The thought was heavy in my heart and in my mind.Everything before now seemed insignificant.
My heart nearly stopped when Rose tumbled down those stairs.I almost lost her, but not just her.
A baby.
Ourbaby.
We were having a baby.
I wasn’t even sure where we stood.We had sex, and it meant something.We said we weren’t going back to pretending… but a baby?That changed things, didn’t it?I still wasn’t sure if I wanted marriage.Did she expect a ring now?
I always knew exactly how to fix things when it came to Rose, but this… A ginger chew couldn’t fix this.A joke or a hug couldn’t fix this.Amazing sex couldn’t even fix this.
The only thing that could fix us was for me to stop running from my past.
Even if facing it broke me.
On the plane, Wyatt was quiet.He gave me his hand to squeeze, and packed extra ginger chews, but his mind… He was somewhere else entirely.Usually, I could reel him in and get him to open up to me; this time, though, was different.There was an invisible wall that had never been between us before.
I couldn’t penetrate it.Not when he was on autopilot.He was physically there, but mentally, I had no idea where he was.
We stood by the baggage claim, waiting for our bags.I had no idea what he was thinking, and part of me was scared to ask.My bag came down the conveyor belt, and he scooped it up.A woman struggled with her oversized suitcase, and Wyatt stepped in, snatching it up with ease and placing it in front of the lady with a joke and a smile.
“Ready,” he asked, smiling, but I could tell it was forced.
“Sure,” I said, not even trying to put any enthusiasm behind the word.
“How are you feeling?Do you need to stop at the bathroom?”
I pressed a hand to my stomach; it was becoming more and more natural.“I’m good.The fluids they gave me at the hospital and the anti-nausea meds seem to be working.Apparently, staying hydrated and having electrolytes make a world of difference.Who would have guessed?”I gave a shrug as a slight laugh slipped out.
“It’s not funny,” he said, and my head practically flew back.Wyatt made jokes about everything, and usually at the most inappropriate times.
“Sorry, I just—”
“No, I’m sorry.”He dragged his hand over his face.“It’s just been…”
“A lot to process.I know.”
“Yeah.”He wheeled my suitcase around.“Let’s get you home.”
With a nod, I followed beside him, looking forward to being at our place.There we could talk.
My hope deflated when we stepped through the sliding doors, and my eyes landed on Chardonnay and Sherry.
Sherry hurried to me, taking me in her arms and pulling me close.“I’m so glad you’re okay.”Relief flooded through me, and calm came over me in only a way that happens when you’re with your sisters.I was home.
Sherry pulled back and swatted the air as if she was afraid to hurt me.“Don’t scare us like that again.”
“You’re telling me.”
My attention caught onto Wyatt.He slowed, his grip tightening on the handle of my suitcase.
“Hey,” Char said before carefully wrapping her arms around me.
“I’m not going to break, Char.”
She squeezed a little tighter before stepping back.“How are you feeling?”
