Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 445(@200wpm)___ 356(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Probably.”
“You really are a monster.”
“I’m aware.” I show her a matchbook, a shampoo bottle, and a single piece of gum. “It’s all just… stuff now. It pales compared to the real thing. I was thinking maybe it’s time to put this room to better use.”
“Doing what?” Her eyebrows raise curiously.
“It would make a good nursery.”
She doesn’t move. Her brow wrinkles in surprise, and she fidgets with her shirt. “Do you really mean that?”
“I never thought children would be a part of my life.” I gesture around me. “I’m not exactly the father type.”
“When did you change your mind?”
“The second you put my ring on your finger.”
She snorts softly, shaking her head. “Come on, don’t be cheesy.”
“I mean it. You’ll make a wonderful mother. And if I’m even half as good at being a father, our kids might have a chance.”
“You’d really want to raise them in all this?” She gestures back outside the room. “Your family? My family?”
“I know you hate what they do.” I walk to her slowly, holding her gaze. “But what they do isn’t the important part. It’s what they mean to us.”
“Deep stuff for a psychopath.”
“I’m starting to learn things about myself. I like having brothers. I like having parents. I want to be a part of their lives, and I want them in mine.”
“Is that why you’ve been working with Seamus more often?”
I nod, stopping in front of her. I gently tug her against me. A thrill runs down my spine as she looks up into my eyes. God, that never gets old. She’s so fucking perfect it breaks me.
“We can teach our kids to be better. Or at least you can. But they’ll always have the family. That’s important.”
She sighs and leans her cheek against my chest. “I know what you’re trying to say, and I’m open to the idea. I just need some time.”
“Take as long as you want.”
I hold her there in my shrine to her. Somehow, the reality of my wife is better than the fantasy I built in this place.
“You can keep it, you know.” She looks up at me again. “We’ve got other rooms. We don’t need this one.”
“I’m not sure I should.”
“Keep it.” She gets on her toes and kisses me.
I reach back to her hair and pluck one out. She yelps in surprise. “Since you’re so insistent, I might as well add to my collection.”
“Jesus, Cormac, you could’ve warned me.” She rubs the back of her head as I gently lay the hair down on a shelf next to an empty tube of Chapstick.
“What’s the fun in that?”
“You’re nuts, you know that?”
“It’s hard not to.”
“Good. Now come on.” She takes my hand and tugs me from the shrine room. “Let’s go discuss this baby thing more.”
“What’s there to say? I come inside of you until you get pregnant. Pretty simple.”
She glares at me. “I was thinking more along the lines of names, getting clothes, buying and reading books, that sort of stuff.”
“Oh. Right.” I shrug, grinning. “I was just thinking sex.”
“As usual.”
Epilogue: Bianca
Jessica turns to face me, an enormous grin on her face. “Well? What do you think?”
I look around at the empty building and try to imagine it filled with people. Over there are individual rooms for women with children and families. Over there are bunks and shared spaces for single women staying temporarily. Counseling there, food and kitchen there, rec and entertainment there. A corner for our offices and administrative stuff.
I walk slowly around. I can almost hear the voices, the laughter, the crying, the pain and anguish, and the hope. Always hope. That’s the whole point of places like this.
Without hope, what’s the point?
“It’s good,” I say softly, smiling to myself. “What did it used to be?”
“Offices, I think.” Jessica shrugs and checks her notes. “Price is right where we want it to be. Location isn’t perfect, but there’s access to public transportation, and I think the neighbors won’t be a problem.”
“There’s a park nearby.”
Her eyebrows raise. “Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Grace House was near a park. Sometimes the women would go there, maybe sit alone on benches or take their kids if they had children with them.”
“Huh. I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Parks are good. Cheap food too. There’s a diner on the corner and a bodega over there.” I gesture vaguely toward our left.
“You know your stuff, huh?” Jessica lowers her clipboard, studying me. “Sounds like you don’t even need my help.”
“I know some stuff. But everything else?” I shrug and point toward all her notes. “That’s why you’re around.”
We wander the space for a little longer. Jessica rattles off a list of updates we’ll have to make. Plumbing, electrical, all the basics to turn it from a workspace into a living space. “Plus permits and all that. The permits alone are going to be a massive headache.”