“Gluttons for punishment, I guess,” Stan said seriously, never taking his eyes off his cards.
Sam laughed and turned his attention back to the card game. He angled his cards toward the lantern light so that he could see what card to play next. He could see Rachel and Gwen laughing together out of the corner of his eye and felt such contentment at that moment. He couldn’t have been happier.
It had been a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Stan and Gwen had come by after dinner and Rachel had invited them to sit by the fire with them. Sam felt as if his own grandparents were there with him. They were so much fun and made him feel so good about himself, just as his real grandparents had done when they had been alive. Stan and Gwen liked him without knowing that he was the son of Edwin McCoy or because of his profession. They liked him and enjoyed his company without qualification. When he realized that Rachel was also part of that acceptance of him, he felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked at the three people surrounding his campfire and felt at peace.
“We’d better get going, Stan,” Gwen said, rising from her chair to stand before the fire.
Stan threw his cards down in disgust. “Might as well. This boy’s killing me,” he said, indicating Sam. “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were cheating.”
“I don’t have to cheat,” Sam said, getting up from the picnic table to stand before Rachel’s chair. “I’m just lucky.”
Rachel looked up and smiled as their gazes met. The gentleness in his eyes was matched only by the happiness in hers. Gwen saw the exchange between the two and leaned down to whisper in Rachel’s ear.
“You two are good together,” she said quietly. “Just relax and enjoy each other. You’ll get pregnant before you know it.”
She straightened and took the hand that Stan offered her to walk with him to their campsite. Rachel watched them leave then turned and saw Sam looking down at her.
“What did she say?” Sam asked, already knowing, since he had overheard. He wondered if Rachel would tell him.
“Never mind,” Rachel said quickly, trying to stand and walk away. He reached out automatically, and she found her arm being held to help steady her as she carefully hobbled her way up the incline to the camper. She was glad that he had offered his help. It gave her the perfect excuse to touch him again. She wanted to touch him often and was glad to take advantage of every opportunity to do so. She enjoyed his closeness and found herself both comforted and excited by his touch.
He left her at the camper door, handing her the lantern he had carried up with them, and then returned to the campfire to extinguish it before making his final check of the campground for the night. As he worked, he saw Rachel leave the camper with a flashlight to guide her and knew that she was heading for the pit toilets. He waited for her to return to the camper before retrieving his clipboard and starting his late-night check.
Rachel climbed into the bed beside the table and pulled the blankets around her. It was colder tonight. She listened for Sam, intending to wait for him to return before going to sleep, but she was so tired. Her eyes closed of their own volition, and she was soon deeply asleep.
When Sam entered the camper a short time later, he set down the clipboard as silently as he could manage. Rachel was sound asleep. He felt a little disappointed. He had enjoyed himself so much this evening he hadn’t wanted it to end. He watched Rachel tenderly as he removed his coat and boots and changed into his warm sweats. He extinguished the lantern and climbed up onto the opposite bed, covering himself quickly with the blankets to protect himself from the chilled night air.
Sleep was a long time in coming. He turned onto his side to face the center of the camper and strained his eyes to make out Rachel’s form, but it was of no use. It was so dark in the camper he couldn’t even see his own hand in front of his face.
He turned over restlessly and closed his eyes. He knew something was missing. When he was finally drifting off to sleep a while later, he realized what was wrong. He had grown used to sleeping beside Rachel, and he missed the warmth and softness of her body curled against his.
Sam, you must make your decision
, the angel Bernadette whispered in his mind.
Rachel is meant to be yours. Do not lose this opportunity to claim her as your destined mate.
Sam moved restlessly in his bed. He turned over and reached out, disappointed to find the space beside him empty.
“Rachel,” he whispered, his strong fingers gripping the sheet beside him.
Rachel is waiting for you, Sam,
Bernadette told him gently.
Don’t make her wait any longer. She is meant to be yours.
“She’s mine,” Sam whispered.
Yes, Sam. She’s yours,
Bernadette whispered.
She loves you. She wants a future and a family with you. You must decide to claim her or let her go.
“She’s mine,” Sam repeated, this time more forcefully. “So is the baby she’s carrying.”
Bernadette’s soft laughter confused him.
You must commit yourself to her before you make your beautiful children,
Bernadette whispered.
Do not be afraid. Rachel will love you with all of her heart. She will be a devoted wife and a loving mother. She will love the babies you gift her with. They will be beautiful just as her love for you is beautiful.
Sam smiled as he tugged the blankets around him to keep away the chill of the night. Thoughts of Rachel, their babies, and the loving future they would have together soothed him as he slept.
Rachel sat quietly in the passenger seat of Sam’s truck. She stared out into the developing darkness of the evening as they drove toward her cousin Roy’s home. Her mind was drifting and she found herself thinking about her dreams. She had never had such vivid dreams about a real person before. Sam being the person she was dreaming about not only made her happy, it excited her.
She turned slightly and stole a secretive glance at him. He was silent as he drove, and she could tell that he was lost in thought. She found that her stomach fluttered when she looked at him. The memory of being in his arms, naked, in her dream as well as in his camper made her blush, and she turned to look out her window so that he couldn’t see her embarrassment.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her suddenly, his voice startling her.
“Much better, thanks,” she said quietly. “How about you?”
“Me?” he asked, glancing at her in surprise before quickly returning his gaze to the road ahead of him.
“You’ve been awfully quiet,” she explained. “Is something bothering you?”
Sam’s gaze remained on the road but she could tell that he had tensed at her question. She suddenly felt uncomfortable and wished that she had never asked him anything.
“I have a lot on my mind,” he said finally, turning onto the street where Roy and Paulette lived.
