Waiting For You (29 page)

Chapter 27

Nick ran through the darkened, empty halls, heading for Abby’s office. He stumbled into a machine, twisting his ankle. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he forced himself to keep going. Two doors away from the room the deafening sound of a gunshot echoed through the building.

No—he couldn’t be too late! He slammed his shoulder into the door and it flew open. In the darkness someone moved. He leapt toward the shadowed figure. As he wrestled the person to the floor, the gun exploded again, and a slicing pain pierced Nick’s left side.

In the dark, he fumbled to find the weapon. When his fingers closed around the hot steel, he yanked it out of the killer’s hands. The woman screamed and wrestled under him, but he held her tight.

Warm, sticky blood flowed from Nick’s side, saturating his shirt and vest. Trying to ignore the pain, he threw the gun across the room and pinned the woman’s hands above her head.

“Let me go!” she yelled.

“You killed Abby!” His voice broke as he said her name.

“Good! That was my intent,” Cassandra snapped. “She deserves to die. I’m the one who should get our father’s inheritance, since I was the one he ignored all my life.”

Nick grasped her shoulders and shook her until her head knocked hard against the floor. Suddenly, on the other side of the room, footsteps creaked on the floor. Within seconds the light in the room flickered on.

Abby stood facing him, her white knuckles pressed against her mouth. “Nick?”

He released Cassandra and scrambled to his feet. His head spun in circles, and his body grew weaker by the second. As he stumbled toward Abby, she dropped her gaze to his left side. Her eyes went wide and she sobbed.

“It’s okay,” he whispered, gathering her in his arms. “It’s just a flesh wound, really.” It hurt unlike anything he’d felt before, but he wasn’t going to let her worry.

Cassandra jumped to her feet and ran toward the door. Abby tore away from Nick and beat the young woman to the door.

“I think not, dear sister,” Abby growled just before she punched Cassandra in the face.

A crack rent the air, and the woman landed on the floor in a motionless heap.

Nick sighed and leaned against the desk. His head swam, and the dizziness reminded him of how he’d felt just before he traveled through time. Did this mean he was going back?
No!
He couldn’t. He couldn’t leave the woman he loved.

Abby rushed to him again and grabbed him, holding him up. “Nick, you’re losing a lot of blood. I don’t know what to do.”

“Lay me down,” Nick instructed. She helped him to the floor. “Take off my shirt,” he said. He assisted as much as he could in removing the garment, each movement bringing new agony. “Now wad up the material into a ball and press it hard against the wound. It’ll stop the flow of blood.”

Tears pooled in Abby’s eyes and she nodded. Her arms shook, but she managed to press on the wound. The pain intensified and Nick cringed, praying he wouldn’t pass out. As long as he stayed alert, he might stay in the past with her. If not…would he return to his time?

She looked away from him and glanced around the room, then jumped to her feet and ran to the bookshelf. From between two books, she pulled out a bottle of bourbon. When she reached his side again, she lifted his head and brought the bottle to his lips.

“This might dull the pain slightly.”

“No, no. I…I don’t drink. Besides, I’ll be fine.”

Abby sighed,
then
moved the shirt so she could pour the liquid on his wound.

Pain sliced through Nick’s abdomen, and he clenched his teeth. He hoped the old-time remedy worked. If it took away even a fraction of the pain, he would be grateful.

Abby pressed the blood-soaked shirt against the wound once more. She offered him a comforting smile before pushing the hair off Nick’s forehead and placing her hand there. “You still feel warm, so I think you’ll be okay.”

He forced a smile. “I’m so happy…she didn’t kill you. I…tried to get here…before she could pull the trigger.”

“I remembered when you told me someone was going to shoot me. So I decided to lower my head to the desk, hoping the bullet would miss me. Then I dropped to the floor, in case she tried to shoot me a second time.” Abby caressed his face. “You saved my life, Nick.”

His vision blurred even more as a dark shadow swept over him. No! He couldn’t leave her. He couldn’t go back to his time unless Abby came with him. Or was he going to die in her arms right now?

Nick blinked and tried to focus on her beautiful face, but her image kept getting smaller. “I love you, Abigail Carlisle. I always will.”

