An explosion occurred inside Macy's heart.  The blood drained from her face.  Her eyes flew to Twain.  His face was a cold unreadable mask. His powerful body leashed muscular strength.  Macy clutched the visitor's chair in Twain's office, preventing herself from blacking out.  At some stage, Twain had released her hand.

Could this be true?  Of course it could be true.  It happened with her not once but twice.  Why wouldn't it happen with Heather?  Twain tended to get carried away... so did his lovers obviously.  The need for contraception did not enter the brain.

'I love you, Twain,' Heather's whispered words pulsated in Macy's ears.

Macy shut her eyes. 
Could Twain have already uttered those words to Heather? 
He had never uttered it to her, and to be fair, neither had Macy to him.  Yet Heather was prepared to fight for the man she loved. 

How could Macy stop her?  Heather had reason just as she did to have a relationship with Twain, Heather more so, because she was prepared to bare all and put her feelings on the line.

Clearly Macy was not that committed, she was not prepared to take those risks, not when she was unsure about Twain.  He wanted them to be married, but only to provide parental stability to their child.  Yes she was attractive to him, there was the lust, but he did not love her and right now Twain was not refuting Heather's claim, nor was he forthcoming to Heather about their relationship.  Macy could not stand to look at Twain any longer. Her voice was low, but steady, banking her primitive feelings of fury.    

'Excuse me___ you two have a lot to talk about,' Macy walked to the door.

'Macy don't leave ___!'

She was seething inwardly at his insufferable arrogance.   She drew breath sharply, blinking furiously to dispel the moisture in her eyes.  She heard Twain's instruction, but continued walking.  It was over.  He had not denied or challenged Heather.  He had not refuted her when she'd admitted her feelings.  Obviously he loved Heather and was saving Macy the embarrassment. 

She will do the honourable thing.  She would not deny him access to his children.  She would not stand in his way.  He could settle down with the woman he truly loved.  Excruciating pain wrenched Macy's heart as she quietly shut Twain's door and stood there. 

You held me in your arms ___ like I meant something to you, when all the time you were in love with another.

'So you thought you were the only woman in his bed, did you?'  Carla laughed.

Macy had forgotten where she was standing.  Her head moved slowly, to meet Carla's gloating face.  Macy's dangerous thoughts when she looked at Carla, bordered on the illegal.

'Thought you'd trap the good doctor and become Mrs Crawford, did you?' She threw her head back and laughed even louder. 
'How pathetic to use your fatherless child in that despicable manner!  For your information, Dr. Skye, Dr. Crawford loves Heather you know.  He's always calling her, sending her flowers.  They are meant to be togeth___.'

Macy did not wait to hear Carla's brutal words as she cruelly twisted her knife in Macy's heart.  She rushed to the lift and escaped to her own surgery, blanking Twain and Heather out of her mind and forced herself to focus on the patients she needed to attend to.

 Macy underestimated the extent of Carla's shrewdness. 
How could she be so hurtful?  What have I ever done to encounter her hateful wrath?  

Macy managed to get through her day without breaking down.  Twain, she noted had not even bothered to call her or  come to her and apologize for deceiving her.  How dare he try to force her into marriage when clearly, his heart belonged to another?  Why was life so cruel?  Why had she been dealt such bad cards?  At five, Macy left the hospital, glad to get away from Twain, but her home was not as far as she would like the distance between them to be.

      Twain stared blankly at Heather.  For once in his life he was at a loss for words.  He was always able to think on his feet, yet rational thought eluded him at the moment. 

Could Heather really be pregnant? 

Twain could not rule out the possibility.  He had exercised care.  He had used protection every time they'd had sex, but he knew there was no fool proof method of contraception.

'Heather,' Twain drew air into his lungs. 'You're claiming you're pregnant from when we were having a relationship?'

'Yes,' she nodded, not looking him in the eye.

'Why have you taken this long to inform me?'

Heather shrugged.  'I did not suspect I was pregnant.  You used protection every time we made love.'

Twain looked away.  They had sex.  He would not call what he and Heather did "love making."  It had just been physical.  Just like with every other woman he'd bedded since Macy, it had just been physical sex.  With Macy it was love-making, intimacy with body and soul.  Twain's eyes returned to Heather when she started speaking.

