The tourist brochure was done and in print so I was doing some other jobs which I found interesting and kept me occupied. My body was growing rapidly, the need to tell people had passed because it was obvious. Neely found it hilarious how my news sharing had gone with the Griggs and even more so when she heard Jonas was privy to it all, but she stayed close, I assume expecting him to appear and me to be a mess over it. But he didn’t, there was no showdown with him and he’s not been near or in touch since. I wasn’t expecting to feel as disappointed as I did when it became obvious he wasn’t interested, I played it off for everyone else, but I was starting to wonder if he was the good guy I’d always believed him to be.
Barbara became my other constant and not a day went by where I didn’t hear from her or see her in some form. She was fabulous and I was thankful that I had her; I just prayed that I was going to be as good a mom and role model to my peanuts as she was to me. Almost immediately she started to shower me with ‘essentials’ that I would need and lots of things that were definitely not classed as ‘essentials’ for the peanuts. There were many times when she would go overboard but I kept reminding myself that she never got the chance to do this. She had given me a wonderful life and I was happy to be able to indulge her in my pregnancy, it was the one thing of her own that she’d never been gifted to have.
As I grew bigger my sickness finally stopped and my appetite returned with a vengeance. Those that I was closest with knew my plans for the future and those that didn’t need to know looked at me like I was the town pariah. Gossip was rife and I was fairly sure a lot of it was down to Tits. I’d heard rumors that the father was either Jack or Jake because they’re twins surely they’d breed twins too, apparently I was with both of them though, so I didn’t know who the father was. Some of it people believed and that bothered me, but most of the time I brushed it off. I just know that Tits was smiling that someone else had taken the spot light off her and her crazy baby game with Jonas.
Flo and Lottie fussed over me and our usual Friday night Purps session was often relocated to my apartment. I got the pleasure of creating mad cocktails and not being forced to drink them; it was hilarious.
Tommy kept in touch and sent me some funny text messages which brightened my day, but my situation put the lid on anything with him for the foreseeable future.
Chris popped round often and even tried to get me to talk to Jonas. He didn’t say much but he became pretty insistent that I make the effort; he said Jonas was in a bad place. I was firm in my resolve and said no. We argued about this and I constantly told him that I'd had nothing from him since he’d found out and even though I was prepared to go it alone, I wasn’t expecting my children to be fatherless, especially after he’d taken up for the non-baby made up by her. My message was clear, Jonas’s actions spoke for him and while he may now regret our one night and the very life changing result of it, I couldn’t. I wasn’t going to force my babies on a guy that didn’t want them. Chris tried to protest, but he also sensed when the discussions were over and the finality in my words.
After all I wasn’t the one who came to find him that night, he’d sought me out and instigated a night of passion, then declared it was done. That was all him and my priorities has shifted, I had other things to prepare for.
Mig came to town every so often to work on some bits and pieces with me. My situation didn’t deter him, he still seemed to look at me like he wanted to try and be with me, but he understood the pressure I was under and sensed that friend’s was where my head was at right now.
And that’s when the next world tilting event happened.
Mig and I were working in my study one day, it had a half decorated look to it; I was slowly converting it into a nursery. I was now twenty four weeks along and had become the size of my own planet complete with solar system and orbit. I was getting huge and it was becoming hard to carry my camera equipment round to jobs, not to mention standing for hours and being away from a bathroom! But I was determined to carry on and persevere with my independence and life. Mig was suffering from a mental block so I suggested a break to see if that would bring him back to life, so we headed over to Mudjoes for a coffee and a cake.
I’ve always been clumsy, but not being able to see my feet made this more of a regular thing. As I wandered through the door to the shop I managed to hook my foot round a chair that had been left out and the next thing I knew was that I was flat on my back staring up at the ceiling.
I tried to get up but a pain shot through my stomach like I was being squashed in a vice.
