Page 68 of This Love
She huffs a laugh. “I might be a little peopled out.”
“We can run away.”
She laughs. “Think I can make it to the water from here if I jumped?”
“I’m not sure you can swim.”
“Really?” Her eyebrows drew together. “I guess we haven’t tried that, have we?”
“Pools and lakes aren’t something we’ve done. Seizures and swimming aren’t a great combination. But we can try it.”
She shrugged. “I should probably find out. For safety reasons. Add it to the scrapbook.”
“We should.” I leaned my elbows on the rail. Strings of colored lights blinked on as the light faded. “You didn’t bring your camera.”
“Vinnie is more into sunsets than I am. I do like photographing the water, though.”
I didn’t mean to ask the next question, but it tumbled out. “If I get one of the industry jobs in the new year, will you consider marriage? You’ll get kicked off your dad’s health insurance when you’re twenty-six in June, and you could get on mine if we’re married.”
“Ah, a practical proposal.” She stared out at the darkening water. “Let’s not talk about it tonight, okay? It’s your big day.”
My stomach fell. “Okay. I won’t push. We’ll figure out the health insurance piece.”
She nodded. “Dad has been looking on the exchange.”
Of course, he was.
Vinnie approached. “Turn around, let’s get that last bit of light with the hotshot grad.”
We smiled for the picture, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was hoping to make some progress with Ava.
But I’d have to be patient. Six months had passed since our failed wedding. We were as close as ever, otherwise. Things were good.
Even so, something was holding her back. If she didn’t want to talk about it, I would simply have to wait.
Chapter 26
Ava
I was peeing red.
I stared at the toilet paper, aghast. What was going on?
I’d been feeling off all day, my belly cramping like I’d eaten something bad.
And now this.
We were supposed to be on our way to Houston for Christmas Eve with my dad. We were spending the night there, then coming back on Christmas Day to have dinner with Gram and Big Harry. Maya was in Chicago visiting her nephew and his wife.
I wiped it up again, but more kept coming out. I wasn’t peeing anymore, but the red kept coming.
What in the world?
I pressed the toilet paper to my body as I scooted toward the counter to grab my phone. When I was safely seated again, I Googled, “Red urine.”
That was alarming. Urinary tract infection. Kidney infection. Kidney stones.
Except I didn’t have any of the other symptoms.
