Read Online Her Secrets by Breena Wilde, 12 NA's of Christmas - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Breena Wilde, 12 NA's of Christmas
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she could take his pain away. She would do nearly anything in her power to make him happy. Anything.
“You don’t know that. You heard what the doctor said. There could be complicati ons. Or I could be paralyzed.” Willow glanced at him, a sudden desire for him to really understand what he was asking. “Four days and I might not see Emma again.” Tears filled her eyes and leaked onto her cheek. She didn’t stop them. “Four more days and I might lose you again. Don’t you get that? At least if I don’t have the surgery I’ll be guaranteed another three months to a year. That’s better. That gives me time.”
“You’re selfish,” Austin barked and threw the car into drive. He pulled out into traffic.
Willow grabbed the dash. “It’s selfish that I want more time with the people I love?” Her mom and sisters had come to stay at Austin’s gigantic house while she had my tests done. It’d been great having them all together under one roof. Austin fit right in with the St. James girls. He was sweetly flirty with her mom and brotherly with her sisters.
And the way he was with Emma? He was the best father. Patient. Funny. Sweet. Emma adored him.
They spent the mornings together. Then Austin went to work for a few hours. While he was gone she hung out with her mom and sisters. When Austin came home he would sometimes take her out, or cook them all a meal. And their lovemaking? If she imagined the perfect lover, he would be Austin. He was everything she could wish for and more.
She didn’t want to let that go. She wouldn’t.
***
When she and Austin got home, Austin told her mom and sisters what the doctor said. They talked and argued, but Willow needed to see Emma. She went into her room. It’d been done in Winnie-the-Pooh, just like her room back in Bandon, but this one was much larger.
Willow walked to her daughter’s crib and peeked inside. Emma wasn’t asleep, but stared wide-eyed at the mobile above her. Emma’s eyes were ringed with red. Willow knew her daughter was tired.
“Hi, baby-girl. Can’t you sleep?” She wound the knob at the top of the mobile. Music played as it twirled in a slow circle.
Emma had recently learned to clap and did it all the time. She clapped now.
“What, Emma? Are you happy?”
Emma looked at her mom and smiled.
“You want mommy to hold you?” Willow reached in and picked Emma up, then went over to the table and changed her. Emma had on the cutest pink outfit with Piglet on the front. Willow placed a clean pair of socks on Emma before picking her daughter up. Her baby snuggled into the crook of Willow’s neck. Sighing contentedly, Willow sat in the rocking chair. A feeling of serenity enveloped her. Her daughter in her arms was exactly what she needed.
“M ommy doesn’t know what to do,” she said softly, rubbing Emma’s back. “I don’t want to leave you—ever. But if I don’t have the surgery, that’ll happen in a year.” She kissed the top of Emma’s head, smelling the delicious smell only babies had. “If I have the surgery, there’s a chance I’ll be completely cancer free and I could live a long time, long enough to see you married and have children of your own.” Willow leaned her head against the chair, closing her eyes, trying to imagine her life as an old lady.
And that’s what made her decision for her. She wanted to be around to be a grandmother or at least around long enough to see Austin go gray.
There was a light creaking sound and Willow knew someone had come in. She opened her eyes and saw Austin. The worried expression on his face softened.
“I’ll do it,” she whispered, glancing down at her beautiful baby girl. Emma had finally fallen asleep.
His body relaxed and he heaved a giant breath. “Thank you, Will. I think that’s the best decision.”
“I know.”
Austin took Emma from her and laid the child in her crib.
Willow took his hands and whispered, “There’s a lot to get done in four
“You don’t know that. You heard what the doctor said. There could be complicati ons. Or I could be paralyzed.” Willow glanced at him, a sudden desire for him to really understand what he was asking. “Four days and I might not see Emma again.” Tears filled her eyes and leaked onto her cheek. She didn’t stop them. “Four more days and I might lose you again. Don’t you get that? At least if I don’t have the surgery I’ll be guaranteed another three months to a year. That’s better. That gives me time.”
“You’re selfish,” Austin barked and threw the car into drive. He pulled out into traffic.
Willow grabbed the dash. “It’s selfish that I want more time with the people I love?” Her mom and sisters had come to stay at Austin’s gigantic house while she had my tests done. It’d been great having them all together under one roof. Austin fit right in with the St. James girls. He was sweetly flirty with her mom and brotherly with her sisters.
And the way he was with Emma? He was the best father. Patient. Funny. Sweet. Emma adored him.
They spent the mornings together. Then Austin went to work for a few hours. While he was gone she hung out with her mom and sisters. When Austin came home he would sometimes take her out, or cook them all a meal. And their lovemaking? If she imagined the perfect lover, he would be Austin. He was everything she could wish for and more.
She didn’t want to let that go. She wouldn’t.
***
When she and Austin got home, Austin told her mom and sisters what the doctor said. They talked and argued, but Willow needed to see Emma. She went into her room. It’d been done in Winnie-the-Pooh, just like her room back in Bandon, but this one was much larger.
Willow walked to her daughter’s crib and peeked inside. Emma wasn’t asleep, but stared wide-eyed at the mobile above her. Emma’s eyes were ringed with red. Willow knew her daughter was tired.
“Hi, baby-girl. Can’t you sleep?” She wound the knob at the top of the mobile. Music played as it twirled in a slow circle.
Emma had recently learned to clap and did it all the time. She clapped now.
“What, Emma? Are you happy?”
Emma looked at her mom and smiled.
“You want mommy to hold you?” Willow reached in and picked Emma up, then went over to the table and changed her. Emma had on the cutest pink outfit with Piglet on the front. Willow placed a clean pair of socks on Emma before picking her daughter up. Her baby snuggled into the crook of Willow’s neck. Sighing contentedly, Willow sat in the rocking chair. A feeling of serenity enveloped her. Her daughter in her arms was exactly what she needed.
“M ommy doesn’t know what to do,” she said softly, rubbing Emma’s back. “I don’t want to leave you—ever. But if I don’t have the surgery, that’ll happen in a year.” She kissed the top of Emma’s head, smelling the delicious smell only babies had. “If I have the surgery, there’s a chance I’ll be completely cancer free and I could live a long time, long enough to see you married and have children of your own.” Willow leaned her head against the chair, closing her eyes, trying to imagine her life as an old lady.
And that’s what made her decision for her. She wanted to be around to be a grandmother or at least around long enough to see Austin go gray.
There was a light creaking sound and Willow knew someone had come in. She opened her eyes and saw Austin. The worried expression on his face softened.
“I’ll do it,” she whispered, glancing down at her beautiful baby girl. Emma had finally fallen asleep.
His body relaxed and he heaved a giant breath. “Thank you, Will. I think that’s the best decision.”
“I know.”
Austin took Emma from her and laid the child in her crib.
Willow took his hands and whispered, “There’s a lot to get done in four
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