“Nick?” She clutched his hands, but he could hardly feel her. “Nick!” she screamed, but the sound faded.

Nick found himself moving through a dark tunnel toward a bright light. If all the near-death experiences he’d heard about were true, he was dying. He didn’t want to die, because Abby was alive. He had to be with her.

“Nick?”

He concentrated on the voice.
“Mom?”

“Nick, it’s all right. I love you, but I know you’ll be happy somewhere else.”

A lump lodged in his throat. Those were the words she’d spoken before Nick’s father took him away from her. Why was he remembering them now?
“Mom?”

“
Shh
. Everything is just as it should be. Follow your heart, and you’ll be fine.”

Tears ran down Nick’s face. His mother was the only good reason for returning home to the twenty-first century. He’d just started getting to know her again, and if he stayed in 1912, that chance would be gone.

“You’ll always be in my heart no matter where you are, Nick.”

His mother’s voice faded, and blackness filled his mind. He couldn’t see or feel or smell; it was if he drifted in a void.

Then, after what seemed like hours, he heard a voice—a still, calm voice—telling him to choose. He wanted to shout, but his mouth wouldn’t move. “Abby,” he called out in his mind. “Help me!”

* * * *

Abigail paced the hallway in front of Nick’s hospital room. In her hands, she rubbed the locket her grandmother had given
her,
grateful she was able to retrieve it from Cassandra. Abigail prayed silently, willing Nick to come back into her life. The necklace did have power. It would give her Nick—her heart’s deepest desire. He’d saved her life, and in doing so, he’d almost given up his.

Thankfully, after Nick had lost consciousness, Harry had rushed into the room and helped her get Nick to the hospital. The doctor had removed the bullet. He said Nick had lost a lot of blood but would live—if he regained consciousness soon.

Abigail stopped in front of his room and stared at the closed door, praying Nick would wake up. She groaned and swept the hair out of her face. She should have believed Nick. But she’d never heard of someone traveling through time, so she’d been unable to grasp the concept. Now she knew Nick had never lied to her. After talking to Harry about Mrs. Downey, Abigail knew she’d been wrong to believe the older woman’s accusations about Nick. But Mrs. Downey had told the truth about one thing.

When the police came to the hospital to take Abigail’s statement, they told her Cassandra professed to being Edward’s illegitimate child. When she had confronted Edward, the shock must have given him the heart attack. Cassandra had planned to marry Anthony after killing Abigail, which would get her the Carlisle Empire she never had as a child—after she killed Anthony’s parents, of course. Cassandra was one very confused and angry young woman.

Abigail tiptoed into Nick’s room. He lay still as death, but the slight rise and fall of his chest let her know he was alive. She stopped by the side of the bed and touched his cheek. It felt cold, and she wondered how he could survive losing so much blood. She now believed he was from the future, and she wondered if he’d simply been sent to stop her death. If so, would he return to his day?

She ran her hand along his arm. She wished he would wake up so she could feel his strong arms around her. If Nick returned to his time, she would never find another man like him.

“Nick, please come back to me.” She kissed his forehead. “I need you more than you realize.”

Tears stung Abigail’s eyes as her heart broke with emotion. For many years she’d known something was missing from her life. Because of Nick, she knew what it was—unconditional love. Her father didn’t show it, and she had been so young when her mother died that Abigail barely remembered her. Lily loved Abigail, but probably only because she’d loved Abigail’s father. But even though Nick had only been in her life a short while, Abigail knew his love was whole and pure. And she felt as if she had loved him for a lifetime.

She kissed his lips gently. “Nick, I’ve waited so long for you to come into my life. I can’t lose you now. I love you.”

Pressing her cheek against his, Abigail closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. At first she thought she was imagining it, but soon she was certain his skin was getting warm. When his breathing grew deeper, she gasped and pulled back to study his face. Color seeped back into his cheeks and lips. Soon his lashes fluttered and he opened his eyes.

Her heart leapt. She clenched her hands to her heart. When Nick turned his head and peered at her, a slow smile stretched his lips.

“Hello, my darling,” he said with a cracked voice.

