Part 16 (2/2)

She had never rebelled, mostly because it had never occurred to her to

rebel. Until Brian.

She knew that although her parents had come to the wedding, they would

never completely forgive her for moving in with Brian and living with

him before marriage. Nor would they ever comprehend why she had chosen

to marry an Irish musician who not only questioned authority but wrote

songs defying it.

There had been no doubt that they had been appalled and baffled by

Brian's illegitimate child, and their daughter's acceptance of her. Yet,

what could she do? The child existed.

Bev loved her parents. A part of her would always desperately want

their approval. But she loved Brian more, so much more that it was

sometimes terrifying. And the child was his. Whatever she had wanted,

whatever her plans had been, that meant the child was now hers as well.

It was difficult to look at Emma and not feel something. She wasn't a

child who faded into the woodwork no matter how quiet and un.o.btrusive

she tried to be. It was her looks, certainly. Those same elegantly

angelic looks of her father. More, it was that sense of innocence, an

innocence that was in itself a miracle considering how the child had

lived the first three years of her life. An innocence, and an

acceptance, Bev thought. She knew if she walked into the room right

now, shouting, slapping, Emma would tolerate the abuse with barely a

whimper. That struck Bev as more tragic than the miserable poverty

she'd been saved from.

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