The Party (The Proposition 0.5)(14)
“I’m sorry, Em, but I can’t,” he replied with tears once again in his eyes.
Her emotional torment quickly turned over to anger. “Yes, you can! You’re just being selfish and won’t!” she snapped.
Connor jolted back like she had slapped him. “Em, please. I’ve been with Jeff for three years. I love him. I’m committed to him, and he is to me.”
“And I’ve loved you and been by your side for eighteen years. If Jeff really loved you, he wouldn’t make you choose between us or deny you the opportunity to be a father.”
“He’s not ready to be a dad yet. I have to respect his wishes.”
Emma threw up her hands. “Fine, then he doesn’t have to be a father and neither do you. All I need is your DNA from a clinic!”
“I can’t.”
Tears stung Emma’s eyes. “You’re really going to keep me from becoming a mother?”
With a scowl, he replied, “I’m not the only option. There are thousands of donors out there you can pick from. You don’t have to have me.”
“I told you before that I didn’t want to have a baby with just anyone. They could mix up the samples, and I could end up having some serial killer’s kid. More than anything in the world, I wanted to know and love the person—just like a do you.”
“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find someone else.”
Tears streamed freely down her cheeks. “How can you do this to me? You promised that you would help me—that Travis was telling you to do it—and now you’re just going to turn your back on me?”
“It’s not that easy, Em.”
“It seems pretty cut and dried to me. I guess that’s what hurts the most. I don’t know why you won’t fight for me—to make an ultimatum with Jeff.”
Connor’s dark eyes narrowed at her. “Don’t you get it? I have fought for you! I’ve argued with Jeff until I’m blue in the face, but this is where we’re at now. I can either chose you and lose the man I love, or I can chose not to be your sperm donor.”
Emma shook her head. “You forgot one part of that last statement. If you choose not to be my sperm donor, then you lose me too.”
When she started to rise out of her chair, Connor grabbed her arm. “Emma, don’t do this!”
“I’m sorry. But that’s just the way I feel.”
“But you know how much I love you,” Connor protested.
“Maybe. I mean, I thought you loved me, but I guess just not enough.” She then slung out of his grip and stalked out of the coffee-shop. Fumbling in her purse, she dug out her phone as she hustled down the sidewalk to her car. She could barely hold down the sobs as she dialed the familiar number. “Hey Case, it’s me. You got a minute?”