The figurine’s, uh…situation is not as bad as I expected. Taking it into the office, Kaila and I inspect the damage under the bright lights above my desk.

“Huh,” I say. “It is just the tip. Okay. I’ve seen worse after guys had a few drinks too many.”

Kaila giggles through her fingers. “Maybe there’s a pill that will help.”

“Being under the public gaze must not be his turn-on.”

“Maybe he’s more of a voyeur,” Kaila giggles.

“Now you’re talking,” I remark, surprised at her change in tone. “When did you get so dirty?”

She blushes and shrugs.

Taking a moment to sit down in my office chair, I sigh.

“We’re going to fix it. Just sand down the end a little bit and it’ll be good as new.”

Kaila’s eyes go wide. “Won’t Octavia notice?”

“Not if we sell this thing tonight.”

She’s sheet-white. And with good reason. Octavia has been one of the most popular artists in Honolulu for years. She’s also a shark, a shrewd businesswoman who fights for what she wants. I thank God she’s not here tonight.

“It does already have rough edges,” Kaila slowly says. “No one would notice.”

The other thing about Octavia is that she sells really well. And the thing about me is I need money. I might own my own house and business, but that just means I have more bills to account for. Add a baby on the way (soon, hopefully) and I can’t afford to not have money on the mind.

“Here’s some sandpaper.” Kaila picks a small piece from the stack of materials along the wall. Just as she picks up the figurine, I realize how crazy I’m being.

“Wait! Stop.” I close my eyes and shake my head. “This is insane. We can’t do this.”

Kaila audibly sighs. “Good. I agree.”

I peek at her. “Why didn’t you say so?”

“Because you’re my boss. But, you know, if anyone found out we did this—”

“I’d be ruined.”

She gulps and nods.

“I’m sorry. I’m not myself right now.”

Kaila leans heavily against the desk, looking at me with concern.

“Because of waiting to hear from the sperm bank?”

“That’s actually the least stressful thing right now. My mom didn’t take the news so well, and you know that guy I was just talking to?”

Her eyes sparkle. “He’s cute. If you like redheads.”

“I happen to.” I lean back in my chair and toss my feet on the desk. “He was my best friend in high school. I had a giant crush on him back then, and I haven’t seen him since prom night.”

“Dang,” she breathes. “Do you think you might still like him?”

I remember the way my stomach fluttered when Sean handed me the sunflowers and our hands brushed. I look at the sunflowers laying on the edge of the desk. After all these years, he remembered how much I love them.

“I don’t know. It wouldn’t matter if I did. Sean was a womanizer before most kids even know what the word means, and I don’t get the impression that he’s changed.”

“It would be so romantic, though. You know, if you did end up getting together after all these years.”

“I can’t think about that. That’s not—it’s not on the agenda.”

Kaila frowns. “Hey, what are we going to do about Octavia’s statue?”

“Do you know where the guy who knocked it over is?”

“Gone.”

“Figures. He’s probably halfway to the next gallery, where he’ll barf all over a canvas.”

I drop my feet to the floor. I wore a dress and heels for the special occasion, and my soles are already aching.

“The good thing is, Octavia’s so popular that the piece might still sell anyway. Let’s go ahead and take it back out there.”

Kaila nods, carefully lifting the naked man. I stand as well, but my cell, left on the desk, starts ringing.

At the number, my heart jumps. Could it be…?

“Um, you go right ahead.” I can’t even look at Kaila, I’m suddenly so nervous. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

The second she’s out the door, I answer the call, afraid I’ll miss it.

“Hello?”

“Hello, this is Natasha calling from First Fertility in Los Angeles. I’m looking for Violet Powers.”

“This is her.”

My heart beats faster, and I resume my seat. A second later and I’m back up, pacing around the room.

“Miss Powers, I have some news to share with you. We would love to supply you with the donor you need, but I see here that you live in Honolulu. Is that correct?”

My tongue won’t seem to work right. “Y-yes.”

“In order for you to undergo the procedure, you would need to travel to our clinic in Los Angeles.”

I choke on my next inhale.

“Wait…you can’t just, uh, ship it to me? And then have a doctor do it here?”

“Unfortunately, no, I’m sorry.”

The strength leaves my body, and I lean against my desk. This can’t be happening. A sperm donor was my plan—my only plan.

“Miss Powers?”

“I’m still here,” I weakly answer.

“Shall I schedule you for a visit? There’s a chance that one appointment is all it will take.”

One appointment.

I don’t have the time for even one appointment, unless it happens right in Honolulu. A round-trip ticket to California would wipe me of my savings, making it impossible to then pay for the insemination.

I’ve hit a wall, and there’s no way around it.

Finding the next words becomes painful.

“I, no…don’t schedule me in. If coming to L.A. is really the only option, then I’m going to have to wait.”

“Are you sure? We can fit you in next month.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

I need more than a month. The gallery is doing well, but not that well. I could save up the money for a ticket in a couple months, but then I’d have to be gone from work. With Kaila as my only employee, that can’t happen. But in order to hire someone else, I need to be making more money. A lot more.

I’ve already talked with Kaila about the month or two I would take off when the baby came. Since she’s agreed to work extra that whole time, I can’t ask her to do anything else for me.

With my stomach twisting, I realize that I’ve put myself in this position. In a sense, I’m in charge of my own destiny, owning my own home and business. But if I can’t take two days to myself, am I really as free as I thought?

“All right then,” the woman on the other end of the line says. “I’m sorry this isn’t working out right now.”

“Yeah,” I glumly respond. “Me too.”

“Please notify us as soon as you can schedule a trip here, and we will get you all set up.”

Don’t hold your breath.

We say goodbye and hang up. I should go back out to the gallery. Sean’s waiting for me, and there are dozens of people I still need to greet and schmooze with, but my legs are lead.

Mom’s face comes back to me, the way she pursed her head and shook her lips making my stomach coil. God, won’t she love to hear my plans have been foiled?

My fingers tighten around my cellphone, and I even pull my arm back a little bit, but I stop myself before I lose all control and hurl the device across the room.

Not letting myself rage, I get upset instead. My lower lip trembles, and my eyes burn. I want to say it’s not fair, but I’m not that stupid. I haven’t believed life was fair since my dad walked out the door when I was ten years old and never came back.

The world’s a bitch, and it’s up to each and every person to keep their head above water.

Taking long, even breaths to calm myself down, I set my phone on the desk. So I’m not having a baby this year. Fine. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen someday. Next year, things might be different. The gallery could grow, and I might be able to hire the help that will allow me to take more time off.

It’s something to look forward to.

Dabbing under my eyes to make sure there’s no smudged makeup there, I start for the door, which Kaila left open a crack. A noise on the other side makes me pause.

“Hello?” I call.

There’s no answer, but I know I heard something—someone.

My face heats up. Apparently, what was supposed to be a private conversation ended up not being that at all.

Great. Now, not only am I not getting the baby I planned on this year, but someone in this gallery knows all about my personal failings.

At this very moment, my life could not get any worse.