Rescue Me (a quirky romance novel about secrets, forgiveness and falling in love) (33 page)

"No." He reached to Mary and caught her arm. "I'm glad you came. Come in. We have a few years to catch up on." He offered an arm to his mother, and the other to Hailey, then led them into the hall for the rehearsal.

An hour later, after the formal rehearsal, and after introducing his mother to dozens of people and acting like they'd been in contact all these years, Rainer sat at the round dining table. Hailey sat at his right, his mother--the woman who until now been no more than fuzzy memories--on his left. He sipped some water, swallowing the unease twining around his stomach.

Hailey squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. He wanted to thank her. She'd done this for him. But he was so tongue-tied, the best he could do was smile back. Mary shifted in her chair. He had to speak to her. So many questions. Where to start?

"How have you been?" he asked. That was a fair question, a safe one.

"I've had some good times and some bad."

"Haven't we all?" That response had a little more bite in it than he'd intended. "I'm sorry. This is very uncomfortable."

"It's okay," she said, toying with her white linen napkin. "I didn't expect you to be polite. Actually, I expected you to throw me out. I deserve it."

"I'm waiting to determine if you do or not."

"Fair enough," she said.

He studied her for a moment, the expensive blonde highlights in her hair, creaseless face and expensive clothes. She'd weathered well, much better than he'd expected. Her life had turned around, but the question was, when had that happened? Had she married money long after he'd matured into an adult? Did it matter?

So many questions.

"That day," she began. "Do you remember that day?"

He nodded.

"That day was the worst of my life."

"Mine too."

She reached a shaking hand to him and laid it on his, but he couldn't abide the touch. He pulled his hand away.

With a sniffle, she continued, "I still can't believe I did that. I left my sweet baby boy alone to fend for himself."

"So why'd you do it? Why not turn me into the authorities? I was starving, stealing food to survive. At eight years old!"

"I know. It was wrong. So very wrong."

"Yes it was. Now, I'm waiting to hear a good excuse. Something. Anything to make me stop hating you like I have for over twenty years."

Hailey gave his hand another squeeze.

"I have no excuse," Mary said.

"Where did you go?"

"On a heroin trip, mostly."

Well, at least she was being honest, even if he didn't like her answers. He knew what drugs did to people, to their sense of judgment. Still, he needed more answers. "When did you stop?"

"I've been clean for ten years now."

"Ten years." He did some quick mental math. He was medical school. An adult. "Did you ever check on me? Did you know where I was?"

She dropped her eyes. "No. I honestly thought I didn't deserve to know. Not after what I'd done to you. I hoped you made it into the court system and found a good foster home, but I never knew that for sure."

"I did. Eventually."

"I really am sorry, son."

He held back an exasperated sigh. It would be so easy to continue hating this woman. What she'd done was inhumane. So many things could have gone wrong.

But hatred wasn't something he wanted to harbor in his heart. Hatred was a toxin--pure poison. It would eventually taint his relationships with every person in his life, including the woman who sat at his right. The woman he was vowing to love for a lifetime.

No way he would let Mary Evans-Newbury do that--destroy his adulthood like she had his childhood. Destroy his future like she had his past. There was only one person who deserved to have that much power over him, Hailey.

He glanced down at the plate full of food he hadn't touched, then looked at Hailey. She returned his gaze with one full of fear. "Thank you," he whispered, and kissed her cheek. "For finding my mother and helping me heal the past. I love you."

Hailey blinked away tears, but one slipped from the corner of her eye, and she felt the wet trail it left as it slid down her cheek. Her heart was alight, drifting high above her body. So this was love? This was the kind of love that would last a lifetime. The kind of love that healed and nourished. "I love you, too. More than life. More than anything. Somehow, you breached my defenses and showed me how trapped I was in my lonely life. I don't know how you managed when others had failed, but I'm grateful. Now, whether you like it or not, I belong to you. Forever."

He smiled. "And I will always be at your side, and vow to earn your love every single day." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and kissed her.

The room erupted in applause. They broke the kiss and gave each other a sheepish grin. And then she leaned in for another kiss. Those were life's breath to her. As essential as air, and as nourishing as any food she'd ever eaten.

Such a long journey. One of pain and fear, of hope and friendship. But mostly, one of learning. Thanks to the man on her left and the sister on her right, she'd learned about herself. She'd learned how to live, how to love, and how to trust.

The joy of not only rescuing, but being rescued.

Sydney Allan is the alter-ego of erotic romance author Tawny Taylor. Like Tawny’s books, Sydney’s stories are sexy, and sassilicious. The only difference-- Tawny’s characters get to play in dungeons.

But that doesn’t mean they get to have all the fun...

Sydney, an animal lover, has fostered dozens of stray and neglected animals for the Michigan Humane Society, and is currently proud parent to three rescued dogs, a cat, a rabbit, and several toads.