“He won’t be,” she said. “Because I’ll be mad if I have to ask him to tell me. If you do, I’ll just be able to keep an eye on things.”

  Freya’s head went back and forth. “It’s not serious. I mean he’s better. He ended up with a bleeding ulcer. He tried to talk to Keri about not feeling well, the stress, not sleeping. Just simple things like that and Keri didn’t want to hear it. She wasn’t strong enough.”

  “She wanted to be taken care of and not take care of someone else?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure what she wanted or even knew herself. What she didn’t want was to think the man she married wasn’t the picture in her head. She had this image of her life and what she thought it’d be.”

  “I got that impression too,” she said. “Just based on what Hugh has said.”

  “I worried about him in that job. Some people can get in and out and be fine. He never planned on staying long. Just a few more years and then Kevin ran out into the road. That bothered him more than anything else.”

  “I’ve seen a lot of poverty in my life,” she said. “Not like poverty in America.”

  “Hugh did tell me that. So you can understand some of what he’s seen.”

  “Not to this extent, but it’s not like I pretend evil doesn’t exist in the world either.”

  “That’s right,” Freya said. “You can’t put your head in the sand. My son needs someone strong by his side. I’m glad he has you.”

  “I’m glad I have her too,” Hugh said.

  They both turned to see him standing there. “We are just chatting,” Freya said. “And putting food together.”

  “So I see and heard. Why don’t you give us a few minutes, Mom,” he said. “I’ll help Dahlia finish up.”

  Freya hugged her and then moved past her out of the kitchen.

  “Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t ask. She just talked.”

  “I’m sure she did,” he said. “She’s good that way.”

  “But I told her you’ve been very open about things with me.”

  “I’m trying,” he said. “And she would have told you that I didn’t open up much as a kid but then did it with Keri.”

  “And she rejected it?” she asked.

  “In her way,” he said.

  “Your mother was just happy that you didn’t retreat back to your old self,” she said.

  She wouldn’t bring up anything about finding out he was in the hospital. If he wanted her to know, he’d tell her. At least she hoped he did.

  “It’s easier to be open, but you’ve been doing it with me so the least I can do is the same.”

  “Don’t do it if you don’t want to,” she said firmly.

  “Dahlia. You should know by now I don’t do anything I don’t want to do. We are committed and people in that situation do what is right even when it’s hard.”

  She blinked her eyes a few times. “Yeah, they do. None of this is easy.”

  “But it doesn’t need to be hard either. Remember that.”

  “I’m trying.”

  35

  PERFECT FOR YOU

  “Thanks for letting us kill some time here,” his mother said a week later.

  His family’s flight wasn’t until five and they had time to get to the airport but needed to be out of their rental by ten. It’s not like he had much going on so they were back to spend a few hours with him and Dahlia.

  “Never a problem,” he said.

  “I like Dahlia a lot,” his mother said.

  “You’ve spent enough time talking to her,” he said.

  All day Saturday, then again on Sunday. He took a day off to take them around this week but Dahlia worked. She was saving her time for when the baby came and told him she’d let him enjoy time with his family.

  “She’s very easy to talk to,” his mother said.

  His father snorted from the chair he was sitting in on the patio. Dahlia was on the dock with Hannah, Emily and Emma. The girls were getting some sun.

  “I’m not sure she’d think she was.”

  “I think so,” his mother said. “She’s perfect for you.”

  He squinted one eye at his mother. “I’m not sure anyone is perfect.”

  Though he’d say what he and Dahlia had right now was pretty close. He tried not to get in his own head because he thought early on Keri was perfect too and look at how well that turned out.

  “Your mother is,” his father said.

  His mother snorted this time. “He knows after all these years of marriage he must say that.”

  “I hope to have half of what you two have,” he said.

  “You’ll have more than half,” his mother said. “One, because you both want the same thing. Two, because Dahlia doesn’t seem to be someone who shies away from anything. Three, you love each other enough to make it work.”

  “I hope you’re right,” he said, looking toward the water. He heard his nieces laughing with Dahlia. She’d taken them to Blossoms earlier and let them pick out a few things to go home with. He thought that was nice of her.

  “When are you going to tell Dahlia’s parents about the baby?” his mother asked.

  “Tonight,” he said. “I told her there is no reason to wait. Since it’s a weekend, her father won’t be as busy. It will be Sunday morning there, so after dinner. Might as well start the day off for them with the news.”

  “I’m sure they will be happy,” his mother said.

  “No clue. I think Dahlia is nervous. But I told her not to be. It’s not like it’s going to change anything. On top of that, Jasmine got pregnant before she was married and pretty early in the relationship too.”

  “Not like two weeks in,” his father said, smirking.

  “Not ideal,” he said. “I guess it’s a good thing we love each other and get along so well.”

  “You’ve always been one to put everything you’ve got into anything you touch in life. You’ll do the same here,” his mother said. “Are you thinking of marriage?”

  It had been in his mind, but he knew enough to not bring it up with Dahlia anytime soon.

