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now.”
    “I said I didn’t want you to know about the baby because it’s my fault and my responsibility.”
    “God, Haley.” He sank onto a hard bench and exhaled two weeks of frustration. “Honey, it’s our baby, our responsibility.”
    She didn’t argue.
    “Are you healthy, Haley? Is the baby okay?”
    “I’m doing okay,” she told him. “I need to see a doctor soon, and Gwen will help me find someone around here.”
    “You mean you haven’t seen a doctor yet because you’ve been feeling well enough? Until now?” Over the two years he’d known her, Rick had developed the patience to translate Haley’s rambling answers to fit his need for information. She’d come to accept his endless questions, although in the first few months of their dating, she’d complained he was picking on her.
    “Yes. Rick, I’m taking really good care of my health. For the baby. That’s why I left the restaurant. I needed my sleep and I needed to get some rest every few hours. The diner was better than working nights at the restaurant, but last week I knew I needed to be with Gwen and see a doctor, too.”
    “Are you sure it wasn’t because I was coming back after four months on a research trip, and you needed to disappear until you delivered?”
    “That, too,” she admitted.
    Anger flared in his chest. “You really weren't going to tell me?”
    “I really didn't want you to know how badly I screwed up, and I didn't want to interfere with your plans—your degree and your work. And mostly I needed to see a doctor, to have the baby checked out. And me, too.”
    His stomach sank. “What changed? Exactly.”
    “My ankles were really swollen, and I know that can be mean there’s a problem. So I told my boss I was sick and needed to go home to see my doctor, and he was cool with that.”
    “Your fictitious doctor?” Rick forced a chuckle.
    Haley’s answering laugh was quiet and easy. “Yeah. But I’ll find one, for real, today and get an appointment.”
    “Yes, you will.” It came out as an order. “And I need to be there with you. We need to talk. About all of this. About your health and your health care and about the baby.”
    “Yes and . . .” Another sob.
    “Take your time,” he said, his voice gentle. “This is hard for me, too.” He stole a second to log in to the Rensselaer network and Google ‘Gwen Forrester, Psychologist.’ The only useful result was the address of a professional office in Tompkins Falls. It was enough for the map app to show him where he needed to be.
    Haley’s crying eased.
    “Haley,” Rick implored, his voice soft, “let’s do this together. I love you, and it’s important that we work this out, figure out the right thing for the baby and for us. Please don’t make any decisions until we’re together.”
    Haley snuffled her nose.
    “Okay?”
    “Yes.” Her voice was full of doubt.
    “But?” he teased.
    “Rick, are you sure you can take the time to come?”
    “I have about two weeks before classes start. I’m meeting with my advisor in a few minutes to plan for fall. After work tomorrow morning I’m all yours for two weeks. And I’ll be at your side or on call after that, for as long as you need me.”
    He heard a whoosh of relief.
    “Listen, will Gwen be okay if I show up there, like, tomorrow?”
    “Sure.”
    Probably Gwen wouldn’t rip him apart. She had been pretty calm at Haley’s house over Christmas, and she’d made a science project out of managing Haley’s weird mother. Gwen will ask all the right questions . They needed that. He and Haley had no idea how to deal with this, except what their hearts told them. It bothered him that Haley’s heart had told her to keep her distance and keep him in the dark.
    “I have a Google map for Gwen Forrester, a psychologist on the East Lake Road outside of Tompkins Falls. Is that her practice or her house?”
    “Both. But it’s down a killer private road. If you can get here in daylight, it’s a lot