Gone

Coming to terms

Four Months later

Cora looked at herself in the mirror, placing a hand on her swollen stomach. Normally she would be thrilled to be pregnant but the circumstances were hardly ideal. She knew everyone thought she should be rid of the child but she couldn't. Her baby was innocent. It didn't ask to be conceived any more that she consented to have sex with Martin. He was always a dark horse to her. She had a feeling that something was amiss and she wished she listened to her intuition. Even if Robert took her back, how would she get over the shame of knowingly being with a man that she didn't seem to love or remember? There was a knock on the door. "Come in." She smiled at her aunt as she came in.  "Dear, are you ready to talk about what happened?" Cora took in a shaky breath. "I think so, but I don't wan you to think any less of me. I'm scared that Robert will hate me."  She took Cora's hands in hers, having her sit on the edge of the bed. "none of that will ever be true. You're my darling Goddaughter and I love you as does your husband."

"No," Cora said, tears falling. "He never loved me, at least he never told me he did."

"He's a man and English, they don't know how to deal with emotions properly no matter how well they're taught Besides when he came here to visit your mother he talked abut how much He'd been a fool not to tell you what you meant to him. I hope when you see him you'll not allow him to feel guilty."

"Oh not at all. we've lost so much time already. I didn't get to raise my daughters and he doesn't know his son. It just breaks my heart we were separated like that."

"Mine too, Cora. Mine too. I have invited your Mother and Harold for dinner on Sunday."

"Is father not able to come?" she asked.

"I'm afraid your father died three days ago, weak heart."

"No!" was her quiet gasp. To be so close and never see him again it killed her. Cora's heart ached so much to feel the love of all her family but the chance was stolen from her. Her dear father, who'd been reticent of her marriage to Robert but embraced it when he realized how much she loved him.

"Would you like to come down for tea?"

"I don't think so. I'm rather tired."

"Very well, try to rest my dear. maybe  you'll feel up to a walk later?"

"That sounds lovely.