“I do, but everyone makes mistakes.”
“He wants me to have an abortion, Kelly. That’s a bit more than just making a mistake, don’t you think?”
“Have you talked to him about that? About why he feels that way?”
She already knew the reason. At least, the one he’d given. “He worries the baby will also have MS.”
“A realistic concern.”
“So what if our baby did? I’d love him or her anyway. Why can’t he?”
“Liz, the baby is real to you. You’ve heard the heartbeat, felt the changes within your body. You caught Adam by surprise. Did you really expect his gut reaction to be joy when he feels so uncertain about his future already? At any point, did Adam actually say he couldn’t love your baby?”
“I think from the moment he said it wasn’t too late for an abortion, asking about whether or not he could love this baby was a moot point.”
“Liz, he loves you.”
She shook her head, ignoring the memory of Adam telling her just that this morning. “He’s just saying that because he feels responsible and thought that would win my forgiveness.”
“Have you ever thought that maybe you should forgive him?”
“This isn’t a matter of forgiveness, Kelly. I don’t trust Adam. How can any couple have a relationship when there’s no trust?”
“If you say so.” Kelly sighed. “Just make sure you aren’t being stubborn because of pride or because you’re afraid of getting hurt again. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes Adam’s made.”
“Which are?”
“Not having enough faith in your feelings for each other.”
“My point exactly.” Liz sighed, hoping her broken heart didn’t show. “We don’t trust each other.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE next morning Liz flicked through the television channels. Nothing was on, of course. She’d already discovered that while in the hospital and there she’d had a lot more channel options than her basic home package.
Kelly had stayed the night, along with an unwanted house guest who’d refused to leave despite Liz asking him to. But Kelly was on duty today and had gone to work a couple of hours ago, first making sure Liz was settled on the sofa and had everything within easy reach. Walker. Remote. Bottled water. A package of peanut butter and crackers. Her cellphone.
Even a couple of magazines.
Adam had left with Kelly, asking her to drop him off at his place to pick up some items.
She’d flipped through the magazines, nibbled on crackers, did another run through of the various television programs, but nothing caught her interest.
Liz was bored. At least at the hospital she’d had people coming in and out of her room. Had noises and pages and such to distract her from the quiet.
Here it was silent except for the sound of a neighbor doing early morning yard work. Must be her next door neighbor because the noise from the mower sounded really close. Mrs James must have hired someone to come do her lawn.
Perhaps she could get his name and number because her own yard was knee-high in grass. Not to mention that her grandfather’s rosebushes were in desperate need of some TLC. Her grandfather would roll over in his grave if he saw the dead blossoms needing to be pruned, saw the weeds sprouting, saw the aphids that no doubt nibbled on tender new buds.
When she next heard the sound of a mower, the buzz sounded so close that she didn’t believe it was next door.
Someone was doing her yard.
Preparing herself for the pain that standing caused, she positioned her walker so she could use it to help her get to her feet. Without putting pressure on her bad ankle, she managed to get up. Slowly, she made her way to her front door.
Along with the shiny new SUV, the truck Adam had borrowed to deliver Gramps’s belongings to the nursing home was parked in her driveway. The tailgate was down and a mower sat next to the truck.
Adam had stopped and was stooped over, pulling the weeds that had sprung up in the rose garden.