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Jonathan seemed okay, though. “I understand that. But I could have prevented this, and I didn’t. I don’t know how I’m supposed to live with that. Not after everything else.”
I had no words of wisdom for the man across from me. I was twenty-two years old. Twenty-two! Jonathan needed advice from someone more experienced than I.
He continued, “I need to focus on Lucy.”
“Of course.”
“I’ve been distracted. Distracted by work. By Daphne.”
“She’s your daughter, and she’s been through a lot. Of course you’ve been concerned.”
“I have been. Maybe more than I should be, or maybe not enough. I never expected her to…”
“Get pregnant?”
“Get involved in a relationship so soon. I believe that the pregnancy was an accident. I’ve told you that.”
“I know. Trust me, I wasn’t looking for a lifetime commitment either when I met Daphne. But she’s the one. I knew it before the pregnancy. I can’t explain it.”
“I hope you’re right. I hope you truly do love my daughter.”
“I do.”
He nodded. “Because I’m counting on you, Brad. I’m counting on you to take care of her now.”
Chapter Ten
Daphne
Running.
Fear pulsed through me as I ran.
Panting. Can’t catch breath. Running. Got to get away. Away, away, away….
I jerked up in bed, my heart racing.
The dream.
The damned dream.
Again.
I didn’t scream. Why?
A moment passed before I realized I was home in my own bed. I’d come home for the weekend. Brad had come with me. We’d told my parents about our child.
And my mom had overdosed on Valium.
I didn’t scream because I was home. I’d trained myself not to scream when I woke up. I didn’t want to upset my mother.
But my mother wasn’t here. She was at St. Joseph’s hospital being treated for a drug overdose—a drug overdose that I’d likely caused.
Dawn was breaking. I eased the chills on my arms, rose from my bed, and walked to my window.
I could watch the sunrise this morning.
That would chase the nightmares away. I loved the sunrise—the beginning of a brand-new day. The aurora. The beauty that told me anything was possible.
I put on my slippers and padded out of my room. The door to the guest room was open. I peered in. “Brad?”
His bed was rumpled, but he wasn’t there.
I looked down the stairs. “Brad?” I called.
“Down here,” came his voice. “Your dad and I are having coffee.”
I raced down the stairs. “Daddy? How’s Mom?”
Brad and my father sat at the dining room table. Our galley kitchen wasn’t big enough for a kitchen table.
“You want some coffee, sweetie?” Dad asked.
I poured myself a cup. “Please. Tell me how Mom is.”
“She’s okay,” he said. “She’ll be gone a few days.”
At the hospital. I hated hospitals. But I’d suck it up. “I want to see her.”
“You will. It’s so early. What are you doing up?”
“I want to watch the sunrise.”
That got a smile from both Brad and my father.
“That’s a spectacular idea, sweetheart,” Dad said. “Let’s all watch the sunrise. The view is great from the deck.”
Brad took my hand as we walked outside onto the deck. The mountains were purple and crisp in the distance to the west, but we looked the other way. Toward the east, where the sun would rise in its pink-and-gold glory.
I had the nightmare.
My mom’s in the hospital.
Brad and I have a hard road ahead of us.
None of that mattered when I let the beauty of the dawn consume me.
And oh, it was so beautiful. Was anything in the world more beautiful than a Colorado sunrise?
“Next time you’re on the ranch, we’ll watch the sunrise,” Brad said. “The mountains are to the east there, and I tell you, there’s nothing more amazing than watching the sun rise over them.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
My father perked up. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘next time’?”
Uh-oh. I hadn’t told my parents about my trip to Brad’s ranch a few weeks ago. I smiled. When our baby was conceived.
“I’ve been there,” I said.
“I had to take care of some business, so I took Daphne home with me for the weekend.”
My father pursed his lips, but he didn’t say anything. What could he say? We were both adults, and what was done was done.
“I met Brad’s father,” I said.
“And his mother?”
“She was out of town,” Brad offered. “We’ll go there next weekend when she’s home. You know, to give them our news.”
“How do you think your parents will feel about all of this?” my father asked.
“Probably the same way you felt,” Brad said. “It’s not the optimal situation, but it happened despite precautions. We’ll get their blessing.”
My heart raced. I’d wanted to enjoy the sunrise, and now I had to think about telling Brad’s parents about our situation.
And of course my mind slammed back to my poor mother in the hospital.
I stood. “Let’s go in.”
“But the sunrise,” Brad said.
“It’s over. We were too busy talking to notice.”
