Caged

by Tricia Wagner

  Chapter Eighteen

  Adeline

  “It was a moment I'll never forget. That moment when our eyes first met. I knew this was the end of me. A mixture that just couldn’t be. Dirt and whiskey." I listen to the closing of Tori’s concert from front and center. We’re surrounded by our new friends and Tori just sang her song to Collin. I guess it’s a tradition for him to get up on stage with her which is really sweet. We make it through hanging out backstage, but unfortunately I have been sick all day. I know Preston just wants to get me back to the resort, because he tried to get me to stay there but I insisted we come. We say our goodbyes and promise to see each other at Preston’s next fight. Pres had tickets overnighted to the race shop for them so they will be there when they get back. We are driving back to the resort and I have my feet up to my chest sitting on the passenger seat. “Pres, thanks for doing that for me.” “Are you feeling any better?” “Yea, I am.” I lied. I feel like death, but if the sickness I have is indicating a healthy baby I will throw up as much as I need to. “Babe, you don’t have to lie.” “I’m not.” He looks over to me but it’s dark so I can’t see his raised eyebrow, but I know it’s there. I shake my head at him and stay silent. He pulls up to the resort and they take the car as we walk to our hut. “Want me to carry you honey?” “No.” I hear him sigh. “I’m ok Preston.” “Ok.” We walk the rest of the way hand in hand and we get to the room and I finally crash. He holds me tight all night until I am up the next morning and in the bathroom sick again. I feel someone sweep the hair off my neck and a cold cloth is placed there. I really hate that he is seeing me like this. “Preston please. Go back to bed.” “Not a chance baby.” “I really don’t want you to see me like this.” “Don’t be silly, Adeline. I need to be here for you.” “Yea, but you don’t need to be here for me.” He shakes his head at me and I start to dry heave again. “Baby, maybe we should have you see a doctor.” In between breath’s I get out, “Preston, I think we already know the prognosis here.” “Yea, but I don’t think you should be getting so sick.” “I googled everything there was to know about morning sickness, and it effects everyone different, but it’s very normal.” He rubs my back as I start to get sick again. “I’m going to order you some dry toast, baby.” He gets up to walk away as I flush the toilet and splash some water on my face. I hold onto the sink as I regain my surroundings. I head out to the main area and I hear Preston on the phone. “Yea, we’re doing ok. She’s still really sick if not worse.” Who was he talking to? “I know; I just feel so helpless. She needs to keep her strength up though, ma.” He seriously called his mom to get advice about me being sick? Overbearingly cute. I walk into the room and I hear, “Yea the view is great we will talk to you soon. Love you, mom.” I shake my head at him because he is so obviously not talking to her about the view. “Well, did she tell you that I am completely normal to be this sick?” He sighs heavily. “I just feel…” “Helpless, I heard. I’m fine though Preston. There isn’t anything your mom can do to make it go away. There is a little human being growing inside of me.” “I know and I want you to be relaxing and enjoying your time of being pregnant. Not getting acquainted with every toilet we come across.” “Yea, the airplane is not my favorite past time. This is all good though Preston. I’m ok and so is Baby Bennett.” To this is smiles. Huge. I smile back at him. “I love the sound of that. Baby Bennett.” I walk right into his arms and let him hold me for a minute until there is a knock at the door. “That should be your toast.” He lets me go and heads to get the room service. I don’t know if I can eat, but I know I need to try. He comes back in with a whole cart of things and I shake my head. “I got muffins, fruit, and dry toast. I wasn’t sure if there was anything that would sound good, but was still bland.” “You got yourself a normal breakfast right?” “Yea, but I will open it after you’re done. I don’t want the smell to trigger you to get sick.” “Preston please sit down and eat with me.” He comes over and sits down, but doesn’t open his tray. Really? I pull the lid off of his plate and hold my breath hoping not to get sick again. I sit down and breathe slowly in through my nose out through my mouth. I take a bite of a plain muffin and pick at that while Preston digs in. Even on vacation he is sticking to his diet. “I bet their egg whites aren’t as good as my egg whites.” I say as I take a bite of fruit. “I don’t know.” He says on a wink. “Hey, you said you like my egg whites.” “I’m just messing with you. Of course yours