Torn [SHAWN MENDES]

~69~

Taryn sat with her feet up in the stirrups of her OBGYN's exam table for her annual gynecological check-up.

"You've got several small tears on your inner labia," Doctor Abbott observed. "Are you using a lubricant during sex?"

"I've never needed one."

"Self-lubrication is great, but as we age, we sometimes need something additional. These kinds of fissures can get infected, and you definitely don't want to deal with that."

"The guy I'm seeing is on the large side, and we use condoms which causes friction. Maybe lube would help," Taryn said with some embarrassment.

"I'll send you home with some samples. You're still happy with your IUD?"

"Yep."

Dr. Abbott offered Taryn a hand to pull her upright. "We haven't discussed this in years, but I wanted to let you know that if you ever want to consider a surrogate pregnancy, you'd ideally harvest your eggs before you hit forty."

Years ago, she and Shawn discussed going down this path after losing one of the babies and had brought it up to the doctor. Taryn ultimately decided against it, but apparently it was still in her records, or maybe Dr. Abbott had a really good memory.

"I'm not interested," she replied flatly as regrets flooded her heart. Things would be so different now if she'd agreed when Shawn pushed, though maybe things turned out the way they were supposed to. He had Piper and that's what mattered.

"You've got a few years if you change your mind."

Taryn couldn't imagine a future where she fell in love with someone and decided to have a baby, but she wasn't going to burden her doctor with that sad fact.

After her appointment, she went to Ford's and held an all-staff meeting to go over the summer menu and drink specials that her chef and head bartender had created. This information would be shared with the other establishments by Mina, whose duties continued to expand.

"I can't wait to try the cherry-lemon drop shooter," her manager said once the meeting concluded.

"Have Tom make you one tonight. It's really good! I think that particular cocktail and the spicy pineapple-habanero chicken wings will be big sellers, though we need to come up with some new promotions."

"I'll give that some thought. By the way, that guy who wants to buy the brewpubs was here again last night. He didn't say anything, but he had dinner with a couple other men."

Taryn sighed. "He's very persistent. I got a letter from Clyde last week and he upped the offer by ten percent. I wish he'd take no for an answer."

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you," Mina said cautiously as she changed the topic.

"What's up?" she suspected this was about Jules, based on her nervous demeanor.

"Julian and I, we're...moving in together."

Taryn gave her friend a warm smile. "That's wonderful! I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks! I've never lived with a boyfriend like proper adults before, so I'm a little worried that it will be a tough adjustment."

"You picked a good one; he even puts the toilet seat down every time."

Mina laughed. "It's the small things, eh?"

They chatted a bit more and then Taryn went down to her office to work on paperwork until mid-afternoon. Around three, she drove home to let Hendrix out to pee before going to Tricia's to finish painting. They were on their final room, which was cause for celebration, so she picked up a bottle of champagne on the way there.