Read Online The Forgotten Child by Lorhainne Eckhart - Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    Nina had one of those high grating voices that carried through a phone, the kind everyone in the room could hear. Emily felt shamed when Brad glanced up. Would this make him think less of her? Of course, it didn’t look good.
    “ Look Nina, this is inappropriate for you to be calling here. The relationship with your son did not include you.”
    “ How dare you speak to me like that?”
    Trevor started banging a spoon and repeating, “Eeg, eeg, eeg,” over and over. Katy, now finished playing with her sandwich, was unsettled and trying to get out of her chair.
    “ I gotta go.”
    “ Emily I have more to say.”
    Brad leaned over Trevor. He watched Emily in his hard difficult way. Then he circled his hand in the air to wrap it up. So she turned away, lowering her shaky voice “No, you’re done and I’m going to ask you not to call here again.” Emily’s hand was shaking when she hung up. She pressed her forehead against the wall, taking a deep breath before she turned. She jumped. Brad was right behind her. She never heard him approach. He’s mad.
    “ Um, Brad that was...”
    “ We’ll talk after lunch.”
    Every nerve in her body tightened. Her stomach became unsteady. She forced herself into mommy role, sitting down, feeding the kids and wiping up after Trevor dumped his soup. Long, awkward and Emily couldn’t choke down one bite.
    After lunch, Emily washed the dishes, taking longer with the chore than she normally did. Brad must have known as he appeared beside her and poured himself a cup of coffee from the full pot beside the stove.
    “ Put a show on for the kids, it’s time to talk. Coffee?”
    She looked up into a face that gave nothing away. “Sure.” Oh crap, here we go.
    Emily popped in a DVD; one of the Winnie the Pooh movies Trevor loved and would watch for hours. Katy, wrapped in her baby blanket, popped her thumb in her mouth. She’d probably fall asleep before it was half over.
    Emily stepped back into the kitchen. Brad was seated at the head of the table, with a cup of coffee. A second cup in a matching blue floral mug was sitting in the spot right beside him.
    Tears burned the back of her eyes. She blinked hard, refusing to allow one tear to fall. She wanted to kick herself for this weepy reaction. She wasn’t one of those women who cried at a drop of a hat. She was stronger than that.
    His face softened as she sat. She couldn’t look at him. Her hands trembled, so she placed them in her lap.
    “ What’s going on?” There was kindness in his voice.
    “ I’m so sorry.” She whispered looking into the eyes of a man filled with so much power and passion, it poured from his eyes. He gave her all his attention. “Why are you sorry, did you do something wrong?”
    Emily blinked. “Actually, no I didn’t. That was my soon to be ex-mother-in-law on the phone.”
    “ You don’t have a good relationship with her?”
    “ No. She pretty much blames me for ending my marriage to Bob.”
    “ Your ex, he knows you’re here?”
    “ Yeah, he knows. Listen Brad, we never talked about my personal life, but I can assure you it won’t affect us here. I’m pretty sure she won’t call back again.”
    “ Emily, she hassled you here, in my home. And that’s my business. If she calls again and gives you a hard time, I’ll handle it.” He reached out and touched her hand, a touch that was so tender and full of support, Emily would swear her heart skipped a beat.
    “ I’ll be filing for divorce soon. He doesn’t have the backbone to cause trouble. It’s easier for him to let me handle everything. He’s a mama’s boy; forgot to cut the apron strings, as you can tell by the phone call.” She tried to make light of her pain, but closed her eyes when he winced at her humiliation.
    “ I’m sorry Em, if you ever need help with him, let me know. I have to get back to work.”
    She nodded, fearing her voice would crack if she answered. She stood up when he did and reached for his cup