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“Of course, I would do anything for her, but I don’t even have a job yet myself. And I’ve got Henry to think of.”
“Is your parents’ mortgage paid off?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Good. Your mother has a house. Your father, once he is caught, will be going to prison for the rest of his life.”
“I’ll find some work, maybe open a business in town. My mother won’t want for money. That’s not really my biggest concern. Right now, she’s a mess. She just found out that her husband killed her nephew, her sister’s son. And God knows how many other people he killed or hurt. She went to her sister’s house, but she couldn’t tell her the truth. I had to take her to the hospital.”
“I’m so sorry. I’ll go to the city and see her if you’d like.”
“I would appreciate that.”
“I’m currently on a leave of absence from practicing, but I’ll be happy to visit with her.”
“She doesn’t deserve this.” Bryce shook his head.
“No, she doesn’t,” Melanie said. “And neither do you. Neither does Talon, or Jonah, or any of us. But we’re all involved in this up to our necks at this point. We may never uncover the entire truth, but we’re certainly looking.”
“I should go,” Bryce said, finishing his beer. “Henry needs me. And I need him.”
“Children have a way of keeping things in perspective,” Melanie said. “When you’re feeling like you can’t take it anymore, when you think your life is going down one big hole, look at your son. Look at that miracle. That will bring you back.”
I stared at Melanie, her green eyes as beautiful as ever. How did she get to be so wise? It wasn’t just a psychiatric education. She had wisdom beyond her years.
“Thanks.” Bryce stood and held out his hand to Melanie.
She stood, took his hand, and then pulled him into a hug. “It will be all right. Not today and not tomorrow, not even next year maybe. But you will get through this.”
We walked Bryce to the door and said good-bye.
“I’m going to let Lucy in,” I said, “and then, Melanie, let’s go to bed. I’m fucking exhausted.”
She smiled. “You read my mind.”
After Lucy came in, getting pets from both of us, I turned back to Melanie. “I love what you said about Henry. About how a child puts everything in perspective. I’m not a father, and I never thought I wanted to be one, but now, knowing you, having seen what my brother was able to get through, I think I do want to be a father. I really do.”
Melanie pulled me down for a quick kiss. “I’m so glad to hear you say that, Jonah, because there’s something we need to discuss.”
Chapter Forty–Three
Melanie
“What?” he asked.
I looked down. My breasts were tender, more tender than normal. Granted, Jonah had been particularly affectionate with them, but they were tender inside. And when I had gone to take my birth control pill this evening after my shower, something occurred to me.
My period should’ve started a day or two ago.
This wasn’t overly unusual for me, even on the pill. I would go a day or two off schedule every once in a while, but something came to me that hadn’t previously. And as I was a physician, it should have, except that my mind had been understandably occupied with other things.
“You know I’m on birth control pills,” I said.
“Yeah?”
“Well…if you don’t take your pill at the same time every day, or if you miss a day or two, the chances of pregnancy go way up.”
“Melanie?”
