"This turned out better than I expected," Harrison says as he opens my door. "They seem nice."
"Yes, they are wonderful," I respond before he closes the door.
My mind wanders as he drives back home. I glance at Harrison, who is focusing on the road as talk radio plays on the radio on a low volume.
"What are you thinking about?" He asks, noticing I've grown quiet.
"Nothing really," I answer with a shrug. "They seem so happy together. It must be nice to have someone who loves you that much."
Harrison smiles at me, his eyes crinkling with warmth.
"It is. We all deserve love and companionship. I'm glad we were able to meet them."
We drive on in silence for a few minutes, the radio providing background noise.
I look out the window, watching the scenery go by.
"You know," I say, turning back to Harrison. "I'm really glad we did this. It was a great experience."
He smiles at me, a genuine smile that reaches his eyes.
"This class has given me a lot to think about," he admits as he parks the car.
"Like what?" I ask curiously.
"You are right about me needing to be more involved. I will make more of an effort to be there for you," he promises. "I don't want you to feel like you are going through this alone. After all, we both created this… life together. It’s not fair for only one of us to go through this alone."
Tears spring to my eyes as I tell him "Thank you. That means a lot. It is a little overwhelming at times."
Harrison takes my hand in his, his dazzling blue eyes staring into mine and says, "I know this must be difficult for you. And I’ll be there, for whatever you need.”
“You already are,” I remind him.
gets out of the car and walks around to open my door, giving me his hand to help me out. I get out of the car, and he closes the door, pulling me closer to him, then wraps his arms around me. It is so sudden and unexpected that at first, I don’t know what to do.
The warmth of his embrace is inviting, and I cling to him, not wanting to let go. He holds me tight for a minute, before finally letting go.
When I lay in bed, my thoughts take on a life of their own. Maybe it is my hormones that are causing memories of my night with Harrison to linger for so long.
The memory of his touch has me wishing we could relive that night in Las Vegas. It was incredible. I wonder if he ever thinks about it. Does he regret it? Does he even remember it at all?
I toss and turn, trying to find a position I feel comfortable in, but my body won't cooperate. The night drags on while I fight the restlessness that has taken over me until exhaustion overcomes everything and allows me to fall asleep.
The next day Gabby calls to invite me to go shopping with her and I jump at the invitation. It feels like forever since I have done anything fun. It will be nice to be able to talk to someone who understands the trials and tribulations I am going through.
The minutes tick down as I anxiously wait, like an inmate waiting to be released, as I wait for Gabby to arrive. I hear the door open and jump to my feet, thinking it might be her.
A moment later, Jasper walks in with Gabby following behind him, wearing jeans and a gray sweater that fits snugly around her baby bump. She is absolutely glowing. I wonder why I don’t feel like that.
"Hey," she says with a smile when she sees me. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yes," I say, trying not to sound too eager. "I'm ready."
I grab my purse and keys from the table and follow Gabby to her car. The blue four door coupe looks brand new both inside and out. When I get in the passenger side, I inhale the new car smell as I close the door.
A day of shopping is exactly what I needed. Gabby tells me all about the baby shower her father is throwing for her and asks me about mine. I feel slightly embarrassed to admit I hadn't even thought about having one.
"You have to have a baby shower," Gabby insists. "It's a great way to get some of the stuff you are going to need. Let me throw you a baby shower."