Damn it!
I went to the kitchen and downed a couple glasses of water, trying to get the fog out of my head. Everything slowly came back to me in detail.
I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Cane.
“Hello?” he asked.
“Hey. Is Kari around? She went to your place last night, right?”
The sound was muffled for a minute. “Yeah, but Jada said Kari got called into work.”
“So she went to the hospital today?”
“Yeah.” I heard a door open and close. Wind whipping across the speaker made it a little harder to hear. “Look, Max. Kari told me everything last night. She was a mess.”
I swallowed hard, guilt and uncertainty settling over me. I didn’t know how to fix this mess but I knew I had to get some resolution one way or the other. “Yeah.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure I saved your ass. Just so you know.”
“How do ya figure that?”
“She’s worried that she’s being selfish by loving you and not being able to have kids. She thinks she’s cheating you outta life or something. So I explained to her that she’s wrong. That you love HER, not her ovaries.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right.”
“I always am, my friend. I always am. But I think she believed me, which is the important part. So now you need to do your part and go to her. Reinforce what I said.”
“The irony of you doling out relationship advice is not lost on me.”
“I’m turning into the wise one. I always said you’d need me one day. Last night was your day. You’re welcome.”
I felt my spirits lift a little. “So she didn’t leave because she still loves Blaine?”
“I think she’d like to de-nut Blaine, if she could.” He snorted. “I’ve always liked Kari. But it’s you, my friend, she loves. She left last night because she loves you. Just like I think you let her leave because you love her.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as his words rang through my head. “Oh, how roles change...”
He laughed heartily into the phone. “Go get your girl. I’m running in to talk to my attorneys now.”
Kari
I refilledmy coffee in the cafeteria. I needed the caffeine to keep me going. Thankfully, it was a slow day in the ER.
I hadn’t slept much the night before, replaying everything in mymind. I hoped to heavens Cane was right, but I couldn’t go to Max and ask him. I needed him to come to me.
It was the only way I’d know for sure that he was truly okay with everything.
My phone buzzed as I reached my table and I grabbed it. “Hello?”
“I’m surprised you answered.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m surprised you called me back, Blaine, after I told you to never call me anymore.”
“I’ve never done what I was supposed to,” he said softly. “Let me make that up to you.”
His words caused me to choke on the coffee I had just sipped. “Really? You think you can ever make it up to me that you left me while I was pregnant? You’re dumber than I thought.”
“We had something, Kari. I was young and dumb and I know I was wrong. But it’s weighed on my conscience ever since and...just give me the opportunity to make it right. I loved you and I know you loved me. Now, when I look at you, I see that girl I once knew. Let’s just see if there’s anything there.”