  “In the future,” he said. “She’s not there yet. We need to get through things one day at a time. I’m glad she is in the house now.”

  “Seems as if she is feeling better too,” his mother said. “No more passing out?”

  “No,” he said. “She still is queasy and gets sick now and again, but it’s not daily so that is a good thing.”

  He was hoping being out of the first trimester played a big part in it. That along with the iron supplements even though Dahlia hated taking them.

  “I never had to deal with that when I was carrying you and Hannah so I feel bad for her,” his mother said.

  He turned and saw Dahlia coming through the fence with his sister and the twins laughing and then running past them.

  “We are hungry, Uncle Hugh,” Emma said. “Dahlia said you’d grill us hot dogs.”

  “She did?” he said. “I didn’t know I was doing that.”

  Dahlia walked closer and had her hand on her belly. “I’m hungry. Baby wants some salty processed food.”

  He laughed. It was the look on her face as if she couldn’t believe she even wanted to eat it herself. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. Crazy, I know. I’ll pay the price later I’m sure.”

  “Or not,” he said. “I’ll start the grill.”

  “I’ll get everything out,” she said.

  “I can help,” his mother said, standing up.

  “No,” Dahlia said. “We’ve got it. Relax. I know how much fun traveling can be.”

  “I heard you don’t like to fly,” his father said.

  “Not my favorite thing to do in this world.”

  Hugh followed Dahlia into the kitchen. “I’ve got it,” he said. “You go sit.”

  “Hugh. I’m pregnant, not handicapped. Stop babying me.”

  Keri would have demanded it, but he had to remember they were two different people. “Okay,” he said.

  She opened the fridge and handed him two packages of hot dogs. “Here you go. I’ll pull out the pasta salad and some chips.”

  He saw her making it this morning and figured she’d just clue him in on what was being served. He was just as happy to bring his family out to eat or order in.

  He went outside and started the gas grill, then turned when Dahlia came out with plates and napkins on top of the bowl of pasta salad.

  She made a few trips in and out with everything while he cooked the hot dogs.

  Thirty minutes later everyone had finished their lunch and were just talking about school starting for the girls and if they were excited.

  “Dahlia said that she never sat in a classroom until college, Grandma,” Emily said.

  “I know,” his mother said. “Dahlia had a pretty unique upbringing.”

  He liked how his mother didn’t say exciting when many thought it was. He knew Dahlia and her sisters didn’t feel that way. She didn’t talk too much about it now, but once in a while a few comments slipped through.

  Mostly in the context of her making sure her child didn’t go through what she had.

  “That’s a good description,” she said. “But it all worked out in the end.”

  “Just like life normally does,” his father said.

  Hours later, his house was empty of all its guests and he and Dahlia were in his office both getting some work done.

  “If you’re not busy or have a minute, I think I just lost a formula or messed something up.”

  He’d been playing with the numbers for twenty minutes and they weren’t adding up the way they should be. He wasn’t sure why but knew the answer was wrong.

  “Sure,” she said. “Do you need to change data so I don’t see it?”

  “No,” he said. “It’s fine. You won’t be able to tell by this sheet what I’m doing.”

  Not that he worried all that much either.

  She moved her chair over to his desk. He’d set her up on the side so they had their backs to each other. Not that he cared, but she said she didn’t want the distraction of looking at him.

  He found it funny and laughed and she blushed.

  If she always felt that way about him he’d be one happy man in life alone.

  It took her less than one minute to fix whatever he had done wrong and then moved back for him to see it.

  “Anything else you need me to do for you?”

  She was laughing at him. “Nope,” he said. “At least not here in my office.”

  When he heard a ringing he looked over and saw it was Dahlia’s laptop. Her parents were calling as she’d told them to do when they were up and ready.

  Dahlia rolled her chair back and hit the button. “Good morning,” she said. “It’s not too early for you?”

  “No,” her mother said. “We’ve been up for an hour having our coffee and chatting.”

  “Like you normally do,” she said.

  Hugh was looking at the two people on the screen. Dahlia’s mother had long white hair in a braid that was over one shoulder. Her shirt was white and cotton and looked big on her. Simple came to mind. Her father was in a short-sleeved light blue button-down shirt that looked to have come out of the eighties in style. His hair was thinning and somewhat messy. “Mom and Dad, this is Hugh Crosby. Hugh, my parents, Tim and Andrea Greene.”

  “It’s so nice to meet you,” he said.

  “The same,” Andrea said. “We’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “Probably more from Ivy than me,” Dahlia said.

  “You know your sister,” her father said. “She’s just happy for you. I can see you’re happy too.”

  “Thank you, Dad. I am. We’ve got some news.”

  “Are you engaged like Ivy?” her mother asked.

  “No,” she rushed out to say. “I guess you could say I’m more like Jasmine. I’m pregnant.”

  There was some silence there. Her parents looked at each other and then her mother said, “How are you feeling?”

  No congratulations like his parents had. No excitement either.

  Dahlia had warned him that her parents wouldn’t react the same and that they were old fashioned that way.

