Page 59 of Unrequited (Woodlands 4)

"But how much?" she pressed.

I dug the heel of my hand into my forehead to make the pounding stop, but it didn't.

"With Finn's health insurance, we should be able to make it."

"Whatever," she replied sullenly and threw herself on the sofa. "God, we need to get out of this apartment."

"And do what?" I asked, grateful that we'd abandoned the topic of money.

"Fuck, anything. I'm just tired of staring at these dingy walls and the stupid ugly trailer that Finn has me stuck in every day."

"Maybe we could go to the zoo this weekend," I suggested.

"For God's sakes, can we leave the kiddie shit until we actually have a kid? What I wouldn't give for a beer."

I froze, causing Ivy to laugh bitterly.

"Look at you." She pointed her index finger toward me. "You don't believe I’m going to make it, do you? I can't even talk about drinking without you ready to run out and shove me into rehab."

"You've been clean for over a hundred days." I swallowed my own bitterness, and it burned all the way down my throat and emptied into my stomach. "I'm sure you'll make it another one hundred days."

"Then let's go out and do something. Go to a club and dance while I still look like I'm hot instead of a balloon."

"Fine. Let's go out."

"Fine."

We stared at each other, and I blinked first, leaving her in the living room to go hide in my bedroom. I just wanted to crawl under the covers and rewind the clock. As I was shoving a pillow over my head, the phone rang. I looked at the screen, and the caller ID said Finn.

"Hey, sweetness." His low voice, tender with emotion, was like a cooling cloth.

"Oh, Finn," I choked out.

"Should I come back? I didn't want to leave, but you seemed anxious to send me on my way. You stressed?"

His concern was melting me. "It's the baby. When we were at the store today, there were so many things they sell for babies. I didn't realize half the things we needed. And the cost. It was so expensive."

"I wish you'd called me. I would have went with you. Helped you out."

"You mean financially. It's not your responsibility."

He hesitated. "Maybe not, but I'd still like to help you out.

"I appreciate that. I really do, but—"

"I'm doing it for you, not for anyone else," he interrupted. "In fact, I wouldn't have come over if you hadn't been home."

"How'd you now I was here?"

"Ivy told me. I asked actually. I wasn't going to come over if you weren't there."

"We’re a mess."

"Everyone's a mess. Remember when you found me in the café?"

I did. He’d looked like someone had taken a melon baller to his chest and scooped out his heart. I knew what that felt like—how loss made your whole body ache. Even teeth ached, and nothing could take it away.

"I feel like we get over one hurdle, only to face another. Ivy gets out of prison. She falls off the wagon. She climbs back on. She's clean for a hundred days, and then we find out she's pregnant."

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