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Do the Math
“Sister Kathleen. My job.” Christie clutched her throat and paced to the back of her empty classroom, feeling the sting of yet another disastrous segment of this literal
burden she carried.
Sarah’s chubby legs hurried to close the door, her stockings rubbing together like a scouring pad on a countertop. She motioned for Christie to keep her voice down.
“Let’s think this through calmly.”
“My god. I’ve been worried enough about telling Sister I was getting divorced. That talk will be a cakewalk compared to the baby bomb I have to drop.
Catholic schools don’t take too well to surprise births that don’t involve three wise men. And believe me, no wise men were involved in this conception.”
She’d been so preoccupied with coming to terms with her pregnancy she hadn’t given a thought to her teaching job. She dropped into a chair. For the first
time since she’d thrown up that morning, she thought she may faint.
Romancing the King
Lindsey drew closer to her friend. She removed her glasses and pushed her hair behind her ears. Then she adjusted the stethoscope around her neck and took a deep breath.
“I really like Jason. I mean…beyond thinking he’s just a nice guy who’s incredibly clumsy. I’d like to get to know him, not Elvis, better. Right now, the two are so
entwined it’s hard to tell the difference. Wouldn’t asking him to do a show be like throwing gasoline on the fire?” Lindsey looked at Mary with pleading eyes.
“Would that be so bad?” Mary touched Lindsey’s arm. “How about if you just learn to relax a little and take things as they come? If Jason really turns out to be that
someone special, will the stupid wig and goofy costumes really matter? Who knows, if you give it a chance, you may just become an Elvis fan, as well as a Jason fan.”
Lindsey inhaled deeply as Mary’s words sank in. What choice did she really have? She could forget Jason ever walked into or, rather, was carried into the ER. That would mean forgetting
about his gentle demeanor, dazzling personality, sweet smile, and perfect physique. Or she could learn to accept Elvis. Lindsey shuddered and headed to the waiting room.
Serenade the Moon
She turned his hands around, studying the back as well. . .
Then with one finger, she traced the lines on his palms, her breathing slowing as she concentrated, performing an art as natural for
her as street brawling had been for Danny. Showing a dimension of herself too prominent to hide, too precious to conceal.
Danny watched her with amazement but he found it hard to concentrate on the fact Jade had a son, and he still didn’t know the role that
Tony, the boy’s father, or anyone else was playing in this web entangling Danny’s heart.
“You are a man of many talents, Danny O’Brien,” Jade began, her posture softening as she concentrated on her work and channeled her
energy. She rubbed the palms of his hands with her thumbs, the friction creating a penetrating heat. “You have a creative soul.
I see you’ve overcome, no, you’ve accepted some great pain in your life. And there is more pain to come. Your life, it’s very filled,
very busy, but still you’re alone. You hold your heart ransom. You’ve placed a price on it.” Jade looked up at Danny, who sat mesmerized
at her touch and at her words. “How much is your heart worth?”
Did his palms really utter the story of his life? Could so much be known from the lines on his hand? Or was this Jade’s conjecture based
on her encounter with Tiffany last night? Could she really see deep inside of him? No. Yes. Maybe. Danny really didn’t care. Perhaps his
pain was obvious. Perhaps she sensed his distress. The important thing was he was there with her. For those few fleeting moments, she was his.
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