Marriage (Red, White &) Blues (Unexpectedly Married #2)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

S o, it appeared I found my calling. I wanted a job—no I didn’t technically need a job—but I needed something to do with my days. A sense of purpose.

I knelt down in the cage as five different puppies jumped and licked and snuggled on me. Georgie helped me wrangle the little ones out to the yard to stretch their legs. We went just about everywhere together.

That had been a fun conversation with Blake. “We have what?” he asked but I was sure he’d heard me the first time.

“We have a dog.”

“For how long?”

“Um… Forever .”

“When did we decide this?”

“Today at the shelter. About noon.”

His voice grew tight when he said, “What about our travel plans? You couldn’t have called me first?”

“There wasn’t time. Blake, he was a dead dog walking. If I didn’t buy his freedom?—”

He cut me off with a heady sigh. “Send me some pics to show off to Maisie and Dee.”

Blake got what he’d asked for. I snapped off about twenty pictures of Georgie being sweet, sweet and active, sweet and lazy, goofy and loving.

“Can we agree that you’ll call me before adding to our family?” he asked. “I’d like to be part of it.”

“I promise. Next time we’ll add to our family together.”

When he laughed that soft laugh of his, I pictured him with his face in his hand shaking his head. But the man knew who he was marrying.

With time to get used to the idea, he started each conversation with, “No new family members, right?” After that, he’d ask all sorts of questions about how I spent my days working with the animals.

It was far from glamorous. I fed them. I shoveled poop. I cleaned litter boxes. I shampooed and walked and played. Whatever they needed from me, I jumped right into it with gusto. People let them down. Now people needed to atone.

After finishing with the puppies, I moved to the next cage, giving proper personal time to each cat or dog in our care. When I made it to Miranda’s cage, she loved on me as she always did. Miranda was an American shorthair. One of the most common breeds in the country. Part of her black fur surrounded one eye and she had large spots on her mostly-white back. Half her tail was black, with a blip of white fur at the tip. I loved her. She loved me, too. And someone stuck a sign on her cage stating that her time was up.

My beautiful Miranda? “You’re coming home with me, girl,” I whispered and she rubbed her head against my hand, purring. I collected her and walked to the desk.

“Gloria?” my boss, Miss Virgie, asked as she looked between me and Miranda. “Something wrong with Miranda?” Miss Virgie, as everybody called her, was in her late sixties and had grown up in Alabama. She’d moved up here years ago to be close to extended family. I adored Miss Virgie.

“No. She’s coming home with me.”

Miss Virgie smiled. “What will that husband of yours think of you bringing her home with you?” I’d told her all about the Georgie conversation with Blake. Plus, she wanted to make sure Miranda wouldn’t find herself back in the shelter because my husband decided he didn’t want her.

“My husband wants me happy. Bringing Miranda home to keep Georgie Boy company during the day will keep me happy.” For a second, I thought about surprising him again but remembered my promise. With Georgie boy next to me, I pulled my phone from my pocket placing a call to Blake.

“Hey, sweetheart, what’s up?”

“You busy?” I asked.

“On my way to another meeting.”

“For new company?”

After pausing a second, he said, “No. For Parker Holdings.”

That felt like a punch to the gut. “Parker… Holdings?” I asked.

“I didn’t go back to them—I mean I did, but they’ve contracted me for three times what I made when I worked for them before. But I did it for you.”

“For me? Why would I want you working for them?”

He exhaled. “We have to figure this shit out.”

“Blake, is this healthy? You’re like obsessed.”

“Yes, I am. You’re my wife. It’s my job to protect you.”

“Come back.”

“Baby, I can’t yet. Please, I need your support.”

I hated this. I hated him having any connection to the Parkers aside from DNA and a last name but for better or worse, right? This moment called for crying or levity. I chose levity. “We’re adopting a cat.”

His returning snicker said it all—‘ Thank you .’ ‘ I need you .’— even if his words suggested something else. “We are ?”

“A beautiful American shorthair. Her name’s Miranda.”

“How big of a family are we looking at?” He offered a smile to me through his voice.

“Love you, Blake I answered and hung up.

Seconds later I got a text from him. Minx .

Shoving my phone back in my pocket, I called out, “Okay Miss Virgie, let’s make this official.”

In the end, Miranda got all her shots and I had her spayed before I brought her home. I bought one of those real comfortable travel cages at the pet store while she was getting her procedure. But then I saw a cat tree and decided to splurge.

