she wanted.
She waited, and paced, and bit her nails and fretted. She didn’t want to be there when he came back, didn’t want to have to put on a brave face while he gravely agreed that she was right, they needed to get a divorce.
Even more she didn’t want to be here if he came back and said they didn’t. She didn’t want to be the reason he was torn.
She prowled and fumed and agonized. And finally, because she could stand waiting alone no longer, she grabbed his cell phone and called Pammie. It would help to know what the outside world was doing. It would be good to know how Frankie was getting along.
So she rang Pammie on the cell phone she had now—the one she had to carry everywhere so that the transplant people could always get in touch with her.
Even so she was surprised when Pammie answered so quick and breathlessly.
“It’s Sierra,” she said.
And Pam said, “How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“They found Dan.” Frankie’s father, she meant. The man she hadn’t seen in all those years. “He took the test. He’s a match. He’s here. We’re at the hospital. They’re doing the surgery within the hour!”
Abruptly Sierra sat down. And a good thing, too, or her legs would not have held her. “They found Dan?” she echoed. Were missing fathers turning up everywhere these days?
“Long story,” Pammie said. “I can’t believe it. But it’s true. He came back the minute he heard. He’s changed, Sierra. He’s grown up.” She sounded as wobbly as Sierra felt. “I’m not hoping for fairy-tale endings, you know—Dan, me and Frankie together forever—but at least Frankie knows his dad cares. And that’s something, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is,” Sierra said. She felt faint and just a little bit hollow. “That’s…wonderful.” Her throat was tight. She thought she might start to cry.
“How did you know?” Pam asked again. “Did Dominic find out? He would. He’s so good at everything.”
“He didn’t find out,” Sierra said. “He’s had…other things on his mind.”
“Is everything okay?” Pammie demanded. “Are you having a good time? A good honeymoon?”
“Yes,” Sierra said. “Oh, yes.”
She was sure, under the circumstances, God would forgive her the lie.
“Give Frankie my love,” she said a little desperately. “Tell him…tell him I’ll see him soon.”
“I’ll tell him,” Pammie promised. Then, “Love you, Sierra. And thank you. Without you this couldn’t have happened. You and Dominic.”
So something good had come out of it.
Frankie was getting a transplant. He was getting a father, maybe. At least that’s what it sounded like. And Lacey was getting a father, too. And Dominic would, perhaps, get Carin back.
All because of Sierra.
It was just dandy being so useful.
But if it was, why did she feel lower than dirt?
She stood on the deck, clutching the railing and tried to swallow her misery, tried to be happy for everyone else—and then she heard the sound of footsteps, Dominic’s footsteps coming up the path.
He was grinning. Laughing. Actually laughing when he spotted her!
Sierra shut her eyes. Damn him! Lucky him! she thought miserably. And as much as she knew she should feel glad for him, she couldn’t show it.
Personal magnanimity had its limits. Sierra had met hers.
He came up the steps two at a time. “Sierra!” His tone was urgent. “Sierra?” Now it was questioning because she wouldn’t turn around.
She felt his hand on her arm and had to force herself not to pull away. She held still, didn’t move.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice soft and serious and just a little choked up.
“You’re welcome,” she muttered, still looking away.
Silence descended. He still held her and she cried inside, Let me go! Please just let me go!
Then he said, his tone a little strained, “But I don’t understand why you want the divorce?”
She whirled on him. “You don’t understand? How could you not understand? That’s Carin! Your Carin! The woman you loved—maybe still do! And there’s Lacey! Lacey is…Lacey is…”
“My brother’s child.”
“What!”
He nodded and repeated what he’d just told her. “She’s Nathan’s child.”
Once more Sierra sat down. Only this time it felt more like she fell. She stared up at him, shaking her head, disbelieving, astonished. “I don’t understand.”
“I do,” Dominic said softly. “Now.”
He sat down on the deck beside her, pulled her close, wrapped one arm around her and took one of her hands in his, as if he needed to hang on. Sierra thought she knew how he felt.
“Tell me,” she urged.
“It finally makes sense. I don’t know why I didn’t see