The Heart Can't Make It Alone (Completed)

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

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"There's something I need to tell you, Joe."

As much as Joe wanted to make himself believe that he could forgive Val for anything, the fear he currently felt for hearing what Val had been keeping from him made him feel that he had probably just lied to her. God, what if she's been cheating on me? What if the baby wasn't mine? What if she's sick?

He swallowed hard and nodded his head.

"Alright."

She sat on the sofa, tightly clinging to his hand which had started to instantly sweat from his anxiety. He sat next to her, giving her his undivided attention.

"There's a reason why we haven't been having sex as much as we used to."

He swallowed again, preparing for her to rip his heart into shreds.

"Is it me?" he quietly asked.

"Sort of."

She released his hand and clasped her hands together in her lap.

"Explain," he said, clasping his own hands together and resting his forearms on his thighs.

She blew another breath and continued.

"I had been having some pain, mostly during sex and I've been having some really bad periods, so I made an appointment a few months ago."

"is it because I'm too rough?"

"No, it's not that. It's more your size than anything."

So my dick is too big. OK.

"Well, what is it? What did the d-doctor say?"

"I have endometriosis. It won't kill me, but it makes life and sex pretty painful," she admitted as a tear rolled down her cheek. "And ... it's ... it's the reason why I lost the baby."

Joe cinched his brow in a scowl and looked at her.

"You knew? This whole time you knew?"

"I didn't wanna break your heart, 'cause I knew the pregnancy had to be terminated," she said through her sobs. "And I just couldn't admit that I had let you down. I'm so sorry, Joe."

Joe held up his hand to stop her and shook his head, his heart breaking all over again.

"So, is that why you hid the pregnancy from me?"

She nodded her head but remained silent.

"You coulda told me, baby," he said, his voice trembling. "You coulda told me."

"I couldn't tell you, Joe."

"What do you mean you couldn't tell me?! I've always told you you can talk to me, Val! I would've understood! I'm your husband!" he said through a low growl in an attempt to keep from waking the children. "Why can't you trust me?"

"I do trust you, baby! I just didn't-"

"No! I've proven myself to you over and over and over again," he stressed through clenched teeth as he stood from the sofa, "but you still shut me out! Why?!"

"I didn't wanna hurt you!" she said, also standing.

"Well, it's a little too late for that!"

Joe stormed out of the family room amidst pleas from Val, the pain of her revelation tearing through him like a sharp knife. Goddamn it, he thought as he flopped down on the bed. He stared up at the ceiling for nearly an hour before finally pulling himself from the bed and going into the en suite to take a shower. He finished a half-hour later, fully expecting to find Val in the bed. Disappointed, he climbed underneath the thin blanket and tried to find sleep. Unfortunately, that wouldn't come as his mind continued to linger on their argument.