  “Good days and bad,” she said.

  “Are you nauseous?” her father asked.

  “It comes and goes now. It’s better than it was.”

  “How far along are you?” her mother asked.

  “Just out of the first trimester. I’m about a month behind Jasmine.”

  “Oh,” her father said.

  “Though this pregnancy wasn’t planned,” Hugh said. “I love your daughter very much. She is living with me now and has been since the end of July.”

  “You never said a word, Dahlia,” her mother said.

  “Because you would have questioned it.” He nudged her with his hand to get her to tell her parents about her passing out. “I passed out a few times. Once at work. Jasmine and Ivy got scared and they called Hugh, he took me to the doctor. They didn’t know I was pregnant. We hadn’t told anyone. We did then. I was anemic and dehydrated from vomiting the night before. I’m much better now. I don’t even feel lightheaded.”

  “That’s good,” her father said. “What are you doing for the nausea?”

  He listened while Dahlia gave a medical update to her parents. They had some comments and suggestions but not much more.

  “I’m committed to your daughter and the raising of our children.”

  “Children?” Tim asked. “More than one?”

  “It's only one child,” Dahlia said.

  “I’m talking about this one and future children,” he said.

  Might as well get it out there now where his head was at. Dahlia turned and looked at him, then went back to her parents.

  They talked for another fifteen minutes and then hung up.

  “Sorry about that,” she said.

  “For what?” he asked.

  “I told you they weren’t going to be excited. They had a lot of questions.”

  “They are just concerned about you,” he said. “As parents should be.”

  “They shouldn’t have brought up marriage though,” she said. Dahlia had glossed over it with the engagement question that he realized was a joke earlier and then more seriously toward the end of the call.

  “I don’t have a problem with it, but I know you aren’t even ready to talk about things like that.”

  “No,” she said. “One day at a time.”

  Which was exactly the reaction he expected her to have.

  “How much more work do you have to do?” he asked. At this point it was past seven thirty.

  “I only need to finish up a few more things. I was doing a personal budget.”

  He sighed. “Dahlia.”

  “Stop,” she said. “You need to let me pay for more things. I’m going to show it all to you when I’m done. You need to know I can afford it. I’ve got a great job.”

  “I suppose we should sit down and talk about those things,” he said. “I just never did before with Keri. I paid for everything and she got the groceries and the rest of her money was what she spent on things in the house or herself.”

  “I don’t do things that way. I want a list of all the bills you’ve got, please.”

  He laughed. “I don’t want to fight about this. We’ll do it tomorrow and figure it out. No more talk tonight.”

  “Fine,” she said, giving him a kiss. “Thanks for giving in.”

  He moved over to his computer, saved his work and checked his email one more time. Still nothing from Kevin’s parents and he was shocked it’d been almost two months and two emails. Guess it was time to move on.

  “I’m going to get a beer.”

  “I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she said. “Maybe we can watch a movie and have some popcorn?”

  “Sounds like the best way to end the night,” he said. Anything to get him thinking of the future and not the past.

  36

  NEW IS A GOOD THING

  When the bed moved a few nights later, Dahlia opened her eyes expecting to see Hugh getting out of bed. He did it a lot when he couldn’t sleep and left the room.

  It bothered her, but she understood he didn’t want to keep her awake.

  This time though, he was lying next to her and was almost moving his arms around and moaning.

  “Hugh,” she whispered.

  He didn’t answer her and then turned fast, his arms came up and it looked as if he was aiming to shoot. That scared her enough that she started to shake him awake.

  “Don’t move!” he shouted.

  “Hugh!” she yelled and yanked on his arm. That was enough to get him to sit up so fast she almost fell out of bed.

  “Shit,” he said, flopping back down on his back. “Sorry.”

  “Hey,” she said, moving closer and wrapping her arms around his chest and all but crawling on him. His heart was racing she could feel under her. “It’s fine. Try to take a few deep breaths.”

  “Let me up,” he said.

  “Nope,” she said. “We are going to stay right here. We are going to take your mind off of it another way if you’re not going to talk about it.” There was silence so she added, “And you’re not going to run from what just happened.” Her hand started to move around his crotch when he remained silent.

  He snorted. “Really?”

  “Yep,” she said, kissing his chest, her fingers moving up. She wanted to talk but knew he wouldn’t. It was best to distract him.

  The fact she could feel his dick growing against her hip said she was doing a good job.

  “Maybe I should wake you up in the middle of the night more if this is what is going to happen.”

  “You think you’re so cute,” she said. Her mouth moved to his, she kissed him softly. He turned it into something more.

  If she wanted to soothe him, she realized that he had his own way of doing it and she wasn’t going to stop him.

  “I do think that,” he said. “Just like I think I’m going to make you very happy right now.”

  “I’m the one that wants to make you happy,” she said.

  His hands went to her hips, found the waistband of her underwear and yanked them down. She wiggled to help him and managed to kick them off while he got rid of his. She was left wearing her tank top only and that went up and over her head just as quickly.