Fulfillment(73)

“Oh, yes, maybe.” I deliberated that notion for a second.

“Getting back to being intimate with Bryce may also help relieve your anxiety. Do you have any concerns about that?”

“We have been intimate.” I quickly correct myself, slightly stuttering. “We have obviously not made love yet...but we have had intimate moments.” Oh my God! I’m talking to Jessica about having sex with Bryce. Once upon a time I would have considered this an adynaton, maybe I need to look out the window and see if a pig flies past.

“That’s good. Like I said, getting back into your normal routine can only help your situation. Now, if you are planning to try again to have another baby, then you should wait a couple more weeks, but I’m sure your doctor talked to you about that.”

“Yes, she did.”

“Okay, good. So, how do you feel now, after our chat?”

“Do you always ask that question at the end of your ‘chats’?” I asked flatly.

“Yes.”

“So it’s a habit?”

“Yes, but I want to know your answer.” She packed up her briefcase and stood up.

“I feel better.”

“Good, as long as you don’t feel worse, then we are on the right track. Now, stay there, don’t get up. Bryce is on his way.” She walked toward the door.

“How do you know?”

“I sent him a text.”

I rolled my eyes. “Am I the only one who doesn’t do what he says?”

She smirked back at me. “Yes, I think so.”

As she turned the handle to the entryway door, the elevator doors opened and Bryce entered the room.

“I’ll speak to you tomorrow, Alexis. And Bryce, Gareth missed his session last week and he is not returning my phone calls. You know what is coming up, so if you see him again today, please tell him I want to see him as soon as possible.”

“Sure, thank you for letting me know.”

He walked over and held the door as she passed through it.





After Jessica left the apartment, Bryce made his way to the lounge and sat down.

“That makes sense you know,” I said.

“What makes sense?” he asked as he rubbed his hands up his arms. “Are you cold? I can put the fire on.” He got back up and made his way to the fire without waiting for me to answer. “Sorry, what makes sense?”

“Gareth wanting to leave so quickly when you mentioned Jessica was on her way here.”

“Yeah, I did pick up on that too. I will track him down shortly. He knows he shouldn’t be missing appointments with her, especially this time of year.” He sat back down and pulled me to him.

“Why? What’s this time of year?”

“The anniversary of the accident, it’s a week from Monday,” he answered, emotionlessly.

I snuggled into him as I watched the flames from the fire pick up. “Do you do anything to mark the day?”

“Yeah, we normally go to the cemetery. Would you like to come?”

I tilted my head to look up at him. “I’d love to.”

“Good, I’ve always hated going on my own.”

“Didn’t you just say ‘we’ normally go to the cemetery?”

“Yeah, Lucy, Nic, and Gareth.”

“Then you were never on your own, were you?”

“Yes, I was.”

I squeezed him tightly, understanding what he meant. “Well you aren’t anymore.”





CHAPTER NINETEEN





I never quite liked the feeling of impatience, even if it went hand in hand with an outcome of joy—a reward for the patience you had to endure. I hated the obsession with time, flicking to my watch every few minutes in the hope it would display a passing of hours instead. I hated the feeling of disappointment when I was so sure my wait was over, only to realise it wasn’t and having to be patient once again.

On this particular day, my impatience was a result of having to wait for Nate and Charlotte to arrive home. I was so eager to wrap my arms around them both, see their beautiful adorable faces and hear their sweet voices. But, as excited and eager as I was, I was also terrified, because I soon had to explain why my leg was broken and why I was no longer pregnant. It was a surreal type of impatience and I hated it even more.





The buzzer to the door sounded and I jolted excitedly, kicking the coffee table.

“Shit! Crap! Fucking Balls!”

“Alexis, for fuck’s sake, be careful. As much as I have enjoyed carrying you around these past two weeks, I don’t want you to re-break your foot again.”

“They’re here, Bryce!” I shrieked with a huge smile. “I haven’t seen them in two weeks. Do you know how hard that has been for me?”