He went to the pub and ordered a hamburger and a beer. He struck up a conversation with the bartender, an attractive blonde with a beautiful smile. When she asked him if he was passing through, he said he was. He asked her about Timberlake and how long she’d lived there. She described the town as friendly and safe.

“We have a lot of tourists all year ’round, thanks to the beauty of the Rockies,” she said. “Spring for the wildflowers, summer for the vacationers and outdoorsy types like hikers, bikers, fishermen. Fall for the changing of the leaves and winter for the obvious reasons—the whole state skis.”

“You have any big resorts nearby?” he asked.

“Dozens an hour or less away,” she said. “Are you looking for skiing?”

“I might be. Right now I’m just looking around. I’ve never been to Colorado before. I bet there are some big houses around those resorts, huh?”

“Beautiful homes with a view around Telluride, Aspen, Vale, Breckenridge. Excuse me—I’m the only one here right now and I have to take care of the tables. I’ll be back.”

By the time she got back, he’d finished eating. He handed her a credit card while he drank the last of his beer.

“I’m sorry, sir. The card was denied.”

“Why does that happen?” he said, reaching for his wallet. He pulled out another card.

She brought it back, shaking her head. “Maxed out, maybe?” she suggested.

He shrugged. “I think it’s probably a security issue. I’ve been on the move, using it all over the state. I’ll have to call them both, get them up and running again. Pain in the neck, though.” He pulled out a twenty and a ten. “Keep the change,” he said.

“Thank you,” she said. “Have a good day.”

“You, too. That was a great burger.”

“I’ll tell the cook you said that,” she said.

He left the pub and walked down the street to the clinic.

The cards were maxed out, but he thought it would slip by in this little armpit of a town. Times had been hard. He had two bad marriage runs, three kids he rarely saw, sketchy employment and his parents cut him off. They’d been really supportive for a long time. Hell, it’s not as if they were without the means—his dad sold the home-goods store for a lot of money. His parents sold their house and it had been paid off. They bought a nice place in Scottsdale. He stayed there rent free, but then he had no place to bring a woman if he wanted a little privacy. His mom mentioned getting an email from Helen, updating her on where she and Leigh were now living. He threatened to hate his mother forever if she told Helen about his run of bad luck. He didn’t need Leigh finding out he’d lived with his parents the last three years, since his second divorce.

That’s when he got to thinking about Leigh. If he’d played his cards right in the first place he wouldn’t have alimony and child support times two. He’d have plenty of money. And he’d always loved Leigh. He’d had a few distractions here and there when they were together, little flings with girls that Leigh hadn’t known about, but it was just what made life interesting. They hadn’t been serious and hadn’t threatened his relationship with Leigh.

He entered the clinic, saw a few patients waiting and went up to the reception desk. He turned on his most charming expression, confident he had a twinkle in his blue eyes, and said, “Hi. I wanted to see Dr. Culver, if possible.”

“I’m sorry, she’s not here this afternoon. Dr. Dodd is seeing patients today. Would you like to sign in?”

He laughed. “I’m not a patient,” he said. “I’m an old friend. I was in the area and wanted to say hi. Will she be here tomorrow?”

“I believe so. Would you like to leave a note for her?”

“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

“I guess you don’t want to leave your name?”

He shook his head. “I’ve known her my whole life but I haven’t seen her in years. I’ll come back tomorrow, thanks. You have a nice clinic here. Have a great day!”

“You, too,” she said, finally smiling.

He wandered down the street, whistling. Leigh’s name had been on the door: Urgent Care and Family Medicine, Dr. Leigh Culver. She’d done well for herself while he’d made a series of blunders. Not his fault, really. It was amazing how a couple of bad choices could turn into about fifteen years of rotten luck.

Close to where he’d parked, a young woman was sweeping the sidewalk in front of the beauty shop. Jeez, what a hottie. She had long dark hair down to her butt, was tall and slender with a nice rack, long lashes and red nails. Her jeans were tight and her sandals had high heels.

“Hey,” he said.

She stopped sweeping and smiled at him. “Hey.”

“This your shop?” he asked.

“I work here,” she said.

“Then you’d be the right person to ask—where’s a good place to take a lady out to dinner around here?”

