Second Chances by Kathy Ivan Read Free Book Online

tugged at the corners of her mouth, and Rose’s heartbeat sped up, the nervous flutter began again in the pit of her stomach.  What’s wrong with me?  
    "Well, Rose, I think I see your problem.  You don’t have the flu—but you do have a bun in the oven.  Congratulations, my dear, you’re pregnant." 
    "Preg. . .pregnant? Are you sure?"  Rose laid a trembling hand on her stomach, her mind awhirl.  Definitely the last thing she’d expected to hear when she’d come in to see Dr. Peterson.  A wellspring of emotions flooded through her, her eyes filling with tears.  Really?  Oh my goodness, I can’t believe it.  We’ve wanted a baby forever, tried—and now. . .
    "Yes, I’m sure.  This is good news I hope?"  Dr. Peterson laughed at Rose’s tentative question. 
    "You don’t know—you can’t understand how much this means to me—to us."  She was giddy, itching to jump from the exam table and dance around the room.  Yell from the rooftop.  Good news?  More like absolutely freaking amazing news.
    "Let’s get you started on some prenatal vitamins with folic acid.  You need the extra iron right now.  Go ahead and get dressed.  I’ll have my nurse call in the prescription and bring you in some information on what you’ll need to do, what you can expect over the next several weeks.  Call me if you’ve got any questions."  She smiled as she walked to the exam room door, paused with her hand on the doorknob.  Turning back around, she smiled.  "Congratulations again, Rose.  Give my best to Ryan."
    Ryan .  He’d be thrilled with the news, there was no doubt about that, she knew.  They’d tried for nearly a year.  Held her when she’d cried, rocked her on his lap and soothed away her tears when she hadn’t conceived.  Laughed and said he didn’t mind trying again and again until they got it right. 
    Dressed and with all the prenatal information in hand, she climbed into her car and drove, her thoughts spinning with endless possibilities.  So absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t even realize when she’d passed the street to turn off for her condo, just kept going, watching the road stretch endlessly in front of her.  Consciously she hadn’t meant to go there, but subconsciously her mind led and she followed.  Through the double wrought-iron gates and down the tree-lined lane. 
    Pulling over to the right, onto the rocky shoulder, she put the car in park and stared at the stone markers all around her.  Shade trees dotted the landscape of the cemetery, giving the illusion of a field or meadow instead of a mass field of graves. All very dignified and austere, formal and manicured. 
    Breathe, she thought.  Inhale.  Hold it—exhale.  Opening the car door, she slid out, standing on trembling legs.  Instinct and memory led her to the marker she sought.  Her brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s stone placard lay close to the ground.  No huge monuments or marble edifices here, all clean lines and modern final resting places.  They would’ve hated everything about it. 
    Cross-legged she sat on the damp grass, still wet from the light dusting of snow earlier that morning, the temperatures a little too warm for it to stick to the ground.  Uncaring about any physical discomfort, she leaned forward and brushed her hand against the stone, fingertips lightly tracing Terry and Sharon’s names, the block letters permanently etched into the rock. 
    "Hey guys.  I know it’s been a while since I’ve been by here.  Things are a little unsettled right now.  Ryan misses you so much, Terry.  And Sharon—I miss talking to my best girlfriend.  Sometimes I forget and I’ll pick up the phone to call you.  Even start punching in the numbers before I catch myself." 
    She lifted her face toward the sky, closed her eyes as the cool breeze whispered across her cheeks.
    "It’s been nearly two years since you’ve been gone.  Christmas is just around the corner.  Ryan and Jake went and got