“Have you told Mom and Dad?” Gabby asks, oblivious to the moment we're having.
“Not yet. We haven't really discussed when to tell our parents or anyone for that matter,” Winnie answers her, but never takes her eyes off mine.
“I want to shout it from the rooftops. You tell me when you're ready, and I'll make it happen.”
“That easy?” Gabby crosses her arms over her chest. “Where were you a year ago, Harrison? Why now after all this time?” Her eyes are boring into mine. I can see the hurt and the worry for her sister.
I debate on whether or not to answer her. I want to tell her it’s none of her damn business. However, the reality is that Winnie is close to Gabby. And as much as I hate the need to explain or defend myself, winning over Gabby isn’t a hardship. She’s like a little sister to me too. I understand where she’s coming from, but that doesn’t mean I like it. “I didn't fight for us like I should have. I put the gym before Winnie, but not because I didn't love her. I was trying to build it into something that would secure our future, and the future of our family.”
Gabby scoffs, and I clamp my mouth shut, refusing to react.
“I didn't fight either,” Winnie tells her. “We both are to blame for how things ended, and equally so for this little miracle.” She once again places her hands over her belly. “It will be our decision on how we move forward. I love you, Gab, but this is our choice. As my sister, you have to respect whatever decisions we decide to make.”
“So, he's living here again?” Gabby asks. She’s fighting against this, but I can see through her tough-girl act. She was hurt when we divorced. She needs some time to catch up to where we are. She’ll come around.
“I'm staying with her to take care of her, of both of them.” I take a calming breath. I know Gabby means well, she's hurt, and I have to remind myself of that before I continue on. “I know what it's like to live without her. I know what it's like to want to tell her something from my day and not be able to. I know what it's like to go to bed without her and wake up just as alone. None of that is enticing to me. I know what I had, what I lost, and I know that this is a gift. Both of them are my gift, and I'll be damned if I let them go again.”
Gabby's quiet; I'm sure processing my words. “You're going to be an aunt,” Winnie says softly. “Can we focus on that? Let Harrison and me figure out the rest. This is our life, our future,” she says gently.
“I've been here and I witnessed what losing him did to you.” Her words cut deep, the pain slicing through my chest. “I don't want to see you go through that again.”
“I survived. I made it through, and if that happens, we still have the best part of each other—this baby. You have to let us make our choices. Besides, you're the little sister,” Winnie teases, trying to lighten the mood.
“I'm going to be an aunt.” Gabby’s smile is wide when it finally appears.
“Yes, and you have to keep it to yourself. No spilling the beans to Mom and Dad before we get the chance to. You're not supposed to tell anyone until after the first trimester in case of miscarriage.”
“Wait? What? Are you okay? Do we need to go back to the hospital?” Panic floods my veins.
“No.” Winnie’s smile is soft. “It's just an awful fact that if you are going to miscarry, it's likely to be in the first trimester.”
My mind races with how I can protect them. “How do we stop that? You need to take time off work, stay off your feet.”
“Harrison.”
I think back to what the doctor said at the hospital; he assured us that she was fine. “Wait, are you spotting? Is the cramping getting worse? We should go back.” I start to stand, but she places her hand over mine and stops me.
“Harrison.” Winnie moves her hand to my face. “I'm fine. No more spotting and the cramping is minimal, and they said that's normal, remember?”
I nod.
“I'm just spouting facts, that's all. Take a deep breath.”
“Winnie.” My voice cracks.
“We're fine.” Her voice soothes me.
I pull her into me—as best as I can with the chairs between us. I bury my face in her neck and breathe her in. “Tell me what you need. Tell me what to do, and I'll do it.”
“There is nothing we can do,” she whispers. “It's all up to fate.”
“Fate,” I repeat. “That's what gave us our peanut.”
“Oh my God,” Gabby murmurs.
Pulling away, we turn to face her. Her eyes are swimming in tears. “You really want this.” It's not phrased as a question, more of a statement, but I answer her anyway.
“More than my next breath.”
“I can't say that I forgive you. You hurt her, and yes, I understand she had a part in the divorce as well, but she's my sister and my loyalty lies with her. However, with a confession like that, it's hard to not root for you.”
“I can use all the help I can get.” I wink at her to lighten the mood, causing her to roll her eyes. I stand from my chair and slide my plate in front of Gabby. A peace offering of sorts. Not to mention, I know she loves my grilled cheese sandwiches too. “I'm going to go and get the prenatal vitamin prescription filled. Is there anything that you want or need while I'm out?”
“No, I think I'm okay.”
“Call me if you change your mind. I won't be gone long.” I kiss Winnie’s temple, grab my keys from the table by the door, and make my way to my truck. When I'm on the road, I hit the phone call button on my steering wheel. “Call Chase.”
“What's happening?” he answers almost immediately.
“I need to make some changes.”
“O-kay?” He drags out the word, unsure of what I'm up to.
“I want my wife back. I need to not work eighty hours a week to make that happen. She was in a car accident last night, and I'm staying with her.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she's going to be just fine, but I need to be there for her. Not just when she's back on her feet, but forever. I pushed her away because I worked too much. Not because I didn't want to be around her, but I got lost in building something for our future. I see the error in my ways.”
“What can I do?” No hesitation. His loyalty speaks volumes to our friendship. I know I can count on him, and he knows he can count on me. I’m lucky to have a friend like him in my corner, and a part of my business.
“I need to delegate, but I don't want to put all of this on you. I think I'm going to hire an admin assistant. Someone who can be the sole support for both of us. A lot of what I do is paperwork that someone else can easily handle. Maybe hire a payroll company instead of me doing it every other week. I don't really know the specifics, but that's where I'm hoping you come in. Help me cut back. Help me get my life back.”
“You got it, brother. I'll be thinking. Can we meet this week? I can come there to the house,” he offers.
“Yeah, that's probably best. I don't want to leave her for a few days. I'm only out now to get her— to go to the pharmacy.”
“Need anything?”
“Just to get my shit in order at the gym. I can be what she needs and still own a successful business. If not, well, maybe it's time I let the gym go.”
“What?”
I've shocked him. To be honest, I’m a little surprised myself, but that doesn’t make my words any less true. I would give it up for my family. “Nothing matters to me more than Winnie. If I can't make this balance work, I'm going to sell.”
“Just like that?”
“No contest.”
“We'll make it work.”
“I want that, but I'm prepared to let it go if not.”
“What brought this on?”
“I lost her, Chase. Then last night I get a call that she's been in a car accident and it hit me that I truly could have lost her. I've been moping around missing her, loving her from a distance, instead of getting off my ass and fighting for her. The gym was a big part of why I lost her. If I can't make it work, if I can't figu
re out a way to work less and be with her more, I won't hesitate to let it go.”
“That gym is your baby.”
I smile at that. “Not anymore.”