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home?”
    She does that cute clapping thing that she does when she’s excited. “Yes.” Those hazel eyes widen as the excitement perks my girl up. “Yummy,” she cheers.
    I chuckle at her adorableness. “Follow me, then. Exit 115, then a right, and then a left...you know in case you can’t keep up.” I wink at her. That car of hers seems to be working just fine, but it struggles when it goes over about sixty miles per hour. I have plans to buy her a new one for her birthday on March 12th. I still haven’t decided what I want to get her. Whether I want to buy it and surprise her, or whether I want to take her with me and let her pick it out. I smile because I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t. If I buy it and surprise her, she will be super overwhelmed. If I take her, she’s liable to insist she doesn’t need a new car. Although, I worried that would be her reaction tonight looking at houses and look at how well that went.
    Well, she was apprehensive at Maggie’s office. I hate that she’s so leery about good, exciting things. On the one hand, I don’t understand it, but on the other, I see why she feels the way she does. Everything that has ever been good in her life has been ripped from her grasps in a flash. I’m sure it’s hard for her to accept good things without waiting for the other shoe to fall. I’m done letting the other shoe fall for her, though. I’ll do everything in my power to keep her steady and on her feet.
    Her laugh interrupts my thoughts. “What has you looking so happy all the sudden?”
    Thinking fast is a talent of mine. “I love it when you do that clappy thing.” True statement because I do love it.
    She rolls her eyes, shaking her head as she chuckles. She leans in and gives me a quick peck on the cheek. “Try not to lose me.”
    “Oh baby, you have no idea how hard I try every day not to lose you.”
    She doesn’t even turn back. “Not what I meant and you know it.”
    “Be careful.”
    “You, too,” she says as she climbs into her beat up Honda. When I see her lights turn on and hear her ignition start, I pull in front of her and head out towards the interstate.
    I reflect back on our conversation, teetering on my decision as to whether I should tell her the craptastic news tonight about Veronica and the baby. Waiting to learn the paternity for another couple of months is going to be hard for me, but even more difficult for her. It means that she can’t forget about my past. That we can’t put Veronica out of our lives just yet. It means that she can’t bury Ian and the pain he continuously causes her.
    We pull into the parking lot, and I am determined to get this off of my chest, to be honest with her. I’m going to tell her everything. I silently say a prayer that this goes much better than I anticipate as I climb out of my car and beep the alarm system. Gabby pulls in beside me. I open the door for her and help her out of her car. I put my hand in the small of her back and walk us into the restaurant.
    Because it’s later in the evening, it’s not crowded. The hostess tells us there is no wait, which is good because I’m too hungry to wait a long time to be seated anywhere, especially in the middle of the week. When the young girl shows us to a table somewhat in the middle of the place, I ask, “Can we have a booth in the corner?” I point to the area I have in mind. “Maybe over there.”
    She nods. “Sure.”
    I want a place where I don’t feel like everyone is listening to our business. I put my arm out and gesture for Gabby to go ahead of me. I climb into the opposite side of the booth that she does. I usually like to sit beside her, but tonight I need to be able to see her when I talk to her without breaking my neck.
    “Oh. You don’t want to sit beside me?” she asks.
    She has no idea. I already miss being able to put my arm around her. “I need to talk to you tonight, and actually be able to think clearly.” I had really not planned on