Chapter 3
Harper
The coffee was cold when Jack finally came home.
I'd been up since six, moving around the kitchen with the familiar weight of pregnancy slowing my steps, making breakfast for two even though I wasn't sure when the second person would arrive.
The baby had been active all night, as if she could sense her father's absence, and I'd spent the dark hours with my hand on my belly, whispering reassurances.
He's helping someone. He'll be back soon.
When Jack walked through the door at nearly nine o'clock, still wearing the clothes he’d dressed in for our anniversary dinner, and looking like he'd barely slept, I felt as exhausted as he looked.
"Hey," he said, his voice rough and tired. "Sorry, I'm so late. I meant to be back before you woke up."
"It's fine," I said, though it wasn't. I'd been imagining all sorts of scenarios – Madison taking a turn for the worse, Jack sleeping fitfully in an uncomfortable hospital chair, Jack driving back from the city hospital in the middle of the night, completely exhausted. "How is she?"
Jack slumped into his usual chair at the kitchen table, running his hands through his hair. "She's scheduled to start treatment today. But Harps..." He looked up at me with exhausted eyes. "She's terrified. She doesn't have anyone else."
I poured him a cup of coffee, noting how his hands shook slightly when he reached for it. "I'm glad you were there for her. She must be so scared."
"She is." Jack's voice was distant, and I noticed he was staring out the window instead of looking at me. "I couldn't have left her alone. Not like that."
The baby kicked, a sharp jab against my ribs that made me wince. Jack usually noticed when that happened, usually reached over to feel the movement with his hand. This time, he didn't seem to see it at all.
"Are you okay?" I asked, settling into the chair across from him. "You look exhausted."
"Just tired. That hospital chair wasn't exactly comfortable." He managed a weak smile. "I'll be fine after a shower and some real food."
I watched him drink his coffee, noticing the way his shoulders remained tense, the way he kept glancing at his phone. There was something different about him, something distant that I couldn't quite name.
"Will you need to go back today?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual.
"Probably. Madison's starting chemo today, and she'll need someone to drive her to appointments. Her car's still in LA, and she can't afford to rent one long-term."
"Of course." I nodded, ignoring the small twist in my stomach. "What time is her treatment?"
"Midday. And then it'll be twice a week for the next few months, assuming..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "Assuming everything goes well."
Twice a week. That meant Jack would be gone for most of two days every week, driving back and forth to the city, sitting with Madison through her treatments. I calculated quickly in my head – that would take him away for hours at a time, maybe even overnight stays if the treatments ran long.
"That's a lot of driving," I said carefully.
"It's what she needs." Jack's voice had an edge to it, a defensiveness I'd never heard before. "What else am I supposed to do? Let her go through this alone?"
"I'm not saying that. I just meant... It's a big commitment."
"She's going through cancer, Harps. I think I can handle some inconvenience."
The word stung. Inconvenience. As if my concern was about something trivial, as if I was being selfish for worrying about how this would affect our life, our pregnancy, our preparation for the baby.
"I know," I said quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound unsupportive."
Jack's expression softened immediately. "No, I'm sorry. I'm just tired and worried about her. I don't mean to snap at you."
He reached across the table to take my hand, and I felt some of the tension leave my shoulders. This was my Jack, the man who apologized when he was wrong, who recognized when stress made him short-tempered.
"Why don't you go shower and get some rest?" I suggested. "I can work on the Morrison project from home today."
"You sure? I know you wanted to meet with them this week."
"It's fine. I can handle it."
Jack squeezed my hand gratefully. "What did I do to deserve you?"
Everything, I thought. My husband was the most selfless person I knew, going out of his way to help everyone, from the elderly lady whose roof was collapsing because it was so old to the young couple buying their first home who didn't know the house they were buying was full of rotten wood.
Nothing was ever too much for Jack. If he saw someone who needed help, he was there offering what he could. It was part of what drew me to him.
But I didn't say that. Instead, I smiled and said, "Just lucky, I guess."
After Jack went upstairs, I sat at the kitchen table with my coffee and tried to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest. Madison was sick. She needed help. Jack was being a good friend, a good person. This was temporary.
While he showered, I started on the Morrison project, spreading my design materials across the kitchen table. It felt good to focus on something creative, something that was mine. I was lucky to have work I could do from home, especially as the pregnancy progressed.
By the time Jack came back downstairs, I was deep in color swatches and layout options. He looked more like himself after his shower, more present, and when he kissed my forehead before leaving for work, it felt completely normal.
"I'll probably need to go back to the hospital tonight," he said, grabbing his keys. "Madison's nervous about the treatment plan, and I promised I'd be there when she talks to the oncologist."
"Of course," I said. "I'll be here."
"I know you will." He smiled, and for a moment, it reached his eyes. "I love you, Harper Henderson."
"I love you, too."
But as I watched him drive away, I noticed that his truck turned left at the end of our street instead of right. Left led to the highway, to the city, to Madison. Right led to Henderson Construction, to his job, to his responsibilities here in Willowbrook.
I told myself it didn't mean anything. He probably had errands to run, supplies to pick up, and meetings to attend. But the unease in my chest grew a little stronger.
Two hours later, I was at Brew & Bean, picking up my usual herbal tea and a muffin, when I first heard the whispers.
"...left her sitting alone at Rosewood Inn..."
"...on their anniversary, can you believe it?"
"...that woman who came back to town. Madison something..."
I recognized the voices – three women from various community events, all leaning in close with the eager expressions of people sharing gossip. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but their table was right behind me at the counter.
