“It went well. It was very…surreal…to say theleast.”
“Hearing the heartbeat helped change your mind, too, didn’tit.” She states.
“I think it’s everything combined, Sloane.” I say, looking ather. “Part of the reason why I was reluctant to even tell Maverickis because I wanted to just have an abortion and forget it everhappened. But then when I couldn’t stomach the thought, I figured Ibetter tell him, and I did.” I explain. “And then I went throughthe terror of realizing that I’m going to have to not only carryand deliver this kid, but also raise it, and Maverick talked medown off the ledge there, too.”
Sloanesits next to me on the couch. Her voice is softer, less prickly.“So, you’re not afraid anymore?”
“I’m still a little bit afraid, of course. But after he stuckaround and took care of me when I puked my guts out last night, Ifigure he’s good for his word, you know?”
“He stayed with you last night?” she asks, smiling. “Andwithout any chance of sex?”
I lookat her, and sense that the ice has melted, and she can feel thewarmth in my voice. “Yeah. He said he wouldn’t dream of putting themoves on me in my condition. He just…held me all night. It wasnice.”
“Wow.” She pauses for emphasis. “It sounds like you two havereally come a long way from just passing in the night,huh.”
“Yeah. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t even dream of havingthis baby.”
“So, when are you going to start telling people?”
“I’m only seven weeks, Sloane. I’m thinking at least anothermonth.”
“And Maverick’s happy about all this?”
I grin, thinking about his loving words, his encouragement,and his smile when he talks about the baby. “Yeah.He’s…tickled…hiswords.”
“You think y’all might start something up with him? Youknow…have a real relationship with the father of your child? It’s anovel thing, I know.” She rolls her eyes, and her tone isplayful.
“I don’t know. Our feelings for each other have certainlychanged, but I don’t know if it’s just because of the baby. What ifI never got pregnant? I don’t think that Maverick would havestepped up had it not been for this little critter living insideme. I think we would have stayed just…nighttimefriends.”
“Maybe if you’d reached out to him, he might have.”
“Speculation, Sloane. The fact is, he didn’t have any moreinterest in pursuing a relationship with me than I had in pursuinga relationship with him, until I told him I was pregnant with hisbaby.”
Mysister tilts her head and looks at me like she’s trying to figureme out. “You’re still not over what happened between you and Will,are you.”
“No.” I scoff. “The ink on my divorce papers isn’t even driedyet, Sloane. That’s how come this baby is such a kick in theteeth.”
“Ellie, you’ve got to get past this. What happened between youand Will has nothing to do with what’s going on with you andMaverick. Your relationship with Will was screwed up to say theleast.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I was there.”
“So, stop carrying around all that baggage, Ellie. It’s over.He’s out fucking around with an old girlfriend in Vegas, and you’rehaving a baby with a guy who seems to have turned the othercheek.”
“You think this is about Will?”
“I know it’s about Will.” She says directly. “He’s got youthinking that you’re not good enough. He’s got you questioningyourself, Ellie. And you can stop it, now. There is nothing wrongwith you. Just, the chemistry wasn’t there with Will, and you knowit.”
I giveher a look.
“Let me rephrase that. Thebedroomchemistry was there, butnowhere else.”
Iinterject snidely. “And you think that I was taking that same pathwith Maverick, huh. Well, you’re right, I was. And we both admittedto each other last night that we’re both to blame for using eachother. So you can stick that in your pipe and smoke it.”
“It’s not just that, Ellie. You’re afraid of getting intoanother relationship, because you think that you can’t doit.”
“This from the expert…who’s been in a relationship for lesstime than the shelf life of a loaf of bread…who, by the way, issleeping with her boss, right?”
“Stop trying to change the subject.” She saysflatly.
