Page 109 of Sweeter Than Fiction

I answer before he can. “Yes, he’s family. You can say whatever you need to in front of him. Is everything okay?”

“Your ultrasound showed that your endometriosis has gotten worse. Not only do you have tissue growing outside of your uterus, but some polyps have developed inside as well.”

I interrupt her. “What does that mean, Doc? I need you to spell it out for me.”

She pushes her glasses onto the top of her head. “It means that having kids probably isn’t in the cards for you. It would be extremely difficult for you to get pregnant, and if you managed to, I doubt you’d be able to carry a pregnancy to full term. Because of the polyps, I recommend that you have surgery for a hysterectomy. I know you’re young, and it’s not ideal. But if we do the surgery, then, all of the symptoms you experience every month would be alleviated.”

I’m still listening, but honestly, it sounds like the doctor is in a tunnel. Her telling me I would never be able to have kids made everything else seem less important.

She dumps some more information on me but ultimately tells me to take some time to think things over.

Jenson leaves me alone to get dressed, and we don’t say much on the way home. When we reach my apartment, I walk inside and throw my purse down on the couch before heading straight for the bedroom.

Jenson follows me. “Do you want to talk?”

“About?”

“You just got some pretty big news. I thought maybe you’d like to talk it out.”

Clearing my throat and trying to fight back the emotion that I feel, I say, “There’s nothing to talk about. I should be relieved. I didn’t even want kids, and now, I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“Abby—”

“J, please. I’m fine. I just am really tired and want to lie down for a while.”

“Okay, I’ll just go hang out and watch some TV or something.”

I stop him. “I don’t think I’m going to be great company tonight. I’ll probably just sleep, and I don’t want to ruin your night. So, why don’t you get out of here and go have some fun?”

He doesn’t look convinced, so I say, “Please. Go. Just try to salvage what’s left of your evening. I know I monopolized a lot of your day.”

“You know I don’t mind.”

“I know.” I give him a hug. “But I’ll be okay. I promise.”

“You know I love you, right?”

“Yeah, J. I love you, too.”

After a little more convincing, I finally get him to leave. Once I’m alone, I kick off my shoes and crawl into bed, pulling the covers up all around me.

Just a few hours ago, I was actually coming around to the idea of having a baby with Don. I was, dare I say it, excited. And now, any excitement has faded.

I just admitted to myself how great of a dad Don would make, and now, I have to tell him that he can never be one with me. Will that be a deal-breaker for him? Will he want someone who he can have his own little Dons with?

I don’t know.

Right now, all I want to do is sleep. When I sleep, the world disappears for just a little while.

But as I lie here, sleep doesn’t seem to be anywhere close. The only thing I can seem to do is cry.

Chapter Forty-two

Don

As I turn the corner to head into my apartment, I see someone sitting outside my door. He looks familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. In this building, I’m surprised no one has called security yet, thinking that he’s a bum or something.

“Can I help you?” I ask, walking closer.

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