minutes just watching them. The joy of that simple pleasure calmed the nervous fluttering in the pit of her stomach.
The minute Matt saw her, he jumped up and placed Melody in her nearby playpen.
“I have a gift for you, my darling.”
Her eyes widened in question.
“Christmas is over, and my birthday isn’t until May?”
He moved close and shushed her words with his mouth.
Anna melted into his embrace.
He dragged his lips from hers and smiled. “Well … now that I have your attention.” He pulled out a velvet box from his pocket and bent down on one knee. With a look that crackled with chemistry, he opened the box. A large diamond
