She gasps.
“Scarlet Linklater was a stripper?” Carolyn echoes in disbelief. “But she’s done a campaign for Louis Vuitton, the high-end fashion line! OMG, do they know?”
I shrug.
“I have no idea, but that’s not important. Honestly, the fact that she was a stripper isn’t even important because as I’ve stated before, work is work, and stripping is a job just like any other. But I didn’t want to out her as a young girl who used to dance at Club Z, and so I’ve kept mum about the whole thing. I’m surprised Scarlet even decided to share her story to be honest, although obviously she left out some key details. But everything’s changed now that Harvey Weinstein’s been revealed.”
Carolyn stares at me.
“Holy cow. So you didn’t pressure Scarlet to terminate?” she asks in a slow voice.
“No, never, I swear,” I rasp. “I would never do something like that. She knew that getting pregnant would mean big changes to her lifestyle, and at that time, she was young and having a lot of fun, as you can imagine. She didn’t want to give that up.”
Carolyn shakes her head but then looks me in the eye again.
“Was there anyone else?”
I take a deep breath.
“I’ve dated a lot of women in the ten years since I’ve been divorced, and I try to be careful, but a second woman got pregnant a few years back. It was an accident, and the relationship wasn’t serious at all. It was more just companionship and fun in addition to passion in the sack. But this woman didn’t want a baby because she had a big career in finance, and was married to her job, so we decided to terminate that one, too. I know it’s grisly, and I’m so sorry that you had to find out like this. But this decision was private, and even my daughter doesn’t know.”
Carolyn’s face has softened and I can tell she feels terrible for these women.
“I see,” she says in a quiet voice. “Zora didn’t know for sure,” she clarifies. “At least, she didn’t get too specific, other than mentioning Scarlet Linklater. But going through this must have been hard.”
I take her small hands in my own then.
“If either of those women had wanted to keep the baby, I wouldn’t have challenged them on it for a second. You have to believe that, sweetheart. I didn’t love either of them, but you know that I’m not that man either. Another baby wouldn’t have been ideal, especially if the parents aren’t in love with one another, but I would have been happy to be a father. I would have supported the child financially and been a part of his or her life. I would never let my baby or its mother struggle and fight on their own.”
To my surprise, instead of hugging me or apologizing, Carolyn breaks down crying while burying her face in her hands. It’s an overwhelming sadness, and my heart turns in my chest uncomfortably.
“I’m so sorry,” I rasp, while looking down at my hands with wretchedness. “This is a personal history that’s not ideal, and I understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore. All I can say is that I’m forty-nine, sweetheart, and these things happen when you’ve been single man for a long time. I wish I could change things, but I can’t. This is my life history, and I have to live with it.”
But Carolyn just cries harder, her shoulders hunching in on themselves.
“Sweetheart?” I ask, my hand stretching out to touch her back. “Are you okay? Again, I’m so sorry.”
Finally, she lifts her face and my heart breaks seeing those red-rimmed eyes and puffy nose.
“No, it’s not that, Preston. I’m pregnant with your baby, and this has all been so much to discover. But please, be honest. Do you want me to terminate?”
My heart stutters in my chest for a moment. She’s pregnant? This is why she’s been ill and avoiding me these past two weeks? Suddenly, I’m on my knees before the curvy girl, pulling her hands into my own.
“No, sweetheart. Please believe me when I say there’s no way in hell I’d want you to terminate this pregnancy because I adore you, and I want a baby with you more than anything.”
It doesn’t stop her tears, though.
“But what about the other two women?”
I shake my head frantically, desperate for her to believe me.
“Those relationships were different from ours. I didn’t love them, and they didn’t love me, but this is different. We’re different because we care about one another, and because our baby was created with love,” I say in a fierce tone. She lets out a sniffle.
“You mean…?”
“Yes,” I vow. “I love you, Carolyn. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, and I want to be with you. I want to give you the world and make you happy for the rest of our lives, and I want us to raise this child together. You can’t imagine how overjoyed I am to hear this news, and sweetheart,” I say in a choked voice. “I think I might start crying too.”