Read Online An Unexpected Husband by Constance Masters - Free Book Online Page B

exchange.
     
    *              *              *
     
    By the time Skye pottered down to the kitchen, Shaun had left with his brother.
    “Hi Skye. Did you sleep well?” Brenda asked cheerily.
    “Yeah, thanks,” she answered with a sleepy smile. “Where’s Shaun?”
    “I hope you don’t mind but he’s gone to the office with Tom just to check up on things.”
    “Oh.” Skye couldn’t help feeling a little hurt that he hadn’t even said goodbye.
    “I told him not to wake you honey. I told him I’d explain. He wanted to.”
    Skye brightened a little at that.
    “Now let’s get you some breakfast before we get started,” Brenda said.
    “Get started on what?” Skye asked with a grin. She had a feeling that Brenda might have orchestrated this. She obviously had something in mind.
    “First things first. You need to eat. Now what would you like?”
     
    *              *              *
     
    “Wow.” Skye walked into the enormous attic behind Brenda and was amazed by both the expanse and the contents. It was wall to wall stuff. It wasn’t dusty though. This place had obviously been kept clean and the contents were well looked after. There was only one way to describe it and that was memory central. There were bookcases full of books. Children’s books, photograph albums, old records, the large vinyl kind and a some smaller records that were bigger than a CD and smaller than the big ones. There were even some cassette tapes. Not to mention VHS tapes and a VHS player and television. There was even an old movie projector and screen. There were toys and old pieces of furniture and chests of drawers that she could imagine were still full of old clothes. Probably children’s clothes. Another whole shelf contained board games. Skye could see now where the baby’s crib had come from. “This is amazing,” she said.
    “I love it up here,” Brenda said simply. “This is where I keep everything that has ever mattered to me. And some stuff that didn’t but I kept it because it meant something to someone that I love.
    Skye wasn’t entirely sure what she was there for. She was glad that she got to see it though.
    “There’s a reason I wanted you to see up here,” Brenda said. “I want you to have a look at the things that Shaun loved when he was younger, and I want you to take anything from here that you think you would like.”
    “I couldn’t take away things that you hold so dear.”
    “Why not?”
    “I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem right. Shaun and I, we’re not really a couple. We just kind of drifted together.”
    “Hmmm. You’re having a baby, and you still sleep in the same bed, and you seem to be spending all your time together.”
    Skye’s eyes filled with tears. “I know and it’s been great. Shaun’s great. I know he wants to do the right thing.”
    “Oh,” Brenda said with a small grin.
    “What Oh?” Skye asked trying to return her grin.
    Brenda sat in front of Skye and took both her hands in her own.
    “You think he’s only with you because of the baby.”
    Skye nodded. “He is.”
    “No. I don’t think so. If fact I KNOW he isn’t. He’s in love with you Skye.”
    “How do you know?” Skye asked trying not to sound too hopeful.
    “I’m his mother. I know.”
    Skye thought about that. “He didn’t choose me.” She didn’t feel like she could really say what she meant. Yes, he’d chosen her, but he’d chosen her for her body in a bar. Not just any bar either, a pick up bar. She’d been acting. She hadn’t been herself. So he hadn’t even chosen her for that. He’d chosen Scarlett.
     
    *              *              *
     
    Brenda watched the girl for a long minute before she spoke. “Have you ever received a gift that someone has chosen for you that turns out to be perfect? It isn’t what you would or should have chosen for yourself, you didn’t even know that you needed or wanted it,