Free Forget Me Not by Stormy Glenn Page B

beginning.”
    “Is that why things are so hard now?” Keely asked. “Are we paying for how easy it was before?”
    “I don’t think it works that way, Keely.”
    “No, I suppose not.”
    Keely sighed, weary of the argument but not sure how to end it, at least not without losing everything. “I’m tired, Dominic.”
    “You need to rest.”
    “Right.” Keely snickered. “You do remember that I have two small infants, right? I don’t think I’ve had a full night’s sleep in weeks.”
    “I could help,” Dominic replied. The hesitation in his voice was loud, blaring, yet said in a whisper. “I want to help. I want to help in any way you will allow me to.”
    Keely licked his lips. “I’m scared, Dom.”
    “I know, baby.”
    Keely dropped his phone when he heard Dominic’s voice right in front of him. He looked up, his jaw dropping. “What are you doing here?”
    Dominic’s usually lively eyes sparkled with trepidation as he held up his cell phone. “You called.”

Chapter Twelve
     
    Dominic twisted his fingers together as he stared down at them. His stomach was in knots, rolling, rebelling. He had already been to the bathroom once to splash cold water on his face.
    It did no good.
    He was still so nervous that he was on the verge of puking. The crowd of people around him was growing thicker, the noise rising to deafening levels. Dominic had the insane urge to cover his ears with his hands until he couldn’t hear a thing.
    Music started somewhere, and a hush fell over the crowd. Dominic lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder toward the back of the large auditorium. He was alone in a room full of people, and he didn’t want to be alone.
    The lights dimmed.
    Dominic’s heart started to beat a little faster. He grabbed the camera he had brought with him and pointed it toward the front of the room. As anxious as he was, he didn’t want to miss a thing.
    Just as the dark curtain began to rise up into the air over the stage, Dominic heard a rustling. He turned to look and the relief that filled him was almost audible.
    “What took you so long?” he whispered harshly as he took the pink wrapped bundle from Keely’s hands and cradled it to his chest. “The curtain is already going up.”
    “She was fussy.”
    Well, that explained a lot.
    “Here, you hold the camera.” Dominic handed the camera over to Keely then lifted the bundle up higher in his arms. He pulled the edge of the pink blanket back, smiling down at the adorable sleeping face. He would never get tired of seeing that face. Luckily, as new as it was, he had years to look forward to staring at the small little cherub.
    “Dom!” Keely’s voice was pure excitement. “It’s starting.”
    Dominic’s head came up. He looked toward the stage, a smile spreading across his face as he saw the line of small children dance out onto the stage.
    “Oh, look, Dom,” Keely whispered. “Look how precious they all are.”
    First graders dressed as elves and fairies danced around, singing off tune but loud enough to be heard at the back of the room. They danced and they sang and they put their whole hearts into their routine.
    Dom watched with awe, impressed beyond measure even when the children missed a step or sang too loudly. They were so cute, and they were trying so hard. Everyone was excited to see the play. It was standing room only.
    When the music finally came to an end and all of the children took a bow to an applause that probably shook the rafters, a slim blonde-haired woman stepped out onto the stage, a microphone in her hand.
    “I want to thank you all for coming,” the woman began. “Tonight means a lot to me.”
    Dominic waved with one hand when the woman’s eyes scanned out over the crowd, her soft green eyes landing on him. He held the small bundle in his arms up with the other one.
    “When I was first approached about opening an art program at the elementary school, I was in full support of it. I never dreamed that it