Convenience

Part 121

There were several seconds of silence. He turned her around. That contact between them had their pulses racing. A jolt of electricity. Definitely not just a frisson of attraction.

Possible, she thought. Possible, it rattled through her system. She looked shell-shocked as she looked straight at David. Is this a pipe dream? What if this was nothing more than an illusion? She folded her arms, curled her lips inward and ran her tongue over her lips.

Adoption. Was possible.

Beatrice looked over at him, her eyes wide, "You really believe that?"

He tried to relax his shoulders. "Of course." He told her honestly. "We have that option."

Beatrice took a steadying breath and pulled herself together. His words replayed over and over in her head. She squared her shoulders and her jet black eyes darkened as she repeated, "You really believe that?" She muttered under her breath. But he heard her tone. He could hear her silent wishes. She wanted a family who loved and cared about her. She wanted a family to love.

Beatrice waited as possibilities washed through her system. Yearning. She had put all her energy into her business because she really thought she had no possibilities in her personal life. No-one would want her, believing that no-one would stay with her if they knew that she couldn't get pregnant.

David nodded. "Yes. We can do this." He nearly smiled when he saw her dazed state. He reached for her hand. Again, that jolt of electricity. He held her hand securely, his thumb brushing against the back of her hand tenderly, "We can do this. I know that. We can have a real relationship. We can do this."

It was possible. She thought. It really could. Life was going to get complicated, she thought. But she suddenly felt glad!

Contented, with her life and lucky, that she had another chance with him. She nearly grinned at him. This felt odd: Smiling at him!

He saw the starting of a smile on her lips. Relief. David replied happily and grinned broadly. "I know you! You are stubborn, strong, and kind."

She rolled her eyes, and did smile. "Great. My best personality traits. Perfect."

David chuckled. "I am stubborn and strong, and occasionally kind." Beatrice snorted. He added before she could speak. "And stupid!" He grinned.

"Yes." Her smile widened. "We both have been stupid."

"Ok. So we have finished with our phase of stupid!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Not sure about that!"

David said firmly. "We can do this. In fact, why don't we have a bet!"

What?" She snorted.

"A bet."

Beatrice took a moment to think about what he'd said. She also accepted she was partly to blame for their current situation. Running away. Not staying to sort this. Coward, she thought.

He waited. He kept his eyes on her. "Well?" He asked. His eyes narrowed in speculation and he suddenly looked anxious.

Eventually, she folded her arms and stood as she said quietly, "Ok. Like what?"

"If we are together in five years, and for any following five years, you owe me a fabulous, expensive dinner!"

She quirked her eyes. "And?"

"And if we are heading for a divorce in five years, I will take you to fabulous, expensive dinner to renegotiate! " He seemed so pleased with himself that the words just erupted. "Cause I will never let you go!"

She blinked, tipped her head sideways to look at him, and her words just escaped, "But what I also wanted, in my relationship, is for my husband to be head-over-heels in love with me!" Perhaps this was her opportunity to explain. She smiled inside: When had she become so fierce about what she wanted in her personal life? Really wanted. But she knew, she was scared. Truly petrified.

"We can foster. Adopt. We can do that." He said softly.

Beatrice had never thought about that. Adopting. Fostering. And a relationship with him.

David smiled broadly. He told her with simple frankness, "Beatrice, please give me a chance to prove that."

Beatrice felt her emotions well up as she heard his sincerity. She closed her eyes and exhaled. She wanted love. Not a sham.

He announced quietly, "Give me a chance, Beatrice." Added, "Please." He carried on, "The pain of regret far out weighs the pain of risks. I know it is a challenge. Just try, one more time. Please, trust me."

Several seconds passed. He could see her reservations. Her fears. And her wishes.

"One moment can change everything." He said softly. "In our 5 years apart, nothing really happened in our personal lives, but," he rubbed the back of his neck, "there are days, with amazing hopes, possibilities, opportunities, where we fit in missing years into a couple of days, like this weekend. I think, a year from now, we, you, and I, we would've wished we had started. Please, Beatrice, give us a chance."