Beneath a Southern Sky - By Deborah Raney Page 0,93

as she walked up the front steps. She rang the doorbell and was rather surprised when Jack Camfield opened the door.

“I’ve just come from the hospital,” she sputtered. “How could you, Jack? How could you not tell him?” She was only vaguely aware of Vera materializing behind him.

“Hello, Daria! Jack, what are you thinking? Invite her in,” Vera scolded, her face bright with the joy of her son’s return. “Come in, please, Daria. We were just about to leave for the hospital. You’ve seen Nate then?”

Daria remained on the porch, turning her accusations on Vera now. “Yes, Vera. I’ve seen him. Why didn’t you tell him about Cole?”

“Oh, honey, we just thought it best not to go into all that yet. Nathan has been through so much. Once you all get settled and he’s gotten to know Natalie a little, then we can explain everything to him.”

“Get settled?”

“Jack and I thought you could all stay here until Nathan gets back on his feet,” Vera said.

“What are you talking about, Vera? I’m married to Cole!”

“Well, yes, technically. But Jack has consulted with his colleagues, and it sounds like the divorce will be a simple matter. Unless Cole would contest it, of course.”

Daria stood with her mouth agape. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing! How dare you think you could make this decision for me!”

“Now, Daria, surely you can’t be considering anything but going back to the father of your child!” Vera’s tone had been condescending, but now her words held a threat. “After all you’ve put Nathan through, you owe it to him. And besides, Nate will fight to his dying breath for custody of his daughter. You know the courts would crucify you if you tried to fight him on this.”

Jack stepped in with his futile mantra: “Now, Vera.” He turned to Daria. “Please, honey, we’ll iron all this out eventually, but for now, please don’t tell Nathan about Cole. The doctors say that he needs to remain as calm as possible. It’s going to take some time for him to acclimate to all the changes, to recover from everything he’s been through. He needs—”

“Jack,” she shouted, “I’ve already told him! I had no idea you had kept it from him! I thought he knew!”

Vera paled. “You didn’t tell him about the baby, did you?”

Daria was incredulous. “No, Vera. I didn’t. It was hard enough telling him that I’m married to someone else.”

“How could you, Daria?” This from Vera.

Anger took over, and Daria began to tremble. “How could I? He wanted to kiss me, Vera! He was…treating me like any husband would treat a long-lost wife. I had to tell him. I had no choice!”

Daria held her hands in front of her, palms out, a shield against her own fury. “I’m sorry. But I can’t believe you didn’t tell him! At least you should have told me that he didn’t know.”

“How did he take it?” Vera asked, appearing somewhat chastened.

“He took it very hard—understandably. They had to give him a sedative to calm him down.”

Vera gasped. “Jack, we’ve got to get to the hospital! Our son needs us.” She disappeared into the house, and Jack followed, telling Daria over his shoulder, “We’ll work this out, Daria. Don’t worry. We’ll see you there?”

Without waiting for an answer, he closed the front door in her face. She stood there in shock.

She thought about what Jack had said about divorcing Cole. She wondered, Who is my husband in God’s eyes? What about the Scripture that said, “What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder”? She certainly believed that God had blessed—even ordained—her marriage to Nathan. Yet, if she were to go back to him, she would have to divorce Cole, and the Scriptures were clear on that topic, too. And didn’t she believe God had equally blessed her marriage to Cole? He had been an answer to prayer during the most difficult time in her life.

Where was God in all this? He had known all along that Nathan was alive. Why had he allowed her to fall in love with Cole? Why had he allowed their marriage plans to proceed, knowing it would end this way? Dear God, how did this all get so complicated?

And then it hit her like a punch in the stomach, leaving her breathless.

She hadn’t asked for God’s direction when she married Cole. She hadn’t prayed for guidance. She had assumed that Cole was the answer to her sorrows, to her unspoken prayers for a father for