Chapter Twenty-Six
Brynn
BEING ON BED rest sucks ass.
I hate not being able to get out of bed other than to go to the bathroom.
The last week has proven to me that I’m one of the worst patients there is on the planet.
I’m whining because I can’t take a shower, I can’t cook or get something to eat or drink on my own, and that Kingston has to help me do every little thing.
I’m snapping at him and anyone else who comes up to see me.
I’ve gotten into a fight with my family because I was being a bitch about everything they said.
Willow even got to see my horrible side and she’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever met in my life.
I hung up before I could make her cry knowing I’d live with that guilt forever.
No one deserves the wrath I’m giving them.
Honestly, I will do anything to protect my baby and ensure I don’t lose him or her. If that means being on bed rest until the baby is born, then that’s what I’ll do.
Thankfully I’m no longer bleeding and the pain in my stomach has vanished completely.
I don’t know what the hell is going on or why it happened to begin with, but Dr.
Craven still won’t take me off of bed rest just yet.
She wants to be completely sure that nothing like this is going to happen again before I’m allowed to get up and move around.
Kingston won’t allow me to go to the bathroom on my own anymore.
He’s worried something will happen if he leaves me on my own for a few seconds.
This is something I give him because he needs it.
No, I don’t like going to the bathroom in front of him, but he’s given me so much that I’ve needed and this is something small I can give him in return.
“Kitten, is it safe to enter?”
Kingston asks me, opening the door little more than a crack as he looks through the opening at me.
“You can come in.
I’m sorry, Kingston.
I just hate being in bed for this long and knowing I can’t do anything for myself,”
I apologize to him as I watch him walk over to me with a tray in his hands.
“I’ve got your lunch.
Today it’s chicken noodle soup, a grilled cheese, and some Ginger ale,”
he informs me as I move around just enough for the tray to sit steady over my legs.
Looking down, I see two of everything on the tray and know my man is going to eat with me once again.
Kingston has been in this bedroom with me every single day and has only left once to go to church while Hope and Savannah sat with me.
The only other time he leaves me is to get us something to eat or drink or to take a quick shower.
He’s brought his laptop in the bedroom so he can work while in bed next to me.
I’ve been re-reading through my story while I’ve been sitting here.
Dr.
Craven says I can work for an hour a day and it’s slowing the process down a lot.
Still, I’ll deal with it to protect our little one.
After climbing into bed with me, Kingston puts on a show we’ve been binge watching on one of the streaming channels.
It plays as we eat our lunch and enjoy the silence of our home.
There’s not a ton of people in and out at all hours of the day and night.
First thing in the morning Hope and Jinx come over to check on us and make sure we don’t need anything.
Hope usually brings me books or magazines to try and keep me busy so I forget about being on bed rest.
Savannah and Valor typically stop over midday to bring us lunch and check in.
In the early evening, it’s a tossup as to who’s going to show up at our door.
The guys and the rest of the ol’ ladies have been taking turns coming to visit for a little bit before returning home or to the clubhouse.
No one stays for long periods of time and it sucks while relaxes me at the same time.
It's nice to know we have all these people here to help us when it’s needed but they don’t push to stay longer than I’m comfortable with having them here.
Yesterday and today Hope and Kingston have been talking in hushed tones together but won’t tell me what’s going on.
Whenever I ask them, both of them give me a large smile and then step just outside the door so Kingston can still see me and be close while they continue talking.
I will eventually figure out what’s going on with them.
Kim has called me at least once a day to check in and update me on how the cover is coming.
We try to keep our conversation light and away from anything to do with the baby or being on bed rest.
It doesn’t always work, but it does help to hear her and know she is trying to help in her own way even so far away.
Fox and her plan on coming down to visit us soon.
She wants to cook us a bunch of meals Kingston can just throw in the oven to reheat so he doesn’t have to spend more time in the kitchen cooking.
Honestly, he hasn’t had to cook a single meal since I got discharged from the hospital.
The ol’ ladies had already brought us up a bunch and they prepare more every single day.