are better.” I roll my eyes at him. “So what do you want to do today?” “I was thinking we should rent jet skis or something, but then I thought you may have a minor coronary if I asked to do that. So I looked up some boat rentals and I thought maybe we could go out on the water for a couple hours.” “I’m glad you thought better of the jet skis. I think I may have started Gavining prematurely and you know how I can’t squash my good looks too early.” “Says the guy who gets hit in the face for a living.” He gives me a light chuckle and we head off to get dressed. I head back out and I hear Preston growling. I snap my eyes to him and he is looking at me. “What’s wrong?” “You can’t wear that.” I look down at my body and I have on a pair of white shorts with a yellow halter top. My bathing suit is underneath. “Preston, you’re driving the boat the only person who will see me is you, but I must ask, what is wrong with this?” “For starters, if your ass is practically out in that I can only imagine what the suit looks like.” “Preston, come on seriously I’m about to puff up like a balloon let me enjoy the clothes that I have while they will still fit me. Remember it’s partially your fault I will be looking like that.” I stick out my bottom lip and he gets close and bites it. “Ow.” “Well, that’s what you get for not playing fair.” I shake my head at him and pout in his face. “Please Preston.” “Fine, but the first comment and you’re wearing a towel around all the uncovered parts.” “Fine.” I roll my eyes and throw my glasses on as we head out the door. We get the car and head to the nearest dock. Preston apparently called ahead. We get on the boat and head out in the ocean. I sunbathe for a good amount of the day even with Preston yelling at me about getting overheated. It’s sweet, but we still have a long way to go so he really needs to relax. We make it back before dinner and I lay down on the bed. He comes following me in and stands over me. “Can I talk to you about something?” “Anything.” I think I may wait to bring up the other thing until after our honeymoon, but this I need to ask him about now. “I just want you to know you can relax. We’re going to get through this together. I don’t need you to be fawning all over me. I still need to be able to be me while I’m having your baby. I mean I don’t want you to think that I am going to do anything to jeopardize it, but I need you to relax because when you aren’t relaxed I’m on edge.” “I promise to try. I just want you to be ok, that’s all there is to it.” “I know, and I love you for it. It’s just been a little overwhelming. Ya know I’m still getting used to the idea myself.” “I know, I’ll try. I’m sorry for putting you on edge.” “It’s ok it just tells me you care. I love you Preston.” “I love you too Addy.” Well that was easier than I thought. The next one probably won’t be as easy. I should just keep it to myself. “What else is there? I can tell something else is bothering you.” Well, here goes nothing. Not that it matters at this point anyways, it’s just bothering me, “I found the papers you had drawn up in your parent’s hotel room the night before our wedding.” “Ok, yea we definitely need to talk then. Why didn’t you say anything before?” He pauses and I go to speak when he continues, “Ya know what it doesn’t matter. I was given those papers; I didn’t have them drawn up. As you can see I didn’t ask you to sign them.” “I know, but a prenuptial agreement. I would never be in this if it were about money Preston.” “Jerrica had them drawn up. She thought it was a good idea. I flat out said no and when she didn’t like my answer she had them overnighted to Vegas so they were there when we got there. I found them in our room, but I didn’t want you to think I thought that at all so I gave them to my dad to destroy. Apparently, he
didn’t hide them very well.” No he hadn’t because they were on the coffee table when I got there. I give him a nod and he pulls me into his arms. “Babe, trust me I didn’t want that. I didn’t want you to think that I wasn’t putting 110% into our marriage. You signing that would be like me telling you I thought we were going to fail. If you left me I wouldn’t want any of the stuff anyways. You might as well take it all with you if you leave because none of it would mean anything without you.” “I’m not going anywhere. I just had to ask because I saw them sitting out.” “Well, thanks for putting it out there and not bottling it up. You know you can come to me with anything right.” “I know.” “Good. Catch a nap baby and when you wake up we can go get dinner and ice cream.” Oh ice cream. Yum. I know before you think, it’s not a pregnancy thing. I just love ice cream. I give him a smile as I close my eyes and promptly pass out.