by R. D. Berg
With my arms still wrapped around him, I tilt my head up looking at his handsome face. He has this soft glow encasing him, it could just be the jails shitty lighting system, though; but I’m going to say it’s because he loves me. The corners of my mouth curl up into a smile, and his matches mine.
He quirks a brow. “Don’t get all cocky on me, Blue.”
“What? Can’t a girl relish in the feeling of absolute bliss, that her hot ass boyfriend just told her he loves her?”
“Damn, what have I gotten myself into?” He throws his head back and chuckles.
“Well, hopefully,” my eyes cloud with lust, “me by the end of the night.” My voice is dripping with seduction.
He releases me holding me at arm’s length, his expression turned serious. “At much as it pains me to say this,” he takes a heavy breath, “First, you need to call Jim.”
I pout out my bottom lip and nod once. “I will, as soon as you take me out of this place, seriously, it’s creepy in here,” I tell him, as I finally take a good look around the confined dim lit space. My nose scrunches, “and it smells like someone coated the walls with piss scented paint.”
“Guess you get immune to the smell after a while.” He shrugs and grabs my hand, leading me out of the cells. His body is jerked back as I halt my steps.
“Oh, and Mav?” I call out, my voice echoing off the cement walls. He turns his body to face me again, his eyebrows raising in question.
I endearingly gaze at the adultnapping thief who’s stolen my heart. “I love you, too.”
After my unjust kidnapping last night, I called Jim and discussed the possibility of me working from Lansing. He thought it was a brilliant idea, but I still would need to come out to California next week to hash out the details. And yes, I did tell Maverick and Harlow about me going. I don’t want to go into the cell again, the smell of piss is still lingering on my skin.
“So, you can convert the spare room into an office if you want,” Harlow offers as she stuffs a handful of popcorn in her mouth. We declared today girl’s night in since the guys have to work, and honestly we had nothing else better to do.
I grab a handful of popcorn that sits between us, and lean back onto the couch. “Seriously? That’ll be awesome.”
“Yeah, I have to move some stuff out first, and no I don’t want your help.” She side eyes me suspiciously.
“Okkkk, what kind of stuff?”
“Irrelevant, just take my kindness and shut up,” she states flatly, her face washed in the blue tint from the glow of the T.V.
I shrug it off, Lo, just being crazy ass Lo as usual. “Want to hear how your brother told me he loved me again?”
“No, I’d actually like to keep my barf reflexes down as I finish Gilmore Girls.” She’s been binge watching it like crazy since she found out Netflix is releasing new episodes. I could care less.
I ignore her request. “Anyway, I was gripping the bars with all my might, pleading for him to let me out…”
“Lundy, I don’t want to hear it, okay?” Her voice is quivering.
My jaw goes slack at her abrupt change in emotion. “Damn, sorry,” I mumble.
She replaces the handful of popcorn she just picked up. “No, no, I’m sorry, I’m about to start my period, and my hormones out of whack.” She tells me, but her watery eyes are telling me a different story.
“I…” My head cocks to the side as I do some swift calculations in my head. “I…”
“What?’ Harlow asks, pausing the show, then looking my way.
“I...my period!” I exclaim, my eyes turning wild. I leap from the couch sending a shower of buttery popcorn into the air. “Oh, shit, oh shit, oh shit,” I begin to chant, as I pace in front of the couch.
Harlow’s mouth hangs open while she watches me having a mental breakdown. “What the hell is wrong with you, Lundy?”
“My period, holy shit, with all that has been going on, I hadn’t even thought about it.” I pause a moment, grabbing my hair.
“This is an, oh shit moment, are you sure? I mean it could’ve been light or something?” She stands and grabs my hand, pulling me toward her room. “I have some tests in the bathroom, you can take one.”
I don’t have the mental capacity to question why she has a stash of pregnancy tests in her room. Instead, I’m just grateful. Maybe my period is late because I’ve been under so much stress lately. I watch as Harlow fumbles around in the cabinet above her toilet, until she pulls out a plastic container marked ‘oh, hell no.’
