Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption

Chapter 16

“So you’re up to speed on Joseph’s condition, right? I know you overheard me talking with Wilma that night.”

Lizetta nodded, about to offer Hanna a few comforting words, when she continued, “You and Remington better get cracking on making a baby.”

Lizetta choked. Clearly, her mother–in–law had taken the reins and decided for her. Whether or not to have a kid was never really her call to make.

Thank goodness she’d had enough of this life!

“There’s no way Remington and I can have a child. I just asked the doctor, and he said with Joseph’s

condition…”

Joseph’s illness wasn’t at the point where a bone marrow transplant was necessary, and even if it was an emergency, there wouldn’t be time to pop out a kid. Plus, the odds of Lizetta’s baby being a match were slim.

With medicine advancing at lightning speed, leukemia wasn’t a death sentence anymore, especially for a well–connected family like the Dashiells.

Hanna was obviously freaking out, barking up the wrong tree. If having a baby was the only way to save Joseph, with the bond between Lizetta and Joseph, she’d be willing to make that sacrifice without Hanna pulling all the strings.

“Shut your trap! You have to have this child!” Hanna cut her off.

Lizetta frown, she softened

if it’s a match, and we can

stirring her coffee, as if she believed

carrot.

child was just a bargaining chip, devoid of emotion, to

mind replaying the moment Jolin had left the Dashiell

Hanna’s contemptuous sneer.

Remington be outsmarted by such

just 2 thousand; think of it as tossing a coin to a

bitter memories made Lizetta stand

with your son is toast; we’re in the middle of a divorce, so no more babies. You’re 52, not menopausal yet, right? If you really

there, dumbstruck, unable to believe what she’d

hurried over from another

Hanna Dashiell, what’s wrong? Did Mrs. Lizetta Dashiell get

on her; even a dog knows to be loyal

her stride, and then walked away with even more resolve. She headed back to the hospital, pushed open the door to Joseph’s room, and was greeted with laughter and chatter –

were both there.