A diagnosis had been hanging over her head for the past few years, but with that all clear, she’d let herself think that her future had changed, that her life would be different. She wholeheartedly let herself be swept away in falling in love. So much so that she missed her next check-up and had to reschedule.

She grimaces now as she thinks back at herself stupidly thinking she was going to get her happily ever after.

Of course her future was destined for cancer.

Chapter 46

46

‘How’d it go?’ Paige asks as she steps into Bonnie’s lounge room, ready to comfort her after her exit interview with The One. In one arm she’s carrying a bucket of fried chicken and in the other a bottle of wine.

‘You’re a good friend,’ Bonnie says as they squeeze together for a long hello hug. She then takes the chicken and leads Paige through to the kitchen. ‘It went okay,’ she says. She knows they weren’t entirely happy with what she said, but she doesn’t care. ‘It felt weird after all these weeks to be able to walk out of there and be a free woman.’

‘I can only imagine.’ Paige holds up the wine. ‘Too early for this?’

Bonnie hesitates; they haven’t tackled the IVF conversation yet. She now realises that the fact Paige has brought wine isn’t a good sign.

Paige is quick to register Bonnie’s indecision. ‘It didn’t work.’

Bonnie feels her face fill with sympathy. ‘I’m so sorry.’ She moves closer and holds her friend tight.

When they pull apart, Paige’s face is indented with heartache. ‘I’ve cried so much already. I don’t think there are any tears left.’

She gives Paige’s hand a squeeze. ‘How’s Andy coping?’

Paige gives a quick shake of the head. ‘Not good.’

He’s never coped well, shutting himself in the garage to tinker away with his small tool collection, pretending to be busy despite everyone knowing Andy is a finance man who feels proud when he changes a lightbulb or the batteries in a clock.

‘I really thought it was going to work this time.’

Bonnie is scared to ask, ‘So what does that mean?’ They’d said it would be their last shot.

‘I don’t want to give up hope, but maybe I don’t have a choice.’

Bonnie’s stomach drains to hollowed emptiness. She has no idea what words to offer her dearest friend.

‘I can’t talk about this anymore.’ She shakes the conversation away. ‘Tell me more about the house.’

Bonnie feels her eyes sting with tears as she watches Paige pour them two very large glasses of wine but she knows Paige is relying on her to keep the conversation moving. So, the two friends quickly ease into a conversation about Bonnie’s time on The One.