Curiosity gets the best of me and I lean over her shoulder trying to sneak a peek of the contents as she opens it. She quickly grabs the test, and shuts the box before I can view what’s in it. “What else is in there?”
She reaches up and secures the box back in its place, turns around and hands me the test. “Irrelevant to the situation,” she breaths out, with a sly smile. “Now, whatever the outcome Lundy, I am here for you, ok?” She pats me on the shoulder before pushing me out of the bathroom.
“Oh, I can just take it in here,” I say nervously.
“No, you can’t, now go use your bathroom and don’t come out until you have an answer.” She shoves me one good time out of her bedroom. “Shit, now you have me nervous,” she states. I glance back like a lost child going to school for the first time ever, as I grip the box that might alter my life.
Harlow, eyes wide with anticipation, leaping off the barstool when I enter the living room. “Well?”
I clutch the test until my knuckles threaten to break through the skin. My mouth feels like someone stuck a handful of cotton balls in there. “It says…”
There are two brief knocks at the front door, then the lock turns, and the door is pushed open. I literally feel the tingle of my blood as every ounce drains from my face.
“What’s up ladies?” Maverick sings as he walks through the door dressed in his uniform. These Strong siblings sure have bad timing. He surveys our shocked expressions, which wipes the joyful one from his face. “Lundyn, what’s wrong you’re as pale as a ghost?” he asks cautiously as he makes his way to us.
“Ummmm, well.” Harlow starts, her eyes shifting nervously between me and Maverick. “Lundynnnnn,” she pleads through her clenched teeth.
He places a small kiss to my temple when he reaches me and I force a tiny smile. “Hey babe,” I squeak.
“Ok, you two are up to something,” he states raising a questioning brow.
“I think you two have something to talk about.” Harlow quickly moves past me, and takes off toward her room.
Oh my God, what a coward. Wait, this isn’t her ordeal - it’s mine. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit. My chest feels tight, and my breathing feels erratic, I honestly think I am about to have my first ever panic attack.
Maverick turns his full attention to me. “You need to start talking Lundy. What’s going on?”
I take a heavy breath, extend my hand that is desperately clutching the test and slowly peel my fingers open. “See for yourself,” I say just above a whisper.
His gaze travels from my face and lands on my open hand. Although it takes him five seconds to register what’s in my hand, it feels like eternity. I swear time stands still.
She drowns me with her stare. Her emotions are screaming through her eyes, while her mouth stays silent for what seems like hours. Lundyn holds out the pregnancy test to me as if me taking it would erase the outcome.
Two pink lines slash across the window of the device before my eyes dart to the key on the stick. Two lines equals pregnant.
“I'm pregnant,” I announce in a zombie like state and then snap myself out of it and say, “Holy shit, I mean, you’re pregnant -we’re pregnant.” I ramble uncontrollably while trying to get my brain to complete an intelligent sentence.
Her face is still pale, but tears are starting to fall down her cheeks. I don't think she realizes that she's crying. I pull her into my chest encasing her in my arms. “I’m knocked up. I've got a bun in the oven. I'm wit
h child. Oh my, gosh, I'm having a human!”
My chest rumbles with my laughter. Maybe I should be freaking out and if this was with any other girl, I would be. But this is Lundyn, the girl I've always loved and now, it looks like she's going to be my crazy baby momma.
I kiss her forehead. “How'd this happen?” I ask, confused. She's on birth control.
“I don't know!” She jumps back from me and then throws the stick, hitting me square in the throat, I make a strangled noise before it falls to the ground with a clatter. “Look what you did! Good going, buddy. Real nice job.” Lundyn’s pacing around the living room. “Your sperm is in the 1% that broke past the barriers. You have super sperm!” she shouts and then throws her hands up in the air exasperated. “Who even has super sperm? I’ll tell you. Maverick Strong, does. With his alluding baby bullets.”
“Blue,” I chuckle before she narrows her crazy eyes on me and I raise my hands in surrender. “Just calm down.”
