“I knew the baby wouldn’t make it to full-term. The baby’s alpha-fetoprotein test, it’s a blood test you do when you’re pregnant. The baby’s numbers were skewed. More tests revealed severe anomalies. I was prepared to lose him . . . but at the same time you’re never really prepared to lose your baby. It was a stressful and traumatic period of my life. And instead of supporting and helping me, my soon to be ex-husband turned against me. The baby’s issues became my fault. He didn’t want a damaged baby or a wife who only created damaged babies.”
“Damn. Was this the second or third time you had something like that happen?”
“No. He accused me of being damaged because we’ve been married for five years and it was our first pregnancy.”
“Damn, Bailey baby.” He picked up my hand from the table and laced his fingers through mine. “Damn, baby. Even if it was the fifteenth time that something like that happened, you didn’t deserve that treatment. It was fucked up and immature as hell of him to take his emotions out on you instead of handling them like an adult. I get that it was devastating and disappointing, but what’s the point of trying to destroy your wife, too?”
“Everything was my fault. He didn’t want anything to do with me or our son. Once we found out that the baby was a boy, I asked him if he wanted to name the baby after him. He told me that he didn’t want a dead baby named after him. He wasn’t even there when I delivered. My mom, my dad, and my sisters flew to Chicago to be with me.”
“What’s your son’s name?”
I smiled through watery eyes. “My married last name is Eckhart. Since my mother gave all four of us our fathers’ last name as first names, I decided to do the same. I named him Hart. Hart Kingsley.”
“That’s what’s up.” He nodded his head.
I touched the locket hanging from the chain on my neck. “My mom was so sweet. She had these lockets made. Now each of us has some of Hart to carry with us at all times.”
His eyes lit up with wonder. “Straight up? I like that idea. Can I touch it?”
I nodded.
Chapter
Six
Bright
Basedon the way she opened up to me then broke down, I wasn’t sure what kind of mood Bailey would be in when I showed up at the spot on the day of the 5k. And the fact that the sky was overcast and threatening rain didn’t make me any more confident that she would be in a positive place.
She surprised me, though. Opening the door with a grin on her face, she spoke. “Hey, Bright.”
“What’s up?”
She grabbed her little waist pouch, her water bottle, and her house key. As she stepped out onto the porch, she glanced up at the sky. “At least it’s not one hundred degrees in the shade and we don’t have to worry about the sun beating down on us.”
“That’s one way to look at it. Hopefully the sky will clear up, and the rain will either pass over or hold out until after the run.”
At the starting line, Bailey and I set out at a comfortable pace. We’d been practicing for a little more than a week, doing four miles and alternating between walking and running. I felt pretty confident that we could do the entire thing running and finish ina respectable amount of time. But without much warning there was a streak of lightning followed by a ferociously loud clap of thunder that broke the sky open. Spring had the tendency to be rainy, but this downpour was unprecedented.
Bailey ripped off her headphones and turned to me with an expectant expression.
I said the only thing I could think of, even though we were already doing it. “Run.” I grabbed her hand, leading her to a covered picnic area in the park where the run was taking place.
Other runners huddled underneath the small shelter with us as the storm raged on.
“It is not slowing down,” Bailey mumbled barely loud enough for me to hear her after about ten minutes.
“You scared of water?” I questioned after I couldn’t stand the feeling of wet people rubbing up against me any longer.
“No.” She shook her head back and forth. “I used to love playing in the rain when I was little. Stumping in puddles? That was my jam.”
“Then let’s stump in some puddles.” I pulled her out from under the shelter and into the downpour. Before I could even state my intention, Bailey took off running.
I chuckled before taking off myself and easily catching up with her. I could’ve passed her, but that wasn’t what I was on. We ran in tandem through the park. We were soaked to the bone by the time we made it to the finish line at the fire station, but we were both laughing. I couldn’t help but notice how joyous she looked. Her eyes were bright, her facial expression was soft, and her giggles were light.
The event staff and volunteers coming out from under the protection of their little tent to present us with swag bags and snacks caused me to break my stare.
We made it to my work truck and climbed inside, still laughing.
