Her condition wasn't really the children's fault, she told herself as she waited for a light to turn before crossing the busy street. They had all tried their best to help, but even if they were always on their best behavior, which they weren't, five children in such a small apartment was bound to create problems. Yet the physical problems they had to confront wasn't what was wearing on Grace. It was the stress of worry. How were they to get a bigger apartment on her salary? And more importantly, what was her legal status in regard to the children? Even though Kathy had been raising them, what 'right' did she have to do so? These were questions she must find the answer to, and must find them quickly. Then there was Pat. Pat was, perhaps, the greatest cause for concern. For, after a rather heated discussion regarding her failure to live up to her responsibilities, Pat had packed her bags and moved out, claiming that her friend Chris would welcome her with open arms. Grace couldn't help but wonder if she would welcome her with an open pocketbook as well.

She was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she took little notice of the buzz of excitement in the hallway. It wasn't until she reached the office door which hung wide open and heard the loud sobs coming from within, mingled with the low drone of voices, that she realized something was wrong.

The sobs, she discovered as she stepped into the office, were coming from the receptionist, Cindy, who sat at her desk her face pressed into a tissue. The voices belonged to Clare Perry, and an older, heavy set man whom Grace recognized at once as Doctor Johnson, Mr. Edwards' physician.

It was Cindy who first noticed Grace standing motionless in the doorway.

"Oh, Mrs. Reaves. Isn't it just awful?" She wailed. "Just simply awful?"

"What's awful?" Grace demanded, but Cindy's face was back in her tissue.

"Come in Grace, and close the door, please. My, such a morning!" Clare Perry's voice was strained, her cheeks unnaturally pink, her pale blue eyes behind her rimless glasses were unusually wide. The salt and pepper hair which was always meticulously in place, was slightly disheveled, giving her the appearance of a harassed school teacher.

Grace noted all these things without really comprehending them.

"Where's Mr. Edwards?" she demanded, starting towards his door.

"He's not there, Grace," Doctor Johnson said, moving to grasping her arm. "You know your boss has been overdoing it lately. I told him he was pushing himself too hard, but he wouldn't listen to me. Once he got on something he worked at it like an avalanche, nothing could halt him until the last little pebble hit bottom. And that, my dear, is what happened today."

"What do you mean?" Grace demanded, staring at Mr. Edward's closed door. "What's happened to Mr. Edwards?"

"I found him this morning," Clare Perry said, nervously pushing her glasses higher up her nose. "Haven't we been telling him he was working too hard? Work, work, work, that was all he lived for, and now," she stopped as though fighting to regain her composure, "Now, Doctor Johnson has said that his heart..."

But Grace had stopped hearing her. "Mr. Edwards," she thought, "my job, my salary, my children!"

And for the first time in her life Grace felt her world going dizzy and then darken.

Other browser readable electronic romance books by Rosalie Joyce

No Greater Love    Price $9.95  
    Written by Rosalie Joyce
On her way to the airport Haley is involved in a serious automobile accident that leaves her badly injured and suffering from memory loss. Her father insists that Haley has been living with him, developing a close father daughter relationship and enjoying the social whirl of high society, but no matter how hard she tries, Haley can't seem to get back into the swing of things. Then there's her Peter Grant. What is there about her father's servant that she finds so unnerving? And why the underlying hostility between Peter and her father?
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

Once Burned    Price $9.95  
    Written by Rosalie Joyce
Cindy had made up her mind that she would never allow another man to get close enough to hurt her as Lance had hurt her. But that was before she met Carl Branson and his niece, Lizzy. It was for Lizzy's sake that she went along with a bogus engagement to Carl, and it was for Lizzy's sake that she opened the door of her home to the handsome young man. But had she opened the door of her heart as well?
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

Forced Landing    Price $9.95  
    Written by Rosalie Joyce
With two suitors vying for her attention it seemed odd that Penny should be becoming more and more interested in Sid, the remote, often brash, young photographer.
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

Guardian Angel    Price $9.95  
    Written by Rosalie Joyce
Set in the mid-sixties, this story tells of a young woman who flees to a farm in order to hide from her stepmother and an unwelcome suitor, only to discover unexpected romance.
(Browser Readable E-Book on CD-ROM contains Music & No Sound Options)

A romance e-zine with free love stories in serial; new postings monthly by Antelope Publishing

Stories of action, adventure, mystery, and just plain fun, for the entire family.

This romance site, its story and graphics, is copyrighted © 2006, Antelope Publishing and is presented FREE to its readers.
No portion of this site may be reproduced without the publisher's express permission.

2686