“I can't! I'm freaking the fuck out. Why aren't you freaking the fuck out? You're going to be a dad, Mav. Oh shit, we're going to be parents. Who allowed us to fucking adult? I need to call my mom. I didn't ask to be brought into this world to have to deal with this business. It's all her fault!” She’s still pacing the room so when she makes her way by me again, I snatch her arm and wrap mine around her, encasing her against me.
“I'm not freaking the fuck out because we'll deal with this—”
She cuts me off while wiggling against me. “I am not having an abortion!” Her fists beat at my chest, “or giving it up for adoption!”
“Lundyn!” I yell and she pauses, glancing up at me as I wrap my hands around her arms and struggle with the need to shake some sense into her.
“I want this baby.” She relaxes in my grip and lets out in a rush.
“We will adult-the-fuck up. We created a life, Blue.” I kiss her forehead and then her lips, “I love you. It's sudden and not planned, the baby, but I wouldn't want to have a human with anyone else.” I smile using her word, instead of baby. “You'll be a great mom.”
“I'm pregnant.” A smile spreads across her face and I swear I have whiplash from all of her emotions in the last ten minutes. “You're going to be a dad.” I smile at her words. “Holy fuck, this is really happening.” I hold her close to me, one hand in her hair and the other around her waist.
Kissing her hair, I grin, “Yeah.” I haven't been this happy in my life. The girl I love in my arms and she's carrying my child? Fucking bliss. “You need to tell Harlow you're moving out.”
“What?” She jerks back at my statement brows furrowed.
“I hope you don't think I'm not going to be there every step of the way, babe. That means you wrapped in my arms and in my bed. I'll put in to switch to days, so I can be with you at night. I don't want to miss anything.”
“That'll be… That sounds… Perfect.” Lundyn kisses my lips. “All of it. Except telling Harlow. I don't like that part.” She fists my shirt burying my head in my chest.
I laugh a big belly laugh, because my sister is crazy. “I don't like you not under my roof. Let's fix that.”
“Okay.” She leans into me. “I'll have to ease it on her so give me a few days.”
“I'll put in my request at work, so you have until then to tell her.”
“How long will that take?”
“Forty-eight hours to two weeks.”
“Wow, thanks for really putting a time stamp on it.”
My hand roams down and caresses her stomach. “I love you.”
She glances down at my hand before covering it with hers. “I love you, too. I'm hungry.” Her brows arch.
“Here we go,” I chuckle. “You want pickles and peanut butter or some other crazy thing?”
“Just sex.” Her shoulders nudge up to her ear.
“Oh,” I grind against her, “that kind of hungry.” Our tongues tangle while she tugs me closer by my shirt.
I hear someone clearing their throat. “So are we having a baby?” Harlow's voice is hesitant, for once.
Reluctantly, Lundyn and I separate. “I’m making a human right now as we speak!” she shouts.
“Holy fuck! Yes! I'm going to be an Auntie.” Harlow and Lundyn hug.
I can't help but think back to almost two months ago and how different my world is now. I wouldn't change it. I know my hate used to be strong, but my love for Lundyn could bend steel.
“So you ready to find out what the baby is?” Maverick asks excitedly as he maneuvers into the parking spot.
“Mav, I am not that far along yet,” I remind him. Again. It’s been two weeks since we found out I was pregnant, and now we are at our first doctor’s appointment. I am still living with Harlow for the time being, but plan on telling her tonight that I am moving in with Maverick. We discussed it, and figured the sonogram pictures might soothe the blow a little when we tell her.
He turns to me, hope dancing around in his eyes. “Well, maybe they have some new sort of technology that lets us know this early.”
I shake my head and grab the car handle. “Don’t you dare,” Maverick shouts. I jump, placing my hand over my chest.
“What?” I pant out.
“You don’t need to be opening doors, that’s my job. I don’t want you stressing yourself or the baby out.” I watch him and wait for the smile to appear, but it doesn't. He’s dead serious. Not that I am surprised, he’s been this way a day or so after we found out. It was cute at first, but now it’s annoying as hell. I know he’s coming from a good place, but when he threw out all of my ice cream because he read somewhere that I shouldn’t be consuming it, I lost my shit.
