When he said that, the pain of giving her baby up for adoption came to Beth’s mind, but she left it alone. She would tell him that some other time. “I finished high school and went to college. Shauna came to NYU.”
“So I heard. That had to be nice, to have someone you knew go there with you.”
“Well, it didn’t really make much of a difference. I knew a lot of the upperclassmen because my mom taught them, so I wasn’t too worried. Still, I guess it did help to know another freshman.”
“What else? Any boyfriends or anything?”
“Not really. I didn’t date much since you and I broke up…err…stopped talking…whatever we did,” she confessed.
“I’m sorry, Lizzy. I didn’t mean to just leave you like that. That had to hurt.”
“Well, yeah,” she stated. “But I survived. It was hard, especially with me being – “ she stopped.
“Being…”
“Nothing. Forget I said that.”
“No, what?” Nick asked.
“Nothing. I forgot was I was gonna say,” she lied.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“No, you’re not…”
“God, fine, I was pregnant!” she blurted out. When she realized she said it out loud, she tried to cover it up. “I mean…uh…”
“You were pregnant?”
“Yes,” she finally admitted. “It was from our nine-month anniversary. I found out after I moved.”
“But…you mean, you were pregnant and you never told me?” he demanded angrily.
“You hadn’t called me in two weeks when I found out. I thought you didn’t care about me! What was I supposed to do? Call you up and say, ‘Nick, you knocked me up, drop everything you’ve worked so hard for so you can take care of me and our baby’?” she exclaimed.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” He paused. “What did you do with the baby?”
A wistful look came over her face as she remembered what happened. “I had her. I held her in my arms for five minutes. God, it was a beautiful little girl. She looked just like you. Then I gave her up for adoption to a couple that couldn’t have kids.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and Nick reached over to wipe it away.
“I’m sorry. I should have called. You shouldn’t have had to go through that without me.”
She sniffled and shook her head. “It’s over and done with now.”
“I’m still sorry.”
“Forget it, Nick. It never happened. It may as well have never happened. She’s with parents who love her now, and we’re out of her life.”
“What did your mom say?”
“She was a little upset, but she helped me through it.”
“I should have been there for you.”
“Forget it, Nick. It’s too late now,” she insisted.
The limo pulled to a stop. “Well, here we are.”