Chapter 53 Before
Before
By late August, Annabelle felt enormous, but James continued to tell her that she was glowing and beautiful.
He was so earnest and sincere that she almost believed it.
She knew in her heart that his feelings for her had grown.
It was obvious in the way he looked at her a moment too long, or the way his fingers grazed hers when he’d hand her something.
He fussed over her, treating her like a princess, and she let him.
He checked to make sure she remembered to take her prenatal vitamins.
He made dinners with a variety of vegetables and insisted she eat them.
It had been so long since someone took care of her that she reveled in it.
He’d also begun to go with her when she visited her mother.
His presence had a calming influence on Miriam, who continued to act as though they were a couple.
And he never missed a doctor’s appointment.
It felt like they were a couple in every way except that they each went to their own bedrooms at night.
Annabelle began to wonder if James was her destiny.
Was it possible that he was the one meant for her all along?
The only thing holding her back was that she didn’t feel the same attraction to him that she had with Randy.
But maybe that was a good thing. She would never take Randy back, although she had debated calling him to discuss how they would co-parent.
But then James handed her the letter that changed everything.
“Randy asked me to give this to you. He got a job offer to teach at the University of Arizona.”
She was stunned. “Arizona? I guess that answers my question as to how involved he wants to be.” Hot tears sprang to her eyes, and she blinked to stop them. She opened the letter and read.
Annabelle,
I wish you the best and hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me.
It was a stupid mistake, and I’m sorrier than you know.
But it’s too late for explanations and excuses.
I’m grateful that James is there for you.
He’s a better man than I am. I hope you’ll be happy, and I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one to be there for you.
I’m leaving next week. Please take good care of yourself and our child.
Randy
She crumpled the letter and threw it on the floor.
History repeating itself, only her child wouldn’t know his or her father at all.
How was she going to explain his absence?
She knew firsthand that no matter how she tried to spin it, the child would take the rejection personally.
And how could it not? The most primal of instincts was to protect your young.
After what Randy had done to her, she shouldn’t be surprised that he’d so easily walk away from his child, but she was.
She was devastated. She could never take him back—trust was vital to her, and he’d proven that he wasn’t worthy of it.
But she had hoped that he would prove to be a good father.
And it tore her in two that he was moving so far away.
Just because someone breaks your heart doesn’t mean you stop having feelings for them.
Randy’s abandonment would have far-reaching consequences on the happiness of her child, and there was nothing she could do to prevent it.
Now she would have to tell her precious child that its father didn’t want it. Unless…