Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2) (4 page)

BOOK: Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2)
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Dr. Cotter sat down beside her on the bed and as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Christina leaned into him, accepting the comfort he offered. “I don’t even know what I just witnessed.”

Christina started to laugh through her tears, the hoarse sound grating her ears. “You just watched me blowing up a bridge, Doc. My whole world just imploded.”

 

Chapter Six

 

 

 

“Is there anyone else you can call?” Dr. Cotter pressed gently and Christina shook her head.

“Not really.” Another lie.
I could call Grace, but I don’t want her to know.

“Well, look. My shift is over at seven, and you would be welcome to come stay with my family for a while.”

Christina pulled away from the doctor and shook her head firmly. “No, no way.”

“My wife and kids would understand. It’s not the first time I’ve brought someone home and it probably won’t be the last.” Dr. Cotter shrugged and smiled sheepishly. “My wife keeps the guest room ready at all times.”

“I’m a nasty bitch with AIDS. She’s not gonna want me in her house. Plus, I can’t go back to the dorms until they open in January. I’ll just get a hotel or something.” Christina snorted at the thought of the obviously upper middle class Dr. Cotter taking her home to his family.

“My wife isn’t like that. I’m not going to take advantage of you or hurt you. Just come stay with us for a while. We’ll help you get back to school.”

“I don’t have any money,” Christina argued. “I can’t do anything until I get my wallet back or I get a new debit card.”

“We’ll call the police and see if they found your wallet, maybe they did. It’s probably good to stay in the area for a few days, I mean with Christmas and all…”

Christina’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh God, I’m not ruining your family’s Christmas.”

“You won’t be. We welcome all at our table.” Patrick insisted.

Her nose wrinkled and she wrapped her arms around her middle. “You’re not some kind of psycho Christian cult person or something, are you?”

Dr. Cotter laughed hard, his face suddenly going boyish and soft. “No. We’re atheists.”

“Oh. Well. If you’re sure.”

“I am,” Dr. Cotter said firmly. “Let me finish my last couple of rooms and I’ll be back in about thirty minutes for you, okay?”

“Hey, I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t come back. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings. I’m kinda used to it.” Christina shrugged and picked at the fuzz on the blanket on the bed.

“No one should have to be used to someone not coming back. I’ll be here.” As he closed the door, Christina fell back on the bed and sobs wracked her slender frame.
What the hell just happened?
Rummaging in her plastic bag, she pulled out the little diary and a pen.

 

Dear Diary,

 

I just told my mother to leave and never come back. It is scary as hell but at the same time it’s refreshing. It’s over. I don’t have to deal with her anymore. What was I expecting, a feast for my return? Kindness? I should’ve known better than to rely on someone who has never been reliable in her life. But I was a fool. I just wanted my mother, what every girl dreams of in a mom. She wasn’t it and I don’t think her heart is capable of loving someone other than herself. She’s perpetually seventeen, and I’ve outgrown her. It’s a hard thing to deal with, a terrible thing to realize that she’ll never be what I need. Would I want my kid to actually be around her? No. If I die would I want my kid to go to her? Hell no. There’s only one person I want to have my kid if something goes wrong. Grace. But I don’t want her to know what’s going on. Not now anyway. I don’t want her to know that I have lied and am still lying. No one can know who the baby’s father is. No one can know about my AIDS yet. Not right now anyway. I’ll just keep it all a big secret until I can’t keep it a secret anymore. I’ll just pretend everything is fine and cover my ass as I have to until I can’t anymore. I can stay in school until I’m showing, then I’ll have to leave. So I have to make some plans. What the hell is with Dr. Cotter being so nice to me? People just aren’t nice for any old reason. I hope he doesn’t try to lock me in his basement and make me put lotion on my skin or something. My God, that would suck. Can I really trust this dude not to hurt me? Maybe just this once humanity will come through for me and not hurt me anymore. Which hey, I’m not that much to look at anymore. It’s hard to be sexy when you’re missing teeth and look like a boxer’s punching bag. So maybe he’s genuine. I guess we’ll see.

