by J. P. Comeau
“Everything has been going great. I’m back to sleeping a full eight hours most nights.”
Mr. Truman took a sip of his coffee and nodded. “I’m sorry about what happened last month, Gavin. We pushed you hard, although I admit that I’ve had my fair share of long days. Anyway, I hope the travel bug has bitten you again because we’re sending you to Hawaii.”
A sinking feeling hit me in the stomach. “Oh? What for?”
“As you know, we have several properties in Hawaii. We’re doing some construction on them, and we want you there to make sure they go smoothly.”
“Mr. Truman. How long will the construction last?”
He sat back in his chair, and that sinking feeling returned. “Honestly? We don’t know, Gavin, and there’s more that we need you to do in Hawaii. A few properties have come up for sale, too.”
I knew this wouldn’t be a short trip, but I kept my feelings to myself. “Well, that’s wonderful that you’re expanding in Hawaii. It’s a beautiful state. How long do you think I’ll be there?”
“This is the hard part, Gavin. It could be a couple of months. Normally, I wouldn’t be concerned about sending you there for so long, but seeing as how things are going well between you and Crystal, I know it’ll put a strain on your relationship.”
Mr. Truman must have read the expression on my face, despite my best efforts at hiding my feelings. “Look, business comes first. Besides, I’m sure that she’ll understand.”
“I’m not sure what her schedule is like, but you could always invite her to stay with you. It’s no skin off of my back if we pay for her to accompany you.”
The excitement of her going with me quickly faded, though. “I don’t think that’s a possibility, sir. She’s just told Annie that she’d help out with her yoga studio now that’s she’s on bed rest.”
Mr. Truman gave me a knowing look, and all I wanted to do was scream.
The chemistry that I had experienced with Crystal in Moldova had stayed with us back home, and both of our lives were on track. Now that she would be receiving the money from her mother’s estate, she had given up the extra yoga classes.
That was until Annie pulled a muscle, and now she was back to overworking herself.
I was disappointed when she told me the news, but figured that I was still on a breather, so at least I could be flexible with my schedule. Now that I would be in Hawaii for who knows how long, however, I couldn’t help but become insecure about our relationship.
Mr. Truman saw the concern in my eyes. “Gavin, I hope you know that I didn’t want to lean on you this way, but you’re the best man that I’ve got besides Richard. Now his time is tied up taking care of Annie, so he definitely can’t go out to Hawaii. Not even for a weekend. That poor woman needs around the clock care, and Addison needs her father’s attention, too. I know the timing of this is just awful, but you’re the only one who can get these properties at the best price.”
I put my poker face back on. “I completely understand, and I’m sure that Crystal will too. With social media now, it’s not like we won’t be in contact with each other. Besides, she’ll be busy with the yoga studio, so it’s actually perfect timing.”
Mr. Truman was a bit more old-fashioned than I was, though. He wouldn’t understand that I didn’t want to leave Crystal. As a man, he'd say it was my job to make money and that women needed to learn to let go.
Jake and Richard had given me glimpses into their marriages over the years, and I knew that while Mr. Truman was a good man, he hadn’t always been the best husband. He often worked long hours that left his wife to raise her children on her own. As much as I loved Mr. Truman, I never wanted to be that kind of guy.
He seemed pleased. “Thank you, Gavin. I depend on you.”
“I’ll get you the best deals; you know that. I’ve been building my career with you for a long time now, and I have no intention of stopping.”
After I left our meeting, I knew the first thing I had to do was tell Crystal.
I walked into the yoga studio and made my way to her office. Through the window, I saw her staring at a computer with a stack of paperwork next to her.
Crystal jumped after I knocked on the door. “Oh, God! Gavin, you scared me.”
I gave her a quick kiss and sat down next to her. “What are you working on?”
She threw her pen on the desk and buried her face in her hands. “Everything. I had no idea that running a business was so much work! I’m trying to figure out payroll, and then one of the yoga instructors wants a day off, so I’m trying to find someone to cover that class. Normally, I would do it myself, but it’s at the same time as Annie’s Wednesday morning pregnancy yoga class. Two other instructors are available, but neither of them wants to be here in the morning. On top of that, there’s a leaky faucet in the ladies’ room that every student has complained about, and I can’t get a handyman out here until next week!”
“I’m so sorry, honey, and don’t you have to teach a class this afternoon too?”
Crystal pulled her hands away from her face. “I have to teach four classes this afternoon, all of which are an hour long. Two are mine, and two are Annie’s, and I’m still learning a few of the poses. During the last pregnancy class, a woman sniped at me that only a pregnant woman should be teaching it since I have no idea what they’re going through. God, some women can be so bitchy.”
I knew that Crystal would be upset about me leaving, and I thought about waiting to tell her at a better time, but I decided to just get it off of my chest.
“If I had known it was this bad, then I would have come down later. Should I leave?”
“No, you’re fine. What’s up?”
I counted to ten and then told her everything. “Mr. Truman is sending me to Hawaii on business, and he doesn’t know how long it’ll be. He’s guessing a few months.”
It wasn’t hard to see the sadness in Crystal’s eyes. “Are you serious, Gavin? Normally you just go away for a week or two?”
