Crystal's One Night of Love

Crystal froze.

“I’m not saying these to gain your sympathy,” Henry said hoarsely, “but I want to tell you that if you come back to be Skyler’s mother, you’ll never have time for yourself again, like me. Do you still want to be Skyler’s mother?”

Those words caused a wave of sadness to wash over Crystal.

How could she not want Skyler?

She stared at him, her chest heaving. She did not know what to say.

Henry reached out and caressed her face gently.

He knew she must be feeling awful, but he thought she should know because it was exhausting to raise a child, and he was worried she would blame him.

If I didn’t leave for the Kingdom of Brundela, she might still be sleeping upstairs, and maybe Skyler wouldn’t have been born weak.

Crystal did not speak for a long time, nor did she push him aside. Being parents at a time like this, they needed warmth and support from one another more than ever.

Henry withdrew his hand. “Go on,” he said gently. “I have a meeting to get to and will come by another day. You can pick Skyler up this afternoon. I’ll pick her up tonight.”

“Okay,” she said and got out of the car hurriedly, not knowing what she was running from.

Was it Henry’s gentleness, or was it the unbearable pain of the past?

Crystal was visibly distracted. She almost cut herself while peeling some fruits.

Leaning against the bed, Anna chuckled. “Put it down. You will cut yourself if you keep going!”

Crystal lowered her hand. “Mom!”

Anna beckoned her to go over. “I only found out about Skyler this year,” she said gently as she grabbed Crystal’s hand. “Henry brought her to Coldbridge. Everyone was so worried about how tiny she looked. Your granny cried for a long time, and Henry knelt by her side the entire night.”

Crystal leaned her head closer to Anna.

Anna caressed her head and continued, “Your uncle said he wanted you to have more choices instead of being with Henry for the sake of the child. That was why he didn’t turn the Hudsons down when they asked him to set you up with their son. I guess what I’m saying is to go with your heart, but don’t rush to make a decision. You two have broken up several times, after all.”

Crystal nodded. “I will give it some serious thought, Mom.”

All she wanted to do was to raise Skyler well.

Anna smiled. “Bring her over tomorrow. I haven’t seen the girl in a long time, and I miss her so much. She looks exactly like you when you were a child, but her temperament is a lot like Henry’s. She’ll be a real terror when she grows up.”

softened at the thought of Skyler.

the day with Anna, she took a taxi to

so proud to see Crystal at the kindergarten entrance that she held her

schoolbag and bent down to wipe her sweat. “I’m going to work at the restaurant later. Would you like

blinked her beady eyes.

has plenty of money!”

the restaurant. Occasionally,

grew excited

to be held, then wrapped her hands around her

so good!

brought Skyler to

piano, settled Skyler into a chair, and ordered a decent Ferropenian

over her meals.

ate with a little fork, looking

and marveled at the power of Henry’s

she took a seat at the piano. Perhaps due to her buoyant. mood, the tunes she played that day were

in her hands and gazed at her mother’s slender waist and her straight back. Her brown hair looked particularly lovely as it cascaded down her shoulders. Her long skirt, too,

from the kindergarten are not as beautiful as

morsel of steak with her fork and ate it with

Women, being vain creatures,

glanced at the time. It was eight

age typically go to bed

to call Henry when a slender figure appeared at the dining table.

Crystal froze.

Ewan?

set her up with the other day. After she turned him down, he

she expected to see.

that that was not a

as she was trying to think of a way to keep her distance, Skylar called out affectionately, “Hey, Handsome!”

such a manner. He sat down and asked, “Is this a

smiled. “She’s

Ewan was stunned.

had been married and had a child, he did not expect the child to be

it was rather convenient. Ewan would not want to see