'I was late,' Heather murmured.  'I'm never late, so I  did a home pregnancy test.  It is positive.'

He looked away again.  If Macy hadn't demonstrated twice that he had impregnated her, he would not believe Heather.  Wasn't this a cruel sick twist of fate?  The only woman he wanted was Macy.

'I don't know what you expect of me Heather.  Macy and I are engaged.  We will be married two weeks from now.'

'What!  You told me you will never marry and that there will be no children.'

Twain moved away to stand at the window.  He stared out, into the distance, contemplating his future.

'Circumstances have changed,' Twain stated. 

 'Macy told me you and her ___ "had a history." 

Twain came back to stand near Heather.  'Yes,' he answered, looking Heather in the eye.  'She is the mother of my nine year old son.'

Heather already knew this.  Macy had informed her of this when she went to seek solace from Macy after Twain had ended their all too brief affair.

'When ___ your baby  is born Heather, I will request a DNA sample.  If it's mine, naturally I will pay full child support, or if you will consent to it, Macy and I will adopt the baby.'
He had not discussed this with Macy.  He hoped Macy would be in agreement.

'You think I've slept with another man, since you!  I have not,' tears slipped down her cheek.  'I told you that I love you.  I do,' she whispered.

Twain fished into his pocket removed his handkerchief and handed it to Heather.

'Don't you feel anything for me?'  Her eyes pleaded with him.

Had Twain not met Macy.  Had she not given birth to Parker. Had she not been pregnant again, maybe, just maybe, Twain would have married Heather only for the sake of the unborn child she was carrying.  Now that Macy was in his life, he was never letting her go.

'I'm sorry Heather,' his eyes were gentle.  It was not in him to kick a dog that was down.

Heather burst into tears and rushed out of Twain's office.

      'Why aren't you answering your phone?'   Twain looked exhausted and at his wits end.

'Perhaps, I didn't want to talk to you, father of the year!'

Twain struggled awkwardly.

Macy tried to slam the door in his face, but he'd anticipated that and forced his arm between the door and the frame and Macy stalled.   She could not risk injuring his elbow. Twain seized the opportunity, pushed past her gaining entry inside.

'Macy please, I need to talk to you.'

'I don't want to speak with you.  It's over,' she removed the ring and shoved it into his hand.

'Macy please___ hear me out.'

'No.  Please leave,' she turned away.

'Where's Parker?'

She faced him again.  'In bed. It's after nine.'

'Right,' his hand raked over his tired face.  He had no recollection of the time since, Heather had dropped her bombshell.  His body was working on auto pilot.

His arms touched her shoulder gently, 'Macy, it's you I want to marry,' he pleaded in a heartfelt voice.

'I can't do it Twain,' she shook her head.  Macy kept hearing Heather, pleading, begging, that she loved Twain, and Macy knew Twain loved her back.

He only wanted to marry her for his children's sake.  She could not bear to marry him, knowing his heart belonged to another.

'You belong with Heather.  Please leave __. I'm tired,' she murmured.

     'If baby has any reaction to the antibiotics, call me immediately,' Macy smiled as she opened the door to say goodbye to the patient's mum.

'Thank you Dr. Skye,' cradling her baby, the mum turned to depart.

'Take ___care now,' Macy faltered when she saw who was waiting for her outside.

'Macy,' Heather rushed forward. 'I have to talk to you!'

I have nothing to talk to you about!

'I'm busy Heather,' Macy looked away.

'Your assistant said that was your last patient,' Heather pleaded.

How Macy had managed to get through the day, she had no idea, but right now, the last people she wanted to see was Heather or Twain.  This morning Twain had attempted to talk to her, but she'd screamed at him and demanded he get out of her surgery.  Too afraid to cause her any further distress, Twain had agreed to leave if she just stayed calm. 

Macy had nodded, if he would just get out of her face, she would calm down.  Twain had obeyed, not wanting to do anything to risk her pregnancy.

'I really can't talk to you now Heather.'  Macy just wanted to get away from the hospital, away from the Twain and Heather saga, and privately deal with the deep ache in her heart.

'She told me he still cared for me,' Heather continued speaking.

'What!'

'She said he spoke about me often...' Heather had that distant look. 'That he misses me. That he wanted me back ...'