Although annoyed, I am still patient with him, plus he looks so boyishly cute right now. “Babe, it’s ok, I will open the door slowly.” My hand creeps to the handle and I gently pull. This seems to settle his nerves down a little.
We walk, hand and hand, into the dimly lit office with décor that is modern and welcoming. Before I have a chance to alert the receptionist, he knocks on the glass. “Excuse me, miss?” The receptionist stops typing and slides open the glass partition. She smiles sweetly. “Yes, how can I help you?”
“My girlfriend Lundyn Spence is here to see Dr. Waller, she’s pregnant with our baby and it’s urgent.”
Her expression turns serious. “Oh, if it’s an emergency she needs to go to the Emergency Room.”
I slap him on the arm, and step around to his side. “I’m sorry ma’am, it’s not an emergency we are just here for my first appointment.” I side eye Maverick, who looks away sheepishly.
The receptionist looks a little befuddled, but still hands me the clipboard to fill out, and checks me in. “Don’t worry, first time dad, he’s tame compared to the others,” she giggles and shuts the window.
We fill out the paperwork and have to wait an hour before we’re called back. They weigh me, and make me take another pregnancy test. They then situate us in a small examination room with pictures of the different birth stages and tons of pamphlets. Of course, Maverick takes one of each so we can study them later.
My feet swing as I sit on the examining table, the paper crinkling with every move. “Hey, babe, have you noticed something a little off with Finn and Harlow lately?” I’ve been meaning to ask him this for a week or so.
He puts down the see through female reproductive system statue that he's been scrutinizing and turns his attention to me. “Nothing more than usual I guess, Finn’s been kind of grumpy lately though and Harlow…” He shrugs his shoulders. “Well, she’s been Harlow.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right, but when I told Harlow that we wanted to have dinner with her and Finn tonight she gave every excuse not to come. You think they’re screwing?”
His face turns beet red, and contorted into disgust. “That better not be the reason.”
“Ugh, don’t get all big brother on me now.” Deciding that it’s a moot point, I leave the conversation at that. However, I will find out what the hell i
s going on between them, if anything. I get lost in my thoughts and nearly giggle when I think about my mom’s reaction when Maverick and I broke the news to her over Facetime. We joke now that she took the news in stages. First, she stared with her mouth open, and I swear she didn’t blink for five minutes straight. Then she took a heavy gulp of air, which widened her eyes into round surprised orbs. Finally, after she looked as if she was turning a soft shade of purple, she squealed at the top of her lungs, dropping the phone on her tiled floor and shattering the glass. It was seriously the best reaction. Mav’s parents were equally ecstatic. They made us promise to never let Harlow babysit because the baby might pick up her bad habits. They even sent a special sideways picture of the words congrats written in the sand on a beach in Key West.
There’s a soft knock on the door, and Dr. Waller enters along with a nurse. He’s at least six foot six, and claims a lot of space in the room.
“Hello,” he greets us as he extends his hand for me to shake.
“Hi,” I reply. Maverick stands and shakes his hand as well.
Dr. Waller flips through a few pages on the clipboard before pulling up the rolling stool. “How ya feeling young lady?”
“She’s been a little nauseous which I read was normal, and she’s been farting a-lot, and—”
“Shut it Mav,” I demand through clenched teeth. Dr. Waller and the nurse look between us. Mav, makes a zipping motion over his lips and mimes throwing away the key.
“I have been a little nauseous throughout the day, and extremely tired.
The clicking of keys sound in the room as the nurse’s fingers work rapidly over them. Dr. Waller smiles and pats my knee. “That’s perfectly normal, Lundyn. Are you taking any prenatal vitamins?”
“Yes, Maverick put me on them a week ago.” I dart my gaze over his direction where he sits like a proud turkey.
“Good, good.” He lifts the paper once more. “So, test confirms you are indeed pregnant, how about we get a look at the little fella?”
“Yes, yes!” Maverick yells, startling me, Dr. Waller, and causing the nurse to yelp. “I knew it was a boy, oh my word I am having a boy.” He thrusts fisted hands in the air in triumph.