But then, if she was getting new furniture, I thought she deserved a new wardrobe to go with it. I pinked the crap out of her wardrobe: A fluffy pink pillow for her cage. A pink and rhinestone collar, and a pink food bowl. The store even sold a continuous drinking fountain with a pink base.

From rags to riches. I decided to christen her Princess Miranda Parker. Her litter box cleaned itself after every use. Then once a week, I’d have to toss the tray with the clumps. I bought the fishy-smelling gel to feed her once a month to keep her from getting hairballs. And lastly, I bought the fancy cat food. A princess deserved to feast at every meal.

Three hours and 3k poorer later, Georgie and I drove to pick up our furry girl. A groggy but lovable Miranda rubbed her head against my hand.

“Ready to go home?” I asked her. I swore she nodded at me, so I gently scooped her up to lay her in her new carrier. Miranda snuggled down into the luxurious pillow and we headed for home. Georgie Boy loved her, keeping her company in the back seat instead of riding shotgun.

Once home, I pushed the button on my garage door opener and drove in. Then I carried the cage into the house and was startled to see a briefcase sitting on the kitchen counter. My husband owned a briefcase that looked exactly like this. Mahogany leather with gold clasps. Excited, I set Miranda’s cage down next to where we left the shoes. I slipped off my shoes and moved through the kitchen looking for the man I loved.

He startled me, appearing out of thin air behind me. “There’s my wife,” he said with complete nonchalance.

“ Blake .” I practically squeaked his name after my almost heart attack. “What are you doing here?”

“Thought I should meet my new family.” He pressed a kiss to the pulsing vein in my neck, then he moved from around me dropping down to formally meet Georgie Boy, rubbing his hand over Georgie’s ruff and as I’d learned, Georgie gave his love freely for ruff rubs and ear scratches.

“Hi boy… you’re so sweet, aren’t you?”

“We talked like three hours ago. What about your meeting?”

“Rescheduled.”

“How long are you here for?”

Raking his fingers through his hair, not long. But I have to talk to Ant and it’s better in person.”

“So, this trip isn’t about me or meeting the fam.”

“Glory, it’s always about you.”

With so little time together, I resigned to not let this impromptu visit bother me. I opened up the door to Miranda’s carrier. There was a whole house to explore when she was ready. Blake pushed up his sleeves to help me set up the cat tree and water fountain, and we set up the self-cleaning litterbox in the laundry room.

After dinner we took Georgie for a walk. Then we went to bed. Of course, he rocked my world that night. Hello ? Newlyweds. I think they revoke your membership card if you don’t clock enough hours bumping uglies.

Then the next day he went to see Ant, taking Georgie Boy with him for, I quote, “male bonding.” He said I had Miranda for girl junk. It was safe to say he’d fallen hard for our good boy.

While they were gone, Princess Miranda and I decided to go Halloween costume shopping given we were so close to the greatest holiday ever. I texted Blake picture after picture of costume ideas. I thought we could do a family costume this year. He nixed Aladdin, The Lion King and even The Matrix.

“What’s wrong with The Matrix?” I asked because that one deserved a call.

“Honey, I won’t be here.”

“Fine,” I said defiantly. “But you’ll be sad you missed it when you see the pictures from trick-or-treating.”

Happiness. Joy. Mirth. All of it hit me when I found them. The costumes. Georgie, Miranda and I were going as pirates !

Blake decided to roleplay when he saw my costume. And did he ever plunder my bounty. The day after, he headed back to Vermont. At this point, I hated Vermont. We could cut it out of the map for all I cared—no offense to any Vermonters.

Georgie and Miranda surrounded me with love.

Another week passed and for whatever reason, I couldn’t get enough food. Sandwiches, chicken nuggets, salads, stake—my stomach was a bottomless pit of hunger. The following week, I couldn’t hold any food down. Shit. The niggling in the back of my head told me this wasn’t good. As I lay in bed unable to sleep, I opened up YouTube shorts, somehow finding myself on MomTube. All these women creators posting pregnancy stories. I let out a slow breath. I’m just freaking out, right? There’s no way. No way .

To calm my nerves, I calculated the last time I’d gotten my period, and I cried. Then I picked up the phone to call my gynecologist’s office. OB/GYN to be precise, but up until now I’d only needed the GYN part. They had a morning cancelation for Halloween. A Halloween OB appointment felt oddly prophetic. The day for scares.