'What are you talking about, Heather?'

Heather's gloomy eyes returned to Macy.  'Carla.  She said Twain still cared about me, that he regretted us breaking up.'

'What!'

'I believed her,' an anguished look, filled Heather's face.  In my heart, I hoped there was a chance to rekindle what we had.'

'But you said you were pregnant!  Is it ___ Twain's'

Heather shook her head sadly. 'How I wish I was pregnant, Macy, but Twain had been so careful ___ every time, we made love, he never forgot to protect himself. '

Macy had trouble breathing. The ache in her heart began to soften. She stared blankly at Heather. 

It had all been a lie?  Oh Twain!

'So you're not pregnant?'

A look of shame filled Heather's face.  'No.  Carla told me, Twain would marry me, if I just lied to him I was pregnant, that after we marry, I could really get pregnant.'

Macy's heart was beating wildly, like it was going to explode. 'So why are you telling me all of this?'

'I can't do it to you Macy.  I just can't.  I'm sorry, I Iied.  Please forgive me. '

Macy was dazed.  She tried processing all of this.  To think, she'd turned Twain away, returned his ring, had not believed in him.  Would he still be interested in marrying her?

'You know, 'Heather continued, 'Twain told me he was marring you in two weeks, that when my baby was born, he would first want DNA poof, then he would pay child support.'

Macy looked away.  She'd already been through that rigmarole with Twain.

'He told me that he was not going to give you up.'

Macy was surprised Heather was telling her all of this.

 'He cares about you Macy, very, very much.'

No he just wants to be a hands- on father.

'Heather are you prepared to repeat all of this in front of Twain___ about Carla?'

Heather nodded. ' It's the least I can do. After the pain I've caused you, ' she murmured.

Macy retrieved her phone from her handbag.  She prayed Twain was available, and that he would answer.

 She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard his voice.

He sounded hesitant, surprised that she was calling.   'Macy?' 

'Twain, are you available now?'

'Yes,' came the instant reply.

'Could you ___come down to my surgery?'

'Yes of course.'

Macy thanked him, and cut the call.  She wondered how he would react at Heather's confession.

Twain was surprised when he saw Heather in Macy's surgery.  A look of resignation was evident on his face as if he was not interested in his fate been decided by the two ladies. He knew what he wanted from his future and it was not with Heather.

Macy was hashing all kinds of scenarios in her head.  Would Twain just walk away from both of them?   Would he decide he'd take responsibility for his children, without the need to marry her?

'Twain, Heather has something to say.'

He shook his head, 'Macy ___,'

'Please, just hear her out.'

Twain stared unblinkingly at Heather.  Macy's eyes were transfixed on his face.  She was hoping to see relief on Twain's face, but the only emotion she witnessed was anger mounting on his face as Heather recanted everything she told Macy.

'You presumed I would marry you, without proof that you were pregnant?' Twain questioned harshly.

Heather shrugged.  She closed her eyes.  'I believed Carla, when she told me you ___ wanted me back.'

Twain's head shook from side to side, his face knotted.  Anger creased his good looking face.

Macy wondered if she had done the right thing, summoning Twain to her surgery.  She caught the tail end of the words Heather was speaking.

'After we spoke in your office yesterday, I realized Carla was so wrong,' Heather informed Twain. 'She lied to me.'

'So you thought you'd lie to me as well?' Twain barked.

'I'm sorry,' she murmured. 'There is no justification for what I subjected you and Macy to.  I could hardly sleep last night, it's why I came to see Macy.  Can the both of you forgive me please?  I really am not vindictive,' tears rolled down her cheeks.  'I just allowed Carla to ___ cloud my judgement because of my feelings for you Twain.'

 Twain reached into his pocket and again handed his handkerchief to Heather.  Macy shifted away. She ignored the sharp pain building up deep in her belly and silently wiled herself to breathe slowly.

This is it.  He's going to tell her that he loves her, that he wants her anyway, that all is forgiven, that he wants to marry her.

'You may leave Heather.  Thank you for your honesty.'

Macy's eyes widened.  They flew to Twain.  She could not read anything on his face, but he just seemed so calm and in control again.  He held the door open for Heather.

'Bye Macy,' Heather mumbled, her tear strained face, looking remorseful.

