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I swallow the dryness in my throat. “Umm, I doubt I’d be able to get time off work, sorry, Estelle.” I could definitely get the time off work.
She’s quiet for a moment. “Please, Callie. I know why you would hesitate, but I hope you’ll come anyway. You’re like a daughter to me.”
She’s really pulling out the big guns tonight. I have to admit, though, that I feel like she’s the mother I never had. Estelle has shown me more support and encouragement than my own mother. She’s always checking in on me and cheering me on when I’m having a down day.
I take a deep breath as I prepare to commit to something I’m not sure I should. “When is it?”
“The sixth of August. I’ll be arriving on the third, though, and would like you to come early if you can so we can spend some time together.”
You can do this.
A few days with Estelle and then you can fly back here and put him out of your mind again.
“Okay, I would love to come. Thank you for inviting me.”
Her happiness blares through the phone. We end the call with her promising to send me all the information and tickets tomorrow.
I’ve just hung up from her when Avery calls.
“Babe, please tell me you’re going to Estelle’s wedding.”
She laughs. “I see she’s already asked you. She told me she would. I was going to mention it to you today. And yes, I’ll be there.”
“Oh, thank God! Because I’m not sure I could do Luke without you. Now, tell me how you’re feeling. Did you have your doctor appointment today?”
“Yes, and I’m feeling fine except for this goddamn heartburn I can’t shift.”
“Did Tyler go with you?”
“God, that man will be the end of me. He came and he drove me insane. Callie, he’s trying to dictate what cot I can buy and what pram I can choose. He even started talking about schools today. Schools! For fuck’s sake, the baby isn’t even born yet.”
I can’t help it. I burst out laughing. These two need to just have sex again and get it out of their system. That, and admit once and for all how much they want each other. Seven months of pregnancy has only brought them closer together as they navigate the tricky waters of bringing a child into the world while not together.
“At least your child has a father who is going to be there for it,” I remind her.
“Well, there is that, I guess. And I’m thankful for his involvement, honestly, but he’s being a tad overbearing for my liking.”
“Estelle makes ‘em bossy, that’s for sure.” My heart beats a little faster as I think about Luke. Even after all these months, the pain hasn’t gone away.
“Luke asked me about you yesterday,” she says softly.
I want to beg her for every single last detail of that conversation, but I don’t. “How is he?” When I first moved, I made it a rule that we weren’t to talk about him, but over the last couple of weeks she’s been sneaking him into our conversations. Estelle has been, too.
“He’s still moody as hell. I hope you know that you leaving made my life hard. Sean still talks about you. That kid misses you something bad. But at least he has his mum kind of back in his life.”
I grip the phone harder. I miss Sean just as much. The day I left Australia, I dropped by Luke’s place to say goodbye to Sean. I couldn’t leave without doing that. It had been almost as hard as leaving Luke. I wanted to keep in touch with him, but it wouldn’t have been fair to anyone. “Do you know how Jolene is?”
“Luke doesn’t talk about her to me very much, but I asked Tyler and he said she’s doing it tough waiting for the appeal to come up. Luke takes Sean twice a week to see her and from what I know, they’re growing closer. I don’t know much more. Except that Luke and Jolene aren’t getting back together. I overheard him talking to Tyler about the divorce.”
“So they’re definitely getting a divorce?” I don’t even want to admit to myself how much I crave the answer to this question.
“Callie, it’s gone through. Luke and Jolene are divorced.”
My legs go weak and I steady myself by grabbing hold of the kitchen counter and leaning against it.
“Babe, are you still there?” she asks when I don’t say anything.
