holding.
“What’s that?”
“Our ice cream. I picked up a fresh carton. It worked when you came to see me, so I figured it couldn’t hurt.”
A slight smile came and went as Jeff turned and walked into the kitchen and got two bowls and spoons.
“Ice cream first. We can talk while we eat.”
That sounded fine to her. Jeff scooped out two generous servings and put the container in the freezer. They carried their bowls into the living room and sat on opposite ends of the sofa.
“So go ahead. Explain why you didn’t tell me about our baby. When did you find out, by the way?”
Abby took a deep breath. He wasn’t going to like her answer. “The day I asked you to leave.”
“Are you serious? You could have told me then. I never would have had to leave.”
Abby tried to explain. “I didn’t want you to change because of the baby. I wanted you to do it for me, because we were important enough.”
“Okay. So then why not tell me when I moved back in?”
“I wanted to make sure the change was real, that it would last. You’ve done that before, you know. Changed for a few weeks then gone back to the long hours again. I just wanted to wait until I was sure.”
“So, you’re saying all this time you still haven’t been sure?” He sounded frustrated, and she didn’t blame him.
“No. The longer I waited, the harder it was to tell you, so I put it off. I wanted to tell you. I would have soon, I swear. I was just waiting for the right moment.”
“So, you’re not still unsure about us?” Jeff’s spoon clanged in his empty bowl as he set it on the coffee table.
“I’m completely sure. And I’m so glad that you know now. Are you excited about the baby?”
“Of course I am. I was just completely shocked. Especially since the IVF didn’t work. So I wasn’t expecting that we could do it naturally. Did the doctor explain why it happened now?”
“She said that sometimes it just happens when people stop trying and the pressure is off. So, are we okay now? Will you come home?” Abby needed him to come home. She was so relieved that he knew, finally. But she couldn’t relax until they were okay again.
“I guess I could come home.” He smiled. “Do you know what we’re having yet?”
“No, but we can find out in about six weeks. You can come with me then for the ultrasound, if you want to?”
“I want to.”
Chapter 19
Two months later, Mid-June
Jack laughed at the cash register sound that came from Kate’s computer. They were heading out to meet Philippe and his newest girlfriend, Angela, another model from L.A. He was in town for the long weekend and for the Nantucket Film Festival. Kate was excited to go for the first time. She’d always been away, either at college or working in Boston and had always wanted to go, but it had never worked out. Philippe had VIP tickets to some of the screenings and parties and was excited to introduce her to some of his Hollywood friends, producers and directors that he worked with.
“How are sales today?” Jack asked as the computer made the ‘ka-ching’ sound again. It made Kate laugh. It still seemed surreal to her that people were actually buying her book online. She’d uploaded it herself, had a cover made, the book edited and booked ads to market it. She pulled up the software that tracked her daily sales.
Philippe had read the book as he’d promised and had given her several pages of notes on things to fix. It had shaken her at first, and she doubted that the book was good enough and questioned whether she should be writing. But then, she realized what a gift he’d given her—a roadmap on how to make her book better. He’d followed up his email with a phone call where he told her the book was good, really good and just needed some structural tweaks to make it so compelling that readers wouldn’t be able to put it down. She slept on his suggestions and then spent the next week making the changes.
He read again and gave it the thumbs up, and then she sent it off to an editor that he recommended. Philippe also advised against trying to publish traditionally and suggested that she do it herself so she could get it out there right away. He also asked if she’d let him show it