“But—”
“Maybe when the baby is born, and I have a solid plan. I know his family will want to be a part of the baby’s life. I’ll allow it—within reason.”
She looks at me with a sad smile. “I get it. I thought I had the happily ever after, and he left.”
“Sorry about it. If I could… I don’t know what I’m going to do with Mitch.”
“Nothing,” Anya says. “He’s the one missing the best part of us. I understand why he did it, within reason. He’s a lot like you, he lost too much.”
I hug her because I can’t believe she’s being so reasonable. And maybe this is what real love is all about, even when you can’t be together, you can’t just let it go.
“I hate to ask this, but if you’re pregnant…”
“Listen, I still think you’ll be fine, but if you leave sooner than expected, I’ll adopt Rumi then I’ll have two kids who’ll grow up as siblings—happily.”
“You might not like to hear this, but I’m glad that’ll be the case.”
I don’t have the energy to remind her that we’re going to beat the fucking cancer. Tonight, we won’t get into more details. There’s a lot I have to think about, including the part where I’m upset at a man who never promised anything but a good time.
Did I expect more from him?
It takes me a few seconds to realize that I’m upset at myself, even though I want to blame him. I’m the one who broke the rules, and now I have to deal with the life I’ve tried to avoid for almost six years. The corporate job, wanting a family… my dreams.
Iskander is nothing to me, only the man who helped me pass the time while I pretended I could be like anyone else.When I look at my phone again, I decide that the first step to leave that chapter of my life is by switching my number.
Tomorrow, I’ll be back to the old Siobhan and I’ll start planning a real future.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Iskander
Siobhan doesn’t respondto my text or voicemail. It’s past midnight when I begin to nod in front of my computer. Hoping that the exhaustion might help me fall asleep, I head to bed.
It feels like five minutes after I rest my bed on my pillow my phone is ringing.I immediately answer, hoping it’s Siobhan. “Hey,” I whisper.
“What did you do toher?” A female voice almost blows out my eardrum.
“Excuse me?” I grunt, checking who’s calling.“Oh, Nydia. What are you saying?”
“I can’t find any other explanation as to why Siobhan just packed and left Luna Harbor. I blame you.”
“Technically, she didn’t pack,” says a second female voice.
“Nathalie, don’t defend him.”
“I was just making sure you have the right information,” Nathalie says. “She just called Diego and didn’t come back for her things. I also blamehim.”
“What did you do to Siobhan, Iskander Cantú?” Nydia repeats the question. Each word feels like a drill inside my head.
I’m tempted to end what I think is a three-way call.
“Can you tell me the problem?” I try to sound reasonable and calm. “The last time I checked you were on your way to your honeymoon and now you’re assaulting my eardrums.”
“We can’t reach Siobhan. Her number has been disconnected,” Nydia says. “I leave for my honeymoon, and one of my best friends disappears. I blame you.”
“I had nothing to do with it.”
“Uh-huh,” both say in unison.