Abigail let out a joyful sob and laid her head on his chest. “Oh, Nick. I didn’t think you’d come back.”

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. “Why wouldn’t I?”

She looked at him. “I love you so much, but I thought I was being selfish for wanting you with me when you had a home and a life in a future century.”

Nick cupped her chin and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “No, I don’t. You are my home. You are my life now. I don’t want anything else.”

Tears of happiness ran down her face as she leaned in to kiss him. He held her head as their lips met in a gentle kiss. Abigail’s heart soared. Her life was complete.

She pulled away and wiped her eyes. “Oh, Nick. I love you so much, and you came back to me. What more could I ask for now?”

“How about marriage and a family with me?”
He winked.

“Absolutely.
That’s the icing on the cake.”

She cuddled against him again as he stroked her hair. “You know, there are a few things you’re going to have to learn about living in 1912.”

Nick raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I’m sure there are more than a few.”

“One of them is how to drive.” Abigail turned her head to look at him. “Harry said you scared him half to death when he saw the way you were driving. I fear if you keep driving like a madman, you’ll die before you can grow old with me.” She sat up and crossed her arms. “So I’ve decided Hudson will drive us wherever we go.”

Nick grinned. “We’ll see, but I do have a request.” He grasped her hand. “I was thinking about not having the servants live at our home. They can be there during the day, but at the end of the evening, I want to have the house to ourselves.”

Heat crept Abigail’s cheeks and she smiled. “I do like that suggestion. Now that I have you back, I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

“Excellent. It’ll be just you and me, and our children, forever.
Just as it should be.”

Epilogue

Abby’s lower back ached as she sat in the chair in the courtroom. She shifted uncomfortably, and placed a hand on her very round belly. The baby kicked, apparently, not liking the way she had been sitting for so long. But she must support her husband—the most popular prosecuting attorney in town.

It had taken only a few months for Nick to pass the bar—and get his license back. The hardest part was trying to convince the judge that the school Nick had attended had lost his records in the fire two year past. Although she hated to lie, it was better than the alternative—telling the judge Nick was from the future.

Thankfully, the judge approved Nick to take the exam, and
just as she knew would happen, he passed
.

“…and that, gentlemen, is why Joel Roberts should be sent to prison for the murder of Brent Sharp.”
Nick squared his shoulders and looked point-blank at the jury of men.

Confidence surrounded Nick as he finished presenting his case. Sighing, she smiled. Nick was such a good lawyer, and he took so well this time period. Occasionally, she worried that something might happen to send him back to the future, but then with all they have been through and he hasn’t been sent back, told her that Nick was here to stay.

The judge gave Nick a nod before aiming his attention at the jury. “Court is in recess until the jury has come to a verdict.”

“All rise,” the bailiff announced.

Abigail struggled to her feet, relieved to be off her butt…for now. Once the judge and jury had left the courtroom, Nick strolled toward her, a self-assured grin stretching across his face. She couldn’t help but return a smile.

When he reached her, he gathered her in his arms and kissed her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

She chuckled.
“Like I want to have our baby
now
!
My back has been killing me all day today, and it’s only getting worse. I tell you, if I don’t have this baby today, I’m going to find the midwife and make her take this child out of me!” She swept her fingers lightly over his hair, careful not to mess it up. “But enough about me, how are
you
feeling, my dear?”

“Like I’m about to win this case.”

“Well of course you are. Since you are the best prosecuting attorney in the state of California, you are blowing away the other lawyers and they don’t stand a chance going up against you. I’m very proud to have you as my husband.”

He shrugged. “What can I say
…
I solved the hardest murder case in my life, thanks to you. Now I feel like a pro.”

The baby kicked again, and this time Nick felt it since she was still pressed up against him. He withdrew slightly and glanced down at her round belly. His hand smoothed over the lump in her dress.

“Sweetie, your belly is hard. Are you in labor?”

“How would I know? I’ve never been pregnant before.”

“You know, he’s going to be a line-backer.”

She rolled her eyes. “Actually, I was hoping he’d take after his father.”

“Or,” Nick kissed her nose, “
she
is going to be a ballerina, and that’s why she has such strong legs.”

“Now that I can agree on.”

