When Love Is Unexpected: A Sweet Fake Relationship Friends To Lovers Romance

25. Chapter 25

Iring Loren”s doorbell as I glance next door, wishing Sam was there waiting for me. I”m dressed in Petra”s clothes, my feet hurt, and I need a shower. The second Aaron opens the door, I start bawling like a baby.

”Come in,” he says, putting his arm around my shoulder.

Loren gives me a hug and walks to the kitchen, ”I”m making you some tea,” she says.

”Where”s Holly?” I ask, not wanting her to see me like this.

”She”s at Adam”s,” says Aaron. ”Cry until you”re done.”

So I do. All the anger and sadness I”ve had bottled up inside me for the last eighteen hours spills out of me, a torrent of sobs and tears streaming down my face.

Aaron sits on the ottoman across from me, holding my hand. I can see the muscles in his jaw clenching as he does his best to remain quiet. Loren sits next to me, holding a cup of tea in one hand and a box of tissues in the other. I know she”s dying to defend Sam, but she, too, remains silent.

An hour later, the tissue box is empty, and all I have left in me are annoying little hiccups I can”t control.

”Do you want some more tea?” asks Loren. ”Are you hungry?”

”No,” I say. ”Can I take a shower and sleep for a couple of hours?”

My sister”s guest room welcomes me with the familiarity of home and the soothing scent of vanilla and lavender.

I step into the shower, wishing the hot water could wash away all memory of the last twenty-four hours. I slip into the soft, thick bathrobe hanging from a hook next to the shower, inhaling the scent of fabric softener as I pull up the collar to warm my cold skin.

I sit on the bed and take inventory of my surroundings. The room is beautifully decorated. The queen-sized bed has a cottage-style wrought iron headboard and footboard. The bedspread is dusted with pastel-colored flowers. There are pale pink roses in a vase on top of the dresser, framed pictures of my nieces and nephew on the nightstands, and a large picture window with light, flowy drapes that let the sunlight in.

On the wall across from the bed is a large shadow box with an array of dried flowers inside and a small handwritten note on the corner. I remember Adam giving it to my sister for her eighteenth birthday. I was two when we met Adam, and he became like part of the family. Loren was four, and Katherine was six. Whenever he visited, Loren would give him a flower from our garden as soon as he walked in the door. He collected and saved most of them for fourteen years and then put them in a beautiful arrangement inside the shadow box with the note addressed to my sister. I stand and walk across the room to read the note I”ve read dozens of times before.

Loren -

You were the first one to greet me.

The first one to hug me.

The first one to give me something beautiful.

The first one to love me.

The first one to call me brother.

Always remember that love will find you

no matter where life takes you.

You are and always will be my little sister.

Love,

Adam

Adam is a protective brother to Loren and me, and to my sister Katherine, he is the love of her life. I thought I had found the love of my life, but I was wrong. I open one of the drawers on the dresser and find new underwear, bras, and socks. In another, there are T-shirts, shorts, leggings, and pajamas. There are some slippers in the closet next to some canvas shoes.

My sister went shopping for me and got this room ready for my arrival. I change into pajamas and slip under the covers, hoping I won”t wake up until tomorrow.

When sunlight streams through the window, I realize it”s morning—late morning. I look at the clock, and it reads eight o”clock. I slept for ten hours.

After showering, I put on shorts and a T-shirt. My hair is a curly mess, and I don”t want to deal with it, so I run my fingers through it and call it good.

Walking into the kitchen, I find Aaron drinking coffee. ”Where”s Loren?” I ask.

”She”s getting ready,” he says. ”We have a doctor”s appointment at ten.”

”Is she feeling okay?” I ask.

”Yes,” he smiles. ”She”s doing great. The baby is, too.”

”Good,” I say, pouring myself a cup of coffee. ”Do you want me to make us some breakfast?”

”I was about to do that,” he says.

”I got it,” I say, looking through the fridge, ”Ham and eggs, okay?”

”That sounds great.”

”I have to talk to Mom and Dad today,” I say, knowing I can”t put it off much longer.”

”I”m sure they”ll hear from Sam soon,” he says. ”If they haven”t already.”

”You”re right,” I say, cracking four eggs into a pan and putting four slices of bread into the toaster.

After heating the cast iron skillet to high, I drop three slices of ham into it and let it sizzle before flipping them over.

