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.”

at the

the day with Anna, she took a taxi to pick up Skyler at half past three

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

restaurant later. Would you like to have Ferropenian food with me?” she

blinked her beady eyes.

plenty of money!” she said

restaurant. Occasionally,

grew excited

to be held, then wrapped

so good!

brought Skyler to the Ferropenian

for a seat near the piano, settled Skyler

over

pieces, which she ate with a little fork, looking

and marveled at the

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

head 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.

of the other children from the kindergarten are not

morsel of steak with her fork and ate it with

Women, being vain creatures, tend to limit. their caloric intake during dinner.

glanced at the time. It was

age typically go to

about to call Henry when a slender figure appeared at the dining

Crystal froze.

Ewan?

with the other day. After she turned him down, he was the last

expected to

was clever enough to deduce that that was

a way to keep her distance, Skylar called out affectionately, “Hey,

He sat down and asked, “Is

“She’s my

Ewan was stunned.

a child, he did not

would not want to see me again with my