Dad Today, Groom Tomorrow

She’d believed that people would agree with Joe’s mother, that she’d tried to trap him.

She’d believed that his parents would cut him off without a dime, force him to quit school to support her and the baby, and steal his dream of being a doctor.

Maybe they could have found another way…could have dealt with all that. What others thought of her had long ago ceased to matter. But a part of her had felt that eventually Joe would believe all that as well. That he’d think she’d trapped him and stolen his dreams.

That, she couldn’t live with.

What had she done?

She’d been so hurt, felt so betrayed, been so afraid that she’d simply left. In her heart she’d never understood how Joe could love her.

How could she have doubted him?

Looking at the pain in his face right now, she knew that he’d never have abandoned their son.

“Louisa?” Joe said. “You look like you’re going to faint. Sit down before you fall down.”

He led her to a chair behind the counter and helped lower her into it.

His voice was gentle, a whisper of the Joe she used to know. “Here, tuck your head between your knees and breathe deep.”

She’d let her own fears and doubts rob the man she loved of knowing his son.

Slowly she sat up and fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

She should tell him. Should tell him everything that happened.

She wanted to.

She’d believed his mother and doubted Joe. She’d taken the check his mother had offered to secure her son’s future and left, thinking that breaking her own heart was easier than waiting for Joe to break it for her.

She hadn’t trusted him enough…or trusted in their love.

No other explanation was needed.

She’d trust him now.

It was too late for their love, but not too late for him to know his son.

Not that she could marry him.

He said he wanted his son—he wanted Aaron—not Louisa.

She’d thrown away their future when she left, but she would find a way to give Aaron a future with his father.

She’d make it work.

“The past is ancient history. Right now it’s the present we have to worry about. I have an idea,” she said. “I have to do some checking. Meet me after work tonight and we’ll talk.”

“I mean it, Louisa, I want every minute of his life.”

“I understand. And I know you don’t have any reason to believe me, but I’ll do whatever I can to see to it you and Aaron build a good relationship. We’ll talk. After work.”

Chapter Three

As new man on the job, Joe worked third shift. Ten-thirty at night until six-thirty in the morning.

He should have spent the day sleeping, but instead he spent it tossing and turning.

By five-thirty, as he waited outside Louisa’s store, he was a wreck.

So many questions he wanted to ask. So many details he wanted filled in.

She opened the door and looked surprised to see him there. “Joe, I thought you weren’t coming.”

“I said I’d be here.”

“Yes, yes you did.” She was quiet a minute, studying him. “Let’s go over to the diner. I’ll buy you a coffee.”

“Is that a polite way of saying I look like I need one?”

“It’s a polite way of saying you look like hell.” The comment was softened with a weak smile.

“You always were direct.”

“I still am.”

They walked across the square to The Five and Dine.

“Cute,” he said as he looked around.

It was decorated like something out of Happy Days, right down to a vintage jukebox.

“I like it,” she said as she led him to a small booth in the back.

A waitress followed right on their heels. “Hey, Louisa.”

“Hi, Missy. Could I have a coffee?”

“Sure. And you?” the girl asked Joe.

“Same.” As soon as she was out of earshot, he asked, “You said something about an idea.”

He needed this settled. He didn’t want to waste another minute waiting to be with his son.

Louisa nodded. “I had to ask first, but…” She sighed. “There’s so much we have to talk about.”

“Yeah, like why you left. Why you kept my son from me. None of your explanations have answered all the questions. As a matter of fact, they just raise more. Why—”