Oh God, help me, Hallie Belden silently begged.
She was sitting on the edge of her bed, combing her long, wet hair and desperately crying out for some divine sense of peace.
"I don't know what to do, now."
Her whispered lamentation broke the hush of the still room. A room that an hour before had been filled with the promise of a new day for two young lovers, but now was filled with the strangled air of uncertainty.
She was torn between her personal desires and her loyalty.
In her mind, there was no question as to what Dan Mangan, her deceased boyfriend, had asked her to do. But, in her heart, she couldn't stop herself from wanting something else.
Bill said he'd never even thought of that. But…I have, Hallie admitted to herself.
She had thought of the idea of having Dan's child almost every day since the day he told her about the existence of his sperm samples.
Oh God, I know what I promised him, but…
Her thoughts halted, and she broke down in mournful sobs, knowing that she had no right to beg God's help when she had broken promises to Him, too.
And then, rather suddenly, the strong scent of gardenias wafted into her nostrils for the second time that morning. The sensation caused Hallie to turn and look at the bouquet of flowers her husband had hastily tossed onto their dresser when he had exited earlier in anger.
She was drawn to it.
She picked up the vibrant mix of colors and gasped at what she saw.
Or, rather, what she didn't see.
There wasn't a single gardenia to be found in the entire bouquet!
Her hands shook as she carefully placed the gathered flowers back on the dresser and slowly pulled away from them.
Her heart pounded, and her head swam.
Before her mind could process the very notion, her body immediately became aware of a presence in the room. It was overwhelmingly real. Unmistakably close.
And she knew by the scent who it was…