Take a Chance (13 page)

TWO MONTHS LATER

Willow

The last two months were crazy
with moving and wedding planning. My mom and I have seen each other twice now, and she and I quickly formed a bond that is equal to the bond that Asher’s sisters have with their mother. Her husband is great, I can see they are truly and deeply in love, and I’m so happy for them. I started calling him Dad, and I could tell he was tickled, well, pink by it. Asher and I are stronger than ever, falling more in love each day, if that’s even possible. His home is our home now. Sometimes we have dinners with the family here, I even cooked them my chili with noodles, with most of them saying it was definitely better than without. I’m not sure if they were saying that just to be nice, but I didn’t care. I enjoyed cooking for our family. The last time my mom and dad were here we all got together at Asher’s parents’ house for dinner to introduce them and everyone got along great.

The wedding plans are
well under way, and the beach location was a go. I’m so excited, Ava and Amelia agreed to be my maids of honor each standing up with Adrian and Aiden. The big day is only three months away. Everything seemed to be going great, until I started to not feel so well.

I didn’t want to alarm anyone so I kept it to myself
, telling everyone I was just tired from the moving and the wedding planning and working. But the fact was I was so tired, and sometimes I was so nauseated I needed to lie down, which was hard, because I didn’t want anyone else to know.

One Saturday I was sleeping in bed in the middle of the day
when Asher came in, I felt the bed move as he sat down.

“Sweetheart, are
you feeling OK?” he asks concerned.

I knew I couldn’t ignore him or the fact that I wasn’t feeling well anymore.

“I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“You’re not fooling anyone, I’ve seen
how tired you have been, you can’t hide anything from me, and I know you haven’t been feeling well. What’s going on?”

“Really I’m fine, just a little tired. That’s all, really.”

“You know I have this business trip scheduled for Monday, I think I should cancel and we should take you to the doctor. This isn’t anything to fool around with, Willow.”

“No
, you don’t have to cancel, this is an important meeting and you have to go. I’ll make an appointment Monday, I promise. I’ll even take one of your sisters with me if it makes you feel better.”

“Well
, if you’re sure. I don’t feel right about it, but if you promise to take one of my sisters, I’ll still go.”

“I promise. First thing Mo
nday I’ll make an appointment.”

“O
K, you rest, I’ll make us dinner and I’ll come get you when it’s ready.” With a kiss on the forehead, which I’m sure was to see if I was running a fever, he went back downstairs.

Lying
there wondering what’s wrong with me, of course I’m thinking the worst. The cancer is back.

Asher

Leaving Willo
w Monday morning was hard to do, but with Ava’s promise that she would take her to her appointment scheduled for later this afternoon, I felt a little more comfortable with it. The business meeting was scheduled a month ago and was important, which was the only reason I was going. I could cut it short from the four days to two, but being away is still hard not knowing what’s going on.

Between texting Ava and Willow every fifteen minu
tes for updates, I think they’re both ready to kill me. By the time I knew she was in the appointment I couldn’t focus on the meeting at all. Thirty minutes later I was back to texting them both. Repeatedly. Finally I got a call from Willow.

“Sweetheart, how did it go?”

“Asher, you’re going to make your sister want to commit murder. Relax, the doctor said it was probably just the flu all my test results came back fine.”

“Oh thank God, I was thinking…”

“I know what you were thinking, I was thinking the same thing and he assured me it’s not. I’m perfectly healthy.”

Finally being able to relax, I could concentrate on my meeting and the task at hand. I was so worried about her. With the wedding only three months away
, I can hardly wait to make her my wife. I can’t wait to see her tomorrow. I’m still cutting my trip short. I need to hold her. I just need to be with her.

Willow

Sitting in the doctor’s office, I am holding Ava’s hand. I told him all the symptoms I had been experiencing. He took some blood and asked us to wait back in his office. So here we sit holding hands, not saying a word. The clock on the wall is ticking loudly, with each second that passes, it seems to be getting louder. Ava touches my hand, bringing me back to reality. Looking at her face, I can see it looks like she is in pain, she glances down to our hands, so do I. I can see her hand is turning white because I have been squeezing her hand so hard.

“Sorry, so sorry
. I’m just so nervous.”

“It’s
OK, but damn woman you’ve got a grip.”

Just then the doctor comes in with a file in his hand. People and their files, they usu
ally only bring bad news. He takes a seat behind his desk.

“Willow,
I have all your results back, you are still in remission. The cancer is not back.” I am confused now, then why have I not been feeling good.

“It seems that you are pregnant.”

“What?” I ask, while I suddenly feel light headed. That would explain it.

Ava is now squeezing my hand so tight I think it’s goi
ng to leave a permanent bruise.

“I thought I couldn’t get pregnant because of the chemo
, and I’ve been on the pill for my heavy periods since I was a teenager.”

“Willow, no one ever told you, you couldn’t get pregnant after chemo. Lots of women go
on after chemo and get pregnant, although I wish it were a little longer after your last dose. Your OB/GYN will monitor you closely. As far as we can tell there is no need for concern. Stop taking the pill immediately, here is a prescription for prenatal vitamins. I am recommending this obstetrician that works closely with cancer survivors. Make an appointment right away and, Willow, congratulations.”

I c
alled Asher telling him everything was fine, it was probably just the flu. I didn’t want to tell him this big of news over the phone. He said he was coming home early anyway. Walking, with my hands clasped with Ava’s, we return to the car. “Willow, I’m so happy for you both. How are you going to tell him, we should think of some way special to tell him?”

