Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Sean,
After Bennett left and went back to Willowbrook with Kristie, I continued to work at the company.
I was in the running to fill his position, but he had been there for so many years that people were constantly talking about him.
How much they missed him, how they wished him well with his new baby and his return home.
On and on, my coworkers raved about the man, and one day I just lost it.
Turned in my notice to Denise at day’s end and didn’t let them convince me to stay.
It was rash, but I felt I needed a clean slate.
Hell, I would’ve left California had I been able to afford it.
I was desperate to forget Bennett, so I agreed to a date with my new neighbor—you.
I thought you were nice, attractive, and you always found sly ways to ask me out on dates every time our paths crossed.
So, I finally agreed. One date turned into another, and although I forgot about Bennett during our dates, at night, my memories still haunted me.
He had moved on, was starting a family, reconnecting with his wife.
I had to too. So, I continued dating you and allowed you to spoil me as if I was the most important person in your world.
It was nice to feel as admired as you made me feel.
Of course, now I’m wondering whether any of it was real.
Then my period was late. I initially blamed it on stress, but deep down, I couldn’t forget that one time things got too intense, and Bennett and I didn’t have a condom.
We na?vely thought that it couldn’t happen as long as he pulled out.
I couldn’t deny the two pink lines once I saw them though.
Since I hadn’t slept with anyone else, I knew the baby was Bennett’s.
I spiraled and didn’t know how to handle the news.
I went to the doctor, who confirmed I was indeed pregnant, and I started taking prenatal vitamins and allowed myself to come to grips with growing a little baby inside me.
I gave excuse after excuse to you, but you became more adamant about continuing our dates, asking me what was wrong.
You were so caring and loving that I finally broke down one night.
That’s when you showed up at my door with takeout from my favorite Italian place.
“You need to eat, and I caught you before dinner time, so no excuses.” You gave me a smile that I trusted, so I let you in, thinking I’d break the news to you, and you’d give up the fight for me. Who would want to raise another man’s baby?
We ate, and you asked me a lot of questions about work and my favorite things. You had this way of navigating the conversation around me. Maybe that’s why I felt so important in your eyes. Like you couldn’t find out enough about me, and I was the center of your universe.
After I cleaned up the takeout and you took out the trash for me, I told myself now was the time to tell you.
“Thank you for dinner,” I said.
You sat on the couch, the same spot Bennett had when he’d told me he was leaving me to be with Kristie. I took the spot next to you and confessed to you the whole situation, and the tears started immediately.
“I was dating this guy who was my high school sweetheart, well, not really, but from freshman to junior… oh never mind, it doesn’t really matter, but we broke up right before you moved in.
He went back to his wife… oh jeez, I’m not a homewrecker.
He was separated, but then she came back to him pregnant. How ironic, he knocked us both up…”
I was a rambling mess, but you never stopped me once. Never asked for further explanation. I liked that. The last thing I wanted was to give you a play by play of my life with Bennett Owens.
“And I’m pregnant,” I said it, and it felt really good to tell someone. To no longer harbor my secret alone.
I assumed you’d get up politely, say something nice, and then ghost me, but instead you slid closer. You took my hands and wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into your chest. You allowed me to cry for a half hour, soaking your button-down shirt.
I drew back. “You can go.”
“I’d rather stay if it’s okay with you?”
“This isn’t your problem. It’s…” I didn’t even know how to say it, but you only put your finger under my chin and brought my eyes to meet yours. I remember that there was no hesitation in your big hazel eyes.
“I want to stay.”
It was the words I needed to hear. Now, I wonder if you just saw me as an easy mark.
You didn’t ask me what I planned to do. Whether I was keeping the baby or even telling Bennett. You were a pillar of support that I was in desperate need of.
A week later, you showed back up with the same Italian dinner, apologizing that you hadn’t been around because you’d been out of town on business. Again, we had takeout and watched a movie.
“Can I ask you something, and if you don’t want to talk about it, please tell me I overstepped?” I remember you asking on our way to get ice cream after the movie.
“Of course.”
“Are you telling him?”
It had been the biggest question on my mind.
I had even picked up my phone and had Bennett’s number dialed three times the other night.
Then I made the mistake of searching for him on socials.
He didn’t have anything new, but Kristie did.
A picture of them with Darla, Brad, Romy, and Lottie, all of them wearing to-be shirts, announcing the pregnancy.
Bennett’s arm was around Kristie, and her arms were around his waist. The rest of the Owens’ smiles were big and wide.
Where our baby and I could fit, I didn’t know.
“I’m not sure yet,” I admitted, slightly ashamed I hadn’t booked a flight and gone to Willowbrook to tell him already. Or at least texted him a picture of the pregnancy test. Was I really considering having this baby and never telling him?
“Well, I just want you to know, either way, I’m in.” Your hand slid over the console of your expensive sports car.
“What?” I thought I had to have heard you wrong.
“I’m not asking to marry you, but you being pregnant doesn’t change my feelings for you. I’d like to continue dating and see where this goes.”
I turned in my seat. “I’m pregnant.”
“I know.”
“With another man’s baby.”
A smile tipped your lips. “I know.”
“And I’m fairly sure I’m keeping the baby.”
“Okay.” You glanced at me before concentrating on the road again.
“We haven’t even had sex, and I’m not sure if I want you to see my body all swollen and big the first time.”
You laughed and shook your head. “You’re going to be a gorgeous pregnant woman, of that I have no doubt.”
You parked the car, and we didn’t get out right away, mostly because I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that you wanted to date me knowing all these things going on in my life. You didn’t care about my baggage, you only wanted me, and that felt really, really good.
“And we can take it slow?” I asked.
“You dictate the pace.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
You got out of the car, walking around to help me out.
As you know, when I was around five months pregnant, my libido was in overdrive, and I eventually didn’t stop you when you tried to progress things along physically.
We were like two teenagers working their way through the bases until I didn’t care about my stomach or the stretchmarks on my thighs, I just wanted you.
A month before I went into labor, you pulled me aside one morning, since we rarely slept apart unless you were away on business, and told me you’d like to raise the baby as yours. I accepted.
You were my future. Kristie was Bennett’s.
I was in love with you, and you gave Leia and me a bigger life than I could have ever imagined. I’ll always be thankful for that, even if I might never really know if we were a pawn in you game or whether you ever really loved us back.
Delaney