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“I’m sorry, Jenni.” Mom’s face is pale and distraught. “I never meant for this to spread like wildfire.”
My shoulders slump. “I guess it doesn’t matter now. There’s nothing we can do to change what’s happened.”
“Maybe there’s a silver lining to this incident,” Mom says. “The town can rally around you now and support you. No one wishes you malice. And you’ve done nothing wrong. There’s no need to feel humiliated.”
“She’s right,” Laurie says. “And I’m so sorry.” She sets her project down and gets up, coming over to where I’m standing and wrapping me in her arms.
The tension releases from my stiff spine at Laurie’s embrace. I squeeze her back, and my heart fills with love. How can she take such an upsetting moment and turn it into something so sweet? I long to call her my mother-in-law. How many girls would be so lucky to have such a wonderful mother-in-law as she is? “Thank you. I needed a good Laurie hug.”
“You can have one of these whenever you’d like.” She pulls back and looks me in the eye. “And I mean it.”
I wipe away a tear. I’ve been so stinking emotional lately. “Thank you.” My voice is so croaky right now. You’d think it was my wedding day or something. All I’m doing is hugging Laurie.
“I do need you to think about something though.”
“What’s that?” I ask.
She looks at me sternly. “Giving Langston a chance. Go to him and make things right.”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. But I can’t do that.”
She puts her hands on her hips, all Southern and sassy. “Why ever not?”
“Because I can’t be the reason that he doesn’t have children of his own.”
“He has Hayden.”
“But,” I protest, “he said he wants a whole house full of kids with me.”
“Darlin’, there are more ways than one to achieve that. You’ve punished yourself enough and deserve to be happy.”
I sniffle. “You wouldn’t feel sad that I wasn’t having your flesh and blood?”
“Those babies are precious, and I’ll love them as my own wherever they come from. They’re all blessings from God. That’s what matters. You’ve seen me with Callie’s baby. You should know better than to think I wouldn’t accept an adopted baby or a foster child as one of the bunch.”
“And whatever you want to do,” Mom says, “whether that’s adopting or fostering, know that you’re loved and valued just as you are. Your dad feels the same way.”
“The Keiths are here to support you, too,” Laurie says. “We’d love you as part of our family.” She grins. “Not that I’m pressuring you or anything.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“But I wanted you to know that,” Laurie continues. “We just want our Jenni to be okay.”
“It feels like I’m running out of reasons to stay away from Langston.”
“What’s still stopping you?” Mom asks, clicking her knitting needles together.
“I don’t know if Langston wants a woman who can’t have his kids.” It’s hard to form the words. I feel bare and vulnerable.
“That’s something you’re going to have to work out with him,” Laurie says. “I can’t speak for him, but if you don’t address this, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
* * *
Laurie’s words echo through my mind for the rest of the day. Normally, I’d be out doing something fun with Langston and Ronnie, but tonight Langston is with Hayden doing some father-son bonding.
I’m wallowing in my misery by eating a pint of ice cream. Usually, I eat the low-calorie kind, but tonight I went for the real stuff. Thick and creamy dark chocolate. I’ve been relying on food to help me through this. And diet drinks. And Noodle, who is faithfully curled up next to me purring as I watch a reality tv dating show that’s on my large screen mounted on my bedroom wall. Langston had insisted I needed this TV, and he convinced me to buy it online. He’s been working to get me to turn my house into a smart home, but I’m okay with flipping on switches the normal way.
My phone rings with a video call from Ronnie, and I swipe the screen. “Hey, don’t mind the bedhead. I’m chilling tonight.”