Did I give up too quickly?
Did I not give Leo a fair shot?
Was I sabotaging us by figuring out how to take our baby home?
No. My visa is only good for twelve months. I know this. Leo knows this. It’s not like I could leave my baby girl behind. What did Leo expect me to do?
Was it really as easy as him talking to his lawyer to get it extended?
“Evening, Reagan.” Evelyn’s voice echoes around the tiny space. “How are you today?”
“Same as yesterday.” This has become our routine. Evelyn has been making me every meal and bringing it over, watching over me. Mothering me when my own mom can’t be here. If it weren’t for Evelyn, my mom would’ve been on the first plane here.
And that was a stress I wasn’t ready for. I love her, but having her worry and fret over me would’ve made it worse.
“Today it’s simple. Soup and bread. Low sodium, of course.” She sets a bowl of piping hot soup on the table. It’s another one of the times I allow myself to move. My couch is beginning to mold to my ass.
“Smells delicious.”
She nods. “It is. I had some. But if you don’t need anything, I have myself a hot date.”
I snort, pulling everything closer to me. It’s hard to eat with how big my bump is. “What’s his name?”
“Walter. And boy, is he a dreamboat.”
I laugh around the hot soup as I suck down a bite. “Evelyn, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you. This is delicious.”
Her wrinkly hand pats my cheek. “Oh, Reagan. You don’t need to do anything to pay me back. But I hope that once this baby comes, you’ll make things right with Leo.”
My appetite leaves me in a whoosh. I swirl the soup in the bowl, staring down into it. “It’s not that easy.”
“If that’s what you want to tell yourself. I saw the look in his eyes at the hospital. He is so far gone for you. I don’t know what’s keeping you apart, but you’re having a child together.”
“I know. It’s just about the only thing I can think of.” Harsher than I intend, I cover my face. “Sorry. It’s been a stressful few weeks.”
“I know. But might it be a little easier if you made up with that hunk of yours?”
Lip quivering, images of Leo flash through my mind. Of him taking me to the zoo. Riding the Ferris wheel. Him cooking me breakfast shirtless. Waking up every night and having him there beside me.
Knowing Evelyn won’t leave unless I concede her point, I smile and nod at her. “If I say I’ll consider it, will you leave? You need to get ready for your date.”
Evelyn drops a kiss on the crown of my head. “I know you probably won’t, but I’ll take what I can get right now.”
“Thanks, Evelyn. Hopefully Walter knows what he’s getting into.”
“Oh, honey. He doesn’t, but that’s what makes it fun.” She waves over her shoulder as she leaves my small place.
I wish it was as easy as telling Leo to come back. For me to go back to his place and have him take care of me. But him taking care of me means he would need to be there. It’s obvious Leo is dedicated to his job. Would it kill him to give some of that dedication to me? Not even me, but to our child.
God, I sound so whiny, even though I don’t mean to. But staring at the four walls of my apartment all day leaves me nothing else to do other than stew over every way this could have gone.
But maybe if I stayed in Australia, Leo would be apt to work less. That if Sydney became home, Leo and I could make this work.
It can’t be as simple as that, can it?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Leo