When Loren emerges from the bedroom, three plates with eggs, ham, and buttered toast are on the table.

”This looks delicious,” she says as Aaron pulls out a chair for her and helps her sit.

He kisses her and leans down to kiss her belly.

”Do I look as tired as I feel?” she asks. ”The Braxton-Hicks contractions are no joke.”

”You had contractions during the night?” I ask.

”Yeah,” she says. ”With all the tossing and turning I did, I don”t think either of us got any sleep.”

”Well, I”m glad you”re seeing the doctor,” I say.

After I finish my breakfast, I kiss them both and leave to see Mom and Dad.

I take a deep breath before entering the house through the back door, which is always open.

Dad is reading the paper, and Mom is taking some chicken out of the freezer.

”Laila!” Mom exclaims, putting the chicken in the sink. ”Let me hug you. I missed you so much.”

The fact that they didn”t ask why I”m back leads me to believe they”ve already heard from Sam.

I walk up to Dad, and he stands to hug me. ”Are you okay?” he asks.

”Who filled you in?” I ask.

”No one,” he says. “Sam called this morning, but I didn”t let him talk. I told him I wanted to talk to my daughter first. Sit down, Sweetheart. Tell us what”s going on.”

”Daddy, Sam broke my heart.”

I spend the next half-hour crying and going over the events of the last two weeks, including what happened at the reunion.

”Okay,” says Dad when I”m done. Mom is crying.

”Can I talk to Sam?” he asks, ”I will only talk to him if it”s okay with you. I want to respect your wishes and will not talk to him if you”d rather I didn”t.”

”I don”t know, Daddy. It”s all very difficult for me right now. I don”t want to talk about it or even think about it.”

”Okay,” he says. ”Then let”s go with that. We”ll leave it be for as long as you need.”

”I”m so sorry, Sweetie,” says Mom. ”I don”t know what to say.”

I know it”s hard for both of them because they love Sam, but they love me more. I”m their daughter, and they will always put me and my feelings first.

When the phone rings, my eyes go wide. Mom answers it, and all we hear her say is, ”Okay. Okay. Okay. Yes, I understand. Is she okay, though? We”ll head out there now.”

”What is it?” Dad asks.

”That was Aaron,” says Mom, ”Loren is in labor. Apparently, she was in labor all night and didn”t realize it. Her water broke in the waiting room at the doctor”s office, and when he checked her, he found that she was dilated to an eight. They”re on their way to the hospital. We”re meeting them there.”

”Oh my God!” I exclaim.

”Call Katherine,” says Mom, ”She needs to get over there with Holly.”

By the time we get to the hospital, everyone is there. Adam and the kids, Peter and Christina, Laura and Charles, Katherine and Holly are in the room with Aaron and Loren.

”Do you want me to take the kids home with me?” I ask Adam.

”No,” he says. ”Katie was just here. Loren is at a nine. I don”t think it”ll be much longer.”

”Oh my gosh,” I say. ”She was in literal labor all night. I can”t believe it.”

”She must have a high tolerance to pain,” he says.

”Yes, she does,” I say, thinking of the hell she had to endure to get here.

My phone starts buzzing, and I see that it”s Sam. I let it go to voicemail, and I take this opportunity to go into my voicemails and delete all the messages he”s left in the last day and a half.

To keep myself busy and my brain occupied, I go to the gift shop downstairs and get the kids some coloring books and crayons to keep them entertained while we wait. On my way back, I step into the elevator, and Lisa follows me in.

”Lisa! Hi. What are you doing here?”

”Adam called me and asked me to pick up the kids. I”m taking them back to the house.”

”Oh, okay,” I say, handing the bag with the books and crayons inside, ”then you can have these. I just bought them for the kids.”

”Okay, thanks.”

After Lisa takes the kids home, we wait and wait and wait.

”Katie just texted me,” says Adam. ”She”s pushing.”

I glance at Mom and Dad, and I can tell they”re praying. I start praying, too.

Thirty minutes later, Katherine walks in with a smile spread across her face and tears in her eyes.

”It”s a boy!”

The room erupts with hugs, handshakes, kisses, tears, laughter, and thanks to God. I”m so happy. I wish Sam were here to enjoy this precious moment with us, but I try to focus on the joyous occasion anyway. My sister and Aaron deserve this happiness.

When the room finally quiets, Adam asks, ”So, what”s his name?”

