Chapter 512

• “Jake … You shouldn’t. It’s too soon.” I blurt out in hushed tones. My hands betray me as they automatically pick up a tiny white Babygro in soft velvet fabric. I pick it up to hold it against my abdomen without realizing what I’m doing. It’s so tiny and fragile, so real and symbolic. A surge of something wells up inside me, and the urge to cry overwhelms me. It’s precious and small, making me think of the little life growing inside me with every breath I take. My heart catches in my throat.
• “I … kinda got a bit carried away.” He tips up another two bags, pouring out a bundle of blue, a bundle of pink, and one of lemon, plus one fluffy giraffe sitting proudly among them with a goofy grin on its adorable face. It strangely reminds me of Jake, but I can’t fathom why.
• For the first time in weeks, I get a stupid spontaneous smile spreading across my face, and I stare at him in a completely new light. It’s as though I’ve just woken up, and blinking in the sunlight, I gaze at him as he comes into focus. He looks happy, idling through the stuff on the bed, his green eyes almost luminescent. I’ve never seen him as gorgeous as he is right now, beaming over his baby’s things, looking every bit irresistible to me.