Stumbling Into Forever (Stumbling Through Life Book 2)

by Molly O'Hare

  “Yeah.” She sniffled.

  “That’s our baby.”

  “Really?” Holly looked at it closer. “Well, I saw that!”

  “See you did see our baby.” Ben kissed her forehead.

  “I did, didn’t I.” Holly straightened as she puffed out her chest. “I’m a good mom.”

  “Yes, baby. The best.”

  Ben laughed at the memory. Leave it to Holly to make everything a chaotic adventure.

  Everything.

  Between her and Waffles he never knew which end was up.

  As he settled back into his paperwork for the night, that feeling of unease or whatever it was came back. Actually, it never went away. Instead over the last few days it had only gotten stronger.

  Sure, seeing their baby had helped some, but it was something else. Something he couldn’t put his fingers on.

  Ben looked around his office once more. He couldn’t stop himself from going back to the night of the break-in. And now knowing who had committed it, didn’t sit well with him.

  The whole thing didn’t sit well with him. What if this kid wanted to cause him more problems? Now that Holly was pregnant, things changed.

  Then his mind drifted to what Will had said about the other boy that was there.

  The feeling he had came back in full force, like a punch to the gut.

  Seeing that child stare into the camera with so much pain and sorrow in his eyes, did something to Ben.

  Then there was the terror.

  The little boy who had already gone through so much in his life.

  Then seemingly out of nowhere a picture popped into his head making him choke.

  Ben’s head pounded as his palms started to sweat.

  Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Ben’s breathing increased.

  The picture in his mind was plain as day. It was of him and Holly carrying their baby in her arms, Waffles, Ripley and Twitch at their feet, but what really sent Ben sputtering all around was seeing that little boy by their side.

  Jimmy.

  Ben blinked a few times trying to get his brain to work, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw it again.

  “That’s it.” Ben pushed out of his seat before closing down his computer. “No more coffee this late at night.”

  What the absolute hell was that? Ben could feel his heart still racing. And even though, he felt like he’d just completed a triathlon, for the first time since leaving the police station that feeling he had slowly started to dissipate.

  He took a deep breath trying to calm himself.

  You need to leave this office. Right now.

  Ben did his best to push all of his thoughts away. He glanced down at his watch. Maybe he was delirious, he needed to leave anyway. Besides tonight was going to be a celebration. That’s what he needed to focus on, and since he was already late, he was sure Holly was crawling out of her skin holding in their news.

  Yes, focus on telling Henry. That’s what you’re going to do.

  Quickly he locked everything up and set the alarm. Once he made it out of the back door, he closed his eyes still trying to calm himself.

  That’s when he saw the image again in his mind.

  Shaking his head, he jogged over to his SUV and quickly got onto the road. Maybe putting some distance between him and the clinic would help.

  Pulling around the corner he saw Holly’s favorite donut shop. That’s what I’ll do. He decided to stop and pick up a half dozen donuts in hopes that focusing on getting Holly her most craved food, his brain would settle.

  Unfortunately for him, he never once stopped thinking about Jimmy.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lasagna.

  Holly held the store-bought lasagna in her hand as she walked up the steps to her father’s house with Ripley and Waffles trotting along next to her.

  Maybe after eating this, my brain will go back to normal?

  All day Holly had been out of sorts. At first, she thought she was nervous about telling her father they were expecting, but it seemed to be more than that. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

  Then, as she pictured their future conversation while eating dinner, she got the strongest craving for lasagna she’d ever had.

  So here she was carrying the thing hoping that once she had some, her brain would stop being a jumbled mess.

  A mess that consisted of her having a child, being a mother, the break-in, Emma, her normal worry about her father, and now… now it screamed lasagna.

  “Pumpkin!” Henry opened the door. “Whatcha got for me?”

  Without registering it, Holly pulled the box to her chest with a growl. “Mine.”

  “Well, it looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Henry gave her a look.

  “Sorry, Dad. It’s been a crazy few days.”

  “Come on in and tell me all about it.” Waffles and Ripley zoomed past Henry as they made their way into the house. “At least they aren’t grumpy.”

  “I’m not grumpy,” she protested. Holly walked past her father only stopping to give him a kiss on the cheek before heading straight to the kitchen. “Just hungry.”

  Sure, she might not be able to cook, but she could damn well preheat an oven and throw in a frozen lasagna.

  Well, there was that one time… No. This she could do. And even if she couldn’t, so help the person that stopped her from grabbing a fork and going to town on the lasagna, frozen or not.

  Once the food was in the oven, Holly turned. Unfortunately, for her, she didn’t see that Waffles and Ripley were playing tug of war across the kitchen. She took one step before tripping over them both. “Oh, for the love of all things!” Holly caught herself on the nearby table.

  “I’d like to say that was a record, but you’ve tripped coming up the stairs before.”

  “Very funny, Dad.”

  “I thought so.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Ben had to work late on paperwork, but he should be here by the time the food is done.” Holly moved past her father and into the living room.

  The more room between her and the lasagna… the better.

