This time Raoul had brought a little toy car for Alain, bringing a smile to his adorable face. The two of them proceeded to throw more food to the ducks. Already Nathalie could tell a bonding was taking place between father and son.
When her mother and Minerve started walking Alain to her mother’s car, he didn’t want to go. He’d been having too much fun with his papa.
Raoul helped him in the car seat, then asked Nathalie to stay for a minute after they’d driven off. “Before you go, there’s something else we have to talk about.”
Nathalie knew what it was. Her heart sank. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get to the pharmacy. Denis is alone right now.”
“Can you give me five minutes? This is an emergency.”
“If you mean Dominic—”
“You know I do,” he interrupted her. ?
??He came home last night a shattered man. You can’t do this to him. Your fear about being unable to have children is unwarranted when it comes to Dominic.”
“You don’t know that. The man I thought I would marry couldn’t handle it.”
“You don’t know Dom. He loves you, and your rejection of him without giving him a chance to tell you how he feels about your condition is crucifying him. In time it’s going to crucify you. I know what I’m talking about. If you shut him out, you’re making the worst mistake of your life.”
She switched her gaze to him. “What do you mean?”
“I had to tell your stepsister the truth when I found out Sabine was pregnant. There was no altering the outcome. I felt like a monster who didn’t deserve happiness. But your situation is entirely different. Let Dom tell you what’s in his heart. More than anyone in the world, I want him to be happy. He adores you, Nathalie.”
Raoul’s words rang so true, the tears coursed down her cheeks.
“I couldn’t fix my situation, but you have every chance to find happiness with Dom. Just let him in. I’m begging you. I also believe in my soul Toinette was urging you on to find me.”
“You can honestly say that?”
“As God is my witness. Dominic was the conduit. Don’t you think she’s been in heaven suffering because she refused to tell your family about me?”
Her heart leaped. Was that true?
“You’ve been an answer to prayer and I’ll spend the rest of my days being the best father I can be to our child. I’ve been given a second chance to redeem myself, all because of you. I love you for what you’ve done for me and Alain, Nathalie. You were there for him all that time. His wonderful aunt.”
By now she was sobbing.
“Before you leave, remember there’s another man out there who loves you body and soul. Don’t be afraid. Have faith in his love for you. If you don’t, that would be the real tragedy. Dom told me it was love at first sight for the two of you. That good old coup de foudre. It caught me and Antoinette too. The four of us are a lot alike.”
She nodded. They definitely were.
“Don’t you think it’s time you let Dom out of his prison? He’s the reason my miracle happened to me. I’m pleading with you not to let him spend another night in hell. That’s where he was last night. I know because I was with him and felt utterly helpless to comfort him. He’s waited twenty-nine years for a woman like you to love him.”
Nathalie kept wiping her eyes. She wanted to believe him.
“I have one more piece of good news. My court date is in ten days. When it’s over, then I’m taking a needed vacation so my son and I can be together twenty-four/seven. I’ve put money down on a house for us.”
He and Dom had both been house hunting. The knowledge sent another thrill of excitement through her body.
Raoul gave her a hug and left for his car on a run.
Nathalie drove to the pharmacy in a daze. Last night she’d filled out an application to be a pharmacist in Menton in order to put distance between her and Dominic. But Raoul had said so many things she couldn’t dismiss, she had difficulty concentrating at work. When it was time to close the pharmacy, she went out to her car and headed home at top speed.
As soon as she walked in the house, she saw her mother and Alain sitting on the living room floor playing with his building blocks. Nathalie got down with them.
Her mother smiled at her. “Today Raoul called you an angel. I agree. Your desire to find him means our Alain is going to have a wonderful life with his papa. He told me everything about his heartbreaking choice back then. I have real compassion for him considering the kind of family he’s come from.”
“I can’t blame him either, Maman.” She put another block on Alain’s.