Don't forget to stop in at the Mine!!
~ Chapter One ~
Nina
Moore let the silky peach drape slide through her fingers as it slipped into
place beside its twin. Shoulders heaving with emotion she gulped in a deep
breath of air, squeezing her eyes shut against the sting. A single tear escaped
and slid down her warm cheek.
He
was leaving. Again.
She
glanced at the calendar on the wall beside the kitchen doorway as she shuffled
into the bright, cheery room, resisting the urge to pick up the pen and mark
the date. No! I have to stop this.
His
name was super-imposed across the stage of her mind. Max Williams. The man she loved.
“Stop
it, Nina. He doesn’t remember you exist.”
Plopping
into the high-backed chair, she buried her head in trembling hands.
Huge
gasping sobs shook her slender shoulders. “What have I done?”
Pulling
her hands away, they slammed against her burgeoning belly.
Her
back stiffened and she sniffled.
Her
pregnancy was becoming obvious and she wouldn’t be able to hide it much longer.
She would take responsibility for the tiny life growing inside her, that’s for
sure. And even though she’d believed Max loved her like she loved him that was
no excuse for what she’d done with him. Shame heated her skin and her cheeks
grew warm with humiliation. Everyone would know. She’d be labeled immoral,
maybe even thrown out of the church.
Her
abdomen tightened and she cried out. “Oh, what will I do, dear Lord?”
The
day she’d found out abortion crossed her mind, but she couldn’t do it. Not only
was she a Christian, she couldn’t abide the taking of an innocent life. It wasn’t
the baby’s fault she’d slept with someone.
Rocking
back and forth, she moaned and cried. Her parents would know soon, too. Would
they disown her? Take away her allowance? If so, how would she continue to
attend college? It would be such a blow to them. Nina had been such a good
daughter—until now.
Get a job. The
words echoed through her mind, but were discarded. Not on her list of desirable
things to do.
Sliding
off the chair, she dropped to her knees on the floor. “Dear Lord, please lead
and guide me and help me through this. I know I messed up and sinned against
You. I’m sorry, but I need you now more than ever.”
The
room was quiet. The only sound the quiet buzzing of the refrigerator. There was
no audible answer from God, yet a comforting peace settled over her and she
smiled. God was with her, even though she’d done such a horrid thing.
Exhaustion
enveloped her and sleep tried to claim her as she knelt on the floor, but she
fought it until her pleas to God were finished for the moment.
When
her last words were uttered to Him, she stood and headed up the stairs of her
little rental house, too tired to think about supper. Reaching her room, she
flopped into bed sure she’d fall asleep quick and in a hurry.
Her
mind had other ideas. As soon as her head hit the pillow her eyes popped wide
and she gazed around the room. “Six months ago,” She whispered.
Somewhere
between sleep and wakefulness, Nina’s mind wandered back to that night, and
Max. His dark hair and piercing blue eyes jumped to the forefront of her
memory. Every detail of his facial features etched into her mind’s eye. His
smell. The way he looked deeply into her eyes, seeming to meld with her very
soul.
She
should’ve clarified. No, she should’ve said no, no matter what. She knew
better. Good girls like her didn’t do bad things like that. She was his English
tutor for Pete’s sake. How had they even gotten in her room? Oh yeah, she’d
gone to use the restroom and when she’d come out, he’d been sitting on her bed.
She tried to pass by and not meet his gaze, but long arms had come out and
captured her.
Her
heart thumped against her ribcage, half-scared, half-excited. Her pulse was so
loud in her ears she missed his words. What had he said? She’d asked him to
repeat it.
“You’re
very beautiful, Nina Blue Moore.”
She’d
tried to pull away, but honestly not very hard. His hands were warm and the
feel of them around her arms caused the thumping in her ears to escalate.
His
hand came up and snuck under her long, dark hair, cupping her neck. His lips
swooped down and… “No!”
She
sat-up, shaking her head. She mustn’t remember the sin. Though she knew it for
what it was, she still desired it. “I’m
so awful.”
Irritation
filled her and she jumped from the bed. She couldn’t blame it all on Max. She
could’ve said no. Would he have stopped if she had?
She
couldn’t be sure, but for all intents and purposes it didn’t matter. She hadn’t
said no, and now she was pregnant, unmarried, nineteen, and alone.
She
skipped down the steps as if the hounds of Hades were on her heels.