People began rushing instantly to my aide but Mig kept them back so I could get some much needed air and then told Jo to call an ambulance. I started to sweat and panic and I was really worried that I’d hurt all of us. Within twenty minutes I was being bustled into the back of an ambulance on a stretcher being accompanied by Mig who was carrying my purse. As the door closed I heard Jo tell me that she’d called Barbara and Neely and that they would meet me at the hospital.
It was all very tense and frightening. On arrival I was put in a cubicle with Mig and hooked up to a pulse and blood pressure monitor. According to the initial readings, my blood pressure was sky high. I needed Neely or Barbara to hurry up, they were my rocks and I needed them to help me calm down. Mig was looking a little concerned and he was trying to make small talk to occupy my mind, so he switched to telling jokes which made me smile a little more. All of sudden, the situation I was in caught up with me and I started to cry, my peanuts could be hurt, so the lovely, thoughtful friend that he is stood up and hugged me to calm me down, whilst letting me cry my tears.
It was at this inopportune moment that the drape around the cubicle flung back and I was face to face with a raging looking Jonas.
He really was the all time winner of the bad timing awards!
“So who the fuck are you and why does that nurse out there think you’re her boyfriend?” he says very directly to Mig.
“Jonas, calm down. What are you doing here?” I ask.
“I asked you a question, although my next one is just as important, why the fuck are you holding my woman?” Oh my.
“Look, we’ve not met before, but this isn’t the time or the place for you to be throwing shitty attitude.” Mig releases me from his hold and squares up to Jonas.
“Guys....come...on,” I try and say it but I can’t get it out, the beeping of the machine I’m hooked up to is going mental and I’m feeling dizzy and short of breath.
“Dolly, what is it? Are you OK? Come on stay with me, concentrate and breathe,” Mig pleads. Jonas yanks back the drape and shouts “NURSE! I need a nurse NOW.”
A short portly looking nurse appears to check me over and puts an oxygen mask on my face. She smiles at me sweetly and says “Nothing to worry about, just a little anxiety attack and I think I can see why, take some nice deep breaths for me.” Quick as a flash she turns to face Jonas and Mig and says “Don’t make me call security, behave or I’ll kick both your asses out of here and if you don’t believe me, try me.”
As if things weren’t hectic enough Barbara, Chris and Neely appear and when Barbara spots me with a mask on trying to stabilize my breathing she starts going mental and shouting “What’s happened? What’s wrong with her? Are the babies OK?” as she barges her way through the crowd to get to my bedside.
“Oh my Lord, you’re a popular girl aren’t you and as nice as that is, we can’t have all these people in here, two at the most and in your current state I’d suggest only one of these bruisers currently standing guard. Boy do I wish I was younger… the rest of you the waiting room is to the left at the end of the corridor and I’d like you to head there pronto!” Her tone and actions leave them under no illusion her instructions are to be followed.
Jonas is glaring at me daring me to challenge his right to stay. Neely offers the other slot to Barbara and heads over to give me a hug. Chris waits until she’s moved herself to approach, he has a big ass smile on his face as he comes in to
kiss me and says “It always takes a Dolly drama,” and with a kiss on my cheek he’s outta of there too. Mig tells me he’ll wait outside with the others and then gives me a hand squeeze and whispers “I’m here OK, I’ll wait outside, if you need me in here you tell someone to get me,” and then leaves with a glare at Jonas.
Barbara starts fussing around me and Jonas remains in his position at the end of the bed like a soldier on guard. Neither of us are speaking which just makes this more awkward, but thankfully the entrance of the doctor and the same feisty nurse takes my attention. The nurse debriefs the doctor on the nature of my arrival and I feel embarrassed when the latest bout of clumsiness is held responsible for my being here. He then starts to poke, prod and rub my belly, checking for vitals whilst the nurse nips out to drag a ultrasound machine in. I’m mortified that Jonas is getting a full view of my fat belly, but Barbara is beside herself that she’s going to be present for a live viewing of the peanuts.
