A Very Special Delivery

was well. She’d thought her love for Ethan and Laney made all the difference. But love wasn’t enough to heal what was wrong with her.
    Gathering her purse, she started to the door. Ethan followed, worried. “I wish you’d stay a little longer or let me go with you. You’re still pale as a ghost.”
    “I’m fine. Take care of your baby.”
    “Call me when you get home.”
    She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
    He reached for her, but she backed away. A tide of emotion already threatened to destroy her resolve. If he touched her, she’d fall apart.
    “Goodbye, Ethan. I’m sorry.”
    Before he could stop her, she fumbled the door open and rushed out into the parking lot to her Jeep.
    Hands shaking, she started the vehicle and shifted into gear.
    It was over. She couldn’t take any more chances. The brief and lovely dream with Ethan was over
for good. Eyes dry and hot with unshed tears, she headed out of the parking lot and into the gaping emptiness of her future.

Chapter Thirteen
    E than spent the next hour pacing the floor, praying, thinking and trying to understand what had happened with Molly.
    Their day had been amazing. With every minute together, he fell more in love with her. She was silly and warm and kind. And she loved him. He was certain of that.
    But something far more serious than a panic attack had occurred tonight. Something had happened inside that pretty head of hers that she wasn’t sharing with him. Her goodbye sounded too permanent.
    A sick churning started in the pit of his stomach.
    He paced into the tiny nursery and gazed down at Laney, his heart filling with wonder at this gift from God. The spill of light from the hallway washed over her face, and her long eyelashes cast shadows on her cheekbones. She slept in that relaxed way of babies, knees tucked to her chest, bottom in the air.
    Molly said she had choked, but by the time he’d come in, she was fine. Except for the formula and cereal on her face and bib, he couldn’t tell anything unusual had occurred.
    But whatever had happened had been enough to send Molly into a state of panic. The aftermath of cold aloofness had been every bit as scary to him as the panic attack.
    A colorful mobile, a gift from Molly, circled over the crib. The music box of lullabies had long since wound down. Absently, he tapped a dangling monkey with one finger.
    Molly’s behavior disturbed him. Why hadn’t she let him drive her home? Why had she left so abruptly?
    Was she giving up on them?
    Spinning around, he went to the living room and picked up the phone. He would never sleep until he knew she was all right anyway. Might as well get some answers.
    She picked up on the second ring. Some of the tension left his shoulders.
    “Molly. It’s me. Ethan.”
    “I know.”
    “Are you all right?”
    “Yes.” Her answer was curt as though she didn’t want to talk. He wasn’t having that.
    “Talk to me.”
    “I’m really tired.”
    “Me, too. It was a great day, huh?”
    He tried to sound upbeat and casual. Maybe if
he could get her talking about the day everything would normalize. “How about coming over tomorrow night? We’ll rent a video.”
    “Ethan.” Her voice sounded distant. “I’m not coming over anymore.”
    She was starting to scare him. “Because of a little anxiety attack?”
    “I thought Laney was going to die. I thought I was going to cause another child’s death.”
    His stomach started churning again.
    “You were not responsible for her choking, Molly, any more than you were responsible for Zack’s death. Don’t you see that? Laney’s choked on me before. And yeah, I’ll admit, it’s scary, but she gets over it.” He walked to the window and pushed the drapes aside. “You have to do the same.”
    “I can’t.”
    “Can’t? Or won’t?”
    “If something happened to her in my care, I would lose my mind, Ethan. I can’t live through that again.” The tiny quiver in her voice got to him in a hurry. “Please. Just let me go.”
    His grip tightened on the receiver. She was upset and as a result, unreasonable. Surely, she wasn’t saying what he thought she was.
    “What do you mean, let you go? We can work this out.”
    “We can’t. I can’t. Don’t you understand? You have a child. I can never be alone with a baby again. Ever.”
    He’d thought Molly was different, but like Twila she didn’t want his child.
    He shoved the drapes farther apart and pressed his forehead against the cool glass