'Bye,' Macy murmured back.

Twain and Macy stared at each other as the door shut behind them.  Twain walked the two steps to where Macy stood. 
'That was a harrowing experience, one I would not want to endure again,' his hands cupped her elbows.  Macy kept her head down.  She inhaled deeply.  She almost lost Twain, if he was still here with her, there was hope.

'Now Macy,' he smiled for the first time in her surgery.  'I am free to marry you,' he removed the ring from the breast pocket of his jacket and slipped it onto her hand again.  'We will be married as scheduled,' he demanded, his lips taking hers in a covenant gesture.

Macy did not care anymore that he did not say that he loved her.  She was not going to risk losing him.  She would marry him tomorrow, if he said so.  Her arms wrapped around him tightly.  She returned his kiss ardently.  Even if he did not say the words she wanted to hear, she would be his as he promised to be hers exclusively.

 'Invite me to supper,' Twain murmured softly, as he reluctantly drew away from her lips.

Macy laughed softly.  'Come have supper with us.'

'Thank you, I'd love that,' he politely accepted, as if he had not demanded the invitation.  'Are you leaving now?'

'Yes,' Macy picked up her handbag.  'I just want to call my mum, let her know she has to feed you too,' Macy smiled.

Twain smiled.  Whilst Macy was on her phone, he made a call to his security to meet him at his office.

'Would you care to walk up with me, then I will follow you in my car?'

'Okay, 'Macy smiled.  She would love to see the look on Carla's face.

'Let's go,' Twain smiled linking his hand into Macy's. 

She did not remove her hand when they walked out of her surgery.  They were definitely getting surprised glances.  Twain was oblivious by the aroused interest.  His hand clasped tighter to Macy's as he led her towards the lift to his office.

Twain leaned closer to Macy and whispered in her ear. 'Will you allow me to buy my son a little treat?'

Macy smiled.  She felt so liberated now about her relationship with Twain, their impending marriage, their future life together, growing old with Twain by her side.  She could handle Twain spoiling Parker with a little chocolate.

''Just don't make it a habit,' she warned.  'I told you Parker does not know how to say no to chocolate.'

'Who said anything about chocolate?' Twain laughed teasingly.  He leaned over and kissed her smack on the lips.

Macy blushed, 'So it's not chocolate?' She shyly bit on her lower lip.

'You know me too well,' he laughed, draping his arm around her as he ushered her into the lift.

'Not that well,' Macy murmured.  A spontaneous burst of boldness had her reaching for Twain, capturing his lips.  She found Twain's response even more encouraging, when he zealously wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer against his muscular frame. Macy sighed happily.  It felt so good being in his arms.

When the lift doors opened, they were still in each other's arms, locked in an intimate embrace. Macy was just in time to see Carla's jaw drop.  Her hands reluctantly dropped from around Twain.  She found herself being led by Twain, as he linked his hands through hers and walked to his secretary's desk.

'Dr. Crawford ___,' Carla stuttered uncomfortably.  'Security ___ say they're waiting for you,' she pointed to the head of security and his assistant standing close to the entrance to Twain's private office.

Twain nodded to the two gentlemen before he addressed Carla.  'I want you to send an email to all the staff for me Carla,' Twain instructed.

Macy looked at Twain.  He was unsmiling.  He shifted, curving his arm around Macy protectively, as he towered over Carla's desk.

'You want the email to go out right this minute sir?'

'Yes, 'Twain informed her and began to dictate.  'Dr. Twain Crawford would like to announce his betrothal to Dr. Macy Skye ___.'

Carla gasped, her fingers paused on the keyboard, her weary eyes met Macy's anxiously.

'My fiancée and I would like all the staff to share in this momentous occasion with us,'  Twain completed his dictation.

Macy almost felt sorry for the conniving trouble-maker as again Carla's eyes met hers, but what if in a moment of madness, Twain had believed Heather and heaven forbid married her?  Macy found that too daunting to continue speculating on.  

'It's done sir,' Carla's eyes nervously shifted from Twain to Macy.

'Good,' Twain nodded, maintaining the same tone of gravity as he had dictated the email to her.  'Now, security will escort you out the building.  Details of your severance package will be delivered to your home.  You're fired!'

                                                                           -end chapter twenty three-