Page 8 of Season of Mercy
Ethan’s face lit up. “Then let’s make it work.”
Hope entered her heart. Hope that her son would be okay and that she’d have a family once again. And hope that, unbelievably, Ethan would be happy with one woman. Because when she looked in his eyes, she found herself on the road from attraction to something much stronger.
Was she too naïve to believe that?
But after all, her heartache was a small price to pay for her son’s well-being.
***
MERCY NEVER IMAGINEDshe’d be married like that. The ceremony in the hospital room in Houston was small and rushed, with barely any guests in attendance, besides Ethan’s parents and brother. And the person whom she’d wanted to see at her wedding the most, her son, was still in the hospital room.
She’d skipped the bouquet. Instead of the flowers’ scent, she inhaled the smell of medicine and antiseptics.
Mercy would’ve skipped the white gown, too. But Ethan’s mother had insisted on Mercy wearing hers, which fitted well enough. There was no veil, and Mercy was fine with that.
Her parents didn’t have a chance to fly from Colorado, where they’d moved after retirement, in time for the wedding. They hadn’t been too enthusiastic of her marrying a known player to start with.
Mercy’s mother’s voice rang in her ears as she struggled not to bolt.
We told you not to marry Cole, and you didn’t listen to us. Look how that turned out. Why would you want to marry a womanizer? He’ll leave you in a month or two.
Mercy plastered a smile on her face for appearances’ sake. She didn’t want to show her doubts to Ethan’s parents and brother. She’d insisted on no reception while Stevie was in the hospital. Maybe it was unfair to Ethan, but she just couldn’t celebrate, at least not yet.
After the ceremony, she, Ethan, and his parents and brother walked outside to a small park near the hospital.
“Are you okay?” Ethan whispered as he kissed her on the cheek.
She closed her eyes so nobody would guess her true feelings and forced a brighter smile than before. She opened her eyes, touched by the concerned look in his. He squeezed her fingers, as if to show his silent support.
Her heart fluttered in her chest. A real smile tugged at her lips when she peered at his handsome face, at his pink tie skewed to the side, and her hand in his.
Falling in love with Ethan wouldn’t be such a hardship. But loving him without having her feelings returned, seeing him close and knowing his heart didn’t belong to her would be much more difficult to bear. She’d learned the hard way that sometimes her love just wasn’t enough.
“You’re the most beautiful bride in the world.” Ethan’s voice sounded sincere. “I’ll do everything to make this marriage work.”
Instead of calming her doubts, his words made her tense. Cole had said something similar on the day of their wedding. He’d probably meant it, too. But his addiction to gambling had been stronger than his love for her. Could she make this marriage better than her first one?
She found herself praying again and again. She asked God for Stevie’s complete healing.
And she prayed to God to make the marriage work because she didn’t know how.
***
SEVERAL DAYS LATER, Mercy entered the huge mansion in the most prestigious neighborhood in Rios Azules.
She looked around at the high ceilings, chandeliers, a huge-screen TV, and leather furniture. If the guesthouse was furnished like that, it would take some adjustment to get used to.
“How do you like it?” Ethan stepped behind her, carrying a sleeping Stevie.
“It looks... expensive.” She shrugged.
Tenderness made her heart swell as she looked at her sweet boy. They weren’t out of the woods yet. But the surgery was a success, according to the doctor, and hopefully, the worst was behind them.
Her boy had fallen asleep on the way home. No, this wasn’thome. She’d be better off to remember that.
“Expensive. Huh. I was striving formodern. Unless you’d like to have a tour of the house, let’s go to the guesthouse then. I hope you’ll like it more,” Ethan said.
When Mercy entered the guesthouse, her jaw slackened. Though the house only had two bedrooms and obviously was much smaller than the mansion, it was much cozier, too. The latte-colored sofa with bright throw pillows looked comfortable. The rug on the floor matched the pillows in color. Paintings of sparrows on the walls gave her a warm feeling. And hyacinths decorated an antique carved table. Her favorite flowers...
