Free Til We Meet Again by Pamela Clayfield Page A

belly had grown larger over the months.  She would sit for hours trying to imagine how Donald would be reacting to all of this.  Her ever growing belly, the result of their love for one another.  She would cry sometimes but she also seemed to sense Donald nearer to her and she sometimes thought it was just the pregnancy causing that.  Now she wondered if it was him coming to take their baby home.  She didn’t want to live any longer and she hated the thought of returning to live with her parents for the first time in almost a year.  She had been so free to do what she wanted here.  She also knew what would greet her when she went home.  Her parents would want her to marry some rich, spoiled kid, settle down and have babies.  How could she ever do that?
    “Are you ready?” Mr. MacKay asked.
    Grace turned and nodded.  Tears welled up in her eyes.
    Mr. MacKay pulled her into his arms and held her. “It will be alright and we’ll be here if you need anything at all.  You just send a message and I’ll be there, OK?”
    Grace sniffed and nodded. 
    She was right though.  As soon as she got home, her mother and father informed her there was a very nice man and his son coming to dinner that night. 
    Don’t waste much time do they? she thought to herself as she unpacked the few clothing items she had.  They hadn’t noticed she’d gained weight while she was away.  She also wondered who the young man would be.  It could be Peter, from down the road, his father raised cattle, or it could be Matthew because his father was a lawyer.  That would be about right.  She dressed as best she could with the limited wardrobe she had that still fit and went downstairs and tried to act gracious and grown up towards her parents.  Her time away was meant to mature her and prepare her for being a terrific housewife and mother.  Of course rich mothers actually didn’t raise their own children but Grace wouldn’t broach that subject.
    A short time later the lawyer and Matthew were led into the room and Matthew and Grace were formally introduced.  He was an intriguing young man and she felt surprisingly at ease with him.  They had quite a bit in common and he was very gentle and kind.  Soon they were off on their own playing a game of chess and laughing in front of the roaring fire Grace’s father had built.
    Grace looked towards the fire once and just stared.  She couldn’t believe what she was seeing and she thought perhaps it was the wine she’d had to drink or the fatigue but she swore she saw Donald there.  And it appeared he was cradling something in his arms.  He smiled at her, mouthed the words ‘I will always love you’ and then looked to Matthew.  He gave a nod of approval and said ‘everything will be okay’ before he gave one last wave and disappeared.
    “Grace, are you alright?” Matthew was asking her.  He had watched all the colour drain from her face.
    Grace snapped her head back around and looked at him.  “I’m uh…, I’m fine, why?” she asked.
    “Thought you had seen a ghost,” Matthew replied.
    “The fire got really big just then,” she explained trying to use her arms to describe it. “I don’t know if my father has ever built a fire this big.”
    “It is huge, I’m not sure I’ve seen one that big either,” Matthew agreed with her.
    It wasn’t long after that Matthew had to go but he assured Grace he would return to see her soon.  He even gave her a kiss on the cheek.
    She ran to her room and cried herself to sleep.  She knew this was going to be her future and she had to get over Donald, she had to bury him in a special place in her heart and throw away the key.  When you find true love keep it.
    When you find true love keep it .  The words once again echoed in Katie’s head as she woke up and looked around the room.  “Oh God, no,” she said out loud.
    “What?” Dean asked.  He had been watching her sleep for the last little while and knew she had been