by Marin Thomas
The urge to vomit gripped Hannah’s stomach and she gasped, “Where’s the bathroom?” Sara grabbed her hand and they left the kitchen. At the end of the hall she steered Hannah into a bathroom. There wasn’t any time to close the door before Hannah flipped up the toilet lid and tossed her cookies.
She’d barely caught her breath before a second round of heaving hit her. Sara held Hannah’s hair off her face until she finished. Then Hannah flushed the toilet and sat on the closed lid. Sara wet the end of a hand towel and mopped Hannah’s face.
“I thought you looked a little green in the gills when you walked into the kitchen with Maria.”
“I didn’t feel well when I woke up this morning but I didn’t want to cancel on Luke.” Hannah stood up and cupped her hand under the water then rinsed her mouth. “I’m sorry you had to witness that.”
“Have you had a flu shot?” Sara asked.
“At the beginning of October.”
“What have you eaten lately?”
“Not much. I’ve woken up with an upset stomach the past three days. But this is the first time I’ve actually thrown up.”
“Don’t move.” Sara left the bathroom then returned a minute later with a handful of soda crackers and a glass of ginger ale. “Nibble on these and take small sips of the soda.”
Hannah did as instructed, surprised when the cracker stayed down. “I guess I shouldn’t have gone without breakfast.”
“When was the last time you had your period?”
Hannah’s mouth dropped open, then she snapped it shut and shook her head. “I’m not pregnant.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive.” She couldn’t be pregnant. She and Alonso always used a condom when they had sex.
Except the first two times.
Hannah counted back the days since she’d picked up Alonso on the side of the road—twenty-six. And she should have had her period last week. So she was a little late. There was a first time for everything. Besides, all the stress she was under was probably messing with her body.
“If you don’t feel better in a week, you should see a doctor.”
“I will.”
“I’d take it easy on the food today,” Sara said.
Hannah nodded. Right now, none of the traditional Thanksgiving foods appealed to her.
Sara escorted Hannah into the front parlor. “Sit here for a while and rest. I’ll tell Maria you’re passing on the first few rounds of Bunco.”
“Thanks, Sara.” After the nurse left, Hannah closed her eyes. She refused to consider the possibility that she was pregnant with Alonso’s baby. Clinging to that stubborn thought, she drifted off.
“C’mon, sleepyhead, we’re ready to carry the pies to the bunkhouse and start our Thanksgiving celebration.”
Hannah woke with a start and popped off the couch. She rubbed her eyes until Maria came into focus. “I’m sorry. How long have I been sleeping?”
“Not long.” Maria’s gaze dropped to Hannah’s stomach. “The other ladies left already.”
Hannah followed Maria out of the house, hoping the older woman wouldn’t mention her getting sick to anyone—specifically Alonso. When they entered the dining hall Luke surprised her with a bear hug.
“Wait until you taste José’s food, Hannah.” He led her to the chow line that consisted of two picnic tables covered with food. She spotted Alonso talking with Sara’s husband, and when he noticed her his gaze warmed. Despite still feeling a little nauseous, his stare made her heart beat faster.
She and Luke filled their plates then sat at a table for four in the corner. A few minutes later Alonso joined them. Then Maria walked to the front of the room and gave the blessing. As soon as she finished, the mess hall grew loud with chatter.
Luke entertained Hannah and Alonso with rodeo stories and talked about the boys he’d made friends with. Hannah was relieved that Luke appeared happy and content. “Alonso said you bought a bunch of cookies for me and my friends.”
“I did. Remind me to get them out of the truck before we take off later today.”
“You’re staying for the rodeo, right?”
That Luke wasn’t eager for her to leave made Hannah happy. “Of course we’re staying.”
“I’m getting seconds. Be right back.”
After Luke left the table, Alonso set his fork down. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“You don’t look happy.”
“I am happy,” she said. “I just wish we could stay longer than a few hours.” Her eyes followed Luke through the chow line. “He seems content here.” She hoped when he returned to the ranch he wouldn’t revert back to the moody troublemaker that he’d once been.
Luke came back to the table with a full plate and Hannah watched in amazement as he devoured the food.
“I’ll get you a piece of pie.” Alonso pushed his chair out but Hannah slapped her hand over his.
“No, thanks. I’m too full.”
He eyed all the food still left on her plate but sat down.
“I’ll clear the table,” Luke said after he chewed his last bite of food. He stacked their plates and utensils then carried them to the plastic tubs set aside for the dirty dishes.
Alonso chuckled.
“What?”
“Your mouth is open.”
“He never takes his dishes to the sink at home. This place is magical.”
Luke handed Alonso a plate with a huge slice of pumpkin pie on it then sat down and ate his own dessert. “I can’t wait to show you how I mark out. I’ve been working on it all week.”
“What’s mark out?” Hannah asked.
“Rolling your spurs along the horse’s neck.” Luke smiled. “It’s not easy when the bronc is trying to buck you off.”
“How’s your schoolwork going?” Hannah asked.
“The same. I’m getting Bs on everything.”
“That’s great.” She nudged his side. “Does Maria have to twist your arm to make you do your homework?”
