Page 77 of Objection to Love

Em’s mouth dropped open. “You lied?”

April nodded. “My hands are still shaking.”

Garrett laughed, and Jackson put his arm around his wife. “I’ve never been more proud.” He wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of his eye. April smacked him on the chest.

“Won’t Mom and Dad realize when they notice your car doesn’t have a flat?” Em asked.

“Oh,” April brightened, “it does, actually. That was just lucky.”

“I’ve never heard someone refer to a flat tire as lucky.” Jackson chuckled.

Garrett and Em exchanged a look. She could think of her own flat tire experience that was fairly fortuitous.

April shrugged, stretching out her fingers that really were still trembling. “Mom and Dad were only going to get worse. I’ve only seen them that way once… when I decided to study graphic design instead of taking prereqs for med school. And, from experience, I can say they were only going to back off when someone started crying or one of them got an important phone call. Or, more likely, both.”

The mood in the truck turned suddenly somber, and April said quickly, “That makes them sound really bad. They aren’t that bad. They mean well… They just think careers are a big deal. A really big deal.”

Em nodded. “Thanks, Ap.”

“I’m not a monkey.”

That broke the melancholy spell, and everyone started laughing again.

“Guess this means we’re going to need to come back to get our car this week,” Jackson said.

April shook her head. “You’re going out of town anyway, I’ll get the spare fixed when I take you to the airport, then, when I pick you up, we can drive separate cars home.”

Jackson nodded. “That’s a good idea. Who knew I married a diabolical planner?”

April laughed. “Oh, that reminds me. Not the diabolical planner part, but the you leaving part.” She looked at Em. “Em, can I ask a favor?”

“Anything. I owe you my life right now.”

“Jackson has to go out of town this week, but Thursday was the only day they could fit me in for my twenty-week ultrasound. Do you mind coming with me?”

Apprehension settled on Em’s shoulders, and she immediately felt guilty for feeling it. But it was a crazy busy week for work and would be hard to fit in any extra outings. Still, she owed her sister and, more than that, she wanted to be there for her.

“Of course, what time?”

“Three in the afternoon.”

Em nodded. They would be out of court by two. That should be enough time to meet April for an hour. Then she’d just work late to make up the hours.

“Text me the address, and I’ll be there.”

April relaxed. “Thanks, Em. I’m a little nervous to go by myself… I’m not sure why.”

Jackson looked frustrated. “And I’m mad that I have to be out of town. If we hadn’t had this meeting scheduled for several months now, I’d just bail. There’s a pretty big deal riding on my going, though, so I echo her thanks, Em.”

“No problem.”

“Speaking of thanks,” Garrett cut in, looking at Jackson in the rearview mirror, “I think I have you to thank for seeing that September has both a toolboxanda gun.”

Jackson shrugged, looking a little embarrassed.

April took his hand, smiling at him. “He likes taking care of people.”

Em gently knocked Garrett’s arm with the back of her hand. “And I’m currently less taken care of than usual, because you never gave me back my tools.”

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