Lana shook her head. I’m a wife, but I’ve made a beautiful baby. Jeanie’s notions about love and marriage had been wrong. Marriage wasn’t like those childish fairy tales. Cletus wanted uncomplicated, he wanted his meals on time and his silverware in a line. He had been good to her, considerate of her condition while she carried what as supposed to be his son, but he didn’t care about beautiful. And she knew he didn’t care about daughters. But this baby was perfect. “She is beautiful, just look at her.” The fact his first one wasn’t a son wouldn’t matter when Cletus saw his new baby girl. He would feel like Lana felt, he would say this daughter was wonderful and their next one would be a son.
The back door opened and closed. Ella puckered her lips as she looked from mother to daughter. They both listened to the sound of Cletus coming through the house. “Your husband’s here.” Ella shifted her gaze to the door.
Knuckles rounded on the door in sharp, distinct raps.
The knock that had said hurry the first time Lana heard it said hurry again. Hurry and marry me. Hurry and fix my supper. Hurry and let me see my son.
“Magdalena and I are ready.” Lana nodded to Ella She winced as she straightened in the bed and snuggled Magdalena even closer to her breast. “He’ll love the daughter I’ve given him. You can let him in.”
Excerpt from “Asked For” released today by The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=244_235_238&products_id=6022
http://www.amazon.com/Asked-For-Colleen-L-Donnelly/dp/1628306092