“Yes, but they’re also doing construction on some properties in addition to buying others. That’s why it’s going to be a little longer.”
Crystal sat back in her chair. “But your job is to close deals, right? Why are you getting involved in construction?”
“Mr. Truman just wants me to overlook it to make sure we don’t get screwed over; that’s all. He said that I’m the best guy for the job, and I’m good at talking people down. I’ll know more about it tomorrow. I just wanted to tell you as soon as I found out.”
Crystal seemed to be taking it a little better as she stared at her mound of paperwork. “It’s not like I have all of the time in the world, anyway. I looked at the schedule, and until she gives birth, I’ll be working Monday through Saturday, anywhere from twelve to sixteen-hour days. That only leaves me Sunday for any personal errands, and I know damn well that I’ll just be sleeping all day.”
Even though she seemed to be genuinely understanding about the situation, my biggest concern was that she’d put up a wall with me while I was gone. Crystal was the type of woman who never wanted to get hurt again, and the longer I was away, the more likely it would happen.
I had no other choice, though. “Thank you for being so understanding, Crystal. I guess it’s good that we’re still in the honeymoon phase of our relationship and don’t have to deal with the stress of kids yet, huh?”
That made her laugh pretty hard. “You got that right. Thank you again for telling me right away. Communication is so important in a relationship, Gavin, so please promise me that you’ll keep ours open.”
We both stood up, and I gave her a long, intense hug. “I promise, Crystal.”
21
_____
CRYSTAL
ONE MONTH LATER
As the students from my last yoga class of the morning left, I sat on the floor and leaned back against the mirror. The cold glass felt good against my head, but it still didn’t make me feel like my old self.
I felt so
tired.
Ever since Annie’s doctor had ordered her on bed-rest, I had been working sixteen hours a day, six days a week. Every morning, I went directly downstairs after brushing my teeth and washing my face. It had gotten so bad that I was showering at night and sleeping in my work clothes for the next day. For most people, the paperwork would have been easy, but I struggled with payroll most of all—something I definitely didn’t want to mess up.
Doing paperwork was more effortless in the morning before classes started, because by the time the last group of students left at night, it took all I had not to pass out from exhaustion right on the floor. I was back to taking power naps in my office and yoga rooms when they weren’t in use. On more than one occasion, another instructor had to wake me up to teach a class.
I couldn’t even remember the last time I had eaten a hot meal. My nutrition was nothing but coffee, protein bars, and energy shots. If Gavin hadn’t been in Hawaii and was able to take me out to restaurants, where would I have found the time? I hated that he was so far away from me, but I was too tired to be depressed.
I took a sip from my water bottle and waited for a few minutes, hoping it would make me feel better. The longer I waited for it to kick in, the more I realized that something was wrong with me. It wasn’t just exhaustion.
That morning I had woken up with an upset stomach and a pounding headache. At first, I attributed it to needing fluids and a day off to reenergize my internal battery. Yet as I had gone about the poses in class, I found myself getting so dizzy that I couldn’t stand up.
Vertigo was usually a sign that I’d be getting my period, but I didn’t think I was due yet.
I had to stop doing the poses because I was one backbend away from hurling my protein bar all over the floor. Instead, I was instructing while sitting on a chair.
All of a sudden, the bell above the front door jingled, and I looked up to see Julianna carrying a bag of take-out, grinning from ear to ear. But when she took one look at me, she rushed over. “Crystal, are you alright?”
Julianna bent down over her big belly and helped me to my feet. “I think I’m just overdoing it, Julianna. When I started working extra hours for Annie, I knew it would be hard, but I wanted to help. I decided I would just power through it. But there’s so much more to do than teaching classes. It’s the paperwork. I’m not familiar with it. Annie has gone over it with me twice now. But still…”
She put her arm around me as we made our way to the front desk. The receptionist had left for lunch, and the studio would be empty until one o’clock.
“Yeah, Annie is worried about you. That’s one reason I decided to stop. Really, though, this looks like more than just exhaustion, Crystal. Are you eating enough?”
I knew she was right but didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t taking good care of myself. “You know me. I’m fine with protein bars.”
“I’m sure that Annie’s protein bars are better than fried food every day, but you need whole foods, Crystal. I’m talking about chicken, fruit, and vegetables. Not all of that baked into a candy bar.”
I sat down on the stool and gave her the side-eye. “They are not candy bars, Julianna. They’re protein bars. Not only are they delicious, but they’re so easy to carry around with you. I never have to worry about what I’m going to do for a meal.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I think that’s part of the problem here. You’re not getting enough nutrients in these things, but lucky for you, I brought you some lunch that consists of real food.”
Julianna put a bag in front of me. “Thank you, but you know that I can’t eat fast food.”
She rolled her eyes. “Look, I respect that you and my sister are health food nuts, and there is nothing wrong with eating food supplements every now and then, but you can’t make that your steady diet.” Julianna pulled out a salad with grilled chicken from the deli down the street. “You need real food. This isn’t fast food, Crystal, so dig in.”
