be together. I just regret it happened the way it did, but it was the right choice.”
His gaze pierced hers. “Why did you say yes?”
“Because I loved you and I wanted to be your wife.”
“But you ran away and I never saw you again. Who or what changed your mind?” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth. “Forget it. I don’t want to know. You explained everything in your letter. Just tell me one thing.”
“What?”
“Were you pregnant? Did you get scared and have an abortion or have the baby and give it up?”
“No. No, I’d never keep something like that from you.”
“What would you keep from me?”
“Nothing. I’ve told you everything.”
“Dammit! Then why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“As if I’ve hurt you.”
Claudia sat on the side of the bed and let her shoulders slump. “It’s just a look of regret and painful memories.”
“A good diagnosis, Doctor.”
She straightened. “Don’t mock me.”
“I’m not.” He sat beside her. “I won’t hurt you if you promise not to run away from me again.”
“I promise.”
He lay down then drew her down next to him. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”
She took off her nightdress.
“That’s better,” he said. Then they both settled down into sleep, never believing they could. But once they closed their eyes they did, daring to believe in promises again.
Chapter 12
North Carolina
T he first sign something was wrong was the dirty welcome mat. When Claudia entered her apartment, she sighed as she looked around at the wilted plants and the stack of papers on the floor. Madame Curie, a silver tabby American shorthair, came up to greet her with a look of rebuke.
Claudia stroked her. “I’m sorry, but she’s family.”
Madame Curie released a low meow. The sound surprised Claudia, because Madame Curie was usually a quiet cat who only made sounds when she was displeased—such as when Claudia’s mother came to visit and referred to her as “that thing.”
“At least you look well fed,” Claudia said, continuing to stroke her cat to get her to purr.
Madame Curie blinked instead.
“Aunt Claudia! You’re home!” Her twenty-year-old niece, Tess, barreled into the room and gave her a fierce hug. Her older brother’s middle child was an exact replica of herself. She was tall but not as thin, with slightly ample hips, which she showed off by wearing painted-on jeans with a tight-fitting purple T-shirt that emphasized her perfectly sized bosom and exposed her midriff. Her hair, which was about the same length as Claudia’s, was left in its natural state and looked like an out-of-control bush that needed to be tamed. Like her aunt, she was not one to wear a lot of makeup, but she loved putting on false eyelashes and wearing pink lipstick, which she outlined with a dark purple lip pencil.
Madame Curie meowed again, and Tess jumped back and scowled down at the animal. “You know, I think Grandma’s right. That cat is the devil. She actually swiped at me when I took away her food.”
Claudia picked Madame Curie up. “She’s usually very gentle. Maybe she hadn’t finished and you annoyed her.” She set the cat down. “Just leave the bowl next time and wait until she walks away.”
Madame Curie meowed again. This time long and loud.
Tess pulled a cat hair from Claudia’s blouse, annoyed. “Fine. I hate when she does that. I fed her, so I don’t know what she’s whining about.”
“She’s not whining. She’s just talking. Um…Tess—”
Her niece’s face suddenly lit up. “You’re right. Let’s not talk about the cat.” She hugged Claudia again. “I’m so glad you’re back! I’ve been waiting to hear all about your trip! I made dinner. Well, actually I bought dinner. But I put the dinner on plates, so in a way I sort of made dinner, because I wanted everything to look nice when you got back. Here, let me take your bags.” Claudia let her niece hustle her
His gaze pierced hers. “Why did you say yes?”
“Because I loved you and I wanted to be your wife.”
“But you ran away and I never saw you again. Who or what changed your mind?” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth. “Forget it. I don’t want to know. You explained everything in your letter. Just tell me one thing.”
“What?”
“Were you pregnant? Did you get scared and have an abortion or have the baby and give it up?”
“No. No, I’d never keep something like that from you.”
“What would you keep from me?”
“Nothing. I’ve told you everything.”
“Dammit! Then why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“As if I’ve hurt you.”
Claudia sat on the side of the bed and let her shoulders slump. “It’s just a look of regret and painful memories.”
“A good diagnosis, Doctor.”
She straightened. “Don’t mock me.”
“I’m not.” He sat beside her. “I won’t hurt you if you promise not to run away from me again.”
“I promise.”
He lay down then drew her down next to him. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”
She took off her nightdress.
“That’s better,” he said. Then they both settled down into sleep, never believing they could. But once they closed their eyes they did, daring to believe in promises again.
Chapter 12
North Carolina
T he first sign something was wrong was the dirty welcome mat. When Claudia entered her apartment, she sighed as she looked around at the wilted plants and the stack of papers on the floor. Madame Curie, a silver tabby American shorthair, came up to greet her with a look of rebuke.
Claudia stroked her. “I’m sorry, but she’s family.”
Madame Curie released a low meow. The sound surprised Claudia, because Madame Curie was usually a quiet cat who only made sounds when she was displeased—such as when Claudia’s mother came to visit and referred to her as “that thing.”
“At least you look well fed,” Claudia said, continuing to stroke her cat to get her to purr.
Madame Curie blinked instead.
“Aunt Claudia! You’re home!” Her twenty-year-old niece, Tess, barreled into the room and gave her a fierce hug. Her older brother’s middle child was an exact replica of herself. She was tall but not as thin, with slightly ample hips, which she showed off by wearing painted-on jeans with a tight-fitting purple T-shirt that emphasized her perfectly sized bosom and exposed her midriff. Her hair, which was about the same length as Claudia’s, was left in its natural state and looked like an out-of-control bush that needed to be tamed. Like her aunt, she was not one to wear a lot of makeup, but she loved putting on false eyelashes and wearing pink lipstick, which she outlined with a dark purple lip pencil.
Madame Curie meowed again, and Tess jumped back and scowled down at the animal. “You know, I think Grandma’s right. That cat is the devil. She actually swiped at me when I took away her food.”
Claudia picked Madame Curie up. “She’s usually very gentle. Maybe she hadn’t finished and you annoyed her.” She set the cat down. “Just leave the bowl next time and wait until she walks away.”
Madame Curie meowed again. This time long and loud.
Tess pulled a cat hair from Claudia’s blouse, annoyed. “Fine. I hate when she does that. I fed her, so I don’t know what she’s whining about.”
“She’s not whining. She’s just talking. Um…Tess—”
Her niece’s face suddenly lit up. “You’re right. Let’s not talk about the cat.” She hugged Claudia again. “I’m so glad you’re back! I’ve been waiting to hear all about your trip! I made dinner. Well, actually I bought dinner. But I put the dinner on plates, so in a way I sort of made dinner, because I wanted everything to look nice when you got back. Here, let me take your bags.” Claudia let her niece hustle her
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