Page 45 of Prognosis Irreconcilable Differences

Jacqui snorted. ‘Because of the squillions of dollars?’

Nathan chuckled. ‘No. Plastic surgery is where the big bucks are. I went into it because of you.’

Jacqui shook her head. This whole thing was insane. She wouldn’t let him sweet-talk her when she was about to go back to her life. One that she loved. ‘Oh, come on, Nate. Bet if I had chronic psoriasis you wouldn’t have become a dermatologist.’

He gave her a gentle smile. ‘I remember all those months too, Jacq. The negative tests, the arrival of your period, the investigations. I know how much it devastated you.’

‘You didn’t want a baby. Not like I did.’

He nodded. ‘No. But I do now. With you.’

The whole room seem to narrow down to a tunnel. One that was big enough for the two of them and nothing else. And the air was thick. Tense. Jacqui wanted to believe him, wanted to let it all go, but it just seemed too easy. And nothing between them had ever been easy.

‘Why?’

Nathan held his breath for a second. He could see she was wavering. Maybe there was hope. Maybe she still loved him too. He turned back to the board and unpinned a photo at random. He walked towards her and handed it over.

‘There’s a lot of years there on that board, a lot of babies. Other people’s babies.’

He looked down at the photo he’d given her. He was standing behind a lounge chair, where a set of new parents were looking down adoringly at a swaddled infant with such rapture it seemed almost too intimate a moment to capture.

‘I’m tired of nursing other people’s babies, Jacq. Of helping to bring them into the world. I want my own baby. I want to see my baby growing inside the belly of the woman I love.’ He stopped and placed a hand on Jacqui’s stomach. ‘I want to look at something that we created with that same wonder and awe, like we’ve just received a rare precious gift. Is it so unbelievable that I’d want to share my life with someone?’

Jacqui felt hot tears sting her eyes as she looked at the photos, felt his hand on her belly. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The only thing she’d ever wanted more than Nathan was his child. A tear ran down her face and splashed on the photo.

‘Hey.’ Nathan lifted her chin gently and looked down into her blurry toffee gaze.

‘It may never happen. I already have documented fertility issues. I’m older. It’ll be so much harder.’

Nathan felt his heart soar. Was that a yes? Was she taking a step towards him? ‘Lucky for you, I know this great fertility specialist.’

Jacqui laughed, dislodging more tears down her face. She shut her eyes as Nathan wiped them away with his thumbs. Then she opened them again. ‘I mean it, Nate.’

‘So then we’ll adopt, or we’ll foster, or we’ll get a surrogate. Whatever it takes, Jacqui. I love you. Whatever it takes. I want this.’ He pointed to the photo.

Jacqui looked at it too. That was all she’d ever wanted. To be a family with the man she loved. She’d never dared hope that it was all there for the taking. ‘But—’

‘Shh,’ Nathan interrupted, placing his fingers across her mouth, sensing her doubts. ‘It’s got nothing to do with misplaced nostalgia, or being on some high over the float, or the decisions I’ve made tonight. I don’t ever want you to leave my side again. My life has been so empty without you. I just didn’t realise it till you came back and filled it again.’

Jacqui looked up into his face. It was open and earnest and she believed him. Hadn’t there been an emptiness in her life that no amount of country living had ever been able to fill?

‘And I’ll eat organic bacon and drink organic coffee, even though it tastes like dirt, and I’ll grow to love mung beans and dress in hemp suits and worship the solstice. Whatever it takes, Jacqui.’

Jacqui laughed and sobbed at the same time. ‘I don’t know what to say,’ she whispered.

‘Oh, God, Jacq. I love you too would be good.’

She laughed through the tears that still shone in her eyes. ‘Oh, Nate.’ She leaned forward and kissed him. Once. Twice. Three times. ‘Of course I love you. I don’t think I ever stopped.’

Nathan kissed her back. A sweet kiss full of joy and celebration. He broke off. ‘And you want to reconcile and have babies with me?’

Jacqui sighed. ‘I want to have many, many babies with you. Can we start now?’

Nathan laughed against her mouth. ‘I think we should. How do you feel about office desks?’

She looked behind her. ‘Well, they’re kind of hard,’ she said, knocking on the wood. ‘But sort of kinky.’

‘Kinky’s good,’ he said, and then forgot everything as Jacqui yanked him by the lapels and dragged him to her for a kiss that was hot and wild and exceedingly impatient.

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