Keeping his arm around her, he turned them toward the aisle and side-by-side they left the courtroom. Several journalists and photographers huddled close to the door, and bombarded them as they walked out into the hallway. Questions flew all around them, but Nick just held up his hand, shook his head, and repeated, “No comment.”

A few flashbulbs went off, and stars appeared in her eyes. She closed her eyes to ward off the bright light, yet stars still danced behind her lids. Good grief, she would never get used to the modern-day camera…not like Nick had.

Nick led them out the door and to his new cherry-red motorcar. He insisted on getting a new model since he didn’t like how her father’s vehicle stalled every time he tried to start the blasted thing. Once he helped her in, he hurried around to the driver’s side and climbed in.

“Are you hungry?”

She nodded and took a ragged breath as a cramp rippled across her belly.
“Starving.”

“Do you want to go home or to the diner just up the street?”

“The diner, please.
I don’t think I can wait until we get home. I’m hungry, but for some reason, I feel full.” She patted her belly. “It must be because I’m so big.”

“You aren’t that big, my love. But I’ll take you to the diner to eat. Anything your heart desires is yours.”

Sighing heavily, she leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. The wind blew against her face and through her hair from the convertible-style motorcar.
My heart’s desire.
The same words her grandmother had used when blessing the heart-shaped locked.

Abigail touched the necklace hanging around her neck, slowly rolled her head and peered at her husband. Nick Marshal was her heart’s true desire. Every time she looked at him, he grew more handsome, and her love for him grew deeper. He was the perfect husband—everything she could have ever dreamed of in a man. Not only was he helpful and compassionate, but he listened to her and helped her think out problems that arose. Being raised with her controlling father and his friend, Harry, who wanted to be another father-figure to her, she was surprised she hadn’t been smothered to death.

Before reaching the diner, they passed the newspaper building. Harry had taken over as the owner, and the newspaper was flourishing wonderfully. He was even courting a woman, and Abigail knew things were getting serious between the two. It made her happy to know that Harry was finally happy with his life.

Even her uncle had changed for the better. Both he and his wife were better people than they’d been before. Uncle Alexander was more kindhearted and treated Abigail like part of the family. She still couldn’t tolerate her cousin, though. Nick mentioned Anthony would soon start gambling and would probably end up in jail. That didn’t surprise her at all.

Nick parked the car then hurried to help Abby from the vehicle. He slipped his arm around her waist as they walked into the diner. She took slow steps as the weight in her belly she was carrying seemed to hurt her legs…and backside.

He found them a table, and within minutes had ordered them sandwiches. Once the waitress left, he heaved a breath, reached across the table and took hold of Abigail’s hands.

“What are you thinking? You’ve suddenly become so quiet.”

She tilted her head and studied the caring man she loved with all her heart. “I’m just thinking how happy I am, and how much has changed since you came into my life.”

Smiling, he rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles. “You have definitely changed my life for the better.”

“And you have changed the Carlisle Empire for the better.”

“Well, I couldn’t have history repeating itself, now could I? Not when I fell in love with a ghost.”

She chuckled. “I’m so happy you changed history.”

“Not as happy as I am.”

She glanced out the window and stared blindly at the people walking by and the cars moving up and down the road. “I still think about Cassandra from time to time and wonder how she’s fairing in prison.”

“I’m sure they are treating her like all the other prisoners.”

Abigail squeezed Nick’s hands as another cramp tightened her belly. Abby shifted in her seat, trying to ease the discomfort. “Thank you for making her prison
stay
comfortable. You really didn’t have to make sure she got the best cell, you know.”

“Yes, I did. She’s never had the privilege to feel like a Carlisle, so I thought it would be nice to give her a little taste—even if it is behind bars.”

She nodded. “I talked to Lily the other day, and she had just come from visiting her daughter. Lily says Cassandra still has so much hate in her heart.”

“Can you blame her?” Nick shrugged. “But she didn’t need to blame you for that. I’ll make sure that
if
she is released from prison, she never goes near you again.”

“When do you think she’ll be released?”

“Ten, maybe twenty years.
It all depends on her lawyer…which I’ll never be.”

