Free One Tiny Miracle... by Carol Marinelli Page A

writing on her little list again—just as if she was a serious bidder—and he could see the real-estate agent’s lips purse as she stepped out boldly onto the balcony instead of following the pack back along the hall. ‘Can you keep up, please?’ the agent snapped, and Ben felt his teeth grind together.
    ‘This room would make an ideal nursery…’ Despite her obvious condition the agent addressed a loving young couple and ignored Celeste when she asked a question. How she wished she’d won the lottery, and could pull out the winning bid just to wipe that superior smile off his smug face and make him squirm. Ben saw her face redden as the agent ignored her and then caught her eye and gave her a wink.
    ‘My partner asked a question,’ Ben said coolly, watching Celeste’s beam of delight as the agent practically gave himself whiplash, turning to face her. No, she hadn’t won loads of money, but watching that smug smile leave his face was almost as good.
    ‘I’m so sorry,’ he simpered. ‘What did you want to know?’
    ‘Thanks for that.’ Celeste grinned at Ben as they wandered outside.
    ‘Ooh, it was my pleasure,’ Ben replied. ‘He’s obnoxious.’
    Celeste loved auctions—the crowd gathered outside the house, the real-estate agent pumping up the action—yet she was always scared she’d put up her hand and outbid someone, like standing on the edge of a cliff and wanting to jump, just to try it.
    There was some serious bidding going on, and Celeste watched on in glee. This was the most exciting thing to have happened to her all week.
    Ben was trying to concentrate, but his eyes kept wandering to her.
    He hadn’t put in a bid yet—he would wait and see…God, even her eyelids were swollen. When he should be concentrating, when he should be focusing, instead he was thinking about her, worrying about her—and Ben didn’t like the feeling a bit.
    The bidding was slowing down now, the auctioneer having trouble eking out even a small raise in bids—and it was then that Ben put in his first offer.
    He saw the flare of surprise in her eyes—she’d had no idea that he would be bidding. It wasn’t something he had to discuss with anyone, Ben told himself, that was the life he had built for himself. Yet still there was a little pang of discomfort, remembering all the nights when she had spoken about her hopes and fears and dreams for the future, and he realised that he hadn’t let her in at all.
    The flagging crowd was suddenly interested, and Ben saw her smile. Just a little smile that winged its way over to him, telling him she was pleased.
    Excited for him, even.
    He was outbid, so he upped his offer.
    And again she smiled.
    He was outbid again, so he upped it again.
    He looked over for her smile, for that bit of encouragement that he shouldn’t need but somehow liked, and then he saw she wasn’t smiling.
    He had been outbid again, the auctioneer passing the bid to him, only Ben wasn’t listening.
    There was an aghast expression on Celeste’s face, as if she had just received some shocking news—only there was no one talking to her and she wasn’t on the phone. Her hands were both on her stomach.
    He could hear the auctioneer’s warning. Confused, but also needing to get over to her, Ben put in a ridiculously high bid, heard the gasp of shock from the crowd. Ignoring the rest of the proceedings, he waded through the crowd towards her.
    ‘I think my waters just broke!’
    ‘It’s okay,’ he said soothingly.
    ‘No, it’s not.’ She was shivering, shock setting in as realisation hit. ‘I’m only thirty-four weeks.’
    ‘Thirty-four-weekers do very well…’ He could hear his calm voice, only the blood was pounding in his temples as he pulled out his phone. ‘Come on, let’s get you sitting down. I’ll call an ambulance.’
    ‘There’s nowhere to sit!’ she shrilled. The sun was suddenly hot on her head, her mouth filling with saliva. ‘Ben, I think it’s coming…’
    The