Free The Girl He Left Behind by Patricia Kay

her for another long moment, then nodded again. “Good. We’re both on the same page, then.”
    As Eve watched her ex drive off, she knew she had no reason to resent Bill for asking about Adam or for reminding her of their long-ago agreement, and yet, down deep, she did.
    Because even though they were divorced, and she was supposedly a free woman, she would never have full control over her life. Her long-ago decision would always hang over her head and impact her future.
    But the twins were secure and happy, and that was the most important thing. She must never forget that.
    * * *
    The rest of the evening was spent fixing dinner, hearing all about the kids’ weekend and watching a couple of television shows together. Because there was no school tomorrow, Eve let the twins stay up until ten, but finally they were settled into bed, she’d heard their prayers and had kissed them good-night.
    Slowly, she walked out to the front porch and sat on the swing. As she gazed out at the moonlight-drenched yard, her thoughts alternated between Adam and the way he still made her feel, and how she had to avoid him from now on, then they’d veer toward Bill and the children. She thought about all the years since the twins had been born. And she finally let her mind drift back to the day that had been hovering at the back of her mind ever since Adam had returned to Crandall Lake.
    The day she had tried never to think about, but couldn’t seem to forget. The day everything had changed.
    July, twelve years earlier...
    He had been gone from Crandall Lake for five weeks. Five weeks in which she’d cried every night and second-guessed herself every day. Down deep, Eve knew she’d done the right thing. All she had to do was look at her parents and see how happy they were, how proud as they prepared for her to enter college, to know she’d had no other choice.
    And yet...
    Adam’s face haunted her.
    What had he thought when she hadn’t shown up? Was he as lonely and miserable as she was? Or had he been angry?
    For days afterward, she’d thought he would call her. Even though she didn’t have a cell phone, he could have called. He’d done it before. Yes, there was always a chance her father would answer, but her father was gone during the day, during the week. No, the reason Adam hadn’t called was because he was probably disgusted with her. He probably thought she didn’t love him enough. He’d been let down by the people who supposedly cared about him all of his life, so it wouldn’t have surprised him to be let down again.
    She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, how much she’d wanted to go away with him. It killed her not to tell him. Not to explain. But what good would explaining do anyway? It wouldn’t change anything. She still couldn’t leave Crandall Lake.
    She thought about him so much she made herself sick. She couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep. She was so miserable, she even stopped having her period.
    And then, when he’d been gone five weeks and three days, it happened. She’d just gotten out of the shower and was drying herself off when she winced. Her breasts hurt. Confused, she felt them, and yes, they were tender, and they hurt.
    She stared at them. Swallowed. As the enormity of her thought expanded, her heart began to thud.
    She abruptly sat on the edge of the tub.
    Was it possible?
    Was she pregnant?
    She thought back to the night in May when she had given herself to Adam. Once. Just once. She counted back. Almost nine weeks ago.
    She began to shake. Hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with Thee. The words of the prayer were a whisper, a plea, a denial. It couldn’t be true. It couldn’t!
    Please, God. Please, Holy Mother. Please, please, please...
    But no amount of praying changed anything. For three more days, Eve moved through the hours like a zombie. She couldn’t seem to think. Couldn’t do anything but