Her Only Hero Read Online Free PDF Page B

words. What was it? It was gone too
quickly to say, but she was left with a sense of something uneasy behind Ryan’s
smile.
     
     

Chapter Three
     
    D espite her
qualms, Laura decided that the evening had gone pretty well. They’d moved past
dessert and coffee, and she sat next to Nolie, Gabe’s wife, on the sofa. The
other woman had the serene, absorbed face some women wore during pregnancy, as
if they listened to something inside themselves.
    “Do you know yet if the baby’s a boy or girl? Or aren’t you
telling?”
    She’d been eager to find out when she was pregnant. The tests
had told her she was going to have a daughter. They hadn’t been able to predict
that Mandy would be born with a serious hearing problem.
    “It’s a girl.” Nolie’s face curved in a satisfied smile. “I
thought maybe Gabe would want a boy first, but he says after growing up with
his brothers and cousin, he’s delighted to have a baby girl.”
    “That’s lovely.” Unexpected tears stung her eyes, and she
blinked them away. “My husband—”
    She stopped. Jason had been disappointed their child had been a
girl, and doubly disappointed that she hadn’t been perfect, but she shouldn’t
say that.
    “I’m sorry.” Nolie clasped her hand in sudden empathy, seeming
to understand what she didn’t say. “But you shouldn’t worry too much about her.
I work with children who have disabilities, so I see the parents’ concerns all
the time. Mandy’s such a bright, loved child. Believe me, she’ll do fine.”
    “I want her to have the best. I know she can live a full life
without hearing, but if she qualifies for the cochlear implant—”
    A cry interrupted her, and she swung around, heartbeat
accelerating. Mandy—
    Michael was trying to pull a toy train from her hand. He
wrenched it free, and Mandy wailed.
    She was across the room in an instant, but Siobhan got there
first, pulling her grandson away.
    “Michael Joseph Driscoll, I’m disappointed in you. Mandy is our
guest. Say you’re sorry.”
    “He just wanted to show her how it works, Grammy,” Shawna said.
“Honest.”
    Laura wrapped her arms around Mandy, feeling her child’s hot
tears against her face. Her heart hurt. Mandy didn’t understand. How could she?
    “Sorry,” Michael mumbled.
    Everyone was looking at them. All she wanted to do was get out.
    “That’s fine, Michael. I know you didn’t mean it.” She struggled
to smile at the child. After all, he was just behaving like a normal, hearing
five-year-old.
    She stood, holding Mandy in her arms, arranging a smile on her
face for Siobhan. “Mandy’s getting tired. I think it’s time we headed for home.
Thank you so much for dinner.”
    Siobhan was wise enough not to argue, but Laura could read the
regret in her eyes. She gave Laura a quick hug and stroked Mandy’s curls. “It
was lovely to have you here. Come again soon.”
    She nodded, her smile stiff. No, they wouldn’t come again. All
the Flanagans meant well, but Mandy needed a less chaotic environment than the
one they provided.
    Ryan reached her and lifted Mandy from her arms before she
realized what he was doing. “I’ll walk you out.”
    “I’ll take her.” They’d had this conversation before, hadn’t
they? Ryan hadn’t listened to her then.
    “Mandy’s fine with me, aren’t you, little girl?” He stroked Mandy’s
hair with a gentle touch.
    She hated to admit it, but he was right. Mandy snuggled against
him, her face tucked into his strong shoulder. For some reason that was obscure
to Laura, Mandy trusted him.
    She said her goodbyes quickly, trying to evade repeated
invitations and offers of help from each of the Flanagans. It seemed the
goodbyes would never end, but finally she escaped out the front door with Ryan
carrying Mandy.
    She paused for an instant on the porch, inhaling the cool spring
air and absorbing the quiet.
    “Okay?” Ryan gave her a quizzical look.
    She could
hardly tell him that his family exhausted her.