Lastly, I called Pen and Sierra. I needed my friends.

They showed up with Italian food and ingredients to make mocktails. Pen reached into one of the bags, pulling out a box. A double pack of pregnancy tests.

“Go take the test, Mama,” she ordered.

I read the back of the box. “It says morning pee is best.”

“Pregnant is pregnant. Take the damn test.”

To make sure I had enough pee, I sucked down one mocktail, and then a second. My bladder sufficiently ready to burst, I walked into the half bath with the box and relieved myself on the stick.

The directions said to wait three minutes for a result. Nope. It took three seconds. Three freaking seconds. My head dropped and I couldn’t hold the tears back if I tried.

It’s not that I didn’t want kids… but I always thought eventually . I currently lived in a different state than my husband. Blake and I wanted to travel more. I had a damn IUD . Heavy cramping each month. It prevented that. What it apparently failed to prevent was fertilization.

I cried harder.

A knock sounded on the door. “Gloria?” Pen asked.

I sniffled. “I’m fine.”

“Open the door, sweetheart,” Sierra said. I nodded, unsure of why because neither woman could see me through the door. But then, I opened it, only to get rushed by my two best friends and my fur babies crowding into the small room.

Pen, Sierra, and I stood in a circle hugging and crying. Georgie sat on one of my feet, while Miranda snuggled against the other.

“Congratulations,” Sierra finally said through her tears because she knew what my tears meant.

“Congratulations,” Pen repeated because she knew too. “I can’t believe our Gloria is going to be a mom.”

“Is there someone I can sue?” I wiped the tears from my eyes.

“I mean, was it consensual?”

“The sex yes. The pregnancy no. I have an IUD. This is ten kinds of wrong.”

Sierra shoved her phone in my face. “It says here they’re 99% effective. You’re a one percenter now.”

“Oh my God, not funny.”

“It’s pretty funny,” Pen said.

My friends led me back out to the living room, where they opened up the foil containers of food, filling plates for each of us while I sort of zoned out. I had a fetus growing inside me. A fetus that would become a baby. A baby that I’d have to push out of my nether regions. A sudden wave of fear washed over me so strong that I thought I might puke again. I ran back to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face.

My friends followed me in. “Honey, what’s wrong?” Pen asked.

“I’m growing a human,” I responded. “It’s in, which means it has to come out.” My breaths started coming fast and furious. Mayday. Mayday. We are going down .

“Gloria, calm sweety,” Sierra ordered.

“My husband lives in another state. How do I do this without him?”

“You won’t have to,” Pen stated confidently. “The moment you tell him, he’ll be on a plane to bring you back home.”

I cried harder. “This isn’t something you drop over the phone. ‘Georgie had to go to the vet, and oh, yeah, I’m pregnant.’”

“Are you registered to vote in Vermont or Michigan?” Pen asked.

Odd change of subject. “Vermont,” I answered with my head pressed to her shoulder.

“Right. Well, you see the OB on Halloween and then hop a flight home to vote. You can tell him then.”

“I can tell him then? But he calls every night.”

“He’s your husband, he’ll be happy whether he finds out on the phone or in person,” Sierra pointed out. “But if you want this to be in person, that’s your window.”

“That’s my window.”

“Good. Now that’s settled, do you feel better?” Pen asked.

“Yes. Thank you both.”

“Then let’s go eat,” she replied. “That alfredo is to die for.”

On Halloween, I showed up to my appointment as a slutty pirate captain and believe it or not, I wasn’t the only one in costume. I was joined by a very pregnant witch, a vampire and a cow.

“Oh, yeah, there’s definitely a nugget in there and your IUD. We’ll have to get that out.”

“Now?” It hurt like a son of a bitch going in, so I did not relish the idea of having her strip it out today.

“Well, I’ve got you here. Hang tight.” The doctor went about prepping to remove the IUD. Me in a pirate costume, lying on a table with my legs spread and my feet up wasn’t nearly as fun as when Blake and I tried it at home.

I left with a positive test from the doctor, initial ultrasound pictures, one failed birth control lighter and sore lady bits.

People probably wouldn’t have recognized my face but not wanting to take the chance, I chartered a private jet to take me home. The only issue was they were booked until the 5 th . It gave me time to make arrangements for Georgie and Miranda—both going to Pen’s house incidentally. We moved all their food, and the litter box and fountain to their place so my pretty girl had familiar items surrounding her while I was away. Then, Pen drove me to the airport and I took the three-hour flight back home.