"Well, I always wondered if he was really over her," one of them said. "First love and all that."
"Poor Harper," another added. "Seven months pregnant and her husband's running off to be with his ex-girlfriend."
"Ex-girlfriend?" The third voice sounded scandalized.
"Oh, honey, they dated all through high school. Everyone knew Jack was head over heels for her. We all thought they'd get married. Then she left and never came back. Jack was devastated."
Ex-girlfriend? Get married? Jack was devastated? I felt a flutter of surprise. Jack had said Madison was a friend from high school. He hadn't mentioned they'd dated. Or that he'd planned to marry her.
"Can I help you, Mrs. Henderson?" The barista's voice brought me back to the present.
"Just the tea and muffin, please," I said, trying to process what I'd heard.
As I paid, I thought about my words at the restaurant. Madison. Your friend. I'd called her a friend. He'd nodded. Hadn't corrected me. Hadn't said she was his ex-girlfriend.
But then again, I thought as I walked to my car, I had ex-boyfriends from before I met Jack. That didn't mean anything now. People dated in high school – it was normal. Jack and I were married, with a baby on the way. Whatever he'd had with Madison years ago was ancient history.
Of course, he'd call her a friend, I reasoned. That's what she is now. People grow up, move on. Jack chose me.
I drove home feeling better, more settled. So what if Jack had dated Madison in high school? I'd dated other people, too. The important thing was that Jack was helping someone who needed it, someone who was scared and alone and facing a terrible illness.
That was the man I'd married – the one who helped people, who couldn't stand to see someone suffer. It was one of the things I loved most about him.
The next few days settled into a routine.
Jack left early in the morning to drive to the city, spent the day with Madison at various appointments, and came home exhausted but grateful for my understanding.
I used the time to focus on my design work, taking advantage of the quiet house to really dive into projects.
It was nice to have uninterrupted time to work. I finished the Morrison project ahead of schedule and started on two new commissions. The baby seemed to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere too, her movements gentle and rhythmic as I sketched and planned.
Thursday brought my regular prenatal appointment, and for the first time since we'd started trying to have a baby, I went alone.
"Where's daddy today?" asked Sarah, the nurse who'd been tracking my pregnancy since the beginning.
"He had to help a friend," I said, settling onto the examination table. "She's going through a really tough time, so he wanted to be there for her appointments."
Sarah nodded understandingly. "That's sweet of him. Well, you can record the heartbeat on your phone and show him later."
As I lay there listening to our daughter's strong, steady heartbeat, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. Jack was doing what he always did – helping people who needed it. That was one of the things I loved most about him, how he never hesitated to step up when someone was struggling.
"Everything looks good," Dr. Morris said, moving the ultrasound wand across my belly. "Baby's measuring right on track, heartbeat's strong. How are you feeling?"
"Great," I said, watching our daughter's image on the screen. "She's been pretty active lately."
"Any concerns? Questions?"
"Just wondering about the birthing classes. Jack might have some scheduling conflicts with helping his friend, but we're hoping to make most of them."
"That's understandable. Life happens, especially when people need support. Just do your best to attend together when you can."
I nodded, feeling grateful for her understanding. "I'll remember that."
Walking out of the appointment, I carefully tucked the ultrasound photos into my purse.
Jack would be so excited to see how much our daughter had grown.
This was the first appointment he'd missed, so I knew he'd want to hear every detail and see the recording of her heartbeat when he got home tonight.
In the parking lot, I sat in my car and looked at the fuzzy black and white image of our daughter. She was real, she was healthy, she was growing beautifully. Jack was missing this particular appointment, but he was doing something important – being there for someone who had no one else.
That was the man I'd married. The one who couldn't bear to see someone suffer alone.
A tap on my window made me jump. I looked up to see Sam Mitchell standing beside my car, his expression concerned. "Harper? Where's Jack? I thought he'd be with you for the appointment."
I smiled and rolled down the window. "Hey, Sam. He's helping Madison." I glanced down at the image again.
"Mind if I see?" he asked, and I handed him the black and white image. "Wow, she's really growing. Jack must be over the moon."
"He is. I can't wait to show him the recording of her heartbeat when he gets home."
Sam's expression shifted slightly. "He's been spending a lot of time with Madison."
"She's going through a tough time," I explained. "Cancer sucks, even more so with no family around to help. Jack couldn't live with himself if he didn't do everything he could to support her."
Sam was quiet for a moment. "That's... that's Jack, all right. Always trying to save everyone."
"It's one of the things I love about him," I said, meaning it. "He has such a good heart. I can't imagine being married to someone who wouldn't help a friend in need."
"Even when it means missing appointments like this?"
"It's just one appointment, Sam. There will be more, and hopefully Madison will be better soon and won't need so much help." I tucked the ultrasound photo into my purse. "Besides, pregnancy isn't a crisis. Cancer is."
Sam studied my face for a long moment. "You're really okay with all this?"
"Of course I am. Jack is being exactly the man I married. I wouldn't want him to be any other way."
"Well," Sam said slowly, "if you ever need anything while he's helping her... a ride, someone to talk to, backup for appointments... You know where to find me."
"Thank you, Sam. That means a lot."
As I drove home, I thought about how lucky I was to have married someone with such a generous heart. Jack was doing exactly what I'd expect him to do – helping someone who had no one else. It was temporary, Madison would get better, and things would go back to normal.
At home, I put the ultrasound photos on the refrigerator where Jack would see them as soon as he walked in. I couldn't wait to share this glimpse of our daughter with him.
Everything was exactly as it should be.