“No.” He glanced around the room.
Hannah suspected he was itching to go off with his friends. “Has there been any trouble between the boys?”
“Everybody here is cool. But this one kid—” Luke lowered his voice “—almost got kicked out.”
“Why?”
“Michael ran away and Mr. Fitzgerald spent all day tracking him down.”
“Why’d he run?” All sorts of things came to Hannah’s mind—too much homework, other boys teasing him, having too many chores to do.
“A social worker had showed up and told Mr. Fitzgerald that they had a spot for Michael in a group home, but Michael said he’d been in one of those places before and he was never gonna go back.”
Poor kid.
“Mr. Fitzgerald’s gonna work it out so Michael can stay here until he’s eighteen.”
“That’s nice of Mr. Fitzgerald.” Hannah’s gaze connected with Alonso’s. Things might have turned out differently for Luke if they hadn’t come upon Alonso walking along the highway a few weeks ago.
“I wouldn’t mind staying here until I turned eighteen,” Luke said.
“Hey, no way,” Hannah said, feeling a little hurt that he was okay living away from her. “I need your help running the ranch.”
“I know.” The excitement in Luke’s eyes dimmed.
Hannah searched for something to say that would bring the smile back to her brother’s face, but nothing came to mind. Thankfully Cruz Rivera walked to the front of the room and clanged a spoon against the side of a drinking glass. The crowd quieted. “We have a special treat for all of our guests this afternoon. The boys have been working real hard on their rodeo skills and they’d like to show you what they’ve learned,” he sai
d.
A little girl tugged on his jeans. “What about me, Daddy?”
Cruz smiled. “Excuse me, the boys and girl have worked extra hard.” He chuckled. “First up is our mutton bustin’ competition. All the little kids are welcome to give it a try. Let’s head out to the corral and have some fun.”
“See you out there.” Luke took off with a group of boys.
“Good luck!” Hannah shouted after him.
The dining hall emptied out and Hannah walked with Alonso to the corral, eager to escape the food smells that had played havoc with her stomach the past hour.
“Did you ever do any mutton bustin’ when you were little?” he asked.
“Twice. I was six or seven. If I remember correctly, I fell off pretty quick, but it was fun.”
The parents with young children inched closer to the corral, where Cruz and Riley helped the kids put on a protective helmet and a padded vest. Hannah nodded to the metal bleachers. “I’m going to grab a seat.”
“Mind if I stay here where the action is?” Alonso squeezed her hand.
“Go ahead.” Hannah sat by herself away from the perfume smells of the other women. She enjoyed watching the kids squeal and laugh when they fell off the sheep. Before her father died, Hannah had envisioned herself one day marrying and having a few kids. Her hand automatically went to her stomach. She couldn’t be pregnant. Not now. She shoved the thought to the back of her mind and focused on the activity in the corral. She had enough worries; she didn’t need to add one more to the list.
After the mutton bustin’ contest ended, the older kids lined up for the bronc bustin’. Alonso and Riley encouraged the boys and Cruz coached them through their rides.
Most of the teens ended up in the dirt but a few managed to ride for more than three seconds. Then it was Luke’s turn. When he waved to her, she stuck her fingers inside her mouth and let loose a shrill whistle.
Luke lowered himself onto the back of the bronc, and Hannah expected him to fuss with the rope. Instead, he took no time to prepare before nodding to the gateman. The chute opened and the bronc lunged into the arena, throwing Luke’s upper body over the horse’s head. Luke managed to hold on as the horse spun.
Time slowed to a crawl and just when she thought he’d make it to the buzzer, Luke slid sideways and dropped to the ground. She held her breath, waiting for him to roll away from the horse’s hooves, and not until he stood up and ran to the chute did she exhale in relief.
Luke and Alonso exchanged high fives with Cruz, and her brother’s goofy grin brought tears to Hannah’s eyes. She hadn’t seen him this excited since before their father had passed away. Riding broncs made Luke happy, and she hoped that his dream of rodeoing would keep him in school and out of trouble.
After the final ride of the afternoon Riley and Maria thanked everyone for spending the day with them, then the parents began saying their goodbyes. Luke walked her and Alonso back to the pickup so he could get his cookies.
“Thanks for coming,” he said.
Hannah hugged him. “I’m glad you’re doing well, but I miss you.”
Luke laughed. “No, you don’t.”
She handed him the plastic containers. “They’re all your favorites.”
“Jeez, Hannah. Did you make, like, five hundred dozen?”
“Just about.” She punched his arm playfully. “I’ll see you right before Christmas.” Only four more weeks until Luke came home for good.
“Keep studying,” Alonso said.
“I will.”
Hannah couldn’t delay the goodbye any longer. “Talk to you next week sometime.”
“Okay.”
Alonso started the engine and Hannah waved as they drove away. Luke didn’t even glance over his shoulder after he walked off.
When Alonso turned onto the highway, he said, “You’re awfully quiet.”
“I don’t think he missed me.”
“He missed you, just not as much as you’d hoped, maybe.”
“I’m glad he’s having a good time.” And she meant it. “I’m tired. Making all those cookies was a lot of work.”