Each time one of them comes up during a meal, we always have something they’ve recently cooked so it’s hot and fresh.
Dinner is the time we typically have to figure out what we want from the freezer.
The author friend of Kim’s has gotten in touch with me through a private message on social media.
We first started talking only through messages and moved to talking on the phone.
She’s walked me through everything I have to do now that my book is finished.
It’s a lot, but with nothing more to do than rest in bed, I have the time.
I just have to choose what part of my career I work on each day since I only have an hour a day.
Kingston is helping me get things set up.
He’s started a website for me and will add all new books and links I need to give the readers.
Kingston has also helped me set up a separate social media account for my author name instead of my personal account.
I don’t want to combine the two since this is my main way to share things with my family and now Kingston’s.
Kingston and I talked about it a few days ago and came to the conclusion that I need to keep my two worlds separate.
My personal page won’t change and will still be a way to share anything going on with our family members.
Especially after the baby is born.
My author accounts will be nothing more than posting anything regarding my career.
This includes sharing my books, other author’s releases that I connect with, photos from photographers, and everything else that goes along with this.
I’ve also set up a reader group on social media where readers can get excerpts of my work before it’s released, see the covers before I share them anywhere else, and we can talk about each story as it comes out.
I get exhausted just thinking about everything and all I’ve been doing is sleeping these days.
“K itten, I have to go to the clubhouse for a while today.
Valor needs some help on a job and promised not to keep me at the clubhouse for too long.
Hope is gonna come hang out with you so you’re not alone,”
Kingston tells me as he walks back in the room we’re using and slides his phone back in his pocket.
“Okay.
You know, I feel horrible that you’re not working the way you have been right now.
The club needs you and you’re here with me,”
I tell him, letting my eyes lower as the guilt sits on my shoulders.
“Brynn, I told you that I’m here for everythin’.
Not just the good parts of this pregnancy.
I will be here by your side when you’re gettin’ sick, covered in sweat, in a horrible mood, or anythin’ else that happens until our little one is here,”
he tells me, lowering his head after pulling the blankets out of the way to press his lips against my stomach.
I’m starting to get a small bump now.
I started to freak out when it first started making an appearance and Kingston called Dr.
Craven to make sure it was normal.
After a lengthy conversation with her, I was able to relax.
Kingston has been paying attention to it on a daily basis to see if it gets bigger or changes in any way each day.
There isn’t a day that passes when he’s not pressing a kiss there and at night when we know we won’t have any more visitors, he talks to my stomach telling the baby everything they’re going to do once he or she is here.
It’s adorable and if I weren’t already completely in love with the man, it would have gotten me there in a heartbeat.
“It still doesn’t change the fact that I feel bad because you’ve been here with me and not hanging out with your friends as you did before,”
I tell him, closing my eyes as he leans down for a kiss.
“It won’t always be this way, Brynn.
For now this is what you need and it’s what we’ll work with.
When you’re allowed to get off of bed rest, things will change.
I still won’t be spendin’ all my time at the clubhouse, but we’ll go there when we have to,”
he promises me before Hope walks in our room with a large smile on her face.
“Kingston, get the hell outta here.
You’re encroaching on girl time,”
Hope states, pretending to be mad at her cousin as he starts laughing before giving me one more kiss and leaving.
When he passes by Hope, Kingston ruffles her hair that’s been thrown up in a messy bun.
She threatens him with bodily harm before laughing and walking over to the bed where I’m resting.
“You’re in an awfully good mood today,”
I tell her, watching the large smile on her face get bigger.
“I had a good night.
There was a party at the clubhouse.
Kat wasn’t working last night so she sat with all the kids.
You know she doesn’t like to participate in the parties most nights the club has them,”
she returns as a blush covers her cheeks.
“I don’t think I’ve met Kat yet.
I’ve heard you all talking about her enough I feel as if I do know her though.
I just don’t think that’s the only reason you’re in such a good mood today,”
I state, my voice losing any sign of laughter as I try to pinpoint what’s different with my friend.
“I’ve got a surprise for you.