 

Christina

 

She closed the diary and jammed it down in her bag again. Blowing out a breath she glanced around the room one last time as she waited. Dr. Cotter knocked and cracked the door. “Are you ready?”

“As I’m gonna get,” she stammered, fear filling her chest. She picked up her bag and slid off the edge of the bed. “After you.”

Dr. Cotter smiled and led the way down the hall. Christina kept her gaze down on the pistachio green tile as they walked to the stairwell. Panic filled her as she followed him down the stairs. A piece of her expected him to attack her, but as they walked out into the bright, sunshiny morning, she realized she was safe. Sunlight bounced off the snow and she winced as she followed him to his SUV. He opened the passenger door for her and she crawled in and buckled herself.

He climbed in the driver’s seat and smiled over at her as he buckled in and started the engine. “I’ll let it warm for just a second before we get going.”

Christina nodded and turned to stare out the window. She was shivering in panic. The last memory of being in an SUV hadn’t been the most pleasant. She’d thought Rand was nice too. “I can’t do this!” She scrambled for the door handle and was relieved when the door popped open. “Let me out!”

“Christina, calm down, you’re still buckled in.” Dr. Cotter reached down to unbuckle her and Christina let out a shriek.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Whoa!” Dr. Cotter raised his hands in defense. “I’m not going to hurt you, Christina, I promise.”

“Tell me your name. All of it. That way if you do hurt me I can tell the cops.” Christina panted, her panic growing with each second she stayed in the car.

“You need to calm down for your baby. My name is Patrick Cotter. I live on 112 Maple Street. I’m a decent person. I will not hurt you. I promise. I know it’s hard for you to trust someone, Christina, but you can trust me,” he spoke softly and his eyes seemed sincere.

Christina sucked in another breath of air and her hysteria deflated. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “Just the last time—”

“He drove a jeep. I get it. You need some therapy. I’m betting you have PTSD,” Patrick calmly murmured. “Can you close the door? It’s cold.”

Christina glanced at the open door and her white knuckles gripping the handle. “Okay.” Slowly she pulled the door closed and made sure her seatbelt was fastened. “I’m fine.”

“Okay, I’m going to drive now,” Patrick warned her. “It’s daylight. I won’t pull over or do anything until I get home. All right?”

Christina nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. “Just drive.”

The city moved around them. Even though it was Christmas morning, plenty of people were on the roads. Patrick drove slowly and carefully through the slick streets, finally turning off on Maple Street. Christina held her breath until they parked in his driveway, next to a little black Honda. “Here we go.”

Patrick lived in a very nice neighborhood, in a house that was neither too big nor too small. Christmas decorations were strewn across the lawn and icicle lights dripped down off the porch. “It’s a nice place.”
Damn sure better than the cabin.

“I let my wife know you were coming. She was excited and making breakfast. I warn you, Addie probably made a huge buffet.” Patrick grinned and Christina smiled tightly in return.

“Okay. She didn’t have to.”

Patrick exited the car and came around to her door. As he opened the door he chuckled. “I know she didn’t. But that’s what Addie does.”

Christina stepped out of the SUV, ignoring Patrick’s hand. Her flip flops crunched on the salted driveway and she froze as a woman’s voice reached her ears. “Hi!”

Her gaze flicked to the hunter green door of the house, which was now open. A middle-aged woman with bright copper red hair and Snoopy pajamas stood in the doorway, holding a big mug in her hand. “Hi,” Christina mumbled back.

“Come on, Pat, get her inside, she has to be freezing. The kids are so excited to have a guest.”

Patrick grinned as he started up the driveway. “I’m coming.” Christina stood rooted in one place until Patrick glanced back at her. “Come on, Christina, we won’t hurt you.”

Christina nodded and slowly followed him up the driveway. She refused to meet Addie’s eyes as she stepped up on the porch. Patrick leaned in to kiss his wife and he slid in around her. The sound of children’s laughter filled the air and Christina’s gut clenched. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

Addie stepped out of the doorway. “Christina.”

