Mark scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest.
“It’s not. Listen, him and Alice have been trying for a while now, she’s had three miscarriages.”
“Fuck,” Mark whispered harshly, his head dropping.
“Oh no,” she whispered.
“She just hit the sixteen week mark. They haven’t told anyone. The only reason I know is because they were needing help finding doctors. Figured Christine’s doctor could give them the name of a fertility specialist. But not even Christine knows about it. Alice didn’t want anyone to know.”
Her heart broke for the woman, to be going through something like that, something so heart breaking. A tear slid down her face as she stepped up to Mark, wrapping an arm around him.
“I’m not justifying what he did. It’s not right. You’re family. And Dominic knows that, but he’s scared. He’s scared that he’s going to lose again. And we both know that Dominic doesn’t handle losing.”
Mark simply nodded, but his face had softened just a little.
“Listen you don’t have to take everything. I’m not going to stop you from leaving, but you don’t have to take everything. This is your home. And it will always be your home. Okay man?” Rick held his hand out, and after a few seconds, Mark took it bringing the man in closer as they clapped each other on the back.
“Where you headed? To Branson’s place?”
“Yeah I figured I would give him a call, see if I could rent his parents’ cabin for a while,” Mark said, pulling her into his side again.
“Sounds good man. Listen, this is something that you should probably take with you. It’s why Dominic was so messed up. It’s not urgent but, when you get to where you’re headed, sit and have a look at it okay?” Rick handed him a manila envelope and Mark took it.
“Miss Winter, it was good to meet you. I’m sorry about everything, but you just take care of our Mark here, okay?” Rick said to her stepping up to her and placing his hand on her shoulder, before he stepped out the door.
Shutting it quietly behind him, he was gone.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly, watching a range of emotions cross his face. His blue eyes staring straight ahead.
“Mark?”
“As long as I have you little bird,” he whispered before looking down at her. “Come on let’s get this loaded up.”
His brow was furrowed, but he didn’t say anything else.
“Are you going to take it all?”
He was quiet for a moment staring at the suitcases, as if they held all the answers.
“Maybe you could leave a couple. You could always send for them later if you need to,” she suggested, hoping she wasn’t mistaking the longing that she saw on his face as he nodded to her.
Sliding two of the suitcases to the side, he grabbed the others.
“You ready?”
She nodded at him, her heart cracking at the hurt that he was trying to keep hidden. “I’m ready. Just please tell me that we are not flying!”
He threw his head back and laughed, the sound filling the room, as his arm slid around her. “No little bird, you and I are taking a road trip.”
Just her and her Mark in the car on the open road,lucky her.
