Page 76 of Castle's Cards

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that. Thank you!”

“No promises, like I said. But I’ll be in touch.”

After a few more thank you’s, I head to the car and start off in the direction of Izzy’s school. Looks like we have some things to talk about.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Carter

WhenIpullinthe driveway later that afternoon I’m relieved to see that Addy and Izzy aren’t here yet. It’s not that I don’t want them here, but that I want time to decompress and wash away the seriousness of the day before we get together and talk about our respective days.

When I walk in the front door, the house is quiet except for the sound of the various domestic workers sweeping and cooking and making phone calls from all areas of the house. It’s strange how much noisier the house is just by gaining two more residents. It’s never quiet anymore like it used to be. Not that I’m complaining.

“Maybe I should shower,” I mutter to myself before lifting my arm and sniffing. I don’t stink, per se. But I’ve definitely smelled better. I take the steps two at a time, eager to get in the shower and finish before Addy gets home.

I throw my briefcase on our bed and hop into the en suite, turning the shower on to the hottest setting immediately. I peel off my shirt and turn to throw it on the counter when something catches my eye.

My shirt falls from my hand as I grab the small pink box from the counter and read the front. Instant Response Pregnancy Test. I blink in surprise.

Addy thinks she’s pregnant? But she’s on birth control.

Maybe it failed. My heart skips a beat as a million thoughts runs through my head at once. We could have a baby?

I wipe away a tear as Elise immediately comes into my mind. We always wanted children together, but that obviously never came to fruition. A baby that’s both me and Addy. I put down the pregnancy test and walk out of the room numbly.

It’s not long before I find myself in my wife’s room. I sit down in her favorite pink chair and smile.

“Elise. Addy could be pregnant.” I let out a chuckle. “I know I shouldn’t laugh. It’s just shocking. I never thought…you know.”

I shake my head and look toward a picture of her on the wall.

“I never thought I would fall in love again, much less have children one day. It’s a shock. She’s on birth control, but if it failed…” I smile. “Maybe it’s a sign. Maybe it’s meant to be.”

A book on the shelf across the room draws my attention. I walk over and take the baby book from the shelf. The book is still blank, of course, but is something Elise bought the time she thought she was pregnant. The one time.

“I love Addy. I’m ready to start a life with her. I love you Elise, and I’m honoring you with this foundation. But it’s time for me to move forward and completely commit myself to my relationship with Addy.”

I nod and stand up. That’s the truth, completely out in the open. Maybe Elise is here, listening to what I say. Or maybe she’s no longer present at all, resting peacefully in another world. Either way, it’s finally time to leave the past behind.

Of course I’ll always love Elise; she’s the woman who taught me what love is in the first place. But my future is with Addy, and that includes getting married and having kids. I smile when I hear the front door open. Eager to speak to Addy, I hurry out of the room and down the hall, not worrying about shutting the door behind me. But my pace slows when I hear the front door slam. As I walk down the stairs I see a flash of Izzy’s swingy ponytail disappear down the hall before hearing her bedroom door slam twice as loud as the front door did.

What was that about? Obviously they’re fighting about something, but what?

I frown. Maybe Izzy had a really bad first day. That’s not a reason to fight with Addy, but teenagers, I’m learning, are moody and unpredictable. She could be lashing out because of that.

The front door reopens as I take the rest of the stairs. As I step into the entryway, Addy comes through the door, an exhausted look on her face.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, shooting a look of concern toward Izzy’s room.

“Did she slam the door really hard?” Addy says quietly. I chuckle and pull her into a hug. After a moment she wraps her arms around me and buries her face in my shoulder.

“What was the conversation about?” I ask. When Addy pulls back, tears are spilling down her cheeks. “Whoa, hey, hey. Let’s have a seat, okay?”

I lead Addy to the couch and sit down, gently wiping away her tears with my thumb. She sniffs and pulls her knees to her chest before sighing.

“I don’t… can we just talk about something else for a second? Anything else?” Addy’s voice is dejected when she turns to me. I nod and thread my fingers through hers,

“Yeah. There actually is something that I want to say to you.” I take a deep breath and Addy tenses. I squeeze her hand to reassure her that it’s nothing bad. “I found your test in the bathroom.”

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