“Have you tried the pub?” she asked.

“I had lunch there. Is there anything a little fancier? For a nice first date?”

“Well, if you’re willing to drive, there are several places in Aurora or Colorado Springs.”

“I like to drive. Can you make a few recommendations?”

“Sure. There’s Hank’s in Aurora—you need a reservation. The Tempest Grill, also in Aurora. Steer Clear in Colorado Springs. Are you new in town?”

“Just visiting a friend. So, where do you think I might find a pretty lady to join me for dinner?”

She laughed. “I could, if I knew you.”

“Maybe we should get to know each other while you finish sweeping,” he said. “Then we’ll be set.”

True happiness is...to enjoy the present,

without anxious dependence upon the future.

—Lucius Annaeus Seneca

13

IT HAD BEEN almost a week since the pregnancy test confirmed that Leigh was pregnant. She took the first available appointment with Dr. Carlson in Aurora. Rob, of course, asked to go along. Under most circumstances the mother would be thrilled to have the father ask to be involved, but in this case Leigh was torn. “Be sure to stand at my head while I’m being examined and while the transvaginal ultrasound is being done. There will be a modesty drape and the nurse will also be there, but I feel compromised and vulnerable and—”

“I’ll stand where you tell me and I won’t look at anything naked,” he said. “Not even your ankle. I’d just like to hear what you’re hearing.”

“Why? Are you afraid I won’t tell you the truth?” she asked.

“That never once crossed my mind,” he said. “Sometimes, when you’re seeing the doctor under emotional circumstances, you forget to ask things or forget what the answers are. Two sets of ears are good.”

Dr. Carlson was an attractive young woman, not much older than Leigh, a mother herself. She was very welcoming, very warm. She smiled when she met Rob, then asked him to wait outside while Leigh changed into a gown. When they were ready, she invited Rob into the room.

“Where would you like me, Leigh?” he asked solicitously.

“By my head, please,” she said. She was under a tent of a sheet. “You’ll be able to see the monitor just fine from here without looking up my nether parts.”

He chuckled but said, “Whatever is best for you.”

“Let’s get to what you came here for,” Dr. Carlson said. In just a few minutes the ultrasound began thumping with a heartbeat, and the little tadpole, so small, was sloshing around in there. “We’ll get a much better image in a few more weeks but I’d put you at about six weeks’ gestation. And...everything seems to be in order—healthy and normal. We will learn more in the weeks to come.”

At that news, Leigh lifted her hand, reaching for his. He took it and squeezed it reassuringly.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the monitor. It was hard to imagine but in her heart she knew that little beating heart would grow and learn to drive and go to college. She would sit on Aunt Helen’s lap and have stories read to her.

She just assumed she was a girl.

She’d known since peeing on the pregnancy stick that she was having this baby. Ill-timed as it was, awkward as this all felt, she’d been surprised by a baby and was reluctant to pass up the opportunity. But that was literally all she knew—she would have it. All the particulars were still vague. Would they break up and try to be supportive of each other during the coming months and years? Would they make an effort to combine forces to bring this pregnancy to fruition? Join forces to parent this child to adulthood?

Rob, gripping her hand, leaned down close to her ear. “Look at that little thing go, Leigh. His heart is strong and normal.”

Of course he assumed it would be a boy.

Leigh’s throat tightened and she felt the swell of tears. It was by sheer dint of will that she didn’t cry, though she knew crying at this point would be perfectly normal.

“So, you have the basic facts,” Dr. Carlson said. “I could conference with you about all the many options you have, but I believe you’re capable of talking those things over without me. I’m going to have the nurse draw some blood—those results are meaningful no matter what you decide. We should at least have a baseline.”

Leigh just nodded. She bit down on her lower lip to keep from crying. She didn’t know why. She’d already known she was pregnant.

When they were starting home, Rob reached for her hand. “Six weeks,” he said. “Didn’t take us long, did it?”

“I can’t talk,” she said. “I’m sorry.”

He gave her a moment and then said, “If you tell me what you’re afraid of, we can start there, figure it out.”

“I don’t even know,” she said.

“Okay, let’s start with what’s good about this—it’s a baby and it appears to be healthy and strong.”