“You want some coffee, sweetie?” Dad asked.
I poured myself a cup. “Please. Tell me how Mom is.”
“She’s okay,” he said. “She’ll be gone a few days.”
At the hospital. I hated hospitals. But I’d suck it up. “I want to see her.”
“You will. It’s so early. What are you doing up?”
“I want to watch the sunrise.”
That got a smile from both Brad and my father.
“That’s a spectacular idea, sweetheart,” Dad said. “Let’s all watch the sunrise. The view is great from the deck.”
Brad took my hand as we walked outside onto the deck. The mountains were purple and crisp in the distance to the west, but we looked the other way. Toward the east, where the sun would rise in its pink-and-gold glory.
I had the nightmare.
My mom’s in the hospital.
Brad and I have a hard road ahead of us.
None of that mattered when I let the beauty of the dawn consume me.
And oh, it was so beautiful. Was anything in the world more beautiful than a Colorado sunrise?
“Next time you’re on the ranch, we’ll watch the sunrise,” Brad said. “The mountains are to the east there, and I tell you, there’s nothing more amazing than watching the sun rise over them.”
“I’d like that,” I said.
My father perked up. “Wait a minute. What do you mean ‘next time’?”
Uh-oh. I hadn’t told my parents about my trip to Brad’s ranch a few weeks ago. I smiled. When our baby was conceived.
“I’ve been there,” I said.
“I had to take care of some business, so I took Daphne home with me for the weekend.”
My father pursed his lips, but he didn’t say anything. What could he say? We were both adults, and what was done was done.
“I met Brad’s father,” I said.
“And his mother?”
“She was out of town,” Brad offered. “We’ll go there next weekend when she’s home. You know, to give them our news.”
“How do you think your parents will feel about all of this?” my father asked.
“Probably the same way you felt,” Brad said. “It’s not the optimal situation, but it happened despite precautions. We’ll get their blessing.”
My heart raced. I’d wanted to enjoy the sunrise, and now I had to think about telling Brad’s parents about our situation.
And of course my mind slammed back to my poor mother in the hospital.
I stood. “Let’s go in.”
“But the sunrise,” Brad said.
“It’s over. We were too busy talking to notice.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” my father said. “It’s my fault. I was a little taken aback that you’d already been to the ranch.”
“It’s no big deal.” But it was a big deal. It was one less sunrise I’d see in my lifetime. One fewer thing of beauty I’d witness.
I patted my belly. You and I will watch all the sunrises, little dove. You’ll get me up early anyway, and we’ll mark each new day together.
“I’m going in,” I said.
“We’ll come with you,” Dad said.
“Sure. I could use another cup of coffee,” Brad agreed.
“Don’t bother.” I sighed. “I’m going to take a shower.”
I left them on the deck and went upstairs to the bathroom. One bathroom for all three bedrooms. Certainly different from what Brad was used to. In the ranch house, all the bedrooms had their own private bath. Plus, this one bathroom was tiny. We had a small powder room on the main level, but it only housed a toilet and a sink. If you wanted a bath or shower in this house, the bathroom upstairs was your only choice. I turned on the shower and shed my gown.
Soon I’d go to the hospital to see my mother, and then Brad and I would drive back to campus.
Where I’d have to act like nothing was the matter.
I could do that. I was used to it.
Chapter Eleven
Brad
“Is she okay?” I asked Jonathan.
He nodded. “She gets a little distant sometimes. Surely you’ve noticed that.”
“Honestly, I haven’t. She’s always happy at school, always looking on the bright side of things.”
“Oh? That’s good to hear.” Jonathan smiled. “She’s probably worried about her mother, then.”
“Of course. That makes sense.”
“When Daphne’s done in the shower, I’ll take mine.”
“Yeah, I should do that as well.”
“Sure. After I’m done.”
“Oh. Yeah, of course,” I said. They only had one shower in the house? It was a small suburban residence, but surely…
Daphne and I had certainly grown up differently. I had taken so much for granted in my own life.
“Daphne will want to go to the hospital to see her mom. Then we’ll head back to campus.”
Jonathan nodded. “I hope you were serious about wanting to take care of Daphne and the baby.”
“You know I am.”
“Good. It’s important. Especially now.”
“Especially now?”
“I’ve neglected Lucy. I see that now. I should have seen this coming and prevented it. I’ve been so focused on Daphne that I didn’t see what was right in front of my face. Lucy needs me.”
“She’s going to be fine, Jonathan,” I said. “She’ll need some therapy, but—”
“Yes, and I’ll see that she gets everything she needs. She will be my primary focus. That’s where you come in.”
I lifted my eyebrows.
“I meant it when I said Lucy and I would take care of Daphne and the child, but right now, I must see to Lucy’s needs. I’m depending on you, Brad. I’m depending on you to take care of my daughter.”
His blue eyes held emotion I couldn’t identify. Was he abandoning his daughter? I couldn’t believe it, but that seemed to be what his words indicated.
“Of course I’ll take care of her.”
“She’s your responsibility now,” he said. “Yours. Just like Lucy is mine.”
“She’s a grown woman,” I said.
“I know that. So is Lucy. But my wife needs me. She deserves my undivided attention. I haven’t been giving it to her, and that’s changing as of today.”
“I understand.”
“I’ve told you Daphne’s history,” he said, “but I haven’t told you everything.”
Right. We’d been interrupted at the bar last night when Daphne had called about her mother.
Did I want to hear this?
Didn’t really matter. I needed to hear it. I’d just promised this man I’d take care of his daughter. I would, anyway, but it would be better to know everything I was dealing with.
“Go ahead.”
“It’s not pretty.”
“Can it possibly be any worse than what you’ve already told me?”
“Nothing is worse than the incident itself, but you need to know how Daphne ended up in the hospital for so long.”