She glanced around as if she couldn’t quite remember where she’d been going. Oh, to get chocolate. Cathy frowned. No, that wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want to eat; she wanted a life. And by God, she was going to have one.
She turned around and marched into the house. After picking up the catalog and her notebook, she hurried to her car. There was still time to make the first class. She would convince the instructor to add her to that class list and she would get the other two she wanted, as well. She would make a success of this. Just to make sure there was no mistake, she was going to take a seat in the front row!
* * *
Fourteen weeks later, Cathy pulled into her driveway, still grinning like a fool. She was tired, but happier than she’d been in months.
She done it. She’d just taken the last of her three finals. She’d completed her first semester of college.
“Are you proud of your mama?” she asked as she placed her hand on her swelling belly. She was five months along, and the pregnancy was no longer easy to conceal. Cathy had found that hadn’t mattered. The students in her classes hadn’t judged her because she was pregnant and unmarried. If anything, they’d been kind to her.
She thought back over the past few months. College had been hard. She’d loved finance, had tolerated economics but who in the world would ever want to be an accountant? She shuddered at the thought of more balance sheets in her future. She’d only made a B in that class, but she was confident that her other two grades were As.
She was exhausted. All that studying, the tests, forcing herself to work hard even when she was tired and her body kept betraying her by getting bigger and bigger.
“It was worth it,” she told her stomach, talking to her child as she often did. “You’ll be worth it, too.”
She turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. It was nearly nine in the evening. She’d joined a group of students for an after-finals dinner at the local Italian restaurant. She’d enjoyed the easy conversation and the laughter. There hadn’t been enough of either in her life.
Eddie, her boss at the answering service, was so proud of her for finishing her first semester, that he’d given her the night off. She was grateful. All she wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for twelve hours.
She walked up toward the house. A shadow moved. Cathy was too startled to be afraid. The shadow moved again, and became a man. Then she knew.
After all this time, Stone had come back. She didn’t know what to think. What to say. He’d sent the money every month. Most of it she put away, though some she kept out to buy things for the baby. She’d talked to Ula a few times, but the housekeeper hadn’t had any news.
She stood there on the path and tried to figure out what she felt. Not anger, even though she should be furious. Not even sadness, although there were tears on her cheeks. Despite everything, she’d never stopped loving him. The love moved through her, filling her with a warmth she hadn’t felt in a long time. The same love she’d experienced before, with only one difference. The past four months had taught her how to be strong. She’d survived without him. She would continue to survive. She loved him and wanted him, but she didn’tneedhim in order to feel that she had a life.
“Hello, Cathy.”
He moved off the porch and approached her. The night was still with bright stars but no moon. She searched his face, but she couldn’t see him clearly. It was just like when she’d first been at his house. Meetings in the dark.
“Stone. This is a surprise.”
He stopped in front of her. “Are you angry?”
“I probably should be, but I’m not.” She took a step toward the house. “Let’s go inside and you can tell me why you’re here.”
“As calmly as that?”
She shrugged. “What did you expect? A scene?”
“No. I suppose you’ve forgotten all about me. I wouldn’t blame you. I don’t deserve more.”
“You’re right, you don’t. Unfortunately I haven’t forgotten. But at least I’ve learned to live without you.” A cool breeze made her shiver. “Come on, it’s cold. Let’s go inside.”
She led the way. Well, he was going to get quite a shock when she took her coat off. The thought was almost enough to make her smile. Whatever he had to say, she would handle it, just like she’d handled everything else recently. She’d learned that she was pretty tough.
She unlocked the door, then reached for the light switch. Stone placed his hand on top of hers. “Please don’t. Not yet anyway.”
“I’ve seen the scars.”
“I know. Humor me.”
He closed the door behind them, and they stood there in the dark.
“I’d ask you to sit down, but I’m afraid we’d both crash into something.” She took a breath, prepared to add something witty yet biting. Something to show how well she’d done without him. But he touched her face. Strong, warm fingers stroked her cheek, and she melted.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, his voice low and husky. “Every day, every hour. I was an incredible fool. You are an amazing woman. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and I was so stupid. I lost you. I don’t know if it was pride or anger at myself or guilt. It’s taken a while, but I’ve learned to let go of the past, just like you told me.”
