Read Online I Know Who Holds Tomorrow by Francis Ray - Free Book Online Page A

house. “Yes,” she finally answered.
    Zachary withdrew his hand from the infant’s back and curved it around Madison’s tense shoulders. “There’s still time, Madison.”
    Madison said nothing, simply held her hands out for the child, who, after a long moment, went to her. Cuddling the infant to her, the longing for a child that she had tried to suppress for so long swamped her. Her eyes closed. To have a child of your own to love and spoil, to care for and watch grow up happy and secure, had to be the greatest feeling in the world.
    Her eyes opened as she thought that for her, motherhood might never happen. She and Wes hadn’t made love in over a year. They had gone
their separate ways and communicated only when necessary. Could their marriage be saved? Was there time to find where their marriage had gotten off the track, fix it, and have a family?
    She pressed her cheek against Manda’s, smelled her baby smells, and lost a piece of her heart to the infant. Her own resolve strengthened. Somehow they’d work through their problems. They had time to start a family of their own. To think of them doing less would be as if she had lost faith that Wes would survive.
    Zachary was right. There was time.
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    When Zachary and Madison arrived at ICU, it was almost five. Not wanting to lose one precious second of visiting time, people were already lined up at the door … except A.J. and Vanessa. They stood apart with another well-dressed couple Madison recognized as the mayor and his wife.
    Wildly popular and respected, Doug Jones was the first black mayor of Dallas. He’d won his second term by an even bigger margin than his first.
    â€œMadison,” the mayor said, taking her hand. “If there is anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
    â€œYes, please,” Patricia, his wife, added as she reached out for Madison’s other hand. She was an attractive, affable woman. It was well reputed that she was the solid rock that kept her husband grounded.
    â€œThank you.” Madison turned toward Zachary. “This is Zachary Holman, a friend of Wes’s.”
    Mayor Jones’s shrewd eyes narrowed behind his signature horn-rimmed glasses. “Any relation to the owner of Holman Construction doing the restoration in South Dallas?”
    â€œOne and the same.”
    â€œI’ve heard nothing but praise from the councilwoman and constituents in that district on your work in helping to revitalize that area,” the mayor said. “Very good work.” A nurse opened the door to ICU and people surged inside. The mayor switched his attention to Wes’s parents standing a short distance away. “We’ll be going, A.J., Vanessa, call if you need us.”
    â€œThank you for coming by.” A.J. extended his hand for a brief handshake, then he and Vanessa turned to enter ICU as the mayor and his wife left.

    Madison bit her lower lip when the heavy double doors swung shut. “Perhaps I should have warned Vanessa how he looked.”
    â€œShe’ll be all right,” Zachary said. “Vanessa may look fragile, but she’s tough.”
    â€œYou know her?” Madison asked, startled by the revelation.
    His face closed. “I know of her. I’m going to get a soft drink. You want one?”
    Madison knew she was being put off. “No, thanks.”
    â€œI should be back by the time they come out.” Hands in his pockets, Zachary strolled away.
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    â€œWhy don’t they come out?” Madison questioned, glancing again at the slim gold watch on her wrist. Eight-thirty. Visiting hour for ICU would be over in thirty minutes. She had tried to understand when Wes’s parents hadn’t come out the first time at five, but this was the last chance she’d get to see Wes for the night.
    After visiting him the first time, Vanessa had emerged from ICU tearful and almost prostrate. Ann