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Her phone beeped.On my way home. I miss you already. Come over.
Closing her eyes again, she said another prayer,Protect Alphé, please,and blew out the candle.
Having been raised by two overachievers, a physician mother and her father a physicist who had worked in the space program, she’d learned early that it was easier to accomplish projects if she first set goals. It had infiltrated her personal life, and now the method had landed at her feet again.
“My goal is to have a child.”
It wasn’t to wed Alphé or to grow old with him. If he broke up her tomorrow, she would be fine. No, now that Maggie was on her way to motherhood, Katrina would only find satisfaction by having the same thing. It was the three musketeers’ syndrome. Annie, Maggie and Katrina.
But Maggie was right. She couldn’t do it by deceit. By manipulation, yes, but not by deceit.
Looking in the bathroom mirror, she repeated the mantra. “My goal is to have a child.” Brushing her teeth next, she thought of the words. Combing her hair, she repeated them out loud.
The short drive to Alphé’s gave her a chance to rehearse what she’d say. But when she pulled up, Calista was still there. She could see them in the doorway, talking.
“Great.”
She loved Calista, but it was hard to get rid of her. Tonight would be different because she had Austin Macon to get home to prepare for. When she saw Katrina, she called her kids’ names and opened the door to leave.
“I’ll talk to you all later.” She hugged Katrina. “I’m in love. Pray for me.”
“I will! Call me later. I’m not staying here past eight tonight.”
“Okay, send me a text when you get home.”
Alphé held the door for her.
“Are you beat?” she asked.
“I’m pretty beat. But seeing you is giving me new energy.”
“Is that right?” She kissed him. “Where are the kids?”
“Finishing up dinner. They’re cleaning the kitchen too, so we can stay out of there until they’re done. Come back to the bedroom and talk to me.”
He led her by the hand to his bedroom. It was slowly taking on more Alphé, less Lola. He’d removed all of her artwork and mementos, and there were no more of her clothes and shoes around.
“I like your bedding,” she said, noticing it was new. She’d seen the design at Walmart that afternoon, and it made her smile.
“What do you need to talk to me about? I’ve been nervous since you said it.”
“Sit down. I’ll get right to the point. I want to have a child, and I want to have one now. This is the perfect time for me. I have until the end of the year before I reach my corporate goal. All the changes take place at the beginning of the fiscal year. That gives me time to do what I need to do business wise, get pregnant, find childcare, and have the kid. I can even have a C-section if I don’t waste any time.”
He looked up at her, dumbfounded. Did people really plan like this? She’d put so much thought into having a baby.
“What do you think?”
“You know I don’t want more kids, Katrina. For you, I might consider it.”
“You would be under no obligation.”
“I’m not sure that’s realistic, Katrina. I’d love my child. I might not be able to support him financially, however.”
“That’s what I meant,” she said.
“Are you staying the night?”
“Not tonight. I have a flight out early tomorrow, but I’ll be home Thursday.”
