Page 32
We smile and stare at each other for a long moment before Trey forces his attention away. “So...” He clears his throat. “I think it’s time you held up your end of the bargain and tell me what you came here two weeks in a row to think about.”
Technically, I came here the first time to think. Tonight, I came to see him. “I’m not sure if you want to know. It has to do with me and Caleb.”
He hides his discomfort behind another clear of his throat. “I can handle it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hey, now.” He smiles playfully and narrows his eyes at me. “Are you trying to back out of our deal?”
That makes me giggle. “No, I’m just being honest with you. If you’d really like to know, I’ll tell you.”
“I’d really like to know.”
I pause, trying to come up with a way to say it without hurting him, although it’s probably going to hurt him regardless of how I put it. “Caleb and I have been trying to have a baby.”
His entire face falls, and all the light that was flickering in his eyes earlier goes black. “Oh.”
“We’ve been trying since before we got married, and still no baby.
It’s been frustrating and exhausting to have to track my ovulation cycle and time things right, only to get my period again two weeks later.
” I’m going to assume Trey knows what I mean by “time things right.” “I’ve been to the doctor to get checked out for infertility, and they said nothing is wrong.
As for Caleb, he refuses to get checked out. ”
“Why?”
“He says he knows nothing is wrong with him because we’ve gotten pregnant before. It was over two and a half years ago, but we lost the baby.”
Something heart-wrenching breaks in Trey’s eyes, then his gaze falls to the grass. “I see.”
“It’s been a pretty heavy and frequent topic of argument between us.” That’s putting it lightly. Caleb hates whenever I bring up baby stuff, so much that I’ve stopped mentioning it at all.
“What does he have to lose from doing a few tests?”
“That’s exactly what I said. The answer is nothing. I don’t know if he’s scared or just being lazy.”
Trey pauses to think about that. “I don’t know the guy, but if I had to guess, I’d say he’s scared. Maybe he doesn’t wanna be told he’s the problem.”
“Right, but maybe if we knew what the problem was, we could move forward with a solution. My doctor has already talked to me about fertility treatments, but I don’t think that’s an option for us.”
“Why not?”
“Because it costs thousands of dollars we don’t have.”
“I’ll pay for it,” Trey says without any hesitation.
“What?”
“I said I’ll pay for it. Whatever it costs. The treatments, exam fees, medications, whatever. I’ll cover the whole thing.”
I gape at him. “You would do that?”
“Yep. Just tell me how much it is, and I’ll send it to you.”
I can’t believe how easily and nonchalantly he’s offering me his money. Does he not realize how much fertility treatments cost? “I didn’t tell you this as an attempt to get financial help. I only told you because you wanted to know.”
“And now that I know, I want to help.”
“You want to help Caleb and me have a baby?”
“No,” he says firmly. “I want to help you have a baby. Your dude just happens to be part of that picture.”
“But why would you , of all people, want to pay for it?” I hope without me having to say it, he knows what I mean by that.
He gives me a duh look. “Wouldn’t having a baby make you happy?”
“Of course.”
“Then that’s reason enough for me.”
I let out a little hmmph . “Thank you, Trey, but I can’t accept.”
“Figures.”
Like we did last time, we talk and laugh together while the sun goes down. Trey makes me laugh so hard, my knee’s tender from how often I’ve slapped it.
A few stars twinkle in the black sky as Trey walks me to my car. I’ve got my precious postcard in my hands, and I already know where I’m going to put it: right inside that book Caleb will never open.
“Could you do something for me?” I ask.
“Anything.”
My heart skips a beat from the way he says it so eagerly. “Next week, could you leave one earbud out or turn the volume of your meditation down so I don’t have to scare you again?”
“Of course. I would have done that tonight, but I’d already convinced myself you weren’t coming.”
I stop at my car and turn to face him. “I’ll be here next week. Promise.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
That should be my cue to leave, but I don’t.
It’s already past ten thirty. I stayed a little longer this time because I was making him laugh so much, I wanted to keep hearing it.
Now I probably won’t make it home until midnight.
Then I’ll have to sleep and be up by six to get ready for a day at the bakery.
That’s not enough sleep for me, yet here I am with a pair of feet that won’t get into my car.
“What time is your flight tonight?” I ask.
“An hour ago.”
“You missed your flight?”
“Yeah, but it’s okay.” He shoves his hands into his jean pockets. “I’ll head to the airport soon and ask them to get me on the next flight. No big deal.”
“I’m sorry. I should have asked when your flight was so we could get you there on time.”
“It’s fine, really. I’ll miss a hundred flights if it means I get to see you.”
The smile that curves up my lips is automatic.
Table of Contents
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- Page 32 (Reading here)
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