Granting One Last Wish novel Chapter 51

SEB

Jesus, please, don't let me think that. I check her phone while she's sleeping, but I don't find anything, or maybe I'm just overthinking, and she's pressured with moving in and her college. I check her emails and her credit card bills. Nothing worths suspecting.

I send her to her house before my flight. It's hard to leave her when she seems off, but she won't let me cancel my trip. I call her as soon as I land.

"Babe, did you even land?"

I can hear her chuckling. "Miss you already, wife. And don't roll your eyes on me, Abbygail."

She laughs. Thank God, she sounds okay. "Good. I'm about to roll my eyes. How's your flight?"

I feel sad that she's not here with me. "Nothing interesting to tell, except that I miss my wife. If she only agreed to come with me, I might fuck her in this hotel room."

She laughs even more. "Can you not think about fuck for just a minute, Sebastian."

I chuckle. "Okay. Sex, bang, shag, love. What else? And what can I say I have a hot and sexy as hell wife. Lucky me, yeah?"

She goes silent.

"Baby, you there?"

She clears her throat. "Yeah. I'm still here. Sebastian, I gotta go. Take care of yourself. Would you call me tonight before I go to bed?"

Something is odd. I hope she can just tell me right into my face. "Baby, can I ask you something?"

She answers okay immediately.

"Are you hiding something from me? Is there anything you're not telling me?"

She doesn't answer that confirms my suspicion, but I can hear her breathing.

"No. Why would you even think something like that?" She's lying. Abby is a terrible liar.

I rub the back of my neck. What if I ask her if she's sick, then she would answer yes I'm not ready to hear it. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"I've been meaning to ask you, but I don't wanna upset you, Abbygail. It's just--I can feel that you're hiding something from me. I don't know, maybe, I'm just overthinking."

"I'm not hiding anything from you."

Thank God. "Okay then. I love you. Abbygail."

"I love you, Sebastian."

***

The meeting went well as I expected. I get to my hotel room early and fall asleep after our call. I move my flight to Tuesday afternoon instead of night, and I plan on surprising her.

Lincoln is already at the airport waiting for me before I land. I buy a dozen red tulips on our way. I go directly to her room since her dad is still in the office at this time.

I knock, and she doesn't answer. Then I call her name, and I hear nothing. When I open her door, that's when I hear her voice. She must be talking to someone over the phone.

"Can I move my appointment to a week earlier or a week after. It's my birthday. Yeah. Okay, after a week, then. Thank you. Bye."

I swallow hard. Appointment? For what? I feel the color drain from my face, and my chest tightens. My knees weaken. I hold onto the wall, and I think I might pass out. I can't breathe. My wife is sick, and she's always sleeping lately and puking. Is she--?

No, no, no.

"Babe? Is that you? Oh, my God! Are you okay?" She sprints in my direction and hugs me tight. I'm still shaking, but manage to pull her into my arms and bury my nose in her hair.

I missed her smell. I don't notice I'm already crying until I close my eyes and feel my tears roll down my cheeks.

I open my eyes when Abby breaks the hug, and she stares at me. "Thought your flight would be later tonight."