Romance: New Beginnings (Young Adult and Adult Romance, Christian Christmas Fiction book as a Love Story) (Second Chances Trilogy 3) Read Free

bed, protecting her child upper most in her mind, but her body was incapable of obeying.
    Grace took a step nearer the bed and smiled warmly, “My name is Grace Powers. I live next door to you. Your new arrivals dug a hole beneath the fence between our two houses. I was just returning them when Emily mentioned you weren’t feeling very good. I don’t mean to pry, but I wondered if there was anything I could do for you.”
    Victoria tried to push herself up in the bed once more, but her strength just wasn’t there. Stupid drugs! Grace saw her struggling and hurried to assure her it was unnecessary, “Please, don’t wear yourself out.”
    Jane stuck her head in the door right then, “Hi. I’m Jane from next door.” She glanced at the bald woman lying in the bed, and then forced her eyes to look away. Finding Emily’s eyes, she directed her comments to the little girl, “I’m about ready to pour the batter into the pan. Do you want to come help me?” Looking back to the woman in the bed, she offered, “I offered to make Emily some pancakes for breakfast. I hope you don’t mind, but I searched through the kitchen cupboards.”
    “No, I don’t mind.” Emily looked at her mother who slowly nodded her head, “Go on, sweetie. I’ll just talk with Grace for a moment.”
    Emily hugged her mom and then left the room as Jane closed the door. Grace took a breath and then asked, “Cancer?”
    Victoria nodded, “Yeah. I had my last chemo session yesterday. I’m in full remission, but they insisted on doing the chemo and radiation as a preventative.”
    Grace spied a folding chair propped against the wall and retrieved it. Unfolding it, she situated it next to the bed and sat down, “What type of cancer?”
    “Breast. They…,” Victoria paused, not having had to explain about having her entire left breast removed to anyone but the medical staff. It was an odd conversation to be having, let alone with a virtual stranger.
    Grace nodded her head, “I understand. My mom had pancreatic cancer while I was finishing high school. She didn’t make it.”
    “I’m sorry for your loss.”
    Grace was amazed at the compassion she saw on the sick woman’s face. “Thanks. I’m glad you’re in remission.” The room grew silent for a moment and then Grace asked, “Is Emily your only child?”
    Victoria smiled, pride evident on her face as she bragged on her little girl, “Yes. Do you have any children?”
    “A little girl who’s four. She’s in your kitchen right now, most likely trying to figure out a way to convince us both she needs to have her very own puppy.”
    Victoria’s eyes dimmed, “Gosh, I forgot all about the puppies. Could you get Emily for me?”
    “Was there something you needed done?” Grace offered. “I could call your husband or…”
    “I haven’t fed or watered Shelby this morning, and I’ll have to find something to stick under the fence. Maybe there’s a loose brick… And, there is no husband. Never has been.” Never would be! Not now! No man would want her now!
    “I’m sorry! Uhm… it looked like Emily might have already fed the momma dog, there was plenty of food in her bowl when we put the puppies back. As for the fence, I already filled it in. We’ll block it up with something a little stronger this afternoon when the guys stop by.”
    “Guys?” Victoria asked.
    Grace smiled, “Yeah, my boyfriend and Jane’s fiancé. Between the two of them, they should be able to puppy proof the fence between our yards.”
    Victoria closed her eyes as the pain wracking her body and head became too much to push away.
    Grace watched as her skin took on a grey tinge and the skin around her mouth and eyes grew tight. She’s in so much pain! “Victoria, do you have something you can take?”
    “I can’t,” she gasped, fighting to push the pain away as she’d done so many days in the past. “Not with Emily at home. Usually I take her to school and then if I need something, I have a few