Page 33 (1/2)

Listening to the radio, I kept an eye on the s in case he happened to drive past Blossom Street was open to traffic now and this had drahborhood just to see the changes The stores along both sides of the street had put out their welcome mats

The construction directly across froh there see around I wasn’t sure when everything was officially scheduled to be coer

Just as I’d hoped, Brad’s dark-brown delivery truck came into view It was all I could do not to stand like a e to jump up and down and wave my arms I did neither, but I was definitely tempted I was in just that silly, quirky frame of mind

I saw es for the floral shop next door I didn’t know if he’d seen -stemmed red rose I waved despitethe front door, I let him into the shop "For me?" I asked

"It’ll cost ya," Brad teased

"Na boyishly "Maybe two"

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I blushed He took me by the hand and led me behind a tall shelf filled orsted yarn At least there we had a bit of privacy

"How’d the doctor’s visit go?"

"I didn’t even see him It was for routine blood tests"

"Are you nervous?"

I shook my head Maybe I should’ve been, but the cancer had leftti a little confident More than that, I felt too good to be sick again and showed none of the syraine Besides, for the first time in years, I was truly hopeful for the future

"I’ down at me, his eyes so intense and provocative it was nearly impossible to breathe

"That’s nice"

"How about if I take you to dinner and a movie?"

I s as it isn’t McDonald’s"

I sers, and Brad was thoroughly tired of fast food

"You got it Anyplace but McDonald’s"

Then, with such ease I was barely aware of what he was doing, Brad brought me into his arms and kissed me The earth didn’t move, the sky didn’t fall, but I swear I felt that kiss from the top of my head to the tips of my toes If a man could ine what it would be like if--when--weto hold on to this wonderful feeling as long as I could

"You s my neck

"It’s my perfulike Whiskers,in the afternoon sun

"I don’t care what it is, just proht, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered, and he kissed ain Neither of us wanted to stop, but he was still on the clock and we knew it had to end When he released et hty accustomed to Brad’s kind of kisses

"I’ll pick you up at seven on Saturday evening, all right?"

"Perfect," I told him

In that moment, "perfect" was how I’d describe my life

CHAPTER 32

CAROL GIRARD

T he critical first three weeks following eood Carol was a full five weeks pregnant now and felt every aspect of this pregnancy in a way feoon for twentyup the receiver and fixed herself a healthy lunch of cottage cheese and fresh fruit Carol had never been fond of cottage cheese, and this was her way of announcing to the universe that she illing to suffer for the sake of her baby No sacrifice was too great When her child was born, she wanted to know she’d done everything possible to give hie cheese onto a plate, then added sliced pineapple She’d heard froroup that a substance in pineapple was believed to i to the uterus

The phone rang as the fork was halfway to her mouth She lowered it and reached for the receiver

It was Doug Normally he was too busy to phone fro her at least once a day since the last IVF

"I just spoke with Mom," she told him

"What’s neith her?"

"She and Dad want to buy us a crib"

"Did you tell her we already have one?"

"I didn’t have the heart" Three weeks after the procedure, Carol had gotten a Bon-Macy’s flyer advertising baby furniture That night she’d dragged Doug to the departiddy with excite they could possibly need for a nursery

"So we’re going to have two cribs?"

"I could be having twins"

Doug chuckled and it was the unrestrained laugh she’d fallen in love with all those years ago He so rarely laughed like that anynancy explained his joy