going to head out. I think he went to pay our portion of the bill. ”
“Oh, no. You ’ re leaving already? ” asks Tiffany with a pout.
“Sorry, guys, ” I reply with a feeble shrug.
“You do look a little pale, ” Kayla observes.
“Do I? ” I reach up and cover my cheeks with my hands. “ I ’ m sure it ’ s nothing, ” I say, aware that sickness is part of pregnancy. I haven ’ t really felt this ill before, but I ’ ve been waiting for it. Of course, this isn ’ t news I can tell my friends. “ I probably just need to rest. ”
Just then, I feel Sonny ’ s warm hand against the small of my back and I turn to smile up at him. “ You ready? ” he asks.
I nod in response before sliding off of my stool. We say our goodbyes and then before I know it, we ’ re home. My stomach ache has grown worse but I try not to complain. Instead, I take off my clothes and change into one of Grayson ’ s t-shirts before climbing into bed.
“Can I get you anything? Water or crackers or something? I can run to the store and —”
“No, Hottie. I ’ m alright, ” I promise. “ I ’ m just going to try and sleep it off. ”
“Okay, ” he murmurs, running his fingers through my hair. “ I ’ ll come to bed in a little bit. ”
“Sounds good. ” I can ’ t help but smile when he stays with me a while longer, comforting me as he continues to stroke my hair. “ Are you sure you don ’ t want to name our little one Grayson Junior? ” I know, even with my eyes closed, that he ’ s shaking his head at me.
“I ’ m sure. Our little one will already have my last name. Besides, I think I might like the name Charlie . ”
I open my eyes and search for his. “ After your uncle? ”
“Yeah. Technically, his name was Charles, but I like just Charlie. It ’ s what I called him. ” He shrugs. “ If it wasn ’ t for him, I would probably have never ended up in Colorado. If I never ended up in Colorado, I would have never met you. ”
It only takes a second for me to decide that I love his idea. I suck in a breath as I ’ m struck with another thought. “ Charlie — L-I-E for a boy. Charlee — L-E-E for a girl. I like it for both. What do you think? ”
“I think my little mama is onto something, ” he replies with a smirk.
I hum my satisfaction, pleased to hear my new nickname and that he favors my idea. I close my eyes and imagine what it ’ ll be like to have a little Charlie or Charlee running around, clinging to our ankles. I have no idea what our future holds, but what I ’ m sure of is that our little family will grow. No matter what, we ’ ll make it work.
Grayson ’ s fingertips on my scalp feel really good and as we fall silent, I ’ m asleep before he leaves my side.
I wake with a gasp. I ’ m not sure if it was the gasp or the pain that pulled me from out of my slumber. Before I can think twice about it, another cramp tugs at my abdomen. I sit up abruptly, wincing at the feel of my body ’ s protest in response to my movement. That ’ s when I feel it. My panties are wet.
No! No, no,no .
Panic leaves me frozen as I try and justify why my panties are wet. The room is dark, aside from the small amount of moonlight that pours through the curtains that cover our bedroom window. Part of me is grateful that I can ’ t see; grateful that when I pull the covers away, I can ’ t tell if I ’ ve somehow lost control of my bladder or —
Another sharp pain causes me to whimper and my pathetic attempt to tiptoe into denial is eradicated.
I ’ m bleeding . I ’ m bleeding a lot!
I don ’ t know what to do. Something is obviously, horribly wrong, but I don ’ t know what to do! Instinct tells me to keep my legs sealed together. I do the best that I can, but for some reason my knees are knocking against each other. It dawns on me that I ’ m trembling from head to toe.
Yet another horrendous pain has me crying out — this time, I call for my husband.
“Oh — God,
“Oh, no. You ’ re leaving already? ” asks Tiffany with a pout.
“Sorry, guys, ” I reply with a feeble shrug.
“You do look a little pale, ” Kayla observes.
“Do I? ” I reach up and cover my cheeks with my hands. “ I ’ m sure it ’ s nothing, ” I say, aware that sickness is part of pregnancy. I haven ’ t really felt this ill before, but I ’ ve been waiting for it. Of course, this isn ’ t news I can tell my friends. “ I probably just need to rest. ”
Just then, I feel Sonny ’ s warm hand against the small of my back and I turn to smile up at him. “ You ready? ” he asks.
I nod in response before sliding off of my stool. We say our goodbyes and then before I know it, we ’ re home. My stomach ache has grown worse but I try not to complain. Instead, I take off my clothes and change into one of Grayson ’ s t-shirts before climbing into bed.
“Can I get you anything? Water or crackers or something? I can run to the store and —”
“No, Hottie. I ’ m alright, ” I promise. “ I ’ m just going to try and sleep it off. ”
“Okay, ” he murmurs, running his fingers through my hair. “ I ’ ll come to bed in a little bit. ”
“Sounds good. ” I can ’ t help but smile when he stays with me a while longer, comforting me as he continues to stroke my hair. “ Are you sure you don ’ t want to name our little one Grayson Junior? ” I know, even with my eyes closed, that he ’ s shaking his head at me.
“I ’ m sure. Our little one will already have my last name. Besides, I think I might like the name Charlie . ”
I open my eyes and search for his. “ After your uncle? ”
“Yeah. Technically, his name was Charles, but I like just Charlie. It ’ s what I called him. ” He shrugs. “ If it wasn ’ t for him, I would probably have never ended up in Colorado. If I never ended up in Colorado, I would have never met you. ”
It only takes a second for me to decide that I love his idea. I suck in a breath as I ’ m struck with another thought. “ Charlie — L-I-E for a boy. Charlee — L-E-E for a girl. I like it for both. What do you think? ”
“I think my little mama is onto something, ” he replies with a smirk.
I hum my satisfaction, pleased to hear my new nickname and that he favors my idea. I close my eyes and imagine what it ’ ll be like to have a little Charlie or Charlee running around, clinging to our ankles. I have no idea what our future holds, but what I ’ m sure of is that our little family will grow. No matter what, we ’ ll make it work.
Grayson ’ s fingertips on my scalp feel really good and as we fall silent, I ’ m asleep before he leaves my side.
I wake with a gasp. I ’ m not sure if it was the gasp or the pain that pulled me from out of my slumber. Before I can think twice about it, another cramp tugs at my abdomen. I sit up abruptly, wincing at the feel of my body ’ s protest in response to my movement. That ’ s when I feel it. My panties are wet.
No! No, no,no .
Panic leaves me frozen as I try and justify why my panties are wet. The room is dark, aside from the small amount of moonlight that pours through the curtains that cover our bedroom window. Part of me is grateful that I can ’ t see; grateful that when I pull the covers away, I can ’ t tell if I ’ ve somehow lost control of my bladder or —
Another sharp pain causes me to whimper and my pathetic attempt to tiptoe into denial is eradicated.
I ’ m bleeding . I ’ m bleeding a lot!
I don ’ t know what to do. Something is obviously, horribly wrong, but I don ’ t know what to do! Instinct tells me to keep my legs sealed together. I do the best that I can, but for some reason my knees are knocking against each other. It dawns on me that I ’ m trembling from head to toe.
Yet another horrendous pain has me crying out — this time, I call for my husband.
“Oh — God,
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