The doctor splodges gel on my globe sized bump and then starts to rub it round whilst searching with the wand, after a moment he switches the speakers on the machine up and we all hear some clear and strong heartbeats. Barbara squeals in delight and I gasp in total relief that there is some good news as the doctor confirms that the babies are OK. I raise my head to the ceiling in a thank you God pose and notice that Jonas hasn’t changed his position at all, he’s stood at the end of the bed with his legs slightly apart and his arms crossed over his chest looking at me. Only this time his eyes seem more vibrant and a little damp, it’s the first time I’ve ever seen emotion on his handsome face.
“Right then, who wants to see these babies?” asks the doctor gently as if he senses he’s interrupting a moment, only then does Jonas take his eyes off me and look at the screen. As soon as he focuses on the milky way picture, his eyes grow wide as if he’s finally understanding that what he’s seeing is two miracles that I’m protecting and cooking to perfection within my body.
“As you can see Miss Frobisher the babies are both fine, there is no sign of any damage to them, your womb or the placenta, you’ve been extremely lucky. I suspect the worst you’ll suffer is a bruised behind. The only thing I am concerned about is your blood pressure, it’s a little too high and we need to keep an eye on it, we need those babies to stay snug in there for a little while longer. So I need you to rest, put your feet up, avoid stress and let these good people take care of you. I’d like you to check in at your own doctor’s though once a week for a blood pressure check. Other than that, you’re free to go.” I say thanks, as does Barbara and then proceed to wipe my gooey belly and wrestle my fat ass off the bed.
I head into the waiting room to looks of relief, gasps, general fussing and a multitude of questions to make sure we’re OK.
“Dolly, I want you to come and stay with me for a few days until you’re better,” says Barbara.
“No, it’s OK, I’ll be fine, Neely is just across the way, she can help me if I need it and I’ll call you if I need anything.” I look to Neely who nods in agreement.
“She’s coming home with me,” announces Jonas. Everyone in the room freezes and he doesn’t repeat the line again.
“No. I’m not,” I reply, totally disregarding him.
“Dalton, how many times are we going to do this, you know how this goes. You either come with me on your own or I’ll pick you and my babies up and carry you there myself,” he’s smirking at me, daring me to challenge him.
Looking around the room I notice that Mig looks horrified but ready to intervene if I require it, Barbara has lost the power of speech, Neely is hiding the laughter that is trying to take over her and Chris looks ecstatic.
Yeah… these people are going to be no help to me whatsoever. I’m screwed. My plan is to go with him and then leave as soon as he turns his back.
*****
Jonas
Getting a panicky phone call from Barbara saying that Dalton had taken a fall and was in hospital was not what I expected to fuckin’ hear when I answered the phone. She’d been on at me for weeks to go and see Dalton, to try and get the life and stability she wanted her grandkids to have sorted.
I wasn’t ready and I was trying to get all my ducks in a row before I finally made my approach.
Clearly fate had other ideas again and this was one opportunity I was not going to fuck up.
What I didn’t bank on when I walked into the hospital was some stern faced bitchy nurse telling me that she was in a cubicle with her boyfriend and I’d have to wait outside. Fuck that. I needed to make sure she was OK, make sure my kids were OK and then get rid of the chump who thought what was mine was his. I had to stop and take a deep breath, just to keep my fuckin’ temper in check and I’ll be honest, I was worried it was Tommy in there with her. If he was, things were going to get ugly. Hospital room or not I was going to rip his God damn head off if he was still sniffing around Dalton.
To get into the cubicle and see some fuckwit stranger with a beard and wearing a tweed jacket, perched on the edge of the bed with his arms around her did nothing to calm my rage.
When he made his approach to introduce himself I could tell he was nervous.
So he fucking should be.
The fact that he was watching Dalton closely told me all I needed to know.
He wanted her.
My plan of attack to bring Dalton into my life just escalated. Fuck escalated, they were now at Mach one.
It was time to get on with this shit and get my woman and kids where they belonged.
With me, in our home.
Chapter Twenty
After being abandoned by my soul sister and Barbara, who I thought were my rocks and thrown into the hands of the enemy, I think it’s safe to say that I am PISSED.