“Go to sleep. I’ll listen to music.”
Hannah leaned her head against the window, closed her eyes and tried not to think about what Sara had asked her in the bathroom earlier that day. Hannah didn’t know how much time had passed when Alonso shook her shoulder and woke her.
“I’ve got to gas up. Wasn’t sure if you needed to use the bathroom or not.”
“Thanks.” Hannah went into the store, used the restroom, then browsed the feminine supplies. Bingo. She paid for a pregnancy test kit and a bag of black licorice, then returned to the truck, where Alonso waited.
He nodded to the paper bag. “What did you buy?”
She took out the licorice, careful to conceal the other item from his view. “Want one?”
“No, thanks.”
She ate a few pieces then stowed the bag on the floor by her feet and dozed off again. The next time she opened her eyes they were home.
“I’ll check on Buster,” he said.
Hannah hurried into the house and went straight upstairs to the bathroom, where she locked the door, then sat on the edge of the tub and read the test kit instructions. She followed the directions, then decided to take a shower while she waited for the results. Once she dried off and slipped into her pj’s she turned over the stick.
PREGNANT.
It couldn’t get any clearer than that. She shoved the stick into the box and the box into the paper bag and the bag into her makeup drawer. Too stunned to process the news, she went into her room and crawled beneath the bedcovers. A few minutes later she heard the shower in Luke’s room turn on.
Not long after, Alonso whispered her name when he crawled into her bed and snuggled against her. His warm, naked body pressed into her backside. He slid an arm beneath her pillow and one around her belly—where their baby rested inside her.
This couldn’t be happening. To her. To them.
Alonso had another life waiting for him in Albuquerque, and her future was right here on the ranch. She turned in his arms and pressed her mouth to his. Whenever Alonso held her, she forgot all her troubles.
Tomorrow morning she’d tell him they were about to become parents, but tonight she wanted to pretend it was just the two of them.
Chapter Nine
Startled awake, Hannah stared wide-eyed at the ceiling, her brain registering a sharp pain in her face. Before she understood what had happened, something smacked her in the head and she jumped inside her skin.
“Stop him!”
Alonso’s shout cleared Hannah’s foggy brain and she rolled to the opposite side of the mattress. She pressed her fingers to her throbbing cheek and watched helplessly as Alonso’s arms flailed in the air.
“He’s wearing a bomb!”
Dear God. Her own pain forgotten, she attempted to shake him awake, but he was too strong and pulled away. She sprang from the bed and turned on the light. “Wake up, Alonso!”
“Get down!” He flew off the bed, grabbed her around the waist and threw her to the floor, landing on top of her with his full body weight. The air whooshed from her lungs, and she gasped for breath. Tears of pain filled her eyes and she shoved hard against his chest. “Get off me!”
“Hang on, Tony! Damn it, buddy, hang on!” Alonso squeezed Hannah so hard she couldn’t draw a breath.
“Nooo!”
The pain in Alonso’s voice brought new tears to her eyes. She hated to hurt him, but he might injure her worse if he didn’t wake up from his nightmare. She rammed her knee into his crotch and he released her, then rolled onto his back and moaned.
Hannah scrambled to her feet and grabbed her bathrobe off the back of the bedroom door, then ran downstairs to the
kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice. Her hands shook as she drank the juice. Once she finished, she poured a glass for Alonso, intending to take it up to him, but she found him sitting at the bottom of the stairs, his bare chest glistening with sweat.
She handed him the drink.
“Hannah.” He set the glass on the step and caressed her face. “Did I hurt you?”
Her nose felt a little numb, but she shook her head. “I’m okay.”
“Your eye is starting to bruise.” He gently pressed his fingers against her cheekbones and nose. “Nothing feels broken.” He threaded his fingers through her hair and felt her scalp, then cursed. “You have a bump back here.”
“My head clunked against the floor when you fell on top of me.”
He took her by the hand and led her to the kitchen, then made her sit at the table. He rummaged through the freezer and pulled out a bag of frozen corn, wrapped it in a dish towel, then sat next to her and held it against the bump. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“No, it’s not okay.” He bowed his head.
“Tell me about it,” she said.
“Tell you about what?”
“The nightmare. You shouted something about a bomb.”
She watched the struggle in his eyes before he placed her hand on the bag of corn, then stood at the sink with his back to her. “I haven’t had that nightmare since I returned to the States.”
If it was that painful to talk about she shouldn’t make him. “Never mind. You don’t have to tell me.”
“It was Wednesday. Earlier that morning a Humvee from the base went out to deliver supplies to a village and drove over a roadside bomb. Three of the soldiers suffered severe injuries. I spent hours in surgery, but I saved their lives.” He paced between the stove and the fridge. “They were still in recovery when an Afghan medic I was training walked into the recovery room, wearing a bomb strapped to his chest.”
“How did you escape injury?”
“I dived through a door into a hallway, but the soldiers I’d just saved were lying in their beds and...”
Hannah pictured the gruesome scene in her head. “I’m so sorry you lost your friends.” He didn’t say anything. “You called out Tony’s name.”