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We flew home from Costa Rica the next morning, and Hunter refused to answer any of my questions. I called Emma and found out that Chad was awaiting trial, and my salon was ready for its reopening. Hunter sat in his seat with earbuds in, unaware that I knew his phone was turned off. Rachel had told me about his accident: four years ago, a trafficker shot Hunter during a rescue. He and Rachel saved the girls, but one of the bullets cut through Hunter’s pelvis. He’d lost a lot of blood and had nearly died. The internal injury to his groin was irreparable.
I hated and admired him at the same time. He’d risked his life to save those girls, and as a result, had lost so much. Or was it me who’d lost? Was that why my blood boiled with anger? The picture of the beautiful family I’d dreamed of was gone, but what hurt more were his lies. He knew what making love to him meant to me. He made me feel stupid, and the betrayal made me sick to my stomach. I was nauseous all the way home and threw up in a trashcan as soon as I crossed my home’s threshold.
“Are you all right?” He passed me a tissue, and I wiped my mouth.
“Now you wanna talk?”
“I never meant to hurt you or give you hope.”
“What did you think coming inside me would give me? A miracle baby?” Because that was exactly what I’d hoped for. A miracle baby without viable eggs… but I didn’t know I had no viable sperm. “You knew what making love to you meant to me—”
“Yeah, a baby. You’ve been very clear on that, Grace. I’m just a sperm donor for your baby. Although I thought we’d already established you weren’t ovulating and had no viable eggs. So why was all the hope placed on me?”
My face heated and my hand flew to his face.
“Fuck you, Hunter.”
The slap stuck and stung my palm. He barely moved. Tears welled in my eyes, and my throat seized. I hurried up the stairs, gathered a change of clothes, and slammed the washroom door behind me. The echo shook through my bones. I locked the door and twisted the shower knob.
The flow of the water did little to ease the tension in my neck, and I tilted back my head. It felt like I’d woken up from a dream and plunged headfirst into a nightmare. I didn’t know what I saw in that stupid jungle…and the stupid beautiful eco-lodge…and the stupid waterfall. This here, was so much better. Water on demand, washing away the stress and sorrow. Truth was, it barely washed anything away. Maybe the tears, but they’d come back. How could they not?My dreams were gone, and it was his fault.
A loud knock on the door startled me, and I nearly slipped.
“Grace, are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
I regained my footing and turned off the shower. Hunter must have gone downstairs because I didn’t hear him anymore. I got myself ready, grabbed my purse, and hurried downstairs, heading for the front door. He was leaning against the wall with his foot propped up and his arms crossed.
“Where are you going?”
“To see my mother.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“Chad’s in custody. I believe I no longer need a chaperone. ”
He set his hands on his hips, and his mouth formed into a straight line. “I’m staying here until the trial is over,” he said.
“Whatever, Hunter. I’ve got things to do. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
I pushed past him. The light brush of his arm sent a feverish chill down my skin, reminding me of everything I’d had and lost. He stood in the doorway as I drove off. I watched his silhouette disappear in the rear-view mirror before I called my parents. My mother must have sensed the torment in my voice because she urged me to come over right away.
“It’s so good to see you.” She took me into her embrace and held me for a good few minutes, squeezing out the sorrow. “Come—we’re in the back.”
My father was sitting in a lounge by the pool. He set his beer aside and stood up.
“Grace. Finally! I’ve missed you, girl.”
I hugged him tightly, holding on for stability. God, it was so good to be in his arms. When Hunter took me to Costa Rica, everything had been clear; but now it was a mess. I didn’t know where to start or what to say.
“Hi, Dad. It’s good to see you too.”
I sat down, and my mother brought out some lemonade.
“So, how was Costa Rica?” she asked.
“It was nice to get away, but I’m glad to be back, and even more happy that Chad’s in custody.”
