One More Chance

Grant walked into the room carrying my overnight bag which Blaire had been holding on to for me. “They said they would give you a shower today, and I wanted you to have your bodywash and nightgown,” he said.

“Thank you.”

He set the bag down beside the bed and kissed me on the mouth sweetly before stepping back. “Maryann wants to see you. She’s been wanting to visit with you before she heads back to Texas.”

Mase had said his mother had come in with him to see me when I wasn’t awake. She’d left to rest just before I had called out for Grant, and then everything had happened after that. I wanted to see her and thank her for being the first person to stand by me when I chose to keep my baby. “Good. I want to see her,” I said.

Grant pointed to the large bouquet of pink roses and the wrapped gift beside it. “That’s from her. She brought it last night, and I had them send it up here.”

I turned to study the roses more closely while I waited for Maryann to arrive. When the door opened back up, I smiled at her, and she burst into tears. Her big, wide, happy smile was the only thing that eased my mind. She was crying joyful tears. That I could handle.

“I had wanted you to have your baby, but when you didn’t wake up . . .” She put her hand on her chest and let out a small gasp. “I blamed myself. I was so sure you were strong enough, and then, oh, I was . . . just don’t do that again, OK?” she said as she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

“Thank you for believing in me. She’s the most wonderful, perfect, beautiful little girl in the world.”

Maryann sighed and wiped at her face. “I knew she would be, but having your life hanging in the balance was something I hadn’t been prepared for.”

“I never would have forgiven myself if I hadn’t kept her. I had to do it this way. It was the only choice. And now I get to be a mother. I get to be a Maryann and bake cookies with her and play ball in the yard with her. I get to do all those things you did with Mase. I had been so envious of him growing up, because he had you. Now I can be like you,” I said honestly. Maryann was the person I most wanted to be.

“Gah, girl, you are making me a mess. I love you, sweetheart. You’ve always been special. You were the one thing that saved your father’s soul. You and your mother. It takes a special person to reach that man, and you did it. You don’t need to be like me—you will do a wonderful job being you.”

I nodded, but I knew I would always want to give Lila Kate the things that Mase had as a child and that I had dreamed of.

“I’m heading back to Texas today. I’m taking Major with me before he does something stupid. I’m sure you’ll see Mase for a few more days until he feels secure enough to leave you. He’s an overprotective big brother of the best sort.”

I couldn’t agree more. “And I love him for it.”

“I know you do,” she said.

She started to leave, and I remembered the gift. “Thank you so much for the roses and the gift,” I called out after her. She glanced back and grinned.

“You’re welcome. The roses are for you. The gift is for Lila Kate.”

I nodded, and Maryann left. Knowing she had dropped everything and lived in the waiting room while I fought to come back made my heart swell. She was truly the best woman I knew.

After another week in the hospital, I was allowed to go home under weekly doctor supervision and no strenuous activity. I was supposed to stay in bed most of the time. I even had a special diet, and my medication had been changed again.

Lila Kate had met all of her milestones in NICU. She would have been released to go home two days ago, but they allowed her to stay until I was released. The fact that Kiro had paid ridiculous amounts of money to make sure I had the best care must have had a little to do with their decision, I was sure. That and his celebrity status.

Grant stood at the door of my hospital room with Lila Kate tucked in his arms in the pink bonnet and gown I had bought for her all those months ago. I held her while he took our picture—I wanted it for her scrapbook. It would be another part of our story, just like all those letters were a part of our story. I had one I wanted to read to her tonight.

“You hold her, and I’ll push the wheelchair. Your dad paid a moving service to pack up all these flowers, balloons, and gift baskets,” Grant said as he pointed to the room full of tokens of everyone’s wishes and congratulations. I didn’t even realize I had this many people in my life who cared.

A white stuffed lamb caught my attention, and I turned to look up at Grant. “Get the lamb,” I told him. He frowned and glanced back at the little lamb. It was made out of the softest cashmere and had a matching blanket. “The blanket, too,” I added as he walked over to get it.

Nan hadn’t been by to see me or Lila Kate. Mase had mentioned that she had left after the announcement that I was awake and hadn’t returned. I figured that she had originally come here for selfish reasons, although I was grateful, whatever her reason was. She had come through for me. Then, two days ago, a gift had arrived—a French layette that I had seen while surfing the Web for baby clothing. The lamb and the blanket had been included. When I opened it, the card simply read: Congratulations, Nan.

That was it. Nothing else. But it had been something. She hadn’t used it to gain Kiro’s or anyone else’s attention; she’d just sent a gift. It was so unexpected and special. Because no matter what happened in the future, I would never forget what she did for me.