Page 105 of Road to Absolution

“Managed to make me smile while feeling like shit.” She leaned limply against the headboard. “Mind getting me a ginger ale?”

Opening a can, I took it to her. “But no pain? You’re alright?”

She was pale as she sipped the soda. “All good, just ready to be done with being pregnant.” My smirk had her asking, “What?”

“It’s unusual to hear you complain. I think I like it. Now I know how you’re really feeling.”

She thumbed over to the bassinet. There was a discombobulated pad of art paper and colored pencils all over the floor.

I raised a brow. “Did you have a fit?”

She hid behind the soda can. “Fucking. Lost it.”

“Respect, girl! Did it feel good?’

She smirked around the ginger ale and whispered, “Fantastic.” She pouted. “Then I puked.”

Laughing, my head fell back. “No! You were robbed!”

“I know!” After giggling, she asked, “I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

“Oh shit!” My eyes squinted at her as I pointed. “I’m mad at you.”

“The fuck?” She swooshed ginger ale around in her mouth, with her cheeks puffed out.

With her looking so cute, I grabbed my belly as I fell to the side, laughing even harder. “No more Diesel for you!”

“I’m not sure that’s an option.” Before taking another sip to swoosh, she asked, “So, why are you mad at me?”

Sitting on the bed to face her, I said, “I heard you’ve been talking to Justice.”

Cheeks full, her eyes widened. She forced a hard swallow. “Are you not okay with that? I’m so sorry—”

I raised a hand. “No. No. It’s not, but… she sent you something?”

“The marijuana?” Her eyes grew even wider now.

Now completely confused, I replied, “Uh… yeah.”

She gestured. “In the bassinet.”

Standing, I teased, “You have drugs in our baby’s bed?”

Adorably, she shrugged. “It’s illegal. If some sort of ‘bust’ went down, or however that goes, I didn’t want Diesel in trouble. I figured it’s the last place a sheriff would look.”

Laying my hand over my heart, I smiled. “My wife. The not-so-smart criminal.”

Her little nose scrunched up. “Who’s going to look under a pink blanket for drugs?”

There it was. Under a stuffed teddy bear and pink blanket, a gallon-sized plastic bag. The bag was around a well-wrapped bundle of pot.

Holding it up, I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

She tried to pull her knees to her chest until she remembered she was pregnant as fuck and unable. Her lips twisted as she stared at the bag. “I, uh… was worried you would think you were like your,” she winced, “mom.”

I had to hold my chest, because this woman was stealing my heart all over again.

She nibbled on her bottom lip. “Her turning to drugs when she was sad made you so upset. I just didn’t know how to approach you with this.” She swore, “But Justice said it has made a difference for athletes.” She went quiet. “Not that I think anything is wrong with you.”