~*~Chapter Thirteen~*~

After Jim left, Melinda didn't waste a moment. She hurried to the phone and called Rick. "I need to see you," she said. "It's urgent."

"What's this about?" asked Rick. He had just gotten settled into his office after leaving Kate. He was relaxing on his very short couch, attempting to keep his mind off his cheating wife. As he spoke on the phone with Melinda, he was clutching a book about dark spirits in his hand.

"It's about the baby," Melinda answered.

Rick suddenly rose up off the couch. "Is something wrong?" he asked with worry.

"Everything's fine," she assured him. "Just meet me at the antique shoppe so we can talk."

~*~o~*~

Not even fifteen minutes later, Professor Payne arrived at Melinda's place of business. "What's going on?" he asked as he walked into the shoppe.

Melinda's eyes landed on his. Her hand was resting against her stomach. She could feel the tiny life growing inside her, a part of her forevermore. Looking at Rick's face, she knew she couldn't give the baby up. She wanted to keep her precious baby girl.

"It's a girl," said the doctor as he held up the wriggling infant in the delivery room.

Melinda's face brightened as she gazed at the precious baby. She had Rick's blue eyes and Melinda's dark-brown hair. She was absolutely perfect!

Rick was there. He was beaming when he saw the baby. Melinda reached out eagerly to hold the child, but other hands had settled on the baby.

It was Kate! She was holding Melinda's daughter. "Ohhh Rick," said Kate. "She's everything I ever wanted!"

Kate was cuddling the baby as Rick stood at her side, gazing down at the infant in wonder. "Let's take our daughter home," said Rick as his lips lowered onto Kate's.

*I can't do it! I can't give her up!* Melinda was inwardly screaming, but no one seemed to hear her.

She was powerless as they walked away with the baby... HER baby!

"Melinda," Rick said, bringing her out of her silent reverie. She shook her head slowly, trying to clear it.

"I can't do it, Rick," she said. She stated the words clearly as she had been unable to in the unwelcome daydream. She waited for Rick to speak. A blank expression had settled on his face.

"I can't give up this baby. I want to keep her," she told him.

"Her?"

"I sense it's a girl," she said as her hand continued resting lovingly upon her flat stomach.

"Okay. If you really want to keep the baby, I can't make you give it up."

"Really?" she said in surprise. "But what about you and Kate?"

"There isn't a me-and-Kate. She cheated on me... and she's having a kid with someone else," Rick revealed.

"You're kidding!" Melinda gasped.

"Does that sound like something I'd just make up? She cheated... and she's pregnant. We're over."

"But you cheated, too."

"I know. More reason for Kate and me to be over. How did Jim take the news ... that you're pregnant?"

"Not well at all," Melinda responded. "He left me."

"WHAT?"

"He's very upset. I- I told him everything."

"WHAT?" Rick said again.

"He knows about us. I had to tell him. I had to be honest," she said. "And I had to be honest with myself. It's you I want, Rick. You and this baby. I NEED you."

Rick just stood there, staring at her in disbelief. Now it was his turn to be speechless.