Cheri

After the seduction, things were different with Chandler. He had always been kind and gentle with her, but his displays of affection had been a little rare, and had always been tentative. He remained reserved, and sometimes Cheri had wondered if he was afraid to touch her.

After she had seduced him, however, it was as though an invisible wall had been destroyed. He was suddenly more attentive to her wishes, surprising her with flowers and small gifts…finding excuses to touch her. And their love-life, always polite, and almost business-like, had become more spontaneous and playful.

Chandler, she discovered, was a gentle and considerate lover, and if their love-making lacked the fire and passion she had found with Byron, it was still more than satisfying.

Every day, it seemed, he was becoming closer and closer the man she had dreamed he could be when she had married him. Which was just the problem. She was no longer the woman she had dreamed of when they had married. She had betrayed him, and the evidence of her betrayal was becoming more obvious every day – not that Chandler realized it.

He had been so thrilled to discover that she was pregnant, that she’d not had the heart to tell him the truth. And now it was too late. How could she tell him, after lying to him all this time. And so she kept her silence…and it was killing her.

Her daughter was born during one of the last blizzards of the season, and her eyes were the same stormy grey as the leaden winter skies. Looking into them, Cheri felt something flicker deep inside of her…something she had not felt in months. Was it…hope? She wasn’t quite ready to believe that yet, but holding the new baby close made Cheri feel somehow lighter. She cuddled the infant to her breast and started to cry.

She felt Chandler’s arm drape around her shoulder comfortingly, and he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“Shhhh,” he whispered soothingly. “It’s alright. She’s beautiful, and you are beautiful. I love you both so much.” He gently rocked both her and the baby in his arms until she stopped crying.

She looked up at him, and reaching up with her free hand, she gently caressed his cheek. “I love you, Chandler Summerfield, and I know I haven’t been the kind of wife you deserve…” he made a move in protest, but she placed her fingers over his lips and continued. “…but I promise to do whatever I can to make up for that.”

Chandler gently brushed a stray tear from her cheek. He was about to say something, when the baby, momentarily forgotten, started to gurgle and wave her arms for attention. She and Chandler shared a laugh, and for the first time in a long time, Cheri began to believe that maybe – just maybe – things might turn out all right.

“Well, what are we going to name this little princess?” Chandler asked, tickling the baby under the chin.

“I don’t know,” Cheri responded. “Suzy?”

“Suzy Summerfield? I don’t think so…sounds like a stripper!” And they both laughed again. “How about Cassandra?” Chandler continued.

“Cassandra…” Cheri tried the name out.

“Yes. We could call her Casey for short.” Somehow, the named seemed to fit perfectly, and so Cassandra Summerfield was christened. It was only later that Cheri discovered that the original Cassandra had been an ancient prophetess, cursed with the ability to foretell disasters, but whom no one believed until it was too late.

Two days later, Byron showed up on her doorstep


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So, what, you're just going to stop here? You need to post the WHOLE thing, Missy, so you can give us new stuff to read.

Ahem. (Taps foot.)

Waiting.

:P I'm reading it again and I still am loving it!

But I agree with SBW, we want the current stuff! What's happening with the new baby? Will Cheri and Chandler get it back? Boy or girl?

Ahhh the questions are killer! :lol:

You said it, sister!

I've also started reading Dungvegan Bay again and I love it as much as I did the last time I read it -- if not more. You're a great writer, Sacha!

So can we have some more chapters now, please? :party: