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fiction
were like pools of melted chocolate.
so excited when the doctor had told them that they were finally—finally—pregnant. Maybe it had been their own
Sitting in the passenger seat, Charlie knew that Will could
faults—they’d waited so long to even try. And despite being
be dangerous. He was handsome and smart—not to mention
past the age of thirty-five, a “geriatric” pregnancy would
charming. And he could easily be someone that Charlie fell
come with challenges and risks, they had still decided to try.
for. Young and innocent, she knew she was no match for someone as worldly as he was—and an unguarded heart
Four months of bliss had turned into heartbreak when the
could easily be broken.
ultrasound showed no heartbeat where one had been. Charlie sighed, remembering as she ran her hand over her flat
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stomach. Today would have been their baby’s birthday. We didn’t guard our hearts.
It had been eighteen years since that date, a date that had led to a whirlwind courtship and the big, poufy white dress.
Her heart was breaking. And despite the fact that neither of
Charlie had never expected to fall so hard so fast, but Will had
them could talk about how much they were hurting, she knew
broken down her walls. And while her friends had warned her
Will was in as much pain as she was. The hurt in his eyes
that she was too young, she’d jumped in with both feet and
matched hers, but they could never seem to speak to one
trusted that she wouldn’t get hurt.
another without blame. Sometimes it seemed there were so many reasons to give up now, a year after they’d lost their
Once the honeymoon phase had ended, life settled into
baby—and, along with it, their hope. They’d lost who they
routine. They met bumps along the way, hitting points where
were to each other in all of this, as well.
it sometimes seemed they hardly knew one another. But they worked through it. They always had. Until now.
Charlie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. God, I still love him. This can’t be over. Why can’t we talk anymore?
Charlie stared at herself in the mirror. There were lines at the corners of her eyes and wrinkles that she tried to chase away
“I like talking to you, Charlie.” She could hear Will’s voice
with various lotions and potions. Still, they were there for a
saying those words, all those years ago.
reason, little markers of a life well lived. Now thirty-eight, she was approaching the point when so many of her friends
“Charlie?”
had gone into crisis mode, unable to admit to themselves that they weren’t as young as they once were. She still felt
She opened her eyes and saw Will staring at her in the
young enough, though. Except days like this—days when
reflection of the mirror. There was concern etched on his face.
the arguments seemed to overwhelm the good times. Yes, they’d had challenges throughout their marriage, things that
“Talk to me, Charlie,” he said. And suddenly she could see
made her wonder sometimes if she had still been too naïve
that face, that young man he had been, sitting in the truck
and innocent when they’d gotten married. But she’d always
with her. But now there were tears in those pools of melted
come back to how much she loved him—and how much he
chocolate. He crossed the room and took her hand in his and
loved her.
kissed it. “Please don’t give up on us.”
And then one day seemed to change it all, one single day when all their hopes had been torn to tatters. They’d been
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