"What." she hissed, "was that?" When he didn't answer, she made a beeline for the deck and planted herself right in his sightline. "Just left me twisting in the wind, huh?""If you had something to say, you should have said it yourself," he said. The muscle at his jaw jumped as he ground his teeth and looked away from her.But Helen wasn't having any of his brooding nonsense. She gripped his face in her hands and twisted until he was forced to look her in the eye. "This isn't just about me. It's about us. All three of us."He seemed to consider what she said.In a few minutes, he was in the midst of a group of hastily assembled producers. "If this is what you're offering, then I'm going to do what I can to make it happen." He glanced at Helen. She gave him a lop-sided smile and nodded.A collective sigh of relief went up. Cath slammed her hand on the table. "All right then!" she beamed excitedly into her ever-present headset. "Let's make it happen, people. We lost a whole day of shoo

Helen sat bolt upright in bed and gripped her stomach. This wasn't hunger, although it gnawed at her the same way. This was a bone-deep need for something very specific, but she had no idea what.She used to think pregnancy cravings were a myth. An exaggerated old wives' tale to make women feel crazy and unhinged. Until tonight.She groaned in frustration and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to picture what her mouth was already tasting. Something crisp and buttery, oozing with fatty cheese that dripped unctuously onto her tongue.Something that would fill up the hole she was certain had opened up inside of her.The spot next to her in bed was empty, as was the couch. For one moment, she allowed herself to miss Aaron with the same intensity as her craving. He would know what she needed. And he wouldn't object to waking up in the middle of the night to give it to her either. The way he cared for her was more real than anything.She gripped the sheets, wondering where he had gone. She'd m

The golden sun was starting to set and it cast beautiful rays of sunshine across the sky. The heat burned her bare flesh, as she sunbathed in the evening sun. The sun's rays threw dancing sparkles onto the tips of the waves. Aaron and Helen decided to take a vacation. Tracy was all too happy to care for Ryan while they were gone. They decided to vacation in a private bay. In a yacht.A white gull soared overhead, giving its plaintive cry. Idly she watched it, free and graceful, framed against the cloudless blue bowl of the sky. The sea breeze brushed lightly over her naked skin, and pleasure brought a rare smile to her lips. Helen lay naked with only her thongs on as they were the only ones in the bay. They only met a few local fishermen who came to fish, especially in the evenings, but apart from that, she didn't have to worry about anyone seeing her nakedness. Aaron walked into the deck and lay beside Helen. He wore only briefs."Honey, you'll get sunburned. You've been sunbath

Aaron leaned against the hospital wall in the waiting room, his nostrils filled with the sharp smell of antiseptic. Behind him were Grant and Clayton waiting with him. He was full of misery; he prowled the confines of the room restlessly. No matter how he tried, Aaron couldn’t get the picture of Helen lying on the ground, in her blood, out of his mind. She had looked so pale and fragile, her eyes closed and her face paper white. He had fallen to his knees beside her, not minding the scuffle and shots going on behind him, and a low sound had exploded from his chest. Her name had echoed in his mind, but he hadn’t been able to voice it. Seeing her take the bullet meant for him had been a nightmare and he still hadn’t recovered. He didn’t expect ever to recover. Cold, piercing agony filled his chest. He prayed in his heart, really prayed that she would be fine. They had a one-year-old son and he couldn't bear raising him alone. Never again. Heck! never again. He was a billionaire now

Helen was in her closet, trying to wear something other than the boring gown she had worn from the hospital. As she rummaged through the many clothes, she wondered how she could wear these clothes in her supposed closet. The clothes were all designer and flashy and colorful. She wasn't one to obsess over designer wear. She bought practical clothes and made sure she looked professional all the time. The clothes in her closet were the exact opposite of her. She was beginning to doubt the authenticity of the whole story. But it all looked real. Almost too real.Her grandfather had come to see her as soon as she came back from the hospital. He had sobbed and held her as his life depended on it. He was so glad she was fine. If her grandfather was here, that means every other thing the stranger told her was true. Damn! All she wanted to do was to see her son. She couldn't remember ever having a baby but she was just too curious to meet her baby."Did... These clothes. Did I buy them befo