“What you’re feeling, what you’re going through, is normal, Scarlett. You must feel safe enough to be able to allow your emotions to seep out. In time, you’ll get a handle over them.”
“I’m going crazy,” I sniffed.
“Nonsense,” he said. His voice was gentle. Caring. “Some of the problems with your emotional state is because of the pregnancy.”
“But I lost it.”
“The hormones are still there, and they will be for a while. Pregnancy can make anyone cry at the drop of a hat. It’ll take your body a bit of time to get used to things. It will get better.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I can’t,” he said. “But I will do everything in my power to make it easier on you. You will come out on the bright side of life. It’s only a matter of time. Just you wait, Scarlett. You’ll be the one who ends up helping everyone else when you’re strong. You’ll be the strongest and bravest of them all.”
Yeah, I highly doubted that.
“You will be. You will find your grounding.”
“And if not?”
“You will,” he said, seeming so determined.
“Scarlett,” Zevon called. It took way too much work to peel my eyes open. When I finally did, I was met with his piercing blue eyes.
What did he want now? Couldn’t everyone just leave me alone already?
“I got you something,” he said, giving me a smile. “But you gotta sit up first.”
“Why?” My voice may have had a bit too much whine to it.
“Just sit up,” he said.
Slowly, I did as he asked. Every muscle screamed in protest.
“So, when I went out to get food, I had to stop at this one place and get you a few things. Okay, it was more than one place.”
I blinked at him, trying to comprehend what he was saying. The words were spoken in a rush.
“Just give it to her already,” Dominic said from the doorway.
“I don’t need anything.”
“I know. But you are so gonna love this. I promise.”
He lifted a brown box, gently placing it on the bed, and took a step back. “Open it.”
I looked at him, at the box, then back at Zevon.
“Come on kiddo,” Collin said. “Just open the box. It won’t bite.”
“Well, it could,” Zevon said, a glint in his eye.
“Zevon, really? Now she probably won’t even touch the thing,” Dominic huffed.
I dropped my eyes to the box once more, chewing on my lip. I wasn’t sure what to feel, or what to even do.
“Come on,” Zevon said, bouncing in place.
When I still didn’t move, he stepped back to the bed and opened the flaps. A moment later, a small little orange and black head with pointy ears poked out.