He parked his truck behind Roy’s truck in the driveway, turned it off, and got out quickly. Rachel didn’t wait for him to open her door. She flung it open, jumped out, and closed the door quickly before she hurried toward her cousin’s home as fast as she could without hurting her injured ankle. She managed to get up the steps to the front door in no time at all.
Sam smiled at her excitement at seeing her cousin and followed closely behind her up the stairs. The door of the small ranch home opened before they even made it to the top stair and Roy stood there smiling.
“Hi,” he said happily, taking Rachel into his arms, giving her a big bear hug, and kissing her soundly on the cheek.
“Hi,” Rachel answered, hugging her cousin to her. “Where’s Paulette?”
“I’m right here,” a voice called from behind them.
Rachel left Roy’s arms and walked into the house to face her cousin’s wife. She smiled broadly as she faced the petite woman. She looked adorable. Dressed in a maroon corduroy maternity jumper and a pink shirt with long sleeves, she looked the picture of motherhood. Rachel walked to her slowly, raising her arms to envelope her within her arms as she got closer. Paulette came to her quickly and hugged her tightly.
“You look beautiful,” Rachel told her, smiling through the happy tears that were forming in her eyes. “How’re you feeling?” She leaned away from her slightly and touched her belly gently, almost reverently, as she smiled at the brunette with the adorable pixie face.
“Tired, but happy,” Paulette said, smiling. “How are you?” Her question was whispered, worry evident in her voice and in her eyes.
“Much better,” Rachel answered quietly.
She would talk with Paulette later when they could steal some time alone. She saw Paulette looking at the bruises on her face and held her hand to stop her from reaching up to touch them.
“I really am better, Paulette,” she told her quietly.
She watched as Paulette’s gaze turned to Sam then looked back at Rachel and winked. Rachel found herself blushing. She turned to find Sam and Roy watching them, smiling.
“Hi, Paulette,” Sam said warmly. His throat felt a little constricted when he saw the tenderness Rachel had for Paulette. His dreams washed over him, and he suddenly ached to hold Rachel in his arms. Instead, he took a step forward and hugged Paulette to him, nearly lifting her off the floor.
“Sam, you’re squashing the baby,” Paulette squeaked, kissing his cheek before he loosened his hold on her.
“Sorry, little guy,” he said to her stomach, bending to speak directly to it and touching it lightly.
A tightness pulled at Rachel’s chest. She had to turn away or everyone would see the raw ache in her eyes as she watched the tenderness before her. She felt arms surrounding her and looked up to find Roy standing next to her and hugging her to him. He smiled down at her, and she knew that she wasn’t fooling him. Of her entire family, Roy knew her the best. They had shared dreams and goals, and they knew exactly what touched the other’s heart and soul. Roy also knew how much she cared about Sam from the time they had been children.
“If you take mine, I’ll take yours,” Roy teased Sam, smiling at Rachel as he spoke.
Sam laughed and released Paulette reluctantly. He turned to face Roy and saw the happiness in Rachel’s eyes. With an effort, he looked away from her. He faced Roy and found that Roy was grinning at him.
“Come help me,” Paulette said to Rachel as she walked toward the tiny kitchen.
“Sure, you just wanted me to come to dinner so you could take it easy while I do all the work,” Rachel teased as she followed her. She stood next to Paulette as she checked on the carrots that were cooking on the top of the stove.
“You’re right,” Paulette said, laughing. She leaned forward to open the oven door and check the dinner of pot roast and potatoes that was making the kitchen smell so wonderful.
The heat of the oven bombarded Paulette, and she stumbled a little as weakness assailed her. Rachel reached for her immediately to steady her and pull her away from the hot stove. She guided Paulette to the padded chair next to the table and carefully eased her onto it. Once Paulette was settled, Rachel left her briefly to shut the oven door and reached for the towel on top of the counter. Wetting it with cold water from the kitchen faucet, she knelt beside Paulette, held the towel to her forehead before pressing it to the back of her neck, and waited nervously until color replaced the pale white that had washed over her face.
“I think I should go get Sam,” Rachel said quietly, making an attempt to stand up.
“No, please,” Paulette stopped her, holding on to her arm tightly. “I’ll be okay. I guess I just did too much today, that’s all.”
“Well, I won’t let you do any more work,” Rachel told her worriedly. “Now you just sit there and relax, and I’ll do everything.” She turned and surveyed the kitchen, then set about checking the progress of the dinner.
Paulette started to protest but stopped herself. Rachel was more than capable of finishing the preparations for the meal. “I won’t argue,” she promised as she watched her friend pour the water from the steamer and set the perfectly cooked carrots into the waiting bowl on the counter. “I don’t want to lose this baby. We’ve been trying for so long.”
Rachel heard the anguish in Paulette’s voice and turned to face her friend worriedly. She knelt back down beside her and held her hand gently. “Is everything okay, Paulette?” she asked her, concern etching worry lines across her forehead. “Don’t try to hide how you’re feeling with me. I know how hard this pregnancy has been on you.”
“I’m fine. I just have to rest more,” Paulette reassured her. “The doctor said the baby is doing fine.”
She looked at Rachel and smiled at her concern. She reached out and tugged gently on Rachel’s long hair as it fell over her shoulder to hang just below it.
“I’m a little afraid, Rache,” she admitted quietly. “Sometimes I think I’m going to lose the baby. And sometimes I’m afraid I’ll die and leave Roy alone with the baby.”
Rachel squeezed Paulette’s hand and nodded in understanding. There were tears in Paulette’s eyes, and she couldn’t help but begin to get choked up a little, too. Memories of the mother she never got to know surrounded her, and she said a silent prayer that Roy and Paulette’s child would never know that loss.
“Paulette, I think I should stay with you until the baby is born,” Rachel told her quietly. “I’ll take over all the chores and you can just rest.”