voice
was impossible to miss. He caught her up in his arms and carried her across the
hall, toed the door open with his shoe and then kicked it shut behind him.
Mary knew before she looked that there would be a king-size brass bed and
that the room was decorated with the colors of autumn. When Daniel laid her
down, she felt, before she saw, the handmade quilt on their bed. As the
familiar softness cushioned her back, she kicked off her shoes and reached for Daniel.
There was no way to know how long this fantasy would last, and she didn't want
to waste a moment.
A hungry glint fired in Daniel's eyes as he sprawled across her. Tunneling
his fingers through her hair, a low moan rose from his throat as he centered his
mouth upon her lips.
In desperation, Mary clung to him. It had been so long. But before she could
remove her clothes, Daniel drew back with a groan.
' Oooh , baby, hold that thought. I've got to get
the groceries in out of the heat."
He rolled away from her and then got off the bed. Before she could think, he
was out of the room and on his way down the stairs.
Mary turned over on her belly and buried her face in the pillow in mute
frustration, then moments later, sat up in bed.
The furnishings in the room were almost opulent, but had a comfortable,
lived-in look about them that almost seemed familiar. Her gaze fell on the
closet and suddenly, she bounced off the bed and ran toward it. As her fingers
curled around the doorknob, she caught herself holding her breath in nervous
anticipation. Slowly, she pulled the door open then stepped inside and turned
on the light.
Daniel's clothing was hanging on the right in a neat and orderly manner,
from suits, to sport coats to casual slacks. Blue jeans were folded and stacked
neatly on a built-in shelf as were an assortment of T-shirts. A row of shoes
was on the floor beneath the clothing and a small rack of neckties hung from
the back of the closet door. Just as she would have expected it to be.
When she looked to the left, all the air went out of her lungs in one
breath, as if she'd been punched in the stomach. An entire wardrobe of women's
dresses, blouses, skirts and slacks-and in her size were hanging on the rack.
Okay... so I'm dreaming in detail and color... and with sensation. So what?
I've already accepted the fact that I'm losing my mind.
She stepped out of the closet and then turned off the light. Immediately,
her gaze moved to the door Daniel had left open. She walked into the hallway
and then into the room where Hope was sleeping. For whatever reason and for
however long this fantasy would last, she not only had Daniel back, but she had
her daughter, too. The bond she'd had with the baby seemed nothing but a
distant memory as she stared down at the six-year-old girl in disbelief.
The longer she looked, the tighter the ache grew within her chest. Quietly,
she tiptoed to the side of the bed, smiling at the one-eared bunny tucked
beneath Hope's chin, and pulled the covers back over the little girl's shoulders.
Then, reluctant to lose the connection, she lifted a stray lock of hair away
from Hope's face, then leaned down and brushed her forehead with a kiss and as
she did, felt as if she'd done it countless times before. Her heart swelled as
she watched the little girl's eyelids fluttering in sleep.
This is my baby.
She watched her for only a few moments, then, afraid her presence would wake
Hope up, she went back to the bedroom she shared with Daniel. For a few
moments, she stood in the doorway, staring at the room and the feelings it
evoked. Finally, she took a deep breath and began taking off her clothes.
Seconds later, she was in the bathroom and stepping beneath the warm water
jetting from the showerhead. It could only be symbolic, but she had a sudden
urge to wash away every remnant of her old, sad life.
*
Daniel's heart sank when he saw the empty bed, then he heard the shower
running and smiled. With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure
was impossible to miss. He caught her up in his arms and carried her across the
hall, toed the door open with his shoe and then kicked it shut behind him.
Mary knew before she looked that there would be a king-size brass bed and
that the room was decorated with the colors of autumn. When Daniel laid her
down, she felt, before she saw, the handmade quilt on their bed. As the
familiar softness cushioned her back, she kicked off her shoes and reached for Daniel.
There was no way to know how long this fantasy would last, and she didn't want
to waste a moment.
A hungry glint fired in Daniel's eyes as he sprawled across her. Tunneling
his fingers through her hair, a low moan rose from his throat as he centered his
mouth upon her lips.
In desperation, Mary clung to him. It had been so long. But before she could
remove her clothes, Daniel drew back with a groan.
' Oooh , baby, hold that thought. I've got to get
the groceries in out of the heat."
He rolled away from her and then got off the bed. Before she could think, he
was out of the room and on his way down the stairs.
Mary turned over on her belly and buried her face in the pillow in mute
frustration, then moments later, sat up in bed.
The furnishings in the room were almost opulent, but had a comfortable,
lived-in look about them that almost seemed familiar. Her gaze fell on the
closet and suddenly, she bounced off the bed and ran toward it. As her fingers
curled around the doorknob, she caught herself holding her breath in nervous
anticipation. Slowly, she pulled the door open then stepped inside and turned
on the light.
Daniel's clothing was hanging on the right in a neat and orderly manner,
from suits, to sport coats to casual slacks. Blue jeans were folded and stacked
neatly on a built-in shelf as were an assortment of T-shirts. A row of shoes
was on the floor beneath the clothing and a small rack of neckties hung from
the back of the closet door. Just as she would have expected it to be.
When she looked to the left, all the air went out of her lungs in one
breath, as if she'd been punched in the stomach. An entire wardrobe of women's
dresses, blouses, skirts and slacks-and in her size were hanging on the rack.
Okay... so I'm dreaming in detail and color... and with sensation. So what?
I've already accepted the fact that I'm losing my mind.
She stepped out of the closet and then turned off the light. Immediately,
her gaze moved to the door Daniel had left open. She walked into the hallway
and then into the room where Hope was sleeping. For whatever reason and for
however long this fantasy would last, she not only had Daniel back, but she had
her daughter, too. The bond she'd had with the baby seemed nothing but a
distant memory as she stared down at the six-year-old girl in disbelief.
The longer she looked, the tighter the ache grew within her chest. Quietly,
she tiptoed to the side of the bed, smiling at the one-eared bunny tucked
beneath Hope's chin, and pulled the covers back over the little girl's shoulders.
Then, reluctant to lose the connection, she lifted a stray lock of hair away
from Hope's face, then leaned down and brushed her forehead with a kiss and as
she did, felt as if she'd done it countless times before. Her heart swelled as
she watched the little girl's eyelids fluttering in sleep.
This is my baby.
She watched her for only a few moments, then, afraid her presence would wake
Hope up, she went back to the bedroom she shared with Daniel. For a few
moments, she stood in the doorway, staring at the room and the feelings it
evoked. Finally, she took a deep breath and began taking off her clothes.
Seconds later, she was in the bathroom and stepping beneath the warm water
jetting from the showerhead. It could only be symbolic, but she had a sudden
urge to wash away every remnant of her old, sad life.
*
Daniel's heart sank when he saw the empty bed, then he heard the shower
running and smiled. With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure
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