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“I’ll find something. If you need a drink, I’ll pour you something.”
“Even after the way I treated you?”
“Of course, sweetie. Come on.” Rita dragged her toward the kitchen.
“We don’t have to do this.”
“Yeah,” Ariana said, pulling out a chair for her. “Actually we do. We hate seeing you in pain.”
“Red or white?” Rita asked, and opened the pantry. “Or rosé? Champagne? Coolers? Looks like you have it all.”
“I don’t care.” Lia buried her face in her hands.
Ariana rested her hand on Lia’s arm.
Two minutes later, Rita slid glasses of rosé in front of them. She sipped from a steaming mug, sitting on the other side of Lia. “Tell us what’s going on. We’re your support, but we can’t help if we don’t know what’s going on.”
Lia gulped down half of her glass. “Trying to get pregnant isn’t going like Charles and I thought it would. It isn’t like we expected it to happen the first month, but it’s been ten months.” Her voice cracked. “And my doctor just says to give it more time. She won’t even consider anything to help us medically — it hasn’t been long enough. And I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
“I’m so sorry,” Rita said. “Aren’t there tests you can do to find out what’s going on?”
Lia shrugged. “If there are, she wants to wait until we’ve been trying for a full year. She told me to relax and not worry about it until then. Obviously, she’s never had any trouble conceiving!”
“I wonder why she’s making you wait,” Ariana said. “Have you thought about getting a second opinion?”
“No. She made it sound like standard protocol. Put your dreams on hold for a year before even thinking about intervention.”
“I’d get another opinion,” Rita said. “Ari has the right idea.”
“What if that person tells me the same thing?” Lia finished off her drink.
Rita poured herself more coffee. “Then you know you’re on the right track. But if you find someone willing to actually help you, then you can move forward. What do you have to lose? At least you’ll know you’ve tried everything.”
“I can give you my doctor’s information,” Ariana offered.
“Does she help people before a year?”
“I’m not sure — the subject hasn’t come up. But you can ask when you call.”
Lia sighed. “I guess.”
“I can give you my doctor’s number too,” Rita said. “Now you have two more options. And two friends who want the best for you.”
“Thanks.” Lia wiped her eyes. “Sorry for getting mad last night. I know you didn’t get pregnant to rub my face in it.”
“Not at all. I wish it was you. If life was fair, it would’ve been. My husband is in prison and the baby’s father is dead. This isn’t how I dreamed about my life turning out. I’m in no place to have a baby, but here I am.”
“And here we are,” Lia said, “wanting nothing more than to have one.”
“Life makes no sense. And trust me when I say, I really do wish it was you. You and Charles would make the best parents. You deserve eight babies, if that’s what you want.”
“Don’t say that.” Lia laughed through the tears.
“What can we do for you?” Ariana asked.
“Text me those numbers.” Lia emptied her glass again. “You think your doctors might be more helpful?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Ari said, “but she’s always really helpful with whatever questions I have.”
