Free Reunion by Karen Kingsbury Page B

didn’t get pregnant by then, and they’d even discussed the scenario. What if Kari couldn’t get pregnant? Since Ryan still had most of his NFL earnings in a savings account, money
    wasn’t an issue. They would do whatever they could to have a baby. In vitro fertilization, embryo mplantation, what-techniques were available.
    ..Kari picked up her pace so she could keep up with the fireball who was their little daughter. “Wait for Mommy, honey…”p>
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    REUNION
    Jessie didn’t turn around. Her ponytail flopped as she ran. “Daddy, here I am!”
    This time he heard her. Out of all the noises on the field—a dozen voices, and the sounds of whistles and footballs being thrown and caught—he heard her and turned around. Even from fifty yards away Kari saw his face light up.
    He dropped his clipboard and ran to meet her, arms out. “Hey, what’s my Jessie girl doing out here?”
    “Pretty robins, Daddy!”
    He winked at Kari and caught Jessie as she jumped into his arms. Twice he twirled her around as fast as the wind; then he hugged her close and rubbed his nose against hers. “You and
    Mommy decided to get out, huh?”
    “We’re going swinging.”
    “Perfect.” Ryan kissed her on the forehead and set her down. As big as he was—the tall former NFL tight end—Ryan Taylor couldn’t have been more gentle with her or with Jessie.
    He took the extra few steps to’Kari. “You’re gonna stay for a while?”
    “Yes, but—” Kari gave his arm a light tug—”come here for a minute. I have something to tell you.”
    A pained look flashed in his eyes. “Honey, I’d love to but—” he looked back at the fieldm”the guys can only stay another
    thirty minutes.” His eyes found hers. “Can it wait?”
    “Sure.” She smiled, determined to be agreeable.
    “Thanks, Kari.” He gave her a quick kiss. “You’re the best.” He gave a light tug on Jessie’s ponytail. “Go play with Mommy now, okay? I’ll be done in a little while and we can all swing together.”
    Jessie clapped her hands. “Goody, Daddy. You can swing with me!”
    Disappointment ripped at Kari as she and Jessie turned toward the swings, but she refused to let it change her mood. She could wait half an hour, couldn’t she? “Ready to swing Jessie?”
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    “Yes!” She skipped ahead, moving as fast as her little feet would carry her.
    “Catch me, Mommy. Come on!”
    The high school sat adjacent to the grade school, and often Kari brought Jessie here so they could play together and visit with Ryan on his breaks. This was the first time since winter that they’d made it here, and now that Jessie was older, Kari was exCited about the months of football that lay ahead.
    This was how she’d always dreamed it might be—married to Ryan, raising children at home without a career to sidetrack her. She’d done only a handful of catalogue modeling shoots since fall, and even then she wondered at the wisdom of taking the jobs. They didn’t need her to work, and if God might bless them with more children, modeling would have to wait. Years, maybe. “Okay, Mommy, push me!” Jessie was agile for her age and afraid of nothing. She worked herself up into one of the smaller swings, gripped the chains, and held on. “Ready!”
    Kari set her purse and keys down and gave her daughter two pushes. Then she moved in front of Jessie the way she’d seen Ryan do it. She positioned herself right where Jessie’s shoes were
    able to hit her backside, and she bent forward some. As Jessie came swinging toward her, Kari made a loud noise and began to fall forward. “Hey … what’re you doing, silly
    Jessie squealed with delight. “Again, Mommy! Again!”
    her again and then hurried around in front of the pretending to get kicked by Jessie’s yellow sneakers. Kari
    her backside and made a funny face. “Listen you, Miss Shoes, how come you keep kicking me?”
    i:They played the game a few more times, and then Kari swept off the swing and tumbled with