Honor

would make fun of her, that they would see that the clothes she wore were hand-me-downs, that her hair had been clipped impatiently by her mother, rather than in some fancy salon. She was terrified that they would discover that her last classmates had labeled her a brain and left her out of anything fun.
It had taken every ounce of bravery she’d possessed to slip into the classroom and scurry to a seat in the back, hoping no one would notice her. Then the teacher had singled her out, introduced her as a newcomer and made her move right smack to the middle of a room in which students had been seated in alphabetical order. She’d felt all those inquisitive, judgmental eyes on her and she’d wanted to cry.
She’d rushed too fast, trying to slide into her assigned seat without anyone taking further notice of her. Instead, she’d spilled her books in the process and had to listen to the taunting laughter that had made her feel more an outsider than ever. She’d kept her chin up, but hadn’t been able to stop the tears from filling her eyes. She’d desperately tried to blink them away before anyone saw.
But a boy with tousled golden hair and a smile that revealed a chipped front tooth had seen. He had knelt down, picked up the books and placed them on her desk.
“Thank you, Kevin,” Mrs. Niles had said, while the other boys in the room had made wisecracks about his gallantry.
Lacey had felt awful, knowing that he’d been embarrassed in front of his friends just for coming to her rescue. She had given him a hesitant smile and felt her eleven-year-old heart tumble at the impish, unworried grin he shot her in return.
From that moment on Kevin Halloran had been her protector, her knight in shining armor. He’d withstood a lot of teasing for befriending her. He’d fought a lot of playground battles on her behalf, had chosen her for teams when others wouldn’t, had badgered her to try out for cheerleading when she’d known she wasn’t pretty enough or popular enough to make it. To her amazement, he’d been right. She had cheered loudest and longest when he’d raced for the goal line.
Later, he’d ignored a lot of wealthy, admiring teenaged girls to date her, apparently preferring their quiet, serious talks to the adolescent wiles of her peers.
Then he’d dared to fall in love with her.
Brandon Halloran had thrown one of his inimitable fits about the engagement. He’d declared that no son of his was going to marry some little nobody who was only after his money. He’d vowed to do everything in his power to see that they split up. In the lowest moment of her life, he had offered her a bribe. When that hadn’t worked, he’d sent Kevin off to college at Stanford, hoping that distance would accomplish what his ranting and threats had not.
None of it had dimmed Kevin and Lacey’s determination or their love. Sometimes it astonished Lacey that at that age they had stood firm against the power of Brandon’s opposition. In anyone else it might have been sheer stubbornness, but with Kevin it had been a deeply ingrained conviction that Lacey brought something into his life that he could never hope to find with another woman. At least that’s what he’d told her when he’d insisted that they would get married with or without his parents’ approval. He’d defiantly exchanged his class ring for a tiny chip of a diamond, rather than use parental funds for something splashier.
Where had that steadfast sense of commitment gone? The love hadn’t died. As she sat in a corner of the cold, dimly lit hospital waiting room, terrified of losing him forever this time, Lacey could admit that much. She also knew that they couldn’t go on as they had been, drifting farther and farther apart with each day that passed, fighting bitterly at every turn.
Jason returned just as Dr. Lincoln Westlake came out of the cardiac unit. Lacey froze at the sight of his grim expression. Even Brandon looked uncertain. It was Jason who finally dared to ask how Kevin was doing.
“I won’t lie to you. He’s in pretty bad shape. If I had to guess, I’d say he didn’t take that last attack seriously and did everything in his power to ensure he’d have another one.”
Brandon gazed at him in astonishment. “Are you saying he tried to bring this on?”
“In a way.”
“That’s absurd. Why that would be the next best thing to suicide.”
“Mr. Halloran, your son is a bright man. He knew the risks and he did nothing to minimize them.” He glanced at Lacey, and his tone gentled. “Did he?”
She sighed. The truth was that he’d even canceled half a dozen follow-up appointments with the doctor. She’d finally given up trying to make them.
“No. Nothing,” she admitted. Damn him, she said to herself. Damn Kevin Halloran for trying to play God with his own life!
“Can I see him?” she asked, when she could keep her voice steady.
“For five minutes. He’s resting now and I don’t want you to wake him. If he’s to have any chance at all, he needs to stay as quiet as possible.”
Lacey nodded. “Thanks, Linc. If anyone can pull him through this, I know you can.”
“I’m going to do my damnedest. If he’ll give me a little help, we might have a chance. You come on in, when you’re ready.”
As he walked away, Lacey started toward the cardiac unit after him. Brandon stepped into her path. “Remember what the doctor said, girl. Don’t you go upsetting him!”
“Granddad!” Jason warned.
Lacey put her hand on her son’s arm. “It’s okay.” She met Brandon’s gaze evenly and saw the worry and exhaustion in his eyes. “I’ll tell him that you’re here and that you’re praying for him.”
Brandon nodded, then sighed heavily and sank into one of the cushioned chairs. He motioned for Jason to sit next to him, then looked up at her. “You