Page 69 of Hidden Gem
“Okay, start from the beginning,” Shasa ordered.
Drawing a deep breath, Marnie told her everything. The moments on the beach, the ambergris, the fight. Jason’s mum’s phone call. Kathleen’s phone call. It came out a jumbled mess, with enough detail for Shasa’s mouth to drop open as she listened to her story.
“That doesn’t have to be the end. He’s done that tax thing now, and you said he wants to step down. Why worry about that minister and what she says to the press?”
Marnie wiped her eyes. “Because it will ruin his career. That’s why I wrote the letter. To protect him, and to set him free. So that he can have a family with someone younger.”
Shasa paused, her eyes flicking away, following the ducks. “What about you? You love him.”
Marnie shook her head, dismissing the ache in her heart. She was getting too self-centred for her own good. Turning her attention to her phone, she opened the Pinterest app. “Have you set the date for the wedding yet? I found this amazing flower arrangement we could possibly do ourselves, they had instructions...”
Shasa lifted her finger to her lips. “Shh. Stop. You’re allowed to have a life, you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re not just my maid of honour, or my babysitter, or someone else’s something. You’re a woman. You’re allowed to fall in love and go nuts.”
Marnie shook her head, tears threatening a comeback. They sat in silence for a moment, watching Lilla bounce around, feeding the birds, her high-pitched voice drawing even the aggressive Canadian geese.
Shasa cleared her throat. “Can I ask, how do you know you can’t have a baby anymore?”
Marnie stared at her hands as she recalled the painful memory. “It was a long time ago, when Steve and I were still toying with the idea of a third baby. We tried for a while and nothing happened, so I went to get checked...”
“Just you? What about him?”
“He thought it was most likely me. I’ve always had irregular periods. Anyway, it was me. The doctor said I had a low ovarian reserve. And that was years ago. So, I figured, they’d all have gone by now. Every single egg.”
She expected sympathy, but Shasa narrowed her eyes. “That’s not a firm diagnosis. Have you had a recent test?”
Marnie shook her head. What difference did it make? But as she prepared to dismiss Shasa’s doubts, Lilla jumped into her lap, bumping her head against her chest, and she winced from pain. Were her breasts sensitive? Marnie brought her hand to her side, massaging her left one. Ouch.
“What is it?” Shasa asked.
“Nothing. Just ... weird.”
Chapter 33