  Holly’s excitement about telling her dad about the baby came back in full swing. She wished Ben was here. She was nearly crawling out of her skin with anticipation. It took everything inside of her not to blurt out she was now the host for a small human creature.

  If it were up to her, she would have told her dad the second she got here, but no… something about a special moment and togetherness, and if she told her dad without Ben there… and blah blah blah, she stopped listening the moment Ben threatened to take away her donuts.

  The gall of him.

  Jerk.

  But she got it. She didn’t have to like it, but she got it. She placed her hand on her stomach as she watched her father slowly move into the room before carefully getting into his chair.

  “Is he still worried about the clinic being broken into again?” Henry asked making himself comfortable.

  “Yes and no. He had some paperwork to finish, but the other day the detective overseeing the case called us into the station with information.”

  Henry’s brows shot to the ceiling, the best his left side could. “And you’re only telling me this now?”

  Oh crap.

  “I’m sorry, Dad,” she pleaded with him. “It’s been such a busy few days.”

  You know finding out I’m having a child. Then there’s the who in the break-in. Not to mention that poor little boy that-

  “So busy you couldn’t pick up the phone and tell your old man?” He interrupted her thoughts.

  “Do you remember the reason I got Twitch was ‘cause some kid poisoned him?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I guess it turns out, that same kid was the one that broke into the clinic.”

  “You’re kidding?” Henry sat back in his chair staring at her.

  “I’m not. He blames Ben for everything that happened. With all the stuff happening at Richman Industr
ies the news wanted more of a story. Remember that? You know anything that could connect to the wealthiest man in the city or some crap like that.”

  “So, you’re saying this young man, who I assume has been released from the detention center now is seeking revenge?”

  “It seems that way.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  As her father sat back onto his chair, Holly’s brain zoned back to Will’s office. The same way it had done anytime she thought of the break-in. She didn’t know why, but the image of the young boy looking up at the camera was forever ingrained in her brain.

  Hell, it even haunted her dreams at night. There was this feeling about it, she couldn’t seem to put her finger on.

  Doing what she’d done over the last few days she pushed it aside as she watched Waffles and Ripley play.

  “Holly?”

  She turned to her father only to see a concerned look on his face. “Yeah, Dad?”

  “Have you listened to one word I’ve said?”

  He was speaking?

  “I’ve been talking to you for twenty minutes.”

  “You have?”

  “Yes, you were nodding your head and agreeing about my thoughts on the situation.”

  Holly looked around the room. Had she really zoned out that much? “I’m sorry, Dad. What did you say?”

  “Ehh, it’s too much to go over it again.” Henry tossed the tennis ball Waffles had laid at his feet across the room. “How about you tell me what’s got you all distracted?”

  “I’m not distracted.”

  Henry gave her the look. “Okay fine, I’m distracted.”

  “How about you throw your old man a bone here.”

  Waffles must have thought he meant he had bones because he ran to Henry jumping and barking.

  “You sure are driven by food,” Henry laughed scratching Waffles behind the ears.

  “He’s just like his momma,” Holly said looking back into the kitchen. Thank god she’d gotten a smaller lasagna and it should be done any moment now.

  “I’m gonna tell Ben you said tha—”

  “Sorry I’m late,” Ben announced walking into the living room. “It’s been one of those days.”

  Henry’s face brightened seeing Ben. He then as carefully as he could stood from his seat. “No worries, son.”

  “Dad, sit.” Holly glared at her father before jumping from her seat to help him once she realized he wasn’t going to listen to her.

  She was rewarded with a glare of his own, directed at her. “Who is the parent here, young lady?”

  At her father’s attitude —which Holly knew was warranted when it came to his pain and disabilities — she couldn’t stop her agitation. She only wanted him to take it easy. Before she could register what she was doing, she blurted, “Technically all of us.” She placed one of her hands on her stomach and the other on her hip in defiance.

  Henry froze with his eyes widened in shock. “Come again?”

  “That’s one way to tell him,” Ben remarked walking fully into the living room shaking his head. “That’s why we wanted to have dinner with you tonight, Henry.” Ben darted his eyes to Holly. “Although, we wanted to tell you in a more thought out way.”

  “Hey, he asked a question and I answered it.” Holly moved the hand on her stomach to her other hip narrowing her eyes at Ben.

  You wanna fight, Bub. We’ll fight.

  “Pumpkin?”

  Henry’s voice brought her attention back to her dad. When she noticed his unsureness, her heart softened. She took a few steps over to him before she wrapped her arms around his waist being mindful of his left side. “You’re no longer going to be a grandpa just to the animals.”

  “You two are having a baby?” he choked out.

  Henry squeezed her the best he could before she pulled out of his arms and walked over to Ben’s side. She placed her hand on her stomach. “Yes, Dad, we’re having a baby.”

  “We just found out,” Ben quietly said into the room as he gave Holly a kiss on her temple before turning his attention back to Henry. “You’re finally gonna be a grandpa to human children.”

  “It’s true, Ben took me to the clinic to use his ultrasound thingy and there weren’t any horns or anything weird growing,” Holly stated.

  Henry stared at them not moving.

