Page 53 of Your Second Chance
“Is she dating anyone?”
“She was dating two guys when we left, but one of them was an alcoholic, too. The other was older than us, and I think he got caught in the crossfire of what went down.”
Before I could say anything, he grabbed the plush star and held them both up.
“You deserve something special, too,” he declared, heading straight to the counter.
“You don’t have to do that. I can get it.”
He waved me off. “I’m rich, remember.” He winked, and I grabbed his arm and squeezed.
“Thank you,” I whispered, getting as high on my tiptoes as I could. He leaned down slightly so I could press a kiss to his cheek.
Once the plushies were paid for, he grabbed the bag and we walked side by side through the market.
“I used to love looking at the stars,” he said casually, glancing at the plush star poking out of the bag. “Out in the countryside, the sky’s clear as anything. In secondary school, we’d have bonfire nights and lie on the ground, watching the night sky.”
I laughed, nudging him lightly with my elbow. “I bet that was an excuse to hook up with girls.”
He stopped and turned to me, feigning offense. “You wound me, Nova. I was a gentleman.”
I raised an eyebrow, and he smirked, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Okay, maybe apopulargentleman.”
I couldn’t help but laugh with him, the sound surprising me with how light it felt. “Popular, huh?”
“Very,” he shot back, his grin wide and unrepentant.
As we continued walking, I glanced over at him, my smile lingering. He made everything feel easier, like the weight of the world wasn’t entirely on my shoulders for once. With Ollie, I didn’t feel lighter—I could breathe.
We turned into a shop that smelled like cedar and lavender. Knitted scarves, blankets, and tiny baby clothes lined the shelves. I wandered slowly, trailing my fingers over soft textures, stopping at a display of baby blankets.
I hadn’t bought anything for the pomegranate. Not a single thing except the stupid hat Ollie had insisted on earlier. Yet, standing here, staring at these blankets, it hit me like a freight train.
The weird part about depression was how quickly it snuck up on you. Moments ago, I felt fine—light, even. But while clutching onto these blankets, my walls were closing in. My chest tightened as my mind spiraled through the endless list of things I needed for the baby. Crib, bottles, clothes, diapers. Everything. Too much.
I shrank under the weight of it all. Small. Invisible.
I didn’t want to be small. I wanted to be tall, bigger than this.
“See any you fancy?” Ollie’s voice broke through my storm of thoughts.
I didn’t answer right away. When I turned to him, the tear rolling down my cheek betrayed me. His eyes softened, and in an instant, his arms wrapped around me.
“I-I’m overwhelmed by it,” I admitted.
“It’s okay to be overwhelmed,” he murmured, holding me tighter. “Take it piece by piece. One thing at a time.” He pulled back to look at me, keeping his arms around me. “What color is your favorite?”
“Red,” I whispered automatically.
He grinned and gently guided me to a different shelf where a stack of red blankets waited.
“Can I help you?”
“Help me?” I echoed, my lip trembling.
“Yes. Can I pick one out for her?”
How did he do that? How did he make everything feel personal?
