Overcoming Circumstances by Belinda Slider-Baker (best book club books of all time txt) 📖

"Bly, maybe it is a sign that Cooryn is there."  

"Yeah, maybe you are right.  I better call Thane back.  Until next time…I love and miss you"

“Ok, tell Thane I said ‘hi’.  Until next time…I love and miss you too.”

"Hi Thane, sorry I didn't pick up when you called, I was talking to Marissa."  

"That is okay Blythe; I just wanted to make sure you got to Greenville okay.  How are you feeling?"  

"I am feeling okay.  My feet hurt, and I am tired, but other than that, okay."  

"Blythe, what are you not telling me?"  

"Cooryn showed up at my old house today."  

"Oh, did you tell him about the baby?"  

"No, I don't know what to do.  We had an interesting talk about children, and his point of view has not changed at all.  Even though he said he would never act like Tann....oh god."  

"Blythe, what are you talking about?"  

"Thane, never mind, please never mind."  

"No, Blythe, you were about to tell me something very personal.  I know we talk about a lot of things, but this is something that is very personal.  I hate to pry, but please, Blythe, please finish."  

There was a long silence between us, I blew out a long breath and just said it.

"I was dating Tanner a few years ago.  He was my so-called prince charming.  Oh my, Thane... I had cancer right out of high school and lost an ovary and tube."  

I heard Thane sigh very deeply, but he didn't say anything yet, he let me continue.  

"Anyhow, the doctors didn't think I would be able to have children.  But, one night after Tanner and I had been dating for about a year, the condom broke.  See, I couldn't take birth control pills because of the cancer.  Low and behold I ended up pregnant.  I found out a couple of months later.  My periods were always screwed up since the cancer.  When I got morning sickness, I found out I was pregnant.  I told Tanner I was pregnant and was keeping the baby.  I told him he had no obligation to the baby.  First let me say that Tanner made it perfectly clear he never wanted children. I thought that was okay, because even though I wanted children, I didn't think I could have children.  I told him I would raise the baby without him, but if he wanted to be a part of the baby's life he could be.  He went mad.  First he told me I would get an abortion.  I told him hell no.  He then started kicking and punching.  He kicked me in the stomach so hard so many times."  

By this time I could barely talk due to crying.  

"Blythe, stop, please just stop talking now, honey, stop.  I can't believe a man would do that to you.  I know the end result; you don't even have to say it.  I am so sorry honey. God, I am so sorry.  What happened to the prick?"  

"He is in prison for a long time."   

"Good, he deserves a hell of a lot more than that though.  He needed to have the shit kicked out of him."  

I had to sigh and giggle just a bit.  Thane is the only one that could have said that and backed it up.  He was a well built man.  He has broad shoulders; an eight pack and an ass to die for were only a few of his awesome features.  

"Thane, I don't know what I am going to do about my baby.  I know what you said before I left.  I am just so confused and upset.  I didn't think I would be seeing him like this."  

"Blythe, do not sit and worry about this.  It is not good for you or the baby.  I just wanted you to know that you are not alone in this.  If you work things out with Cooryn then I am truly happy for you, but if things don't go the way you want them to with Cooryn, then just know you can always lean on me."  

"Thank you Thane, I know you mean that.  I hope I never lose you as a friend.  Cooryn and Marissa have been the only best friends I have ever known, but you are becoming one of those too.  It is nice to have a great friend to see and talk to everyday in person if I need to.  You don't know how much that means to me.”  

Cooryn’s Point of View

I made my way to the hotel.  I am glad I asked Bly to come to dinner with me tonight.  Something is very off with her.  I have noticed it since her Granny died.  I know she is still grieving, but something else.  I can feel it in my gut.  I need to start thinking about what we have talked about over the past 4 months since I last saw her.  I know she landed two really nice accounts over the past couple years.  She is developing a skyscraper for a self made millionaire.  Now that I think about it, Bly has talked about Mr. Thane Mansfield.  He became a millionaire after he developed a software program to help the military.  I know he has taken her out to dinner a numerous number of times.  Marissa and I met Thane at Granny's funeral, but since Bly was a mess, I never paid much attention to him.  But, now that I think about it, he wanted to pay extra special attention to her.  Maybe that is why I jumped in and got too close to Bly.  I didn't think I was the jealous type at all.  Maybe I am jealous because she has a friendship with Thane, and he is here living in the same damn city as she is, and I am hours away from her.  I wonder if Bly really cares for this Thane guy.  I am going to have to find that out tonight at dinner.  I have to make sure that no man ever hurts her like Tanner.  I couldn't be there to protect her from him.  I will make damn sure that doesn't happen again.  The two times that Bly and I slept together, was magical.  I have never felt so connected to a woman before.  High school, well, I called that fun and lust.  But four months ago, I was grieving.  I didn't know how else to take her pain away.  I know it was stupid to use my body to help her do that.  What in the hell was I thinking?  Bly and I have a lot to talk about at dinner tonight.