”Peter Chance Baldwin,” she says, actively crying now.

”Peter, after Aaron”s Dad,” she says, reaching out to Peter and squeezing his hand. ”Congratulations.”

”Thank you,” he says.

”Chance,” Katherine continues, ”is for the second chance God has given them to be happy.”

Soon, there”s not a dry eye in the room. I walk up to the Clays and give them each a hug. ”How are you two doing?” I ask.

”We”re both very happy for them,” says Charles, smiling with tears in his eyes.

”They deserve to be happy,” says Laura, sniffling and wiping her eyes. ”This baby will bring such joy to all our lives.”

”Yes, he will,” I say, hugging them again.

Two hours later, after everyone has been in to see Loren and the baby, it”s finally my turn.

I open the door slowly and quietly slip in. My sister is on the bed holding a tiny bundle in her arms. Aaron is sitting by her side, holding Holly so she can see the baby too.

I pull out my phone and take several pictures before they even realize I”m there.

When Loren looks up and our eyes meet, I can”t help but let the tears flow. I had first-hand knowledge, front-row seats to the young love, excitement, hope, heartbreak, devastation, and pain she experienced with Justin, and then the healing, hope, love, and second chance she found with Aaron. All of it culminated in this one moment in time.

”Hi,” I say.

”You want to meet your new nephew,” she says.

I walk up slowly and look at Aaron, whose tears won”t be contained, and then at Holly. She”s smiling. I give her a little wave before getting closer.

Loren unwraps her son so I can look at him. He”s pink and perfect. I count ten fingers and ten toes. ”How much does he weigh?” I ask.

”He weighs eight pounds, three ounces, and measures 20 inches,” says Loren.

When I touch his head, he makes a scrunchy face and two deep dimples appear on his cheeks.

”Look!” I say. ”Aaron, he has your dimples.”

Aaron is still working out his emotions. I know he”s thinking about the son he and his first wife lost.

I squeeze his hand and give him a knowing smile.

”I”m okay,” he says as a tear rolls down to the tip of his nose before he wipes it away.

”He”s perfect,” I say. ”Has he opened his eyes yet?”

”Yes,” says Loren. ”They look gray to me, but they might change to hazel.”

”So, for right now, he”s all you, Mr. Baldwin. You got some strong genes.”

”Can the baby have blue eyes like me?” asks Holly.

”You have your mommy”s eyes, Sweetie,” says Loren. ”You”re one of a kind, and that makes you extra special.”

Holly smiles and looks up at Aaron who gives her a kiss on the forehead.

”So, how did you all do?” I ask.

”Apparently, I have a high threshold for pain,” says Loren.

”I heard,” I say. ”You labored by yourself the entire night and didn”t even realize it.”

”She did great,” says Aaron. ”She pushed for about twenty minutes.”

”Did you cut the cord?” I ask Aaron.

”Yes, I did.”

”Holly, how did you do?”

”I held mommy”s hand,” says Holly. ”She was squeezing it hard. Like this.” She reaches for my hand and squeezes it until her face turns red.

”Oh my gosh,” I exclaim, ”that was hard!”

”I”m sorry, Baby,” says Loren. ”Did I hurt you?”

”No, I”m okay.”

”How are you doing?” Loren asks.

”Me? I”m fine.”

”I got a call from Sam when my parents were in here earlier,” says Aaron.

”Oh my gosh,” I say. ”I”m so sorry.”

”It”s okay,” he says. ”I answered the phone and told him about the baby. He apologized for the call and said congratulations before hanging up.”

”I don”t know how to deal with this,” I say honestly.

”If I were him,” says Aaron, ”I”d jump on the first plane to New York and come face you.”

”I don”t want to see him,” I say.

”Don”t make the same mistakes I made,” says Loren.

”Aaron never lied to you,” I say.

”Sam is not a liar,” says Loren. And there it is. I knew she”d be the one to defend him.

”Do you want me to take Holly home with me?” I ask to change the subject.

”No,” says Aaron, ”Katherine and Adam are taking her.”

”Okay,” I say, ”I”ll let you rest. Congratulations. I”m over the moon with happiness for you all.”

”Thank you,” they all say together.

”Let me know if you need anything,” I say before kissing them goodbye.

When I lean down to kiss the baby, he opens his eyes and looks right at me. His eyes are definitely green.