AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She remembered the day they rushed to the hospital. The emergency room was a blur of frantic doctors and nurses. The twins were coming prematurely, and the risks loomed large.
Steph had been on the verge of losing both her children, the very thought, a devastating weight on her heart. The memory of their fragile, newborn forms filled with tubes and wires was etched deep within her soul.
The twins’ survival was a miracle, but the experience had taken a toll on Steph. It wasn’t just the twins’ lives that had been under threat as Steph suffered from postpartum hemorrhage that nearly took her life. It was not just her body that had been scarred; it was her spirit. While she’d heard all the beautiful stories of pregnancy and childbirth from family and friends, all Steph could remember was the terror and pain. And now, faced with the prospect of another high-risk pregnancy, those old fears resurfaced like relentless ghosts from the past.
Steph made her way to the bedroom, her heart heavy with the burden of these memories. She lay on the bed, the room bathed in soft, golden light from the large window overlooking the garden. Her thoughts drifted back to the present, to the tiny life growing inside her, and she wrestled with the uncertainty of her marriage.
Max, once her rock, had been slowly drifting away since the incident that forced his early retirement as a firefighter. Their relationship had become fragile, teetering on the precipice of something unknown. Steph had long felt the strain. Still, she’d been reluctant to address it, fearing it might shatter the illusion of their picture-perfect family life.
Now, with the weight of her unexpected pregnancy adding to the turmoil, she was faced with choices she wasn’t sure she’d ever be prepared to make. The uncertainty was unbearable, and she drifted into a restless sleep, hoping that her dreams might offer some clarity or respite from the decisions looming on the horizon. The journey ahead would be fraught with challenges and uncertainty.
CHAPTER 2
Maxwasdeeplyentrenchedin the bustling world of the Marco Island Marine Center, a sanctuary for him after spending time at the pool house of Scott House. The mysteries of marine life and the rhythmic waves of the ocean brought him solace, but today, tranquility gave way to turbulence as a phone call disrupted his peace.
Max’s heart raced as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone, mirroring the frantic concern in the caller’s voice as they explained Steph’s sudden collapse. It was an inconceivable scenario for Max, who thought of Steph as someone who never fell ill.
Anxiety gnawed at him, intensified by the vivid memory of his father receiving a similar call a few years ago, just hours before his mother’s fatal aneurysm. Hannah’s reassurances about Steph’s less dire condition, attributed to her recent diet, offered only a modicum of solace.
As he packed up his belongings, Max wrestled with his insecurities, which had deepened like scars after the life-threatening fire that had not only marred his body but had also created a chasm between him and Steph. Memories of the first six arduous months post-accident haunted him when his injuries transformed him into someone he barely recognized. Steph’s initial hesitance to draw close to him was understandable, but as he embarked on the path of recovery, she continued to distance herself.
The past two years had been a constant state of trepidation for Max, wary of Steph leaving him. Part of the man he had once been had been devoured by the flames that had ended his career. His body had been seared with scars on his back, leg, and side.
His deepest was that the parts of him that had been reduced to ash by that unforgiving fire were the very elements that bound their hearts together as soulmates. He had changed and was still learning to grapple with this new Max. But his gravest apprehension was that Steph might never embrace, or be able to love, the man he had become.
Max smiled as he remembered their trip to the Bahamas nine weeks ago. He had surprised Steph with the vacation, a desperate endeavor to rekindle their bond. Max knew Steph still loved him, and she remained a devoted wife and mother. But lately, he watched as Steph engaged in dieting, running, and yoga. She had even changed her stunning long hair into a stylish bob that brushed her shoulders.
He couldn’t help but feel she was changing. Max pushed away that nagging thought, clenching his jaw. He was perhaps paranoid; Steph had always taken good care of herself, and now that she was over forty, she might believe she needed to exert more effort.
However, the insidious notion that she might be gearing up to leave him nagged persistently. They had enjoyed a blissful week together in the Bahamas. Almost every hour was filled with fun, adventure, and laughter, while their nights had been woven with romance and enchanting moments.
Max sighed and fished out his car keys from the desk drawer. The Bahamas now felt like nothing more than a distant dream, fading as swiftly as it had come to life. He moved to leave his office when a knock at the door sounded, and Kendal James stepped inside, her vibrant enthusiasm clashing with the growing anxiety that gripped him.
“Max, I’ve got a whole stack of paperwork that needs your signature,” Kendal said, her ever-present energy radiating as she plonked a pile of documents on his desk.
Max ran a hand through his hair, his gaze darting back to his phone. “Kendal, I have an emergency at home. Can you please talk to Clyde about this? He can help you with the paperwork.”
Kendal leaned in, her voice lowering as she took a step closer. “Max, I’ve also got some news about the turtles coming in. I think you’d want to hear it from me.”
Despite the urgency of the situation at home, Max paused, captivated by Kendal’s words. She had a way of making even the mundane aspects of marine biology sound like thrilling adventures. However, his concern for Steph was paramount.
Max made a hasty decision. “I need to go, Kendal. Clyde will help you with everything. We can talk about the turtles later.”
Kendal’s lips curved into a polite smile as Max hastily exited his office. Outside, Clyde, his ever-observant assistant manager, arched an eyebrow, clearly amused by the situation. “Kendal seems to have quite a soft spot for you, doesn’t she?”
In a rush and still weighed down by his concerns, Max waved off the comment with a casual shrug. “You know Kendal, Clyde. She’s incredibly passionate about marine life and a valuable team member.”
Yet, as he hastened away from the marine center, he couldn’t quite shake the lingering thought that maybe Clyde had a point. There had been moments when Kendal’s friendliness had felt just a bit too warm, her smiles more lingering. But Max had dismissed those instances as nothing more than her friendly nature. As he pulled out of the center’s parking lot, his worries about Steph took precedence, and Kendal’s presence soon faded into the background.
When Max arrived at Scott House, he skillfully navigated through the manicured lawns, avoiding any encounters with Steph’s family members. He had great affection for the Scott family, but today, he was too worried about Steph for pleasantries.
As he reached the pool house, his heart hung heavy as he thought about the setback the rainstorm that had unexpectedly hit Marco Island had caused the renovations of their own home. While Max was grateful to have a place to stay while their house was being renovated, it wasn’t supposed to be for as long as it had been. He longed for the privacy of their own home.
Granted, it was a few feet away from Scott House, but it was still their private haven, separated from Scott House by the Scotts Hotel. Max stepped into the house, throwing his keys on the side table and plopping his briefcase against it. He quietly made his way toward their bedroom.
The gentle Florida breeze rustled the curtains, bringing in the scent of nearby flowers and the faint sound of waves rolling onto the shore. Max looked around the room, his gaze shifting from the softly swaying curtains to the bed where Steph slept.
Their temporary living situation, necessitated by the unforeseen delays in their home’s reconstruction, had stretched on longer than expected. As the days turned into weeks and then months, it felt as if the chasm between them had grown with each passing moment.