The waitress brought their plates, and Abigail didn’t hesitate to grab her sandwich and take a big bite out of it. Across the table, Nick laughed at her eagerness, but he delved into his sandwich, too.

After a couple of bites, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen, hard, nothing like the nagging cramps she’d had all afternoon. She dropped the sandwich on the plate and clutched her stomach.

“Abby? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, just a little—” Another pain sliced through her, ten times harder. “
Ohhh
…” She bent forward, nearly banging her head on the tabletop.

“Abby!” Nick rushed to her side. “Is it the baby? Is the baby coming?”

“I…I think…
soooo
…” she ended with a moan.

Nick motioned to a waitress and tossed a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “For the food,” he added as he lifted Abigail into his arms and raced out the door.

“No, Nick. I can’t have the baby yet. You still have to return to court.”

“We don’t know when the jury will come to a decision, but I’m quite sure the judge will be lenient with me since my wife is having our first baby.”

He set her in the car, closed the door,
then
darted around to his side. After starting the car, he pushed on the gas pedal. The car sped down the road. Groaning, she clutched the door.

“Will you slow down? I don’t think I’m going to have the baby before we get home, since it’s only four blocks away.”

Nick cringed and eased up on the gas pedal. He glanced at her and gave her a wink. “Sorry. I’m just excited.”

More pains encased her belly, causing her to breathe funny. Good grief! Was labor really this bad? She’d heard stories…Lily had even told her a few, but Abigail never realized… “
Ohhh
—” she moaned and hugged her swollen belly.

Everything afterward passed in a whirlwind of excitement. Once Nick reached home and whisked her inside, he shouted instructions to the servants to quickly locate the midwife they’d been working with these past few months.

As he helped her undress and slip on the nightgown, his hands shook. Then again, so did hers. She clutched his fingers as another pain sliced through her, making her cry out.

“I don’t know, sweetie,” Nick said breathlessly. “I think we need to take you to the hospital.”

When the pain subsided momentarily, she took a deep breath and met his worried gaze. “Are you addled? Why would I need to go to the hospital?”

“To have the baby.”

She shook her head. “Women don’t go to hospitals to have babies. The doctors there aren’t properly trained like midwives are.”

“That just seems so strange,” he muttered. “In my time, most women wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else but a hospital.”

The clock seemed to slow as Abigail lay on her bed and waited for the midwife. Nick stayed next to her, sitting on a chair as he held her hand…and issued strange commands on how to breathe. She wished he’d just shut up for a while.

Finally the midwife came and scooted Nick out of the room, telling him to go downstairs to wait. She instructed the servants to boil water and get her clean towels. By this time, the pain was so severe the language coming out of Abigail’s mouth would have made a sailor blush. A few times she even blamed Nick for getting her this way.

It didn’t take long before she wanted Nick back. Gazing into his handsome face relaxed her and calmed her fears. But the midwife insisted it just wasn’t proper to have her husband there.
Not proper?
Since he helped get her pregnant, why was it suddenly not
proper
?

The pushing soon began, and she could have screamed. Actually, she did a few times, followed by more cuss words. Soon her body pushed out the bundle of joy…of
wailing
joy.

“It’s a girl!” the midwife announced.

Tears welled in Abigail’s eyes as she beheld her daughter—her purple daughter. It didn’t matter the color, because the beautiful little baby had a full head of black hair. As she held the bundled little girl against her, she realized she had her father’s nose, and his adorable chin.

It still took several minutes before the midwife cleaned up the baby—and Abigail—before the midwife
deemed
her ready for Nick to come in and see his baby daughter. When he entered the room and his gaze landed on the baby—who wasn’t as purple now—wrapped in a white baby blanket, he reverently walked toward his daughter. His eyes misted as he reached out and gently touched her cheek.

“She’s beautiful.” He looked at Abigail. “And she looks just like you.”

“Not all of me. I think she has your nose and chin.”

“Thank you,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss Abigail on the lips. “She’s perfect.”

“Just like her father.” She peered at her daughter, running a soft finger over the baby’s clutched hands. Five fingers on each hand…just as she should have. “If it’s all right with you, I want to name her Elizabeth
Syeira
, after your mother and my gypsy grandmother.”