Surrender 01 - Surrender

it, and I’d be just fine with that as long as I knew that you were OK. Parents should never ever outlast their children. It’s just wrong. When my time comes, promise me that you’ll keep on dancing,” Sandra demanded.
    “I can’t —”
    “Of course you can! I raised you to be strong, and no matter what life throws at us, we can dodge it and then get back on our feet. I’ve never been more frightened in my life than when I found out you’d been shot. I can’t believe anyone would dare hurt you. You are my life. I’ve thanked God for you every single day since the day I found out I was pregnant.”
    “Mom, if you keep on saying all that stuff, I’m never going to quit crying. I love you, too, more than you could imagine. It’s been a hard year, but we’re coming up on the other side.”
    This would be the perfect moment for Ari to tell her mother about the house and the floral shop. She knew she’d be sad, but she’d understand that Ari had no choice. She again opened her mouth to speak, and again the words refused to come. While she seethed in frustration, there was a knock on the door.
    “Is this a bad time?”
    Ari and Sandra both turned toward the door to find Rosabella, Lia and Rachel standing there with flowers and a giant box of chocolates.
    “Anyone bringing chocolate is welcome in my room day or night,” Ari replied with a watery smile.
    “A girl after my own heart. How are you feeling today, Ari?” Rosabella asked as she set the chocolates on Ari’s table.
    “I’m feeling a lot stronger right now. The doctor said my iron levels are too low, and my blood pressure needs to go up, but I think he’s just trying to torment me. A good dose of chocolate is the cure,” she answered as she opened the box and pulled out a piece, popping it right into her mouth and sighing as the creamy confection melted on her tongue.
    “I’m so rude. I apologize, but I see chocolate and the rest of the world goes hazy. Mom, I’d like you to meet Rosabella, Rachel and Lia, Rafe’s family. Everyone, this is my mother, Sandra,” Ari said sheepishly as she finished chewing and swallowed her chocolate.
    “It’s very nice to meet you all. I appreciate your being so kind to my daughter.”
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, as well. You have a beautiful little girl,” Rosabella replied as she shook Sandra’s hand.
    After they all said hello and conversed for a moment, Sandra turned to Ari with a grin before leaning toward her table.
    “You could be polite and offer to share,” Sandra said as she swatted Ari’s hand away and grabbed her own piece of candy. As Sandra bit down on the delicacy, her face wore the same expression of delight as her daughter’s had.
    “We brought a really big box so you’d share with us all,” Rachel said as she sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed a piece.
    “Rachel, that’s not for you,” Rosabella scolded her daughter.
    “If I eat all of this,” Ari broke in, “they’ll have to find me a bigger bed. Thank you for such a thoughtful gift. Please, share it with me and let’s all enjoy it together.”
    “Well, you talked me into it,” Lia said as she sat on the foot of the bed and leaned forward to grab a piece. “Your color looks a lot better today. I’ll bet you can go home soon.”
    “I sure hope so. I think your brother is bribing the staff to keep me here against my will as punishment for not obeying him,” Ari said offhandedly, not thinking about her words.
    “Not obeying him? What did he want you to do?” Rachel asked with a smile.
    “Ooh, I bet it was something kinky,” Lia joined in with a laugh.
    “Girls, you’re terrible,” Rosabella scolded.
    Ari’s face flamed crimson as she looked from her mother to Rafe’s mom, and then his sisters. There was no way she’d reveal their relative’s kinky after-hours activities.
    “This hospital doesn’t get very many TV channels, so someone please tell me that you watch Supernatural , and fill me in on what Sam and Dean have been up to. I would so totally turn into an evil vampire just so I could get in a tangle with the two of them. Yummy!”
    Ari’s tactic worked. Her uncharacteristic sentiments shocked everyone into forgetting all about what she’d said about Rafe.
    “Well, Dean got into another scrape…”
    Ari sat back as Lia caught her up on the adventures of the Winchester boys. The show was her one weakness. She had a thing for the sexy brothers, and who could blame her?

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