Come on in,”
Hope calls out, stepping to the side to show my sister entering the bedroom Kingston and I have been occupying.
“Zoey? What are you doing here?”
I ask her, not sure if she made the trip here alone or not.
“I know I haven’t been a very good sister over the years, Brynn.
And you’ll never know how truly sorry for that I am.
Part of me was jealous of you because you were the baby of the family and in my eyes Mom and Dad doted on you in ways they never did with me or Maddox.
Because of me, there’s been a rift in our family for longer than necessary and I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to make it all up to you,”
Zoey says, walking slowly close to me until she’s right next to the edge of my bed.
I watch as her fingers twitch like she wants to reach out and take my hand in hers.
Knowing my sister isn’t sure if I’d allow it, I breach the distance between us and take hold of her hand in mine.
“I’ve already forgiven you, Zoey.
There’s so many years between us and I know it wasn’t easy for Maddox or you when I was born.
You were already older and had a good routine going and then I just suddenly joined the family without warning,”
I tell her once again as she smiles down at me.
“Now is the time to move forward and work on building a relationship between the two of us.”
Zoey nods her head as she swallows hard and a lone tear slides down her face.
“How are you feeling, Brynn? Not the answer you give Mom and Dad or anyone else back home.
How are you really doing?”
she asks me as Hope leaves the room and I hear her moving around the kitchen.
“I hate being on bed rest.
I’m not bleeding and the pain has disappeared.
Dr.
Craven isn’t ready to let me get up though.
I still can’t take a shower or bath.
Kingston has been giving me sponge baths in bed before changing my clothes.
I’m a mess and hate being reliant on everyone around me,”
I answer her honestly as she nods her head in agreement.
“I wasn’t on bed rest, but I know what you’re going through.
No one thought I could do anything and if I tried to lift something heavier than a piece of paper, everyone lost their damn mind.
It was horrible.
I can’t imagine what you’re going through,”
Zoey tells me as she sits down on the bed next to me.
Hope comes back in the bedroom with a tray of food for my lunch.
She also has a bag full of snacks and other stuff for us to have while we talk, listen to music, watch movies, and whatever else she has planned for our so-called girl’s day.
Today I’ve got grilled chicken with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes.
I’ve got a glass of milk and a bottle of water to keep next to me.
There’s even a small piece of apple pie with cool whip on top.
My mouth waters at the smell of the apple pie.
Hope warmed it up for me and the cool whip is melting on top of it.
I want to abandon my lunch and just eat dessert.
“Not happening, Brynn.
You need to eat healthy for your little one,”
Zoey warns me, a smirk on her face.
“It’s written all over your face that you’re about to ditch eating the real food and dive straight into your dessert.
You realize that’s why Mom never brought out dessert at home when you were growing up until your dinner was gone, right?”
“What? Is that the reason she stopped putting it on the table?”
I ask, shock filling me at the thought of our mom holding out on me when I was growing up.
“Yeah, Brynn.
Maddox was so upset he pouted for a month,”
Zoey answers me, laughing so hard she has tears streaming down her face.
I pout this time as my sister and Hope laugh at me.
Still, I dig into the lunch I’ve been made and ignore the pie staring me in the face.
More than a few times the girls have to warn me to slow down so I don’t choke or make myself sick.
Finally, I eat all the food on my plate and get to the dessert.
Pulling the pie closer to me, I take my first bite and savor it.
Zoey and Hope start talking about what we’re going to do for the day while I slowly eat my dessert.
The rest of the day is spent as if we’re teenagers who are having a sleepover.
We paint one another’s nails, watch movies, and eat our weight in junk food.
Kingston doesn’t come back until dinner time, giving me the chance to spend the day with my sister.
This is what Hope and him have been talking about when they’ve been whispering to one another.
Zoey reached out to Kingston about coming to spend time with me.
She got really scared when she learned I was in the hospital with a possible miscarriage.
After talking to her man and letting him know she needed to be here for me in case something bad happened, she made the trip back here and will remain here for the rest of the week with us.
It’s a good surprise and I can’t wait to spend time with my sister the way we should have when we were younger.