Family Bonds- Ava and Seth (Amore Island Book 5), Natalie Ann [world of reading TXT] 📗

Said it happened to some people but to keep an eye on it. That it was really no more than spotting.”

“It is very common,” she said. “There are some women who get their period fully during the first trimester and don’t even know they are pregnant. Some longer. It’s not the norm, but not unheard of either.”

“So we were told and found out when we researched ourselves. It did calm us a bit, but then every time it happened we were nervous. It’d happened a few more times but small. And they’d diagnosed her then, telling us to take it easy when it happened. We did start to relax a little, but that night I was putting dishes away and she walked into the kitchen to say she was bleeding again. I told her to go lie down and I would finish cleaning up and we would watch TV in bed together. She’d just put Adele to bed.”

She reached her hand over and put it on his. “I’m sure you remember every detail of that night.”

He snorted. “Yeah. Some I wish I’d forget. I was unloading the dishwasher when she screamed my name. I ran to the room and there was a lot of blood on the bed. I called 911 knowing that I’d want medics working on her ASAP en route.”

“Smart,” she said. “Did she have placenta previa?”

“Yes. They said it covered her cervix. I don’t need to explain what happens then,” he said.

“No, you don’t.” It was always riskier in the third trimester and then blocking the cervix was the worst possible scenario. No doctor wanted to see that, and if they did, they wanted the patient in the OR immediately for a C-section.

“Ellen lost too much blood. She lost consciousness by the time they got her to the hospital. The baby was too premature. He only survived a few hours. I didn’t get to hold him until after he passed. By then Ellen was gone and, well, that part is a daze.”

“I’m sure. And this is the worst thing to even be talking about.”

“I used to think it was before. I never talked about it with anyone other than my mother and then it was minimal. I’m not sure why I told you as much as I did just now.”

“Because as you said, I understand. Maybe that is part of you needing to be ready. That you had to be able to say what you did.”

“I think you’re right.”

“And I know you want to say that Adele comes first again. I understand it all. I’ve never been someone to jump into a relationship before and won’t now. I’ve got a huge transition going on in my life.”

“I think that might be why I was so willing to come to dinner.”

“Oh, it wasn’t my glowing personality that did it?” she asked, grinning.

“That’s a big bonus,” he said. “I like you. I can’t say that about a lot of people. I loved Ellen and we got along and I liked her. I’d dated women before Ellen that I could honestly say, looking back, I might not have liked them all that much.”

She laughed. “I think I understand. My parents used to say that. That they loved each other to death. They shared a bond, they raised three kids. But they truly were friends and liked each other too. That if they ever had to be stuck on a remote island with someone, they’d pick each other.”

“Maybe it has to do with the bloodlines and this island having been remote at one point,” he said.

“Could be. I’m sure you know a lot of the history of the island?” she asked. “Or do I need to bore you with a lesson?”

“I know most of it. As I’ve said before, I’ve met and worked with some of your relatives.”

“Good. Some people find the whole thing funny; others are drawn to the lore and legend.”

“Do you believe it?” he asked.

She’d never thought much of it before. That merchant captain, Malcolm Bond, was issued a challenge to find this remote piece of land and if he could with minimal coordinates, he would win the hand in marriage of Elizabeth Rummer. The challenge had been issued by Victoria, Elizabeth’s own mother, in the hopes of saving their shipping empire after her husband had passed away.

Rumor had it that Malcolm found the island by accident at the end of the storm, but when he set eyes on Elizabeth it was love at first sight. The Bond family had used that story and history to help build the tourism of the island.

Many in the family believed it and tourists often came here even looking for their own true loves.

“I’m not sure I disbelieve it,” she said, laughing. “I haven’t had much time in my life to think of it one way or another.”

“Good to know,” he said.

“So now that we’ve got that all out of the way and I had you spill your guts…”

“I didn’t spill all that much,” he said. “Now if half my dinner ends up on my shirt or pants that would be different, but talking didn’t seem to bother me all that much.”

“I’m glad. So why did you move to Amore Island? Or was it a good job transfer?”

“Both,” he said. “My mother retired here and I needed help with Adele.”

“And your father?” she asked.

“My parents divorced when I was in high school and he moved out West. We didn’t see him much after and it was fine with me. My brother, Adam, felt it more than me not having a father around. Or he was more hopeful. To me, my mother is a rock star. She was all I needed.”

“Has anyone ever told you that a man that loves his mother is a pretty sexy thing?”

He started to cough since he’d just taken a sip of water. “No, they haven’t.”

“Well, it is. Family means a great deal to me and I respect others that feel the same. Which is why I’m going