“I have the perfect idea
. I’m going to need your help though.”

“You got it. T
ell me what you’re planning.”

After telling Ava my idea, she was all
smiles, she dropped me off at home and immediately went into action pulling everything together.

Tomorrow was going to be a fun day. I could hardly wait for Asher to get home. I text him and told him I invited everyone over for dinner to welcome him home. He didn’t think anything about it. He wouldn’t be home until almost dinner time anyway. The next morning I was ab
le to get in the see the OB/GYN. My doctor, Dr. Fleming, had already been informed about my history and she wanted to do an exam. Asking me to strip from the waist down, I was slightly confused.

Holding up a large wand looking device she said she was going to do an internal sonogram. I didn’t even know they did internal ones.
Holding Amelia’s hand the entire time, she insisted on coming with me, but I couldn’t have been happier. A fuzzy black-and-white image appears on the screen. After some measuring and looking at the fuzzy blob she said I was ten weeks pregnant and that everything looked normal. She flipped a switch on the machine and a whoosh whoosh whoosh sound filled the air. It was my baby’s heartbeat. Our baby’s heartbeat. Asher and I made a baby. She printed a few pictures and made me my next appointment.

Making a quick call to Ava,
she had everything all ready, and she will come over before Asher gets home. She told him she was helping me cook, which he was happy about, because he worries too much about me. Changing my clothes and putting on a sweatshirt jacket zipped up, I head into the kitchen to help Ava. Asher should be home any minute.

Just as expected Asher walks through the
door a few minutes later, making a bee line straight to me, wrapping me in a tight hug, he kisses me like it has been weeks since he last saw me, instead of two days.

“How are you feeling? Better?”
he asks concerned.

“Yes, one hundred percent better.”

“Are you cold? You’re wearing a jacket. Did you want me to turn the heat up?”

“No
, I’m fine. I just put on a short-sleeved shirt without thinking. So I threw on a jacket. How was your trip?”

“
The trip was a success, but I am so glad to be home.”

The rest of the family arrives each
bringing more food than we could possibly eat. Asher eyes his dad suspiciously.

“Dad
, why does your shirt say, ‘Dad’ on it? Are you getting senile in your old age, and need to be reminded what your name is?”

“Funny son, real funny.”

Giggling softly to myself, I know exactly why his shirt says, “Dad.”

Asher

Being home is
such a relief, I am so glad everything is OK with Willow, I was so worried. Coming home to our house filled with family is the second best thing. Willow clears her throat and says, “If everyone can pay attention for a second before dinner, I have something I need to say.”

She’s probably going to tell everyone that her appointment went fine and she is still cancer free. Everyone is moving around trying to stand in a
straight line. Aiden and Ava are fighting about who gets to stand next to Mom. What is wrong with these people? Willow stands next to me and takes my hand. Everyone else is lined up in front of us like a firing squad.

“O
K, everyone now,” Willow says.

I have just now noticed that everyone is wearing zipped up jackets,
except for my dad, whose jacket is already unzipped. They start taking them off one by one. Each T-shirt has one word written across the front of it. I read them starting from left to right. “You’re a be to going Dad.” I think everyone has lost their mind.

Everyone looks at their
shirts, they all start talking at once and start re-arranging themselves. Willow joins them and un-zips her jacket. I read them all again. “Congratulations you’re going to be a Dad.” Wait. What?

Willow is standing with silent tears streaming down
her face, shaking her head yes.

“How can this be
? I thought you said you couldn’t get pregnant?”

Rushing over she plows into me with a tight hug, pulling
away to look in my eyes she says, “I thought I couldn’t get pregnant either, the doctor said everything looks great, here.” She reaches in her back pocket and takes out a black and white image and puts it in my hand.

“This is our baby. Tell me you’re happy.”

Staring at the photo in my hand, Willow slowly backs away unsure of how I’m reacting. My face has fallen. My mom walks up and touches my arm, “Asher please say something, you’re scaring Willow.”

“I’m just
… I’m just so happy, I don’t even think I can think. Willow, this is amazing, come here sweetheart, I’m so happy. I never thought this was possible.” Hugging her, I feel like I’m about to come out of my skin, she bursts into tears.

“I though
t for a second you were angry.”

“Never
, sweetheart, I’m so happy. You have made me the happiest man alive. We’re having a baby.” Placing my hand over her flat belly, our child is growing right now inside Willow and I’m going to be a dad.

Dinner was filled with so much joy. Soon Willow and I will be married and soon after that we are going to be parents. Thinking back to Olivia, we had talked about having a family.
We talked about it all the time. In fact, we were even trying the last few years, but had been unsuccessful. I know she is looking down with a smile, I know she is happy for me.

After everyon
e left I’m standing in the kitchen cleaning up the last of the dinner mess. Willow wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head on my back.

“Are you really happy, you weren’t just saying that because your family was here, were you?”

Turning around, putting the dish towel on the counter, I wrap her securely in my arms, kissing the top of her head.

“I’m sorry if
you thought that for one second. I was so surprised, in a good way. I didn’t even know what I was doing. Time was standing still. It’s the happiest thing, besides you being cancer free, I have ever heard. I love you so much. And I love this baby.”

Smiling
, she kisses me tenderly. “So I guess it’s fitting that our wedding is going to be at the beach, because I just might be the beached whale.”

“Willow, sweetheart you are going to
be beautiful on our wedding day and just remember you’re my beached whale.” She smacks me hard on the arm, and I say, “Ow,” with a smile.