Page 95 of Wishing for Love

“I doubt that you could do that. Tell me what happened.”

She explained everything to Phoenix’s mother. Even those words he heard when he walked in and that he missed everything before that.

“I’m sorry to say this, but your mother doesn’t sound like such a wonderful woman.”

“Don’t apologize. She’s always been this way. I don’t know why I let it bother me so much.”

“Because children want to feel love and acceptance from their parents. It’s completely normal. As for Phoenix, when he comes home tonight, you pull him aside and sit his butt down and firmly tell him what you did me. That he shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.”

“So I shouldn’t be a wuss and cry?” she asked. “By the way, I don’t do that much either. It’s just the past few days all I want to do is cry.”

“Hormones,” Carolina said. “And Phoenix is used to it. He’s seen me pregnant enough. The hormones are worse when thereare multiples too. And he’s got sisters. Oh boy, it’s like everyone had their monthly friend at once in the house.”

She smiled. “My mother used to say that too. But she’d be right there with us.”

“That’s right,” Carolina said. “We all have bad days. I’m going to tell you right now, Phoenix is thrilled about the baby. Don’t let anything bring doubt in your mind about that.”

“I think he’s more excited about it than me. And he’s so good with Elsie.”

There was a pause and she wondered what Carolina could be thinking. “Did Phoenix tell you how Maryn got pregnant?”

“She went to a sperm bank,” she said.

“Yes. Phoenix wanted to be the donor,” Carolina said.

Her jaw dropped again. “What? He never said that. He’s not, is he? Elsie doesn’t look anything like him.”

Elsie had blonde hair and blue eyes just like the pictures of Maryn. Phoenix had brown hair and brown eyes. Even their builds were different.

“Maryn wouldn’t do it,” Carolina said. “Phoenix was devastated. He knew they were nothing more than best friends. Nothing romantic there. But he loved Maryn like a sister. He was going to be a part of this child’s life regardless, so he was stunned when Maryn told him no.”

“Do you know why she did?” she asked.

“At first she made some comment about wanting someone with the same coloring as her,” Carolina said.

“You didn’t believe that, did you?”

“No,” Carolina said. “One day, Phoenix told me that Maryn knew Phoenix would want to be a father and not a donor. That it would ruin their friendship because he wouldn’t be able to distance himself as anything other than the father.”

“I could see where that might be an issue,” she said.

“They fought about it for a bit. He felt rejected by it. That he wasn’t good enough. He couldn’t see Maryn’s side, but I could. I’m glad it didn’t happen. I knew he’d never be happy with that kind of arrangement.”

“Do you think hearing what my mother said brought back his feeling rejected? Could it be that?”

“It could be,” Carolina said. “It could be a lot of things. But you won’t know until you talk to him and the longer you wait the harder it will be.”

“I tried to call him, but he wouldn’t answer.”

“Send him a text to get his ass back home now,” Carolina said. “Say that exactly. He’ll show up. Trust me.”

“If you say so. I’ll let you know how it turns out.”

“It’s going to be fine,” Carolina said.

Crystal wasn’t so sure of that but didn’t want to be proven right either.

She sent the text as Carolina said and fifteen minutes later the garage door opened and she heard Phoenix come back in. He hadn’t even replied, just returned home.