“Lotus” by Kay W. Smith
Blurb: Saying ‘I do’ is easy. Deciding who to spend forever with can be a little complicated.
Newlywed Lotus Price has everything that she should have ever wanted: a great husband and a dream job as an executive of Chicago’s most prominent philanthropic foundation. Her pre-planned future seemed to be gift-wrapped in a perfect bow, until the day she discovers she is pregnant and runs into her first love. Despite his offer to be friends, Lotus tries to keep the past where it belongs.
As the pregnancy begins to interrupt the dream that Lotus envisioned for her marriage, she is forced to rethink everything she thought she knew, including the single day that led her to her husband and away from the man she saw herself spending forever with. Ultimately, the one question which will remain is who will be willing to give up what they have in order to get what they have always desired?
In the end, the scars that each of them thought were long buried will resurface to reveal the single event that changed each of their lives forever.
EXCERPT
By the time the sun began to creep through the silk curtains, I had already been awake for three hours. My mind was no longer racing and for the first time in a long time, my thoughts were oddly quiet. I was strangely numb. Knowing that I couldn’t avoid getting up any longer, my palms clenched at the sheets beneath me one last time as I tried to push down the nausea that was slowly trying to creep back into my stomach.
Rolling over, I shielded my face from the sunlight that was now beginning to brighten the entire room. It wasn’t until I heard the loud snores coming from under the sheets next to me that I even remembered that she was there. I snapped out of my haze and began to contemplate how many times I might have to lie and say that everything was okay before the day was over.
Worried that my eyes were bloodshot, I reached for the pocket mirror that I had left on the nightstand next to me. After blindly feeling around unsuccessfully in the dark for a few minutes, I started to run through all the excuses I would give if any of the twenty people who would soon be in my hotel room inquired about my appearance.
I’m overwhelmed with happiness.
I’m hungover from last night.
I’m nervous because I’ve dreamt of this day my entire life.
Another bad excuse was forming in my mind when I heard her voice.
“It’s not too late to hop a plane to Mexico,” she whispered from under a pillow.
I kept my back to her as I ran my hands across my pillow one last time. In case she turned on the lights, I wanted to be sure that the wet puddle that had formed through the night was gone. I took a deep breath before turning in her direction, conscious enough to avoid eye contact with her as much as possible.
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