Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 356(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
“Oh, and Jessica called,” Hannah said. “She wanted to speak to Kayden, but I told her that he wasn’t feeling well.”
That was odd. She rarely called, and the timing could not have been worse. I finished my coffee and checked on Kayden. He was sleeping peacefully and the fever had definitely gone down.
Jessica called again at seven in the morning. “What’s up?”
“I’m leaving today,” she whispered. “Michael is taking me home for a few days, then I’ll be checking into a hospice.”
I didn’t know what to say. “Do you need money, Jessica?”
“No, I don’t.” There was a pause when neither of us spoke. Then she carried on in a hush voice. “I wanted to tell you something, something I never thought I’d tell anyone. I know you will be angry when I tell you, but I’d like to get it off my chest before I die. May I?”
“Of course,” I assured, gripping the phone tighter. I hoped and prayed it was not going to be something bad about Kayden.
“I wanted you to know that Kayden was always wanted. He was never, not even for a second, unwanted. I wanted him before he was born, before he was even out of your body.”
“What do you mean?”
“I pricked all the condoms you left on the bedside table while you were in the shower. All of them. And before you left for the weekend, I replaced the unused ones with new ones so you wouldn’t get anybody else pregnant by accident.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “What? Why?”
“Because I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on you that you were the man I wanted to have my child with,” she said simply. “And now that I have told you, I can die peacefully. And one more thing. I have no regrets. Not a single one. I’d do it all again, given half the chance.”
She made sniffing sounds and I could hear that she was crying. “The only true pain I have is being parted from Kayden now, when I need him the most. But I know he’s in safe hands. And that’s all that’s important.”
How strange life was. I had been so furious with her and now all I felt was pity and sadness for her. “First of all, I’m not angry with you, not anymore anyway. You can’t be angry with the person who gives you the greatest gift you’ve ever had, and secondly, he is in safe hands, the safest possible.”
“Thank you. That means everything to me. Please take good care of him. He is my heart.”
“I will. You have my word on that.”
37
WILLOW
“Hey, how about dinner and drinks?” Melissa asked.
We were the only ones left in the office. Everyone else had closed up for the day. I quickly glanced at my phone. Nothing yet from Rex. I swallowed down the sigh that was working its way up my throat. Something was going on with him.
He had changed in the last few days.
He’d become cagey.
Wednesday was the last time we’d been together. As usual, he’d rushed home after dinner as if someone was waiting for him. I hated the insecurity and the fear that had come over me. What if it was Steven all over again? What if he was cheating on me? I’d been so sure of him, but what did I really know about him?
No, I told myself sternly. I wasn’t going down that road. He probably had things going on at work and so far, he hadn’t given me a reason to mistrust him. Wanting to rush off back to his own place and not inviting me was not a sound reason to think that someone was cheating. Especially, when he had expressly explained that he had some family thing going on and needed a bit of time.
“You’re overthinking it,” Melissa said. “It’s just dinner and drinks.”
I let out a laugh. “Sorry, I lost my train of thought. Yeah, I’d love to.” I turned off my laptop and cleared my desk.
“Let’s try this new place on Fourth street.”
“Sounds good to me.”
The new place was a restaurant with a lively bar. We were lucky to get a table for two considering how busy it was. I looked around, loving the frantic atmosphere and the happy chatter of people having fun. Living alone meant that you were surrounded by silence a lot, especially during the weekend.
I checked my phone again. Nothing. It was Friday. Why would Rex not call or text?
“You could just call him yourself,” Melissa suggested.
“What?” I asked, heat creeping into my cheeks.
“The way you keep checking your phone means there’s someone you’re waiting to hear from. I’ve been there,” she said in a kind tone.
I nodded, relief flooding me. I desperately needed to hear someone’s opinion. “He hasn’t called to make any plans for the weekend,” I said and then told her how odd he’d become.