Page 29 of Peach

Haisley put her hand on her belly. "I want this baby. Before all this happened, before I left Will, I had five miscarriages."

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Rory said.

“Each one ripped a piece of me away. I don’t know why this one is working. I don’t know what was wrong with the other babies.”

“Sometimes fragmented DNA in sperm can cause issues,” Rory said.

Haisley blinked and shook her head. “What? I don’t know what you just said.”

"The guy has bad sperm sometimes. It's nothing the woman does. It's what was supplied, and it isn't good."

“That never entered my mind before. He always blamed me.”

“Well, it could have been him. I’m not saying it was, but there are so many things that go into why it works for some women and doesn’t work for others, and it hasnothing to do with anything the woman does or doesn’t do.”

“Well, I’m gobsmacked. I had no clue that was even a possibility. But it makes sense why I couldn’t stay pregnant before.”

"At least you know, or well, can hope that the baby isn't your ex's baby."

“Yeah, that would have been devastating. I don’t want to be connected to him anymore.”

“Do you know what you’re going to do?”

Haisley shrugged. "I don't have an education or anything special. I cleaned houses or worked at a shop."

“Do you want to get a degree or something else?”

“I’ve never really had the luxury of believing I could.”

Rory nodded. “You are young. You have time to think about it. A part of me wishes I’d never gone into the military.”

“So you didn’t love it?”

“I didn’t love what happened. I mean, I could have had a corporate job and not ended up being sex trafficked.”

“Oh yeah, there is that.”

“But I’m happy now. I’m glad I have the life I have. If I hadn’t joined, I never would have met Harry. And Harry is amazing. I love him. He’s a good man.”

The baby moved, and she glanced down as she grabbed her belly.

“Is the baby moving?” Rory asked.

"Yeah. I don't know if it's a boy or girl, and I don't really want to know. Not yet."

“Mel found out, but she did by accident.”

“Accident?” Haisley asked.

"Yeah, the doctor left the chart open on the counter, and she read the information."

There was a knock on the door, and Rory opened it.Haisley felt odd that Peach knocked. It was his house, but she guessed it was nice that he knocked instead of just opening the door.

“Hey, we were going to order a pizza. Anyone up for that?” Harry asked.

“I could eat,” Rory said.

“Pizza sounds good,” Haisley said.

---