The thought of eating wasn’t appealing, but I didn’t want to be rude. “Maybe you’re right. Even though I’ve felt nauseous all morning, my stomach is growling. I’ll have to admit. The salad looks yummy?”
She smiled at me as I stuck the plastic fork in and took a bite. “I’ve actually had this very same talk with my sister this morning.”
“What did she--”
As soon as I took my second bite of salad, I got up and ran for the ladies’ room, burst through the doors, and pushed my head into the very first toilet. Food that would usually cause my mouth to water had made me violently puke into the porcelain bowl. With every hurl from my stomach, I knew that whatever was wrong with me was not from exhaustion or a lack of real food.
I came out a few minutes later, feeling and looking like death itself. “I’m sorry, Julianna. I think I caught a stomach bug. As soon as I woke up this morning, I had the worst stomach and headache. Maybe I just need some more water and to lay down in bed. I’m going to call one of the instructors who’s off today, see if she can cover for me.”
Julianna stopped eating her salad, squinted her eyes and looked closely at me. “Something is definitely wrong with you, Crystal. Have you eaten or drank anything else lately?”
I racked my brain. “I’m drinking more coffee than usual, and I did just start taking energy shots. That wouldn’t make me sick, though. I’m telling you, something else is going on.”
Julianna chuckled. “Or maybe you’re pregnant.”
I felt my face go pale. “What did you just say?”
“I’m just saying; it seems like everyone around the Truman family is catching that bug. One of Jake and Richard’s cousins just announced she is having a girl. It was a surprise since we didn’t even know she was expecting.”
I felt my eyes widen. “Oh my God, Julianna. Now that I think about it, I’m late!”
She dropped her fork and came running over to me. “Are you sure, Crystal? I honestly just said it as a joke, I assumed you were on the pill or using some other form of birth control.”
I put my arms on her shoulders. “I am on the pill, which is why this can’t be happening right now! Either way, I’m definitely late.” I put my hands over my face and shook my head. “Oh, God, no. Pregnancy can’t be the reason that I'm sick. I can’t be pregnant, right? I just can’t; it’s not the right time! If this is how I’m going to feel throughout my pregnancy, there’s no way in hell that I can continue running this yoga studio. And Annie hasn’t even had her baby yet! Plus, I don’t know how Gavin is going to feel. Everything’s going great with us, and now I have to tell him that we’re having a baby!”
Julianna gripped my shoulders. “Relax, Crystal. Everything is going to be fine, and we don’t even know if that’s the case. You probably just picked up a stomach bug from one of your students, and because you’re working all of the time, your immune system is weakened.”
She did have a good point. “That’s true, and I’ve heard that stress can cause your period to be late.”
“Exactly. Why don’t you lie down in your office, and I’ll run down to the store to get you a pregnancy test, alright? I’m also going to get you some more water because your eyes are sunken, and that’s not like you at all.”
All I could do was nod as Julianna headed out to the store.
I laid on my back the entire time, looking up at the ceiling. It was all starting to make sense to me—the exhaustion, nausea, and headache. I must have forgotten about my period in the midst of working non-stop. No wonder I didn’t think of it at first. I would have immediately run out to get a test.
On the other hand, though, I might not be pregnant. All of this could be stress, and I had picked up a stomach bug, in which case I’d have to find a way to work less. All of my life, I had been healthy, so having a compromised immune system was pretty unusual.
My hand instinctively brushed over my belly. If I were pregnant, though, I’d deal with it as I dealt with everything else in life. It’s how my mother taught me to live. You c
an plan your life away, but whatever is meant to be will happen. There’s no use in fighting change. I just hoped that Gavin would feel the same way, especially since things between us had been going so well lately.
Julianna returned from the store a little while later, and I quickly took the pregnancy test. It seemed like forever as we sat in the office, waiting for the results.
I found myself starting to calm down a bit, too. “Even if it is positive, I’ll figure everything out. It’s not how I would have wanted to get pregnant, but then again, a lot of good things happen at the worst time. For example, when I met Gavin.”
“That’s right, and look how that turned out. You went from wondering how someone could be so arrogant to falling in love.”
My biggest concern was income, though. After my student loans were paid off, I’d have more than enough funds to start my holistic medical practice, but a baby was expensive. Luckily, I was starting to have income from the investments my stockbroker had set up for me. “At least I’m set financially to raise a baby.”
“Honey, you have more than enough money to help raise a child. Money is the least of your worries now, and I don’t say that to be mean. I’m just pointing out that one stressor in your life is gone, so things are still looking up.”
I let out a sigh, hoping the alarm would go off any minute now. “Maybe I was being selfish in wanting a stress-free life, Julianna. That’s honestly what I thought would happen once I received the money. I thought that all of my problems would go away, yet here I am, waiting for the results from a pregnancy test.”
Julianna cocked her head to the side. “You didn’t really think that money would solve all of your problems, did you? Jake and I still have challenges with his business, like employees and cash flow issues.”
I nodded while checking the timer on my phone. “Guess I’m just worried about the yoga studio. There’s no way that Annie can come back right now. And if I am pregnant, there’s also no way that I can keep teaching all of these classes and doing the paperwork.