Christina looked up at the older woman. “I can’t.”

“Come eat something and get warm. There is no judgment in my home. You are welcome here.”

Tears filled her eyes and a warm droplet splashed down her cheek. “I don’t understand why you’re being nice to me.”

“Because people should be nice to each other. They should take care of each other. Come inside. You have to be freezing.” Addie held out her hand and Christina eyed her warily for a moment before she took it.

“Thank you.” Christina followed her into the house, which smelled like pine and cinnamon.

Three children skidded to a stop in the middle of their dancing. Two little boys with bright red hair and a little black girl stared at her for a moment and Christina felt her stomach clench. She was embarrassed with the way she looked.

“Merry Christmas!” the older boy called, and soon, the three children were singing Christmas carols and grasping her hands and pulling her into the living room. A huge, real Christmas tree stood in the corner and was decorated with hundreds of ornaments. Presents littered the ground under the tree and around it. She was gently prodded into sitting in a chocolate brown recliner and she watched the children as they played.

Her heart warmed at the love she saw between the kids. “Merry Christmas,” she finally whispered.

Addie came to sit down on the matching sofa adjacent to the chair. “Can I get you anything?”

Christina shook her head quickly. “No, I’m fine.”

“Nothing warm to drink? Are your feet cold? I bet your socks got wet.” Addie jumped up before Christina could say anything and she came back with a pair of slipper socks. “Here, give me those wet things and get your feet warm.”

Christina blushed as she took the socks and peeled off the wet ones. “No, I’ll just put the wet socks in my bag, you don’t need to—”

Addie sighed and held out her hand. “Give me the socks. It’s not an imposition to toss them in the wash.”

“But I have—”

“I know what you have. We aren’t going to get anything from your socks,” Addie firmly replied and finally Christina passed over the damp socks.

“Thank you.”

“What size are you? I might have some clothes you can wear. What girl likes wearing frumpy old sweats?”

“I’m like a size six. But I’m—”

“I know.” Addie smiled kindly and turned to leave. “I’ll see what I have.”

Patrick came back into the room a few minutes later. He appeared to have taken a quick shower, something Christina greatly missed the luxury of. Dry shampoo and washing up at a sink could only get you so far. He was dressed in a deep green sweater and jeans. “Come here, guys, give me a hug!”

The kids swarmed their father and he hugged them each and kissed them. The concept was completely foreign to Christina, who had never experienced a man simply loving his children, just because. He plopped down where Addie had been sitting. “You doing okay?”

Christina shrugged and clenched her hands together self-consciously. “As okay as I can get.”

“These are my kids, Gray, River, and Aaliyah. Kids, this is my friend Christina. She’s going to be staying with us for a couple days.”

Christina smiled awkwardly as the kids all waved and said it was nice to meet her. Addie came back into the room at that moment with a stack of clothing. “I found a few things you’re welcome to, if you want them.”

“Thank you.” Christina took the pile of clothes from her and her eyes widened at the name brand labels she found on even the simplest of shirts. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Do you want to eat breakfast now or what would you like to do? Our guest gets to choose.” Addie smiled warmly and hugged Aaliyah as she came up to her.

Christina’s stomach rumbled and she chuckled softly at the noise. “I’d like to eat.”

“Yeah, hospital food stinks. I made a little bit of everything. I wasn’t sure what you’d like. We have waffles, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and cereal. Come to the kitchen and let’s eat.” Christina stood and followed the happy, raucous family into the kitchen. A dining room was just off the kitchen and the table was set with Christmas decorations and beautiful plates. Her eyes widened and she swallowed nervously.

“Maybe you should just give me disposable plates and stuff,” she muttered quietly so the children wouldn’t hear.

Addie’s brow furrowed. “Stop worrying. We can’t get HIV from you eating off our plates.”

BOOK: Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2)
8.76Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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