This Is Love

7. Point Break

POV: Harrison

I'm at the office flipping through a file on my desk, my body is here but my mind is miles away with my wife. We had an amazing night and I'm still flying on that high. I missed how her body felt next to mine and how she responds to me. I hated leaving this morning but I have work.

My phone rings and it's Mark.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"Hey man, uhm...Leslie is at the hospital giving birth. It seems the baby came earlier than expected. Her lawyer just called me."

"Let the games begin. I'm either going to be vindicated or I'm losing my wife at the end of this."

"Come on man, don't be so negative." He says.

"It's the truth. I don't think my marriage will survive any outcome that keeps Leslie in our lives. Alicia will think I lied to her and she can't stand Leslie."

"Look, let's just get through today and we can go from there. Meet me at the hospital and we can have the paternity test done there."

"See you there."

On the way to the hospital I text Alicia to let her know what is happening.
She responds saying she'll be there with me. What did I do to deserve such a wife? More importantly, what will I do without her? Will she even believe anything I say if those results don't confirm what I told her?

Mark, Alicia and I are in the waiting room and Alicia is texting frantically on her phone and she looks stressed.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's just Monica." A nurse comes over to tell us they are ready. We go into a doctor's office and they collect my DNA on a swab.

"We'll have the results tomorrow."

"Thank you." Mark says as we stand up and I'm holding Alicia's hand when the nurse suddenly turns around and says something I did not expect.

"In the meantime would you like to see your son?" She says with a wide but obviously fake smile.

I feel Alicia tense up and I say, "Not today, thank you."

Once we're outside the hospital, Alicia says she has to go meet up with Monica for dinner and she'll meet us back here for the results.
I watch her walk away and sadness sets in. I want to run to her and tell her that we will be okay but I don't want to make empty promises. I also know she's hurting and I wish I could take away the pain that all of this is causing. Last night felt like we were us again and that nothing else mattered, but after today it's all hanging in the balance. 

"It will be fine. Don't lose hope." Mark consoles me noticing my fallen expression as Alicia walks away.

I can see how difficult this is for Alicia. I must admit a part of me was curious and wanted to see the baby. Maybe I would feel or see something that can let me know what is happening.

I do want children. I want children with my wife, but not like this. Not when pain is being inflicted. Definitely not with Leslie. That would be a miserable life. How did I even end up dating her for as long as I did? She made that year of my life crazy.

I get home and the house is silent, I forgot I gave my staff the day off today. Let me try and cook something. Alicia would be laughing so hard right now if she saw me wearing her purple frilly apron. I make grilled chicken and vegetables. I eat alone at kitchen island. Alone feels different, I don't like it. I miss my wife, our routine, our conversations and just being together.

After dinner I lay on couch watched TV hoping sleep would take over. When sleep eludes me I decide to go to the library to find a book to read and I spot Alicia's book on friendship sitting on the coffee table so I pick it up and sit down.
It's a wonderful book about the value of friendship, what it is and what it's not as well as types of friendships. It has a line in there: