“Kind of. Mentally, I’m not, but it’s like my body can’t keep up.”
“You’re growing a human. Fuck that’s weird to say. Weird, and amazing. You have a little person inside of you.” Chase slides his hand down onto my abdomen. “Our person.”
“Our baby.”
As the words slip from my mouth, everything clicks into place. The timing is all wrong, but is there ever a perfect time for things like this? Won’t I always find some reason to prolong starting a family, even after marriage?
I know the truth about Chase’s past and am so looking forward to telling Lisa. I’ll try not to gloat too much about being right that he’s a good person.
“I don’t want to tell anyone yet,” I say. “Let’s just keep it between us for a few days.”
“That’s fine with me.” Chase kisses my neck. “I’m still in shock.”
“Me too.”
Chase keeps his hand on my belly and lays back. I get hit with another vision, though this time, it’s not about death or dying. It’s this: Chase and me on the couch, with his hand on my belly. Though in my mind, I’m close to my due date and we’re both feeling the baby kick.
“I love you, Sierra,” he whispers and I get an overwhelming sense that things are meant to be. That all the heartbreak and tragedy I went through before shaped me into who I am today.
“I love you, too.”
I look down the aisle, shoulders hunching forward as I reach out. Pausing, I listen for any signs of life. The store is empty, and Mrs. Williams is in the back, going over inventory. She never goes over inventory. Most of what’s in stock is on the shelves anyway. I take the time alone to grab the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I randomly open it to a page about mucus plugs, read a paragraph and feel entirely unprepared. With a shudder, I put the book away and move on, dusting the shelves.
The cramps continued throughout the night, worsening today. Chase kept me from asking Dr. Google what’s wrong, and instead I’m calling the doctor today. I never rescheduled the appointment I missed when Chase was in the hospital. It would have been too late then anyway. I was already pregnant at that point.
I call the doc on my lunch break and am able to get an appointment Monday morning. Since I don’t know when I conceived—holy shit that’s weird to think about—they can do an ultrasound that day as well. It hasn’t been a full twenty-four hours since we found out I was pregnant, but it already seems like so much has changed.
I finish dusting and go back to the register, sitting behind the counter. Chase has been texting me throughout the morning, making sure I’m okay, and vice versa. I can use his recovery as a good excuse to lounge around and do nothing, giving us more time to come to terms with everything. Though I will have to think of something good to say when my family notices I’m not drinking any wine.
Mrs. Williams leaves for the day around eleven, and I’m alone in the store until tonight. Customers trickle in and out, and I entertain myself with texting Chase, mindlessly scrolling through Facebook and Instagram, and reading. Around one, Chase comes in with lunch.
“Orange chicken and fried rice,” I say before I even open the bag. “You drove two hours to get me food.” My eyes gloss over proving that this obnoxious display of emotions is due to hormones.
“I did,” Chase says and kisses me. “I came home and heated it up so it’d be warm. Hopefully it’s still good.”
I open my to-go container and take a bite. “It’s the best.”
“Are you crying over Chinese food?”
“Yes! Don’t judge me.”
Chase laughs and comes around the counter. His hands land on my hips and he gives me another kiss. “Does this make you horny enough to have sex tonight?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Oh, I want to. Trust me, I do. But it’s too soon to risk hurting you.”
“What about this?” His arms slip to my back and he kisses me, deep and passionate. My knees weaken and if it weren’t for Chase holding me up, I’d be on the floor right now. The bell rings and we break apart.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Lisa says, making a gagging noise. “I came in to buy porn to read, not see.”
“I should charge you extra,” I say back with a smile. “And you don’t read.”
“Not very often.” She gives Chase a wave. “I’d ask how you’re doing, but I see you’re getting along just fine.”
He chuckles. “I’m getting there. Sierra’s been taking good care of me.”
“Ew. You two make me sick.”
“Should I be sorry?” I ask, making a face.
Lisa waves her hand in the air. “Nah. I’ll just hate you in secret.”
I laugh. “How’s work?” I ask.
“Meh, the same. Francine came in today.” She dramatically rolls her eyes. “Which is why I came in here on my lunch break. I cannot fucking stand her and need to gossip.”
Chase takes his arms from around my waist. “I’ll leave you two to talk. I’m gonna go see my nephews.” He kisses me again.
“You’re supposed to go home and rest.”
“I’m bored resting. And I feel fine.”
“You won’t feel fine if you pop a stitch.”
“The stitches are halfway dissolved by now.”
I shudder. “That’s kind of gross to think about.”
“Don’t think about it,” Chase says with a laugh. He kisses me again. “I love you,” he says quietly.
“Love you, too.”
He leaves and Lisa waits until he’s out the door and down the street to talk. “So, you two are acting like a normal couple?”
“We are a normal couple.”
She looks away, eating the words she wants to say, then looks back with a smile. “Right.”
“I talked to him,” I blurt. “I asked him why he has so much money and why he was arrested.”
“And?”
“He repossessed items for the super-rich. They paid him cash and he got arrested more than once because he looked guilty until things were explained. And people sometimes got violent with him, hence the assault charges. But everything was dropped once the dust settled and it was clear what he was doing. He said he worked a lot for banks.”
“And you believe him?”
“I do.” Not believing him isn’t an option. Chase wouldn’t lie. The first night we met, he talked about taking that boat. Why would he lie then when we had nothing between us? “It makes sense, Lisa. That’s how he met Jax too, and why his record is similar to Chase’s. They’re basically bounty hunters, which is actually really hot to say out loud.”
“It’s not like he’s saving the world or anything,” Lisa quips.
My brow furrows. “I know. And he’s done with all that. He’s happy here, with me.” With us.
“Assuming it’s all true, then I’m sorry. He’s not a bad guy.”
“He’s not. And he’s going to be around for, well, forever. So please go back to liking him.”
“Fine. So you wanna hear the latest Francine drama?”