The bag clanked to Rena's lap. "Word got around about my pregnancy that fast?"
"Bo's a walking megaphone. Half the squadron's out there checking up on you and congratulating Tag."
Great. Just what she needed, more tension heaped on him before their discussion. "How thoughtful."
"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Julia straightened, her sandaled foot swinging from under her to the floor. "Should I call the nurse?"
"No need. I'm fine. Just worried about J.T."
"He's holding up well. Although he's worried about you, too, and driving the police crazy with his push for more manpower checking out the accident. They're convinced it was probably a drunk driver."
"Hmm." That explained why J.T. hadn't been in to see her yet. His absence hurt more than she wanted to admit when she should be grateful for the temporary reprieve.
"I hadn't told him about the baby yet," Rena blurted. Why had she spilled that? At least Julia could be trusted not to gossip.
"Oh no."
"Oh yes."
"Men don't like secrets."
Rena knotted her fingers tighter in the blanket. "Nope."
Julia looked down and away, fidgeted with an arrangement of daisies and carnations by the bed. "I thought since you were pregnant that meant you two had reconciled."
"Brief reunion when he returned from Rubistan. And well—" shrug "—here I am. A knocked-up forty-year-old."
Julia abandoned the flowers and leaned in for another hug, held tight for an extra minute. "Ah, sweetie, I'm so sorry things aren't happier for you right now."
Rena fought the sting of tears that couldn't be totally attributed to hormones. "He's going to want to come home because of this."
Julia eased back. "And you don't want that?"
"Things were bad before. How will they magically get better when I know he's only there because I'm pregnant?"
"Raising a kid alone is tough." Julia and her current husband had in fact married for their children from previous marriages, both finding single parenthood overwhelming. And somehow they'd discovered love. Except they'd been friends first, with common dreams and hopes.
Rena's marriage of convenience had started with no such foundation.
Still, the woman's words dinged Rena's resolve. So many years had passed since she'd brought a baby into the world. Did she even have the energy to chase a toddler around the house again? And late-night feedings for a newborn. It had all been hard enough even with J.T.'s help.
She couldn't actually be considering…
Of course, her emotions weren't clear-cut. Being ready to sign divorce papers didn't erase twenty-two years of history with the man. He was the father of her children. She'd once loved him.
Now she didn't know what she felt for him anymore. Their marriage had crumbled slowly over twenty-two years from the stress of job separations, financial strains followed by his dogged determination not to touch her income.
She'd been on the fence when she tossed him out six months ago. But when he'd left her at a time they should have clung to each other more than ever, she'd known. They didn't have what it took for the long haul. The children had been their only common link.
Well, that and hot sex.
"J.T. and I are getting a divorce. Of course, we'll have to redo the divorce papers anyway to include the new baby."
"You don't have to do anything but take care of yourself. It's been a nightmarish few months for you two. Give yourself time to let it all settle out. Nothing has to be decided today or even tomorrow. Paint your nails to pretty up that injured foot. Let us pamper you." Julia waved the air over Rena's toes peeking free from the Ace bandage wrap. "It's not like you can get around much anyway."
Sit still with nothing to do but count her failures? Ugh. She'd spent years busy bringing up her children, trying to build a marriage, hoping if she filled enough hours of the day she wouldn't see everything that was missing in her life.
In her marriage.