Hang Your Dreams

Struggle

A month and a half passes and Penelope and James are still together and happily so.
James peeked his head through the kitchen archway, flicking the syringe in his hand. "My love, are you coming?" He asked, as he double checked he put in the correct amount inside the syringe. Penny scurried over quickly.

Penelope took a deep breath in while James leaned over and injected the needle into her stomach. "Never gets easier" she mumbled, looking at her stomach's bruises signifying the treatment she's been on. "But we won't stop trying for as long as you want to try." James responded, covering the needle and disposing of it properly. "I just didn't think it would be this hard." She said, rolling her shirt down.
Penelope and James had been on IVF for 3 months now with already one failed attempt. James had been injecting the medication into her since she has been too nervous to do so herself.
"It'll come when the time is right." He said as he placed a kiss on her forehead. Nathaniel slid into the dining room instantly and grabbed an apple from the table and ran back off into his bedroom. "You better have an appetite for dinner!" Penny shouted towards him, hoping he'd hear. James chuckled to himself and prepared a cup of hot chocolate and a cup of tea.
As he handed her the cup she said "what no caramel?" to tease him. He shook his head playfully and went "sorry if you want gourmet you're going to have to hire a chef because I don't carry fancy caramel flavorings and all that. Now enjoy your warmed chocolate sugary beverage." He snickered as he scrunched his nose up and leaned into her for a kiss.
"Oh fuck we forgot to grab the chicken stock and hollandaise sauce." Penny quickly bolted up and looked at James. "Right, I'll go out and grab it right quick at the Mart down the street." James said putting his hat on along with his jacket. "Honey, take off the vest it's a tad formal." Penny suggested before he left. James quickly unbuttoned and removed it before headed out.
On his way to the store he spotted a little girl who wouldn't stop staring and smiling at him. James bent slightly and went, "well aren't you a beautiful little one."

Her mother smiled and stated, "she's 3, I'm sorry sometimes she's a bit goofy." "Oh no worries, she's precious as can be. I'm hoping for a little girl of my own soon." James replied. "Got a bun in the oven?" The woman asked, picking her child up and holding her in her arms. "Not yet but hopefully soon. We're in the mist of IVF." "Oh congrats! Well I hope it all works out for you!" The woman said before going on her way. Seeing this little girl warmed James' heart in a certain way, wishing he could make a miracle happen and get Penelope pregnant.
James arrived home with the needed ingredients for their dinner and began prepping the food. "Need any help?" Penny asked from the bedroom. "No no sweetie, I have it all covered." James called back, putting on his apron.
While James was cooking, Penelope was looking at her topless body in the mirror. The bruises from IVF made her self conscious but she knew her body was beautiful and admired. She didn't care much anymore about her weight. 350 was no longer something she hated to see on a scale but now the amount of times James reminds her that she's loved.
She picked her phone up and texted a friend she recently made in the photography business, asking for a favor.  "Babe, I'm going to be out for an hour, I'll be back before dinner is done." She called to James while putting a shirt on and leaving.
Penelope entered her friend's apartment and explained her wish. She wanted to take a topless photo to surprise James but also pay respect to the body she once loathed. After a few moments of discussing positions, backdrops and more, they finally came to a few amazing photos.