Page 17 of The Next Chapters

Relieved and satisfied in equal measure, Gianna let out a breath. “Great. I’m glad we have that out of the way.”

Riley laughed quietly, and the sound of it settled inside of her before Riley urged, “Yes, now that we have that out of the way – you start.” She gestured to Gianna’s tablet. “Because it looks like you brought your own research.”

Gianna shot Riley a winning smile as she tapped on the screen of her tablet and brought it to life. “You may be shocked to know that I, indeed, did.”

“I’ve learned a very long time ago that I should never underestimate you.” The sincerity in Riley’s tone warmed everything inside of Gianna, as it often did.

“First things first – I think IUI is the right way to go. I’m young and healthy. I have a long torso–”

Riley’s peel of baffled laughter cut her off, and Gianna found herself smiling in amusement as well, even before Riley asked, “What?”

“According to several accounts in my research,” she smartly tapped on her screen, “A long torso can help in reducing the risk of pre-term births!”

Riley’s laughter abated, though she gazed at Gianna with so much warmth – that amusement and love comingling – as she nodded. “Excuse my laughter. Please, go on.”

“I was merely stating that I believe IUI would be very effective. Especially…” She paused to triumphantly pull out the printed-out lab report she had. “As, according to Doctor Ngo, my womb is practically begging to be impregnated.”

“I’m sure that’s the technical term she used,” Riley murmured as she snatched the lab report away from her, running her eyes over it. When she lifted her gaze to Gianna afterward, her gaze was confused. “When did you get this done?”

Gianna felt herself flush. “Last month, when you drove me to my gynecology appointment.”

Riley had driven Gianna to all of her doctor’s appointments for more than ten years, given that Gianna had never felt the need to learn how to drive. She’d always lived in a city and had access to calling a car if the need arose. When she’d asked Riley for a favor to drive her for her annual physical their junior year, Riley had made it a point to put Gianna’s appointments in her calendar just as she put her own in. As if taking care of Gianna and her needs was as simple as that.

Then again, for Riley, it was. It always had been.

And damn it if it wasn’t one of the things Gianna loved so deeply about her. One of the things that made Gianna feel so sure about expanding their family.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Riley asked, a line forming between her eyebrows. Her tone was far from accusatory – if anything, it was a little hurt.

Gianna quickly shook her head, wanting to do anything to stop any of those hurt feelings. “I honestly wasn’t planning on it. Seriously,” she swore, reaching out to quickly squeeze her hands over Riley’s in assurance. “I didn’t even think about it until I was in the appointment.”

In truth, seeing some of the information in the office regarding pregnancy had prompted Gianna and had gotten this train of thought moving.

“Ever since that day, it’s been on my mind more and more,” she confessed. “And by that, I mean – I think about it every day.”

Riley settled her hand palm-down against the lab report in front of her as she studied Gianna closely. And while Gianna had no idea what Riley was looking for, she stared back, vulnerable and unafraid. Riley could see everything she had to offer.

Finally, Riley spoke softly. “I guess I’m still a little… I know you said you wanted to have children with me. And I know you meant it. But whenever the subject of having a baby has come up, you’ve never expressed any sort of serious interest in it, so – all I’m saying is that I want to make sure we dot all of the i’s and cross all of the t’s before we move forward with anything.”

“Do you remember that whole thing about how I didn’t want to be in a relationship if it wasn’t with you?” Gianna asked, her heart still skipping a beat at how intense that conversation had been. How terrified she’d been – even though she’d literally heard Riley confess to having feelings for her earlier that very night – to reveal her truth after having hidden it for so long.

A sweet smile took over Riley’s face. “I’m pretty sure I could forget everything else that has ever happened to me, and I would still remember that.”

Gianna reached out and took Riley’s hands in hers, this time keeping their fingers intertwined, glancing down at their matching wedding rings. “The same is true about having children. I would never have imagined myself on this path if this path hadn’t been walked with you. You are the only person I want a family with.”

That was the simple truth of it. Perhaps it wasn’t really all that simple – it was layered and emotional, and she’d spent so much of her adult life not believing it was possible.

“Riley, babe, I really didn’t know that you and I were a possibility until a couple of years ago,” she explained, not for the first time. She could still hear her own wonder, even as the honesty spilled from the very depths of her. “And now that we’re real and together and married, there are so many doors available to me that I just – I never would have wanted to open them with someone else.”

She swallowed thickly, the truth of the words coursing heavily through her.

“But with you, I want to open every door. I want every possibility with you. I want every chance at happiness. I want to take in everything life has to offer. And I don’t want to wait any longer than we have to.” She shrugged, feeling like a weight had been lifted.

All of her logistical research could be damned, this was the most important thing for her.

“And if you aren’t ready yet, then – that’s fine. If you don’t really want this for yourself and us, and you’re trying to… to get on-board because you want to do this for me, we won’t do it. Those are all of my cards on the table,” she finished, taking in a deep breath and staring at Riley for several beats.

“Gianna, I do. I’m not telling you that I want a family with you to try to placate you or anything; do you possibly think that’s something I would do?” She asked, looking at Gianna as if the very thought was ludicrous.

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