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Luke! Oh how she ached to be with him, to kiss him and tell him what a fool she’d been. She’d hurt him again. But this time around she’d really tried to be different. And when they’d been standing on the beach everything had happened so fast. Luke had put pressure on her and she’d failed the test. She had lost the love of her life.
When she drove past her mother’s house on her way to the cottage, she spotted her mother outside with her mini poodle, Daisy. Once she parked her car, her mother called out to her and beat a fast path to her side.
“How was your dinner last night?” her mother asked.
Morgan’s lips began to tremble. “Not good. You were right. So I’m guessing I’m about to hear a million I-told-you-sos.”
She turned toward the cottage and ran to the front door, opening it up with her house keys and pushing her way in. She sank down onto her sofa and put her head in her hands. Morgan could barely contain her sobs. Her shoulders heaved with the effort.
She felt her mother’s presence at her side just as Pearl reached out and caressed her shoulder. “Morgan. Baby, what’s happened?”
Slowly she raised her head and met her mother’s keen eyes. She opened her mouth and blurted out every detail about her disastrous dinner with her father, his request for a bone marrow test and her sudden breakup with Luke.
Pearl muttered under her breath. “Roderick came back like a bad penny and stirred up a hornet’s nest. I’m so sorry he caused you so much pain.” Pearl wrung her hands, a fretful look etched on her warm brown skin.
Morgan wiped away a tear from her cheek. “He hurt me. I’m not going to pretend he didn’t. He sent me into a tailspin. It affected the way I acted toward Luke. It made me question everything.”
“This is all his fault!” Pearl cried out. “You wouldn’t be so distraught right now if Roderick hadn’t come barging back in with his secret agenda.”
“No, Mama it’s not all of his fault. I can’t go on blaming him for all of my woes. Part of being a grown woman is dealing with things head-on.”
“But he left you, he scarred you. And he’s only now come back because he wants something from you. He wants you to save his other child’s life. The one he raised.” Her mother’s voice was laced with bitterness.
“Mama, I’ve been praying non-stop about a lot of things. I’ve been hurting inside for a very long time. I used to pray at night after daddy left. Every time I asked God why he couldn’t make daddy stay. I didn’t understand why my father didn’t love me enough to stay around. And every ounce of hurt that situation made me feel has been played out in my relationship with Luke.”
“Why? Luke Duvall is a good man. It’s clear he loves you.”
Tears streamed down Morgan’s face and she let out a cry of pain. Her mother placed her arm around her and pressed her tightly against her chest.
“Oh my poor baby.”
“I messed up. Again. I was so torn up about daddy that I took it out on Luke. He wanted so badly for me to tell him that I love him.”
“And do you?” Pearl asked.
“Yes, Mama, I do. With all of my heart. But I couldn’t manage to say those words. Mama, I hurt him so badly. And I don’t think I can fix it this time. If you had seen the look in his eyes. He seemed broken.” She pounded her fist against her chest. “I did that to him!”
“Because of your father!” her mother spit out. “He crept back into town like a spider and got you all tangled up in his web.”
“He wasn’t forthright. And he did seek to use me for his own purposes.” She let out a sigh. “But I can’t say I entirely blame him. He’s trying to save his child’s life. And even though I don’t like the way he went about it, I have to start looking at my own self in the mirror and facing my own truths.”
Pearl wrung her hands. “You were dealt a raw hand, lovey.”
She reached out and smoothed her palm against her mother’s soft cheek. “Not entirely, Mama. I had you. And you stayed. And you gave me nothing but unconditional love and support. You showed me the way by loving me. And yes, it hurts to know that my own father may never truly see me and value me for who I am. He may never love me. Over the years he was never truly there for me. And in coming here to Savannah he did open up a can of worms by asking me to get my bone marrow tested.”
“I’d love to talk to him face-to-face.” Pearl crossed her hands in prayer-like fashion. “Lord, just give me five minutes with Roderick Lucas so I can straighten that man out.”
“You know that’s not your way, although I appreciate your fierce loyalty. Mama, we both have to let it go. Me, most of all. You’re not a bitter person. You radiate more love and light than anyone I know. You’ve let this anger consume you.”
Pearl nodded. “I know that God doesn’t want me to let these feelings of anger eat me up inside. Be kind and love one another. That’s what He asks of us. You’re my baby and I’ve always wanted to protect you against the slings and arrows of life. But from what I’m hearing, you’re fully capable of dealing with all of this head-on.”
“I’ve been praying about this since last night.” She took a deep breath. “You may as well know that I’m going to get swabbed, Mama. I’m going to do it.”
“Morgan!” her mother cried out. “Why?”
“Why? Because it’s what you’ve taught me my whole life. Give to a person in need. Maribel is in need. And it doesn’t matter that he came here under false pretenses. It doesn’t even matter that she shares the same blood as me. What matters is that she’s a human being whose life I could potentially save. That is reason enough to get tested, and if I’m a compatible match, help save her life.”
Pearl took her daughter’s face between her hands. “Oh my precious girl. You are such a beautiful, giving person. You are so wise, lovey. And you’ve taught me so much about forgiveness and having an open heart. Every night when I go to bed I thank the good Lord for bringing you into my life. The greatest gift of all.”