I didn’t spend all this time coming to terms with shit about Jonas to have it come undone at this stage of my pregnancy. He leads me to where he’s dumped his truck and opens the door for me, as if I’m not hacked off enough I then realize that he still hasn’t really spoken to me. I exhale in frustration because I know climbing up into his Ford F350 pickup is going to be awkward. As I make my attempt he puts his hand on my elbow to support me and then the other hand on my lower back to stop me from falling back, my bloody traitorous body betrays me and shivers at the contact, it knows what it’s been missing and worse still is that he notices.
Our journey to the hunting cabin remains silent and my mind is consumed by the sleeping arrangements. His brain must be on vacation to another fucking planet if he thinks we’re sharing a bed. “How is this going to work Jonas? I haven’t even been home for clean clothes or toiletries and you’ve only got one bed at the cabin, which... well, we’ve been there and done that and it just isn’t going to work for me.”
“It’ll work,” is all he grunts and he doesn’t even look at me as he says it.
Jerk.
“Seriously, that’s your answer? It’s like talking to a sodding brick wall. Well I suppose I should be grateful you’re actually talking to me.” No answer is returned. “This is just crazy, seriously, take me to Barbara’s!”
“No.”
“Yeah, so now you’re a one word, one syllable wall,” I snap and get no more out of him. “RIGHT, listen to me, I’ve got no clean underwear, nothing to sleep in and shitty clothes on that I’ve been wearing all day. Just let me go home, I can get Neely to stay with me.”
“No.”
“No. Is that fucking it? So much for not stressing me out, I’m like a fucking heart attack waiting to happen.” My tirade is getting worse.
“OK. You don’t need underwear, you didn’t the last time you stayed with me. You don’t need clean clothes, you can borrow some of mine, you did last time and this time they may actually fit you,” he laughs at his own joke. “I’ll talk more when you can return words that don’t induce a fucking heart attack as you put it and as for where you’ll sleep, don’t worry, I have enough room.”
He returns his attention to the front of the truc
k as he finishes this rant and nods in the direction of where a clearing has appeared in the forest and I’m presented with a huge, lovely one story ranch house. More specifically, the building that was mid completion, when I last saw it as I was being carried from my infamous hot tub party. It’s no longer mid completion and it looks finished and beautiful. I feel stupid; I didn’t even notice we were approaching the hunting cabin from the wrong road and direction, I was too engrossed in bitching at him.
“This is yours?” I ask him in complete surprise.
“Yes, it’s not been finished long,” he answers me, with a sense of pride and then pulls up at the front of it. He gets out, makes his way around the front of the truck and gets to my door as I am attempting to climb out of it. “Jesus Dalton, would it kill you to wait for some goddamn help?” he snaps in frustration.
“I can manage, I have been so far,” I’m being a bitch, but I don’t care and my curt reply doesn’t go down well with him because I spot him squint his eyes in my direction quickly. He leads me across the gravel front and up to a simple styled wooden door, he waits after opening it, like a gentleman, so I can enter first. I am in awe of its simple beauty, it all fits him perfectly. I can see him living here until he’s old and grey.
As I take in the furnishings I ask the question that has been playing on my mind, “How many bedrooms does it have?”
“Enough.”
“OK,” it seems we’re back to monosyllabic responses.
As I reach the main living area, I become speechless; it’s just one mammoth open plan area. There is an amazing looking functional kitchen with a huge range and a Smeg fridge, which totally contrasts the old looking ceramic sink and old butchers block wooden island which separates it from the living room section. The living room has a huge sectional couch arrangement which is taking up most of the space and it faces a large flat screen TV and a traditional wood burning fire.
The dining room table is slotted off to the side and creates a third area within the one space; it seats twelve people and has huge old fashioned lamps above it that hang from the open ceiling area. I look up to take these in and notice that the ceiling is dotted with sky light windows. However, the absolute best feature that makes me stop and take a deep breath is that one wall is completely made of glass panels. It is dark outside at the moment but the prospect of seeing what the view will be excites me. I can only imagine it will be breathtaking.
Fostering Love (The Soul Sisters Series Book 1) Page 19