Blythe - POV

Cooryn and I met in the hotel lobby at 4:50pm.  We went to a nice little restaurant right down the road.  Once we were seated and ordered, Cooryn decided to start asking me a million questions.

"Bly, are you seeing anyone in Lexington?"  

I was sort of stunned by his question.  I sort of didn't know how I was going to answer this question since I am going to tell Cooryn about the baby.  

"No, I am not dating anyone exclusively.  Thane and I have been spending a lot of time together.  He is turning out to be a great friend."

"Oh, I was wondering about him."  

"What do you mean you were wondering about him?"  

"You two seemed really close in Lexington when I came up for Granny's funeral."  

"Coor, he was being a friend just like you.  Oh, wait, he didn't have sex withe, that is the difference.  Sorry, I didn't mean that Coor, I have no regrets about what happened between us four months ago.  I am sorry."  

"Bly, what the hell is going on with you?  You seem too jumpy and moody.  Your emails seem so distant.  You can't lie to me.  I know you better than you know yourself."  

"Coor, if you knew me better than I knew myself, then you would be able to help me."  

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"  

"Nothing, never mind.  Let's just enjoy our time together before we both have to leave tomorrow.  Who knows when we will actually get to see each other again."  

"I know Bly; my work schedule is going to be so hectic for the next 6 to 12 months.  I have to go to Canada for a few months.  We are opening a new facility there so I have to go and get it up and running."  

"Wow, that is wonderful that you get to open up a cancer treatment center there.  You are truly doing amazing things Coor.  I wish I could have had my treatments done in a center like the ones you keep opening up all over the world."  

"Bly don't you realize you are the reason I got into the field?"  

"Yes, but just to hear you sit and talk about it, it is just overwhelming."  

I started to cry.  How much I wished these treatment centers could have been available and not cost an arm and a leg.  My granny didn't have a lot of money, and I never let her tell my dad I was sick.  She had enough money to get me things, but I never took advantage of that.  My Papaw left her a nice chunk of money when he died in an accident at work.  But, treatments for my age and what was wrong with me were not cheap and centers were a long ways away from our small little town.  My dad found out after the fact.  Once I moved my granny to Lexington, she handed me a savings account book.  I told her that was her money, and I didn't want it.  She told me it wasn't her money, it was mine.  My dad had been giving her money all along.  She wanted to save it to give it to her great-grandbabies.  As I thought about this tears were now just streaming down my face and Cooryn was immediately at my side.  He was saying my name over and over.  I could hear him, but I was still in the past.  I was seeing my Granny hand me that account book.  It was a lot of money.  Enough money to live very comfortably for a long time.  I still haven't touched a penny of that money.  It can draw interest, and I will get it to the little bundle of joy in my belly.  My hand immediately goes to my belly.  I start rubbing my belly.  Cooryn puts his hand on top of mine, and I snap out of my daze with a very skittish jump.  

"Bly, are you okay?  What is wrong, talk to me baby, just talk to me?"  

My hand is on my belly.  I know I need to tell him the truth.  Maybe if I just tell him I am pregnant and not mention who the father is at the moment, he will be okay with that.  

"Coor, I am not okay.  I am drowning within myself.  I miss Granny.  I want a simple life.  My life is never going to be simple again.  I am going to lose everything.  I just know it."  

Coor wraps his arms around me and rubs my back.  

"Let's eat and then we can talk back at the hotel."  

I just shook my head yes.  We sat in silence while we ate.  Coor paid for the dinner, and we went back to the hotel.  By this time, I was nauseated.  The sickness is what I called it.   People call it morning sickness, bullshit; I call it sickness all day long.  They told me it should end after my first trimester.  They lied.  I am still sick all of the time.  We get onto the elevator.  Coor asks me to come up to his suite.  He is on the top floor and has a living room space.  I agree to come back and talk.  As soon as Coor opens his door, I bolt pass him and head straight for the bathroom.  I am throwing up.  I was trying to pull my hair back as I threw up. Then, all of a sudden, I feel my hair being put