Page 104 of Jackson
29
Jackson
Summer having missed her period had been on my mind, although I guessed I’d not thought of the timing when I brought the subject up. I imagined she was pissed off with me. I didn’t claim to be an expert on women’s menstrual cycles, but in the few months we’d been together, she hadn’t bled. She’d had no cramps, no cravings for chocolate or any of that other shit women do. She hadn’t tried to stab, strangle, or sexually molest me, although I wouldn’t have minded the latter. No, no signs at all. Sure, she was on the pill, but she still should have bled at somepoint.
She returned with two bottles of water and climbed back into bed. We didn’t speak for a few minutes. I leaned up on one elbow as I sipped my drink and watched the emotions cross her face, she was thinking about it, forsure.
Eventually, she shook her head. “No, notpossible.”
She reached over to the bedside cabinet. “See, all up to date,” she said, showing me her packet ofpills.
“Maybe you’re right, maybe it’s just the time difference and all that,” Isaid.
I snaked my arm under her neck and pulled her close. She settled into myside.
“So, where were we?” I said as I ran my hand up herthigh.
“Weare about to get some sleep, you sort of killed my mood,Jack.”
I laughed as I rolled onto my back. Sleep didn’t come immediately for either of us, and as the night progressed, I began to regret speaking out. I’d love a child with Summer. I wasn’t so sure she felt the sameway.
* * *
The next coupleof weeks flew by in a whirl of meetings with solicitors, setting up the trust, working at the bar, and spending days at the drop-in centre. There were times when both Summer and I just flopped straight into bed, exhausted, and other times we spent the night tangled in the sheets, fucking. She was as desperate for me and I was for her attimes.
I didn’t say another word about her missing her period, but I certainly researched. In just the two weeks since my observation I noticed subtle changes. She had winced when I’d taken one of her nipples into my mouth, something she had never done before. I’d asked her if they were tender, she shook her head. She was forever rushing to pee, but it was when she threw up for no reason, Iknew.
“Don’t say a word, okay?” she growled at me as I held back herhair.
We had been sitting on the balcony after a long day at the drop-in centre. We’d eaten a steak and salad. She’d drunk a couple of bottles of water, and after an hour or so, rushed from the daybed to thebathroom.
Once she had finished throwing her guts up, she rested back on herheels.
“Let me guess, dodgy lettuce?” Isaid.
I rose to get a washcloth and ran it under the cold water tap. I held it to her forehead, noticing that she was hotter than normal. Maybe she did have a bug afterall.
We sat in silence for a moment, until I saw a tear leak from her eye and roll down her cheek. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her backoutside.
“Okay, talk to me,” I said as I laid her down on thedaybed.
“I’m scared,Jack.”
“Aboutwhat?”
“You, me, us.” She pointed to her stomach when she said that, and I had to conceal the grin that wanted to spread across myface.
“So am I. How about we make a doctor’s appointment before we get any moreterrified?”
“I don’t know if we’re ready for this,” shewhispered.
“I know I am. I’ve been ready for this for years, Summer. We have money, more money than we’ll spend in our lifetime, we have a wonderful house on a beach, and I love you, so, I’mready.”
“That’s just it,youhave money,youown a house on abeach…”
I cut her off before she could finish her sentence. I knew this was hormones, I hoped it was hormones talking. She wasn’t insecure about herself, or our relationship, but I’d do whatever I had to make herhappy.
“So tomorrow we’ll get married, then half of it is legally yours. I’ll call the lawyers, have them draw up a will, I’ll do whatever I need to,Summer.”
