The Guy Named Harrison: Book Three

13

Harrison could hear it from downstairs. As he made his way upstairs, Riley and Carrie's singing became even louder. He pushed open the door to the bedroom he shared with Carrie only to hear their voices coming from the bathroom.

Riley was sitting on her little stool in front of the counter as Carrie stood behind her and braided her hair. There were brushes and hair products scattered all across the countertop, with Carrie's phone beside one of the brushes playing music.

Riley joined in with Carrie for the song as she continued to braid her hair. Harrison leaned against the doorframe and listened. Riley had a voice just like her mom. It was beautiful. And as Riley got older, Carrie started singing more for her and with her.

There was a slight pause in the music and Riley started laughing when she saw her mom behind her dancing. "Keep going mommy!"

Carrie picked up the song again as she spun around, switching Riley's braid from hand to hand. When the song ended, she joined her daughter in laughter.

"Can you hand me that spray please sweetheart?"

Riley leaned forward and grabbed the hairspray Carrie asked for. "Thank you."

Then she noticed Harrison standing in the doorway. "Hi daddy!"

"Hey Riley. What are you and mommy up to?"

"Mommy's getting me ready for my shopping trip with grandma."

Carrie finished the braid. "There you go."

"Thank you mommy!"

As Riley jumped off the stool and ran past Harrison, he walked in and helped Carrie clean up. "Big day today huh?"

Carrie nodded with a smile. "I can't wait."

While Riley was out with Debbie, Carrie was going to take the pregnancy tests. She and Harrison planned it this way in case their plans of having another child were halted abruptly.

She placed Riley's brushes back in their drawer. "I have a good feeling."

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"Is this how you found out the last time?"

Carrie nodded. "Yep."

"How was I so oblivious to this?"

She shrugged while opening the package. "Maybe if you looked at your finances, you would've seen the purchase on our credit card bill."

"You obviously had no idea I had these," she told him, holding up the pregnancy test. "So I figured if it came back positive, I was gonna surprise you."

"It was a pretty good surprise."

"Now if you don't mind..."

Harrison took the hint and left the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He stopped immediately outside and leaned back on the door.

He took a deep breath and leaned his head back against the door. This was the first big step towards another pregnancy. It was the first time in the now seven months they had been trying, that Carrie noticed physical changes with her body.

They were so close.

Harrison didn't know that to expect. They were so hopeful that this would be it. Though, Harrison didn't know what he was going to say if it came back negative.

Just as he took a deep breath, he heard, "Harrison."

He spun around and headed into the bathroom with a smile on his face. It immediately melted away. Carrie was standing and looking at the test almost in awe.

"Well?"

She sighed. "It's negative."

Carrie tossed the test in the trash and took a deep breath. "I don't know what to do anymore," she told him in a near whisper.

Harrison took a few steps towards her. Carrie met him the rest of the way and wrapped her arms around him. He took her into his embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I give up."

He looked down at her. "Don't give up."

"But there's no way-"

"There's always a way."

"How are you so optimistic about everything?"

Harrison placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head up to look at him. "I don't give up. They all told me I was too small to play football. The odds were stacked up against me. They're stacked up against us now. All the odds aren't enough to beat us."

His lips brushed against hers. "This is biological, it's not-"

"Shh."

"Seriously though, how is this-how are you able to handle this? You want more kids as much as me, if not more. How do you handle it?"

"I don't have to handle it because I know it's going to happen. It may not happen today, or tomorrow, or next week, but it's going to happen."

"I don't know what to do now," she muttered. "There's something wrong with me. I can't even have a baby. You're wasting your time with me. You deserve someone who can give you kids."

"I do. She's standing in front of me."

Carrie grabbed the other tests and threw them in the trash as well. "I give up! I'm done!"

She turned to leave and ran smack into Harrison still standing where he had been. "Move."

"No."

"Harrison!"

He stepped out of her way. Carrie marched past him but not before he stuck his arm out and caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Look at me."

"No. Harrison let me go!"

"Look at me."

"This has been hard on me too," he explained. "I can't show it because I'm trying to be strong for you. I need you to be strong for me."

Carrie stopped in her tracks. She hugged him. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry about anything. We'll get through this together. Okay?"

"Okay."