Free Stolen Dreams by Terri Reid

they
know who you really are,” he said firmly. “People are going to talk. You can’t
change that.   All you have control of is
how you are going to react to that conversation.”
    “But it’s not just about me now,” she repeated. “It’s about
you and Clarissa.”
    Walking over to her, he took her hands in his and pulled her
into his arms. “Okay, what would you like to do?” he asked.
    She shrugged. “I don’t know yet,” she replied.
    He nodded and placed a kiss on the top of her head. “Well,
why don’t you think about it and let me know when you’ve considered things,” he
said. “Then we can discuss it again.”
    She looked up at him, bewilderment in her eyes. “You’re
really not upset with me?”
    “No, I’m not upset with you,” he said decisively. “But I’ll
support whatever decision you make.”
    “Yeah, when the going gets tough,” Mike said, appearing next
to them, “the tough throw in the towel.”
    “That’s not what I’m doing,” Mary said defensively. “I’m…”
She paused for a moment, thought about it and sighed. “I am. I’m throwing in
the towel because I’m tired and a little overwhelmed.”
    “Yeah, and you’re human,” Mike said gently. “And you’re
pregnant. And people are not being as nice as they are supposed to be.”
    She chuckled softly. “Actually, people are being downright
rude.”
    “Yep, and you have to love them anyway,” Mike replied.
“That’s the tough part of doing what you do. It’s easy to like the nice people,
not so easy to love the idiots.”
    “Can angels call people idiots?” Bradley asked.
    Mike grinned. “Only in a loving way,” he replied. “Besides,
you need to remember that they don’t know any better.   They are living in their safe, secure, little
world and here you come, opening up possibilities that they have never
considered. That’s scary.   So, they push
back.”
    “So what’s your advice for her?” Bradley asked.
    “Hang in there,” Mike said, winking at Mary. “There’s a
reason for everything.   We just don’t
know what the reason for this is yet.”

Chapter Seventeen

 
    Mary tiptoed down the stairs and crept into the
kitchen.   The house lights were off and
the hands on the clock showed that it was after midnight.   She moved through the house easily from
memory, not needing to turn on the lights as she wound her way around the
furniture into the kitchen.   The first
stop was the silverware drawer.   She
slowly slid it open, careful not to let the contents rattle, felt around inside
and pulled out a spoon.   After closing it
just as carefully, she slipped across the room to the refrigerator and opened
the freezer section. Light spilled from the inside of the freezer and illuminated
a small area of the kitchen, barely reaching the shadowy figure cowering in the
corner.
    Mary reached into the freezer and pulled out a small carton
of dark chocolate ice cream. She pulled the lid off, inserted her spoon, and then
immediately put the spoonful of the delicious, icy confection into her mouth.
    “Mary.”
    She squealed and nearly choked on the ice cream.
    “Mike,” she whispered harshly. “You just about scared me to
death.”
    “You have company,” was his quick reply.
    “What?” she cried, and as she spun around she caught a flash
of movement in the corner of the room. “Who’s there?”
    “No one,” the figure whispered.
    “That doesn’t work very well,” Mike commented. “She’s
smarter than that.”
    Mary bit back a chuckle. “Can I help you?” she asked,
placing the spoon and the ice cream on the counter.
    “I don’t know,” came the sorrowful
reply.
    Mary reached over and flipped on the light over the sink,
bathing the room in soft light.   She
could now see the shadowy figure more clearly.   He looked to have been a middle-aged businessman with a receding
hairline and an increasing waistline.   He
was cowering, his back bent over and his head hidden.   He was