I blink in confusion. I’ve seen Rosemary around, of course, but I didn’t realize she knew my name. I’m just one of many volunteers.
She gets up, brushes mud off her knees, and gives me a hug. “I can’t thank you enough, my dear.”
“Umm, for what?”
“For connecting Julian Kincaid and Damien Cardenas with us,” she replies.
“I didn’t—”
“The two of them have been so helpful,” she gushes. “And the timing! We’d lost our grant. Without money, we would have been forced to shut down next year, but—”
“I didn’t know you were going to shut down,” I interrupt.
“Yes, well. I try not to alarm our volunteers. I’m sure you can relate. Things were looking really bleak, and then Damien and Julian showed up. Damien said you mentioned that we were always looking for volunteers.”
I did?
“And they donated some money?” They would. They both have generous hearts. Julian donated his signed comics to the health center’s fundraiser, and they both bid generously at the auction. And, of course, Damien followed up with another million-dollar donation.
“Money, yes, but they did so much more,” she says. “For a couple of years, I’ve been meaning to set up a CSA box to generate some revenue, but I don’t have a technical background. Damien built us a website, and Julian designed our packaging. Can you imagine that? Then he mentioned us on his social media, which led to a flood of donations, which led to articles in the press. . .” She shakes her head. “Our CSA box hasn’t even launched yet, and it’s already sold out. I’m still pinching myself.”
I don’t know what to say. What to think. “When did they do this?”
“They’ve been volunteering for weeks,” Rosemary replies. “I think they showed up in mid-September? Damien was here yesterday.”
My heart gives another leap. He’s still here? I thought he’d go back to Manhattan or Lima or wherever else he had a house. Why hasn’t he left? Why is he still in Highfield?
I dreamabout a baby that night. I’m in the hospital, giving birth. Damien and Julian are there, beaming with pride. My family is there too. My fathers, brothers, and Aurora all crowd into the hospital room where I’m holding my baby girl.
The dream is so vivid it takes me a few minutes to realize it isn’t real. But I can’t shake the images. They stick with me all morning. A voice inside me whispers that it isn’t a dream. Not anymore. It’s coming true.
That same voice drives me to the drugstore, where I buy a pregnancy test. It’s been eleven days since the procedure at the fertility clinic. It’s too soon to know.
Yet I lock myself in our upstairs bathroom and pee on the stick.
And it comes back positive.
I’m pregnant.
My heart overflows with joy. My heart tears in two. I’ll have the baby I’ve wanted. What I won’t have are Damien and Julian.
I’ve kept secrets from them. I’m having a baby via a sperm donor.
This is not a betrayal that I can undo.
I’m still in the bathroom when my phone rings. It’s Patricia. “Sophia, I wanted to give you a heads-up. My car won’t start.” She sounds resigned. “Ron’s going to give me a ride to dinner, but he has a prior commitment, so there’s a chance I’m going to be a few minutes late.”
Dinner? Oh fuck. I’ve forgotten all about it, but the dinner that Patricia insisted I set up to thank Damien—it’s tonight.