Read Online All I Want for Christmas Is You by Lisa Mondello - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lisa Mondello
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back to normal.
Except nothing was normal. After tossing in bed for hours the night before, she did the unspeakable. She crept up to the maternity ward in the middle of the night and peeked through the wide glass window of the nursery to see the baby, her baby, wailing at the top of her lungs.
Her daughter was alone, all alone in a bassinet in the middle of the room with no one to comfort her. What was wrong with them? Why wasn't anyone taking care of her child? Lauren fumed. Why didn't anyone tell me my baby needed me?
Acting on pure instinct, she stormed into the nursery and scooped the baby into her arms. Kristen, so soft and warm, calmed down immediately and peered up at her mother with wonder shining in her wide eyes. It was then that Lauren understood the true meaning of unconditional love. But then the head nurse snatched Kristen from her arms and ordered her to leave. Another nurse called a security guard and Lauren was hauled away in tears. She tried to tell them it was her baby, but they wouldn't listen. She couldn't see her baby. It was not allowed. She thought she'd died that night.
When her parents finally arrived with a lawyer to have her sign the adoption papers, she couldn't tell them what she'd done. They said they'd stand by her no matter what, and they had. They supported her when she decided against having an abortion and when Jimmy disappeared from her life. They endured the pain with her when people stared and snickered about how their perfect family wasn't so perfect anymore. Surely they wouldn't desert her if she told them she couldn't give her baby away to strangers.
In the last second, when the lawyer put the adoption papers in front of her and asked her to sign her rights away, Lauren defied them. Twisting the pen between her fingers, she stared at the blank line marked with an X for what seemed an eternity. In the end, she knew there was no easy way to tell them that all she wanted to do was hold her baby.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lauren. It was a long time ago," Kyle said.
"Yes, it was. And I don't regret any of the mistakes I've made because, if I did, it would mean that Kristen wouldn't be in my life. And I can't imagine that. But it doesn't change anything. I disappointed them and they've never forgiven me for it."
"How do you know that? Have you tried to contact them?"
"Yes. I send them birthday cards and Christmas cards and anniversary cards. I call them every year during the holidays, hoping they’ll want to see me. But it’s always so awful. Dad won’t come to the phone, and Mom rushes me off because we don’t know what to say to each other. They know where I am. But they've never made any move to contact me on their own.” She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat would not ease. “They've never seen Kristen. They left the hospital without even looking at her. They told me they wouldn't support me and they meant it."
"What did you do? Where did you go?"
She shrugged. "I managed. I had some money saved for college, so I bundled Kristen up and got on a bus. I knew the money wouldn't last, but I stretched it out long enough to move here and get a job waitressing at a good restaurant. I did that until this past September when Kristen started school. Part of me hoped that I'd be able take some classes and get my degree."
He smiled. "I'm sure you will someday."
She tried to smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn't cooperate. All her childhood dreams seemed a million miles away. "I barely have time to brush my teeth, Kyle. Did you forget I have a six year old?"
He lifted himself from the chair and dragged it to the table before absorbing the distance between them. Though they weren't touching, she could feel his warmth. "Things change, Lauren. People can change."
She laughed sardonically. "You really believe that?"
Nodding his head, he said, "You should, too."
She shook her head. "It's a nice fairy
Except nothing was normal. After tossing in bed for hours the night before, she did the unspeakable. She crept up to the maternity ward in the middle of the night and peeked through the wide glass window of the nursery to see the baby, her baby, wailing at the top of her lungs.
Her daughter was alone, all alone in a bassinet in the middle of the room with no one to comfort her. What was wrong with them? Why wasn't anyone taking care of her child? Lauren fumed. Why didn't anyone tell me my baby needed me?
Acting on pure instinct, she stormed into the nursery and scooped the baby into her arms. Kristen, so soft and warm, calmed down immediately and peered up at her mother with wonder shining in her wide eyes. It was then that Lauren understood the true meaning of unconditional love. But then the head nurse snatched Kristen from her arms and ordered her to leave. Another nurse called a security guard and Lauren was hauled away in tears. She tried to tell them it was her baby, but they wouldn't listen. She couldn't see her baby. It was not allowed. She thought she'd died that night.
When her parents finally arrived with a lawyer to have her sign the adoption papers, she couldn't tell them what she'd done. They said they'd stand by her no matter what, and they had. They supported her when she decided against having an abortion and when Jimmy disappeared from her life. They endured the pain with her when people stared and snickered about how their perfect family wasn't so perfect anymore. Surely they wouldn't desert her if she told them she couldn't give her baby away to strangers.
In the last second, when the lawyer put the adoption papers in front of her and asked her to sign her rights away, Lauren defied them. Twisting the pen between her fingers, she stared at the blank line marked with an X for what seemed an eternity. In the end, she knew there was no easy way to tell them that all she wanted to do was hold her baby.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lauren. It was a long time ago," Kyle said.
"Yes, it was. And I don't regret any of the mistakes I've made because, if I did, it would mean that Kristen wouldn't be in my life. And I can't imagine that. But it doesn't change anything. I disappointed them and they've never forgiven me for it."
"How do you know that? Have you tried to contact them?"
"Yes. I send them birthday cards and Christmas cards and anniversary cards. I call them every year during the holidays, hoping they’ll want to see me. But it’s always so awful. Dad won’t come to the phone, and Mom rushes me off because we don’t know what to say to each other. They know where I am. But they've never made any move to contact me on their own.” She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat would not ease. “They've never seen Kristen. They left the hospital without even looking at her. They told me they wouldn't support me and they meant it."
"What did you do? Where did you go?"
She shrugged. "I managed. I had some money saved for college, so I bundled Kristen up and got on a bus. I knew the money wouldn't last, but I stretched it out long enough to move here and get a job waitressing at a good restaurant. I did that until this past September when Kristen started school. Part of me hoped that I'd be able take some classes and get my degree."
He smiled. "I'm sure you will someday."
She tried to smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn't cooperate. All her childhood dreams seemed a million miles away. "I barely have time to brush my teeth, Kyle. Did you forget I have a six year old?"
He lifted himself from the chair and dragged it to the table before absorbing the distance between them. Though they weren't touching, she could feel his warmth. "Things change, Lauren. People can change."
She laughed sardonically. "You really believe that?"
Nodding his head, he said, "You should, too."
She shook her head. "It's a nice fairy
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