A Forever Family: Reunited By Their Baby. Rebecca Winters

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       CHAPTER TWO

      FRAN FOLLOWED THE NURSE to an anteroom to wash her hands. She was no stranger to a hospital, having worked in one since college to follow up on patients who needed care when they first went home.

      When she’d put on a gown and mask, they left through another door that opened into the ICU. She counted three incubators with sick babies. The baby she’d found in the garden was over in one corner, hooked up to an IV. She’d been fitted with nasal prongs to deliver oxygen. A cardiopulmonary monitor on her chest tracked the heartbeat on the screen.

      She was glad to see this hospital had up-to-date equipment to help the baby survive, yet the second she spied the little form lying on her back, so still and helpless, she had to stifle her cry of pain. The precious child had cuts everywhere, even into her black curls, but they’d been treated. Mercifully none of them were deep or required stitches. With the dirt washed away, they stood out clearly.

      The nurse pulled a chair over so Fran could sit next to the incubator. “Everyone hopes she will wake up. You can reach in and touch her arm, talk to her. I’ll be back.”

      Finally alone with the baby, Fran studied the beautiful features and profile. She was perfectly formed, and to all appearances had been healthy before this terrible thing had happened to her. All the cuts and hookups couldn’t disguise her amazingly long black eyelashes or the sweetness of her sculpted lips.

      With such exquisite coloring, she looked like a cherub from the famous painting done by the Italian artist Raphael, but this cherub’s eyes were closed and there was no animation.

      She put her hand through the hole and touched the baby’s forearm. “Where did you come from? Did you fall out of heaven by accident? Please come back to life, little sweetheart. Open your eyes. I want to see their color.”

      There was no response and that broke her heart. Even if the baby could hear her, she couldn’t understand English. “Of course you want your mommy and daddy. People are trying to find them, but until they do, will you mind if I stay with you?”

      Fran caressed her skin with her fingers, careful not to touch any cuts. “I know you belong to someone else, but do you know how much I’d love to claim a baby like you for my own? You have no idea how wonderful you are.”

      Tears trickled down her cheeks. “You can’t die. You just can’t—” Fran’s shoulders heaved, but it wouldn’t do for the baby to hear her sobs. By sheer strength of will she pulled herself together and sang some lullabies to her.

      After a time the nurse walked over. “I’m sure you’re being a comfort to her, but you’re wanted down in the E.R. Come back whenever you want.”

      Fran’s head lifted. She’d been concentrating so hard on the baby, she hadn’t realized she’d already been up here several hours. “Thank you.”

      “Leave everything in the restroom on your way out.”

      “I will.” With reluctance she removed her hand and stood up. “I’ll be back, sweetheart.”

      A few minutes later she reached the E.R. lounge and discovered Kellie talking quietly with Leandros. Her attractive husband had arrived at last, but he looked as though he’d aged since Easter. When he’d flown to Pennsylvania with Kellie in the Petralia company jet at that time, the three of them had gone out for dinner and all had been well.

      The second her friend saw her, she jumped up from the chair and ran across the room to meet her. Leandros followed. “Is the baby going to make it?” Kellie cried anxiously.

      “I don’t know. She’s just lying there limp in the incubator, but she’s still breathing and has a steady heartbeat. Have the police found her parents yet?”

      “There’s been no news.”

      Leandros reached for her. “Fran—” he whispered with a throb in his voice. It revealed the depth of his grief. They gave each other a long, hard hug.

      “It’s so good to see you again, Leandros, but I wish to heaven it were under different circumstances. I’m so sorry about everything,” she told him. “I’m sure you feel like you’ve been through a war.”

      He nodded, eyeing his wife with pained eyes. Something told Fran the pain she saw wasn’t all because of the tragedy. She could feel the negative tension between Kellie and her husband. Her friend hadn’t been exaggerating. In fact, their relationship seemed to be in deeper trouble than even Fran had imagined.

      “Five guests at the resort died,” he muttered morosely. “We can thank God the honeymoon couple weren’t in their suite when the tornado touched down or there would have been two more victims. Unfortunately the other two suites were occupied. Mr. Pappas, the retired president of the Hellenic Bank and his wife, were celebrating their sixtieth wedding anniversary.”

      “How terrible for everything to end that way. What about the other couple?” Fran asked because she sensed his hesitation.

      Leandros looked anguished. “The sister of my friend Nikolos Angelis and her husband had only checked in a few hours earlier with their baby.”

      “A baby?” she blurted.

      “Yes, but when the bodies were recovered, there was no sign of the child. The police have formed a net to search everywhere. You can imagine the anguish of the Angelis family. They’re in total shock. People are still combing the area.”

      “Nik is the brilliant youngest of the Angelis brothers,” Kellie informed her. “He’s the new CEO of the multimillion-dollar mega corporation established by their family fifty years ago. He was out of the country when Leandros and I married, or he would have been at the wedding.”

      “I remember seeing some pictures of him in a couple of magazines while I was on the plane flying over.” Gorgeous was the only word to come to mind.

      Leandros nodded. “We’ve both put up money for volunteers to scour the region, but so far nothing. СКАЧАТЬ