  Then he did what Holly could only assume was a jig, well maybe. He stomped his right foot, and slapped his thigh with his working arm, while a giant lopsided smile appeared on his face. “Hot damn! It’s about time!” He started limping their way before bringing them into a hug. “This is wonderful news. No wonder you’ve been so busy.”

  Waffles started crying at their feet demanding for him to be the center of attention.

  Henry bent at this waist before scratching Waffles behind the ear. “None of that young man. You’re gonna be a big brother now. You and your sister are gonna have to protect this little one like your life depended on it. That’s your job now.”

  Waffles cocked his head to the side watching him. “Okay, fine. Like getting a piece of steak depended on it.”

  Waffles must have registered that since he yipped before his tongue fell out of his mouth.

  Holly was pretty sure in Waffles brain he only heard the word steak and assumed that’s what he was getting for dinner. But hey, there was no harm in pretending Waffles realized his new role in the family and showed his excitement.

  A mother could only hope, right?

  However, the second Waffles looked toward the kitchen and barked, Holly rolled her eyes. Nope, he thinks he’s getting steak.

  “Congratulations, you two!” Henry pulled them in for another hug.

  “Love you, Dad.”

  “Love you too, Pumpkin.” Henry started walking towards the kitchen with a pep in his step. “Now, let’s eat.”

  Waffles and Ripley were right behind him.

  A chuckle emanated from Ben as he squeezed her into his side. “That was one way to tell him.”

  Holly shrugged as she pulled out of his arms following her father to the kitchen. They could talk about it later. Right now, it was lasagna time.

  As soon as the smell of it hit her nose her mouth watered. Which still blew her mind, before today she wasn’t a big fan of it. Now, though, if someone dared to get in between her and the lasagna, she’d murder them with zero remorse.

  Holly ran to the food grabbing a fork out of the nearby drawer. She waited impatiently bouncing on her feet as Ben placed the lasagna on top of the stove. As soon as he let go, Holly pushed him out of the way taking a forkful and throwing it into her mouth.

  She must have forgotten food that came out of the oven needed to cool. “Hot. Hot. Hot.” She did that whole breathing in and out thing, trying to grasp air like she was dying.

  “Get used to it, son,” Henry said from behind them. “Helen did that exact same thing when she was pregnant.”

  Ben burst out into a deep laugh as he reached for three plates. He then lightly pushed Holly out of the way with a bump of his hip causing an angry growl to escape from her. My food.

  “Down, Grace.” Ben handed her the first plate.

  Seeing the steaming food, sent a new wave of cravings through her. It didn’t matter she’d burned all her taste buds. It was as if the room faded away and all she saw was the lasagna. She happily took the delicious food as she walked to the kitchen table and plopped down before digging in.

  It was like everything faded around her.

  She didn’t know if it had been three seconds or an hour, but by the time she looked back up, Henry and Ben were lightly chatting about the baby with empty plates in front of them.

  “You’ve finally decided to join the land of the living again there, Pumpkin?” Henry asked with his lopsided grin fully on display.

  What just happened?

  “Yeah,” Ben remarked. “When I asked if you wanted seconds, and went to grab your plate you tried to bite me.” Ben’s eyes danced with amusement. “
I decided it was safer to dump my portion on yours.”

  Holly sat back in awe. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “It must be in the genes,” Henry laughed.

  “I remember when Helen was about four months pregnant, she had an overwhelming craving for peanut butter cake. I had to have the bakery specially make it for her. When I went to pick it up, Helen demanded to come along for the ride. All I can say is that cake never made it home.”

  “Wait!” Holly threw her arms at her side with a pout. “Now, I want a peanut butter glazed donut.”

  “Then I’m glad I picked some up before I got here.” Ben retrieved the bag he brought into the house. As he handed them to Holly, her heart filled with happiness.

  What a perfect man.

  Holly looked down at her belly as she retrieved her first donut. You, little peanut, are gonna have to chill on this blackout eating thing. No one wants a million-pound momma.

  As Holly munched on her food, she idly listened to Ben and her father’s chat.

  The moment Ben brought up the break-in, however, the image of Jimmy once again flooded her mind.

  There was something about that little boy that called to her. She had no idea what it was, but it was there. And it was getting stronger.

  The second Holly placed her hand on her stomach, a new image hit her so hard she thought she might vomit.

  Jimmy. It was unmistakable. Jimmy with them. All of them, her, Ben, Henry, all their animals. Everyone.

  Holly closed her eyes trying and failing to control her breathing as her heart pounded in her chest.

  Oh. My. God.

  Before she knew what she was doing, she looked up at Ben, her eyes filled with tears. “I want Jimmy.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  What did she say?

  Ben froze as soon as the words were out of Holly’s mouth. It was like in an instant the world had stopped around him. Taking a chance, he looked at his wife.

  Her eyes were large, and her mouth was open.

  Ben’s heart started to race as his breathing picked up.

  “Did I say that out loud?” Holly rushed out in a panic. “I guess I must have because I’m hearing myself, like for real for real, and not just that voice thing in my head. Right?” Holly started to blink rapidly as she nibbled on her bottom lip like she was working out a problem in her head. “Am I crazy?”