Page 31 of Santa's Baby
With a sigh, she sank down on the loveseat, promptly pulled the lever, and propped her feet up.
“My mother said the first two months, she didn’t sleep,” she said. “I get really cranky if I don’t get my rest.”
“We’d work it out,” he told her again.
“I really like your family,” she said yawning. “They were so kind to me. And our little accident will be spoiled by your brothers.”
He laughed. “Oh, yes, she will.”
“Are you hungry?”
“Oh no,” she said. “Your mother’s cooking was so good and she just kept giving me more and more. I bet I gained five pounds today.”
Glancing around the apartment, she suddenly realized what was missing. His parents’ house had been beautifully decorated for Christmas with lights and a tree and garland. It had been a holiday celebration. But here in his apartment, there were no decorations.
“Why didn’t you decorate for Christmas?”
“Because most of the time I work on Christmas so the other guys can be at home with their families. If I’d known you were coming I would have put up a tree.”
A grin spread across her face.
“Another reason for us to go to Whitefish.”
“Or we could spend it with my family and be here in case our little accident decides to arrive a few days early.”
“No, I’ve given her strict instructions that she is not to poke her head out until she hears her grandmother’s voice and then she can come anytime,” she said.
“My mother will be her grandmother,” he said.
“I know, but I want to be withmyfamily,” she said, her voice turning wistful.
For a moment, Ryan was silent. It was unlike him not to respond and tell her they shouldn’t travel on the highways with her in her condition.
Coming over to the loveseat, he sat beside her.
“There’s something you need to know,” he said.
This sounded ominous and a trickle of fear spiraled through her.
Taking a deep breath, he picked up her hand and held it. “Six years ago, I married my college sweetheart. We had a good life together and about a year after we were married, she became pregnant. Our families were thrilled and nine months later Charlotte arrived.”
He picked up a glass of water and took a sip. “Sandy was a teacher at the local high school and her students loved her. Charlotte grew and we all doted on her. My parents and brothers adored her.”
Swallowing, she could see that something was bothering him. Tears had welled in his eyes. His face had a pained expression and she reached out and rubbed his back with her free hand.
“Sandy’s mother had a stroke, and Sandy and Charlotte went to Lincoln, Montana, about eighty miles from here. It was January, and on the way home, a storm hit. They were almost to Missoula when a semi-tractor trailer lost control and spun out right in front of them.”
He took a deep breath. “Sandy had nowhere to go. The semi plowed into them, causing her SUV to roll multiple times.”
Amelia felt her chest ache with pain.
“I was working that evening and my ambulance was the one dispatched to the scene,” he said. “I immediately recognized the car, but before I could reach them, Stan stopped me.”
Tears had formed in his eyes and she wanted to hug him. This had to be bad.
“I’ll never forget he looked me in the eye and said, 'Get back in the ambulance. This is not good. Let me check on her and the baby. As soon as I know, I’ll come tell you. But if it’s as bad as it looks, I don’t want your last memory of her to be how she died.’”
Ryan took several deep breaths. “I knew they were dead. No one could survive that kind of crash. Before Stan came back, he called our captain and he was there within ten minutes. The girls were both killed instantly.”