I rented a car and before going to Blake, I went to my voting precinct to vote against Brock. I waited in line and unfortunately, I got several looks , but I powered through, cast my vote and then headed for my husband.

Excitement bubbled inside me closer to home I got. I couldn’t wait to sleep in our bed again. I couldn’t wait to surprise Blake. He didn’t expect me until later today. My husband’s Jag and Candice’s Audi sat in the circle drive. I didn’t factor Candice being here for the big reveal. I was sure once he saw me, he’d send her away. As quietly as possible, I used my key to unlock the door and slipped inside, setting my bag down, tiptoeing to his office.

It kind of got me pumped knowing she was in there, picturing him sending her away. I opened the door and walked in just in time to see Candice lean in to kiss my husband on the lips .

Candice.

Kissed.

Blake.

On the lips.

I gasped. He pushed her off and turned to look at me. I guess I chose violence today because for the first time in my life, I stormed up to Candice and slapped her across the face as hard as I could slap a bitch. She pressed a hand to the flaming red skin, her mouth gaping open, like she couldn’t believe I’d just done that.

Whatever bitch, don’t you ever come near my husband again . “We don’t touch things that don’t belong to us,” I said to her then turned to Blake, “I’m done. I cannot do this anymore.” Then I spun around, stomping out the door. I grabbed my bag, climbed back into the rental, and headed back to the airport.

About ten minutes after the confrontation, or as I like to call it, the slap heard ’round the world, my phone rang. It was Blake.

“Nice work, sweetheart,” he said. “That slap looked so incredibly real.”

“ Oh —it was. I knew she had a thing for you but I never expected her to stoop that low.”

“I swear to you Glory, I don’t know if she planned that or took the chance because you walked in, but she surprise-attacked me with that kiss.”

“Don’t worry about that. You wouldn’t be going all super spy just to kiss Candice.”

“No, I sure as hell wouldn’t.”

“But now we have to make it look believable.”

“That was pretty believable, babe.”

“I think I’m leaving.”

“Where?” he asked. “Back to Michigan?”

“Probably to get my passport, but I’m thinking more a trip somewhere.”

“A trip without me?” He sounded disappointed.

“Yes. I’m a fully capable adult and it feels like the best course of action for us.”

“Honey, I know you’re capable but I want to be there with you.”

“And I want you with me, but it can’t happen or they’ll know I didn’t leave you. We don’t know if Candice taking her shot is separate from when I got set up.”

“She could be the one who hired Raymond Hill,” he said.

“Do you really think Candice has that kind of money to pay off a politician.”

“Probably not. Where will you go?”

I sighed, thinking about it for a moment. “I don’t know yet but I’ll call you as soon as I get there and you know, your family can’t know we’re still together.”

He laughed. “You are so sneaky.”

“One of the things you love best about me.”

“That number is infinite, sweetheart.”

“Keep that up, Blake…”

“Keep it up or what?”

“Nothing. Just keep it up.”

That gave us both a good chuckle at the reference. It seemed like so long ago when I’d last said that to him. “We’ll get through this, sweetheart.”

“Oh—I almost forgot to tell you in all the excitement.”

“Tell me what?”

“Yeah, it turns out I’m pregnant.”

I heard something fall in the background and then, “I’m sorry, what?”

“Blake, you’re going to be a dad.”

“Then you’re not traveling,” he said.

“ Ha .” I popped out a laugh. “It’s cute you think you can tell me what to do.”

“Gloria—we don’t know how long this will take.”

“Blake, honey… We’ll keep in contact.”

“But I want to be there for you. I want to take care of you. My wife shouldn’t be going through her pregnancy alone— holy shit , I’m going to be a father.”

“You are . Happy?”

“I’m fucking ecstatic, baby.”

“I’m still going.”

“Sweetheart, I’m really asking you not to go.”

“Think about it. I don’t think we have a choice.”

He grumbled some but came back with, “God, I hate when you’re logical.”

“You’ll come to me when you can—hopefully with information.”

He did that harsh breath thing where I just knew he was raking his fingers through his hair. “God, I hate this,” he said and I agreed. The situation sucked. “Okay, Glory, I’m going. Love you.”

“Love you, too. Don’t sound so low. It’s not forever, I remember someone telling me that.”

“When that stupid son of a bitch told you that, it was before his whole world was planning to leave on a plane to God knows where.”

“We’ll get through this.”

“Yes, we will.”