Free Love Rekindled (Candle Light Book 2) by Christina Ow Page A

by your side.”
    What? That wasn’t… could it be… I mean… what!
    He chuckled, “Yes Sandra. What your mind is having a tough time comprehending is a marriage proposal.”
    I needed to be sure he meant it, that he wouldn’t call psych once my heart was completely engaged. “What does the tattoo mean?”
    He smiled softly, stroked my cheek and said, “The black rose I never thought I deserved, never once believed I could have to love for the rest of my life. Was afraid I would lose like my brother did his and that’s why I kept her far from me. But I’ve changed my mind about that. What is life if it’s not love full of risks?”
    “I love you,” was all I could get past the laughter and tears after that little speech.
    *
    Ron and I married soon after that night. It wasn’t a large and lavish wedding deserving of the Stanford first born son according to my new mother-in-law dragon Gloria but it was what we wanted. Only close friends and family including Diana and her sons were invited. I’m hopeful Ron would be just as decisive when it came to the twins’ education. William let me know she already had schools lined up, in England. I don’t want to live in London but that will all depend on whether or not Ron will need to take an active role at the Stanford Enterprise headquarters. I have my fingers crossed that all he’ll need to do as Chief Executive Officer could be done in the United States.
    Diana and her sons had become frequent fixtures in our lives these past few weeks. She’d become a close friend and with Joy we spent a lot of time together. Life was bright and hopeful again. But at the moment I was feeling anything but, with the pains cutting through me.
    Something was wrong, something was very wrong.
    Sandra, you need to get to the hospital, now!
    “Kristy?” I cried clutching my belly.
    “Sandra, what’s wrong?” Joy came round the table to stand beside me. We were out for lunch, taking a break from shopping for the babies. I had a month left before I delivered but at the moment it looked like it was going to happen sooner.
    I’m sorry I couldn’t help you with Eric but I’m here now. Everything is going to be okay Sandra, I promise.
    Kristy’s face was right in front of me… but wasn’t Joy standing there a few seconds ago?
    “Kristy?”
    “Oh God!” Someone call an ambulance!”
    My vision wavered and I could feel myself slip. “Kristy please, not again. Don’t leave me…” The next pain hit me, sending me straight into darkness.
    *
    The beeping noise came through my hazy conscious first, then the light feathery touch on my face. My throat felt like I’d swallowed gravel and my lips and tongue were so dry.
    “Sandra love, are you awake?”
    I went to answer but my throat hurt when I tried to speak. I opened my eyes and stared at Ron. His eyes were swollen and red rimmed. Had he been crying? Why?
    He held a cup in his hand and a straw to my lips, “Here drink this.”
    I took several sips then spoke, “What happened?”
    He set the cup down on the side table then crawled into bed with me. He moved me so that I settled comfortably against him. My stomach felt a little stiff from the movement but didn’t hurt. I ran my hand over my lower belly, it was heavily bandaged.
    “The doctors had to perform a C-section. Worst hour of my life, waiting for you to come out of surgery. You suffered something called Placenta praevia. You were bleeding a lot but Joy and Diana got you to the hospital just in time.”
    I rubbed my face against his chest. He was so comfortable. “The twins how are they?”
    Ron didn’t respond, in fact his entire body went rigid and yet I wasn’t frightened.
    “Ron, what’s up?”
    “You’re calmer than we expected you to be.”
    I shrugged, “Kristy warned me right before it happened.”
    “Kristy?”
    I shifted, looking up at him, “You find that hard to believe, don’t you?”
    He exhaled loudly, “Well she still has conversations with her