Promise Me Forever by Cyndi Raye Page B

him get away with telling her a lie? Jon rubbed his jawline and stood at the window looking out in to the parking lot. He was desperate and a fool. She deserved the truth, but he was afraid it would do so much damage she would never get over this.
     
    He was torn in two. If he tells her the truth she may blame herself for losing the baby. He didn’t want that to happen. If he lied, she would find out sooner or later, and he was stupid to think he could look her in the face and lie to her. He knew truth won out every time. He didn’t know what he would do.
     
    His back leaned against the cold window and his eyes drooped closed when a nurse called on the phone in the waiting room. “You can come back, she’s awake.” Jon ran to the double doors and pushed them open. He didn’t know how long he waited but it had been hours. He knew he looked like hell but didn’t care. All he wanted was to see Abby.
     
    She was in a private room on the maternity ward. He walked down the hall and it felt as if he were so far away with each step he took and he needed to be near her now. A baby wailed inside one of the rooms as he walked by. Jon swallowed. He stared straight ahead, determined not to look at another baby again or try to think about a child right now.
     
    “Hey.” She held her weak hand out to him. He clasped it in his own and bent down to place a kiss on her lips. They were warm and soft and he missed them in the short time she was away from him.
     
    “How are you feeling?” he asked.
     
    “High. They gave me some great medication. I don’t feel a thing.”
     
    Jon nodded. Perhaps it was good she couldn’t feel too much right now. He was about to upset her world and a sob almost escaped from his throat. It came up from his gut and tried to get out but he punched it back down. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
     
    She cocked her head. “Jon, what is it? I can see in your eyes something is wrong. Look at me?” When he raised his eyes and looked in to hers, she gave him a smile so sweet he almost fell apart.
     
    He was speechless. How the hell would he say the words that would tear her world apart? “Abby,” he whispered, his throat constricted, his voice husky and so low she lifted her head closer to his.
     
    “Jon, please. I’m okay. I had some bleeding, but they fixed me up good. Guess that guy was meaner than I expected.”
     
    Jon tore his eyes away from hers. He took a few steps back and took a deep breath. “Jon, what is this?” He turned back to her and sat on the edge of the bed. He closed his eyes and opened them, her eyes still on him, full of trust.
     
    She believed in him, she trusted him with every ounce of flesh. It seemed easier to let her think she bled internally. She would never know the difference. But the trust in those eyes, they dropped him to the ground.
     
    “Abby, I love you baby. I don’t know how to tell you this so I have to come right out with some bad news.”
     
    She brushed a soft hand over his cheek and held it there. The warmth from her fingers seeped in to his being and he leaned in to her hand and closed his eyes. These words would forever be the hardest words he ever had to say.
     
    “Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you so sad? I love you Jon.”
     
    “Promise me what I have to tell you will not destroy you?”
     
    He opened his eyes to see her puzzled look. She reached out her other hand and placed it on his shoulder. “Destroy me? What do you mean? Jeez Jon, I had some internal bleeding. It was almost like I had my period and oh! oh! no!” Her eyes widened in horror.
     
    She shook her head. He grabbed her hands and held them. Her eyes got so wide when she looked at him. “It can’t be Jon. Please don’t tell me I had a miscarriage? I didn’t know! I didn’t know! Oh how could I not know!”
     
    Jon held her hands as she sobbed and tried to talk at the same time. “It’s been so hellish these past few months I never realized I didn’t get my