“Thank you,” I mouth over the top of them to Lida. She simply nods.
Chapter 6
Ican’t walk into my bedroom without thinking about Henry. It used to be that reminders of Jeremy were everywhere, but now all that left is a picture of us on my dresser and next to it my wedding ring that I finally took off last week, three days after Henry stayed the night. I’ve tried to get him out of my head, but every time I turn around, there is something that reminds me of him. The bathroom where he fixed the pipe in the middle of the night after our three a.m. session. My bed where he made me feel cherished in every way. The kitchen where he made the girls his famous burgers. And the girls…they ask about him all the time. It’s only been ten days, but they are used to having him around a lot more. I guess it’s my fault for letting my guard down and ruining what we had in a friendship, but I want more. So much more. After our night together, I know my feelings for him are true because I’m falling for him and not because he’s stepped in and helped me after Jeremy passed. I miss the compliments. The looks. The way he laughs. The past week and a half have been lonely, and to make matters worse, my ultrasound is in two days, and no one knows.
I want to call him, to reach out and tell him I was wrong for making him feel like it was nothing. He means so much to me now, and even though I didn’t need Lida’s blessing, I’m glad I have it. She’s been calling every day to see if I made any attempt to fix this. I just need to get through my ultrasound and make sure it’s nothing before I even attempt to start anything with him.If he’ll even take me back.This is the longest we’ve gone not speaking to one another since Jeremy passed.
I’m pulling the last bit of hair out of my face before I leave to pick up the girls at their grandparents’ house when my doorbell rings not once, not twice, but four times in as many seconds.
I rush down the stairs in an attempt to keep the jerk who is bombarding me with incessant noise from hitting the button anymore.
Swinging the door open, I’m brought face to face with Henry. My hormones immediately go into overdrive. He’s just come from work. His clothes are covered in dirt, and there is a streak of brown on his cheek. Sweat is pouring down his face, and he has a light blue hat on top of his head. He looks fierce and on a mission. Sexy.
“Henry, what are you—”
But I can’t finish my sentence because he’s already walking past me and into the house. He looks around and then back at me. “Are you ok?”
My eyebrows furrow in bewilderment.”Yes.” I elongate the word because I’m very confused.
He braces his hands on his hips. “Lida said…” His head shakes from side to side before he laughs. “Lida said you heard someone banging on the house, but I’m guessing that was a lie.”
I sit on top of the second step leading upstairs and giggle. “She did, huh?”
His body feels warm when he sits alongside me. “She did.”
“She’s pretty pushy.”
He nods. “Yeah, she really is, and I can tell how much she wants us to work if she lied about someone trying to break in.”
“She got to you, too, huh?” I ask.
“That she did.”
We sit in silence for a moment, neither of us wanting to make a move. All I want is to crawl into him, tell him I’m sorry, and admit I’m scared about the test. I wish I could ask him to forgive me for pushing him away, place my lips upon his, and have him show me the adoration he did last week. But I can’t.
“I can see the wheels turning in your head, Faith. Why are you so hesitant to give this a chance?”
He makes no move to touch me, and I feel desperate for the contact. “I can’t have you tied down to someone who may have cancer. Who may need constant attention, trips to the hospital, and deal with the heartache that I did with Jeremy.”
“That must have been the worst for you. Taking care of him. You must have hated him.”
Offended, my head snaps to the side to glare at him. “How can you say that? I loved him! I would have done anything for him, Henry! Anything!”
I feel the rage consume me, and now, I want to toss him out of my house. How could he think that I would have wanted to do anything else except take care of Jeremy in his time of need? To comfort him when he required it the most?
“As I would you,” Henry states plainly. His soft voice low but loud enough so I can hear the sincerity in it. “Do you think for a moment I wouldn’t treasure every last minute to be with you like you did with him? I want to be there for you, Faith. You deserve that, and when it’s all over, and you come home, I want to be the one to spoil you, comfort you, and make love to you each and every night.”
I crumble. His words hit me like a brick. I wouldn’t trade anything to be anywhere except next to Jeremy during his trials and tribulations, and I know if I have to go through the same thing, that Henry is who I want by my side.
“And after this is all over,” he continues. “I want to help you raise those girls. I will never take Jeremy’s place. They will know how amazing their father was, but they’ll also know, as I do, how strong their mother is and how much she loves them. I want to make you happy, Faith. Please, give me the chance to do that. I’m begging you.”
I can’t hold back the faucet of tears as they slide down my cheeks and onto my jeans. I don’t understand what is holding me back, but I can’t let it control me anymore. I want to live my life, and I know I want to live it with Henry.
“I’m scared,” I confess.
He shakes his head. “I know. So am I, but I know everything will be okay, Faith. I promise.”
Epilogue
