Read Online His Motherless Little Twins by Dianne Drake - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dianne Drake
Ads: Link
theyâd married. Flashes of the day sheâd learnt she was pregnant were there, the excitement of discovering it was going to be twinsâ¦hopes, dreams, futures to plan. But the bad memories were there, tooâ¦her obstetrician telling him sheâd bled out during the delivery, that she was in a critical condition. Sitting at her bedside, never leaving for three days, never letting go of her hand. Never having the chance to tell her that her daughters were beautiful and healthyâ¦
Eric swiped at the tear straying down his cheek. The kitchen. The damned kitchen is what caused thisâ¦what forced this. It was time.
He stroked the gold band on his finger, twisted it around, stroked it again. It was time. He resisted it, tried to argue himself out of it. Didnât want it. Dear God, he didnât want it. But it had to be time. He needed a life, too. Needed to be normal again. For himself. Especially for Pippa and Paige.
On a deep, sad sigh Eric slipped the wedding band off his finger, kissed it and held it to his heart for a while. He wasnât sure how long. But eventually he stood, walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. There, nestled into the corner, was a small velvet box with another plain gold band. A smaller one. The one heâd placed onPatriciaâs finger nearly seven years ago, promising her heâd buy her something more beautiful someday. Sheâd laughed at him, called him silly, told him the plain gold band was all she wanted, that to her it was the most beautiful ring in the world.
It was another few moments before he placed his gold band with hers then, reluctantly, shut the box lid and tucked the box away.
Someday, when the girls were a little older, he would have both rings melted down and made into heart pendants for them. Thatâs why heâd kept Patriciaâs ring. Heâd wanted Pippa and Paige to have it, to have something that had been so loved by her. Now it only seemed right that they would have both ringsâ¦rings that belonged together, for ever.
Yes, that was a good idea. And it did give him some comfort as he stared at the empty, stark white band of skin on his finger. Then, for the next few minutes, he leaned against the bedroom door and listened to the laughter coming from the kitchen. It was good, he thought. Bad in so many ways, painful beyond anything he could have expected, but good, too. But, damn, it hurt.
Good, bad, or otherwise, first thing tomorrow he was going to start looking for a house for one dad and two daughters. Yes, it was time for that, too.
Funny, though, how heâd only now come to terms with that after heâd met Dinah. It had nothing to do with her, of course, but the timing wasâ¦odd. Unexpected. âOne thing at a time,â he whispered, plodding into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. Taking off a wedding ring didnât mean he was going to go out and get involved right away. It was only a first step. Truth was, the second step scared him to death. Especially if it was in the direction of someone who camewith so much baggage. And Dinah did have her fair share of it. Yes, one thing at a time, and that didnât include the beautiful nurse-chef-amazing woman who was in the kitchen, teaching his girls how to bake chocolate-chip cookies.
Or did it?
CHAPTER FOUR
âN O , THE chocolate chips go in after the flour.â Pippa had chocolate smeared all over her face. Paige, on the other hand, had wiped it on her apron. And Dinah was loving every minute of this. In fact, she couldnât remember when sheâd had so much fun. It was like everything was right in their world, and their world was all there was. She was drawn into it, and happy to be there.
âBut wonât the flour turn them all white?â Pippa asked. âMaybe if we put them in first, then cover them upâ¦â
âWith more chocolate chips,â Paige chimed in. âIf we put more chocolate
Eric swiped at the tear straying down his cheek. The kitchen. The damned kitchen is what caused thisâ¦what forced this. It was time.
He stroked the gold band on his finger, twisted it around, stroked it again. It was time. He resisted it, tried to argue himself out of it. Didnât want it. Dear God, he didnât want it. But it had to be time. He needed a life, too. Needed to be normal again. For himself. Especially for Pippa and Paige.
On a deep, sad sigh Eric slipped the wedding band off his finger, kissed it and held it to his heart for a while. He wasnât sure how long. But eventually he stood, walked over to the dresser and opened the top drawer. There, nestled into the corner, was a small velvet box with another plain gold band. A smaller one. The one heâd placed onPatriciaâs finger nearly seven years ago, promising her heâd buy her something more beautiful someday. Sheâd laughed at him, called him silly, told him the plain gold band was all she wanted, that to her it was the most beautiful ring in the world.
It was another few moments before he placed his gold band with hers then, reluctantly, shut the box lid and tucked the box away.
Someday, when the girls were a little older, he would have both rings melted down and made into heart pendants for them. Thatâs why heâd kept Patriciaâs ring. Heâd wanted Pippa and Paige to have it, to have something that had been so loved by her. Now it only seemed right that they would have both ringsâ¦rings that belonged together, for ever.
Yes, that was a good idea. And it did give him some comfort as he stared at the empty, stark white band of skin on his finger. Then, for the next few minutes, he leaned against the bedroom door and listened to the laughter coming from the kitchen. It was good, he thought. Bad in so many ways, painful beyond anything he could have expected, but good, too. But, damn, it hurt.
Good, bad, or otherwise, first thing tomorrow he was going to start looking for a house for one dad and two daughters. Yes, it was time for that, too.
Funny, though, how heâd only now come to terms with that after heâd met Dinah. It had nothing to do with her, of course, but the timing wasâ¦odd. Unexpected. âOne thing at a time,â he whispered, plodding into the bathroom to splash cold water on his face. Taking off a wedding ring didnât mean he was going to go out and get involved right away. It was only a first step. Truth was, the second step scared him to death. Especially if it was in the direction of someone who camewith so much baggage. And Dinah did have her fair share of it. Yes, one thing at a time, and that didnât include the beautiful nurse-chef-amazing woman who was in the kitchen, teaching his girls how to bake chocolate-chip cookies.
Or did it?
CHAPTER FOUR
âN O , THE chocolate chips go in after the flour.â Pippa had chocolate smeared all over her face. Paige, on the other hand, had wiped it on her apron. And Dinah was loving every minute of this. In fact, she couldnât remember when sheâd had so much fun. It was like everything was right in their world, and their world was all there was. She was drawn into it, and happy to be there.
âBut wonât the flour turn them all white?â Pippa asked. âMaybe if we put them in first, then cover them upâ¦â
âWith more chocolate chips,â Paige chimed in. âIf we put more chocolate
Similar Books
