Wren: Checking in before I go to bed. You okay?
Charlie: Just peachy.
Wren: I get this is a lot to process.
Charlie: It’s nothing a pint of ice cream can’t fix.
Wren: You’ll want to keep an emergency snack stash.
Charlie: I’ll never get over you eating pickles topped with whipped cream.
Wren: You won’t be so smug once your own cravings kick in.
Charlie: Can’t wait *eye-roll emoji
With my luck, I’ll crave nothing but sugar, and I’ll have to constantly limit myself or think twice before eating anything.
Wren: I’m here for whatever you need.
Charlie: Thanks for putting up with me.
Wren: Anytime.
It really sucks that she lives across the country, especially now. She’s the most level-headed one in our group, and she was the person I went to when I needed to vent growing up. We still talk on the phone, but it’s not the same since she moved away. Days like this remind me how much I miss her.
I set my phone aside, fixing my gaze on the bills scattered around me, several marked with harsh red “Overdue Notice” warnings. Between my medical bills, shop costs, and Grams’s care, most months are a balancing act—shuffling the money I have on hand and hoping it stretches far enough to avoid missing another minimum payment.
Money was already tight before Grams moved to Meadowbrook, but the website I set up for Timeless Threads helped keep us afloat by selling rare finds online. However, even with the state grant, which covers half her room and board, I’ve still fallen behind on the extra expenses. Now with a baby on theway, there’s no way I can stay in denial any longer and pretend that this is a sustainable long-term solution.
Would it really be so wrong to accept Heath’s proposal if it meant a stable future for the baby and me?
Despite his caveman logic that we should rush into marriage because I’m pregnant, it’s hard not to swoon over a man who jumps in to save the day.
It’s a far cry from the guys I usually sleep with. The last one asked me on a date after we spent a night together, then left me on read for three days after I said yes. When we finally went out, he spent more time checking in with his mom than with me, yet still had the nerve to ask to split the bill because he claimed I didn’t show enough interest to justify paying.
Heath would never.
I lean over and grab my notebook from the coffee table, flipping to a fresh page. After my diabetes diagnosis, it was difficult learning to stay consistent in tracking my numbers. Dr. Hansen suggested I keep a handwritten record of my numbers and meals for a while to build a routine before fully transitioning to the apps.
It worked wonders in helping me stay consistent as I adjusted to the change. Around the same time, I also started marking pros and cons lists, which made it easier to cope with losing some autonomy and to make more intentional decisions about what I could still control.
Pros & Cons of Marrying Heath Halstead:
Pros:
He runs a successful business
He’s level-headed. (unlike me when I’m hangry)
