Chapter 19
I woke up to the alarm going off at seven that morning. Shutting it off, I lay there for a few minutes, remembering the day I spent with Jacob. I smiled at the thought that I would see him again that night. I started my new job today, so I got up ready to get going. After showering and getting dressed, I made my coffee, taking it out on the deck as usual.
Lucky ran around the yard, soon barking at his sister, Lady, and Randy. Randy came up the stairs, went in to get coffee, then joined me on the deck. She seemed a little sad this morning. I knew it must be because Josh was gone again “Are you OK?” I asked her.
She sighed, “Yes, I just don’t like sleeping alone. I never used to mind it, but now that I have Josh in my life, I hate it. I miss him.”
Just then my cell phone chirped. I picked it up off the table between Randy and me, reading the text message from Jacob. “Morning, Mia. I had a great time yesterday. I miss you.”
I must have blushed because Randy said “Is that from Jacob? How did things go yesterday?”
I didn’t answer right away, as I was replying to Jacob. “I had a good time too.” I put the phone down, looking anywhere but at Randy. “It was nice. We went for a picnic and talked.”
Randy looked at me suspiciously. “Talked? You are blushing too much for just talking. So tell me what’s going on with you two?” I told her about our picnic, and we talked a lot while there. “He must be serious about you,” she exclaimed.
“Why do you say that?” I asked.
“Because neither of the guys share that place with anyone unless they are serious about them. Josh never took anybody there except me. I know for a fact that Jacob has never taken anybody there either. What happened next?” she asked .
I told her about the rest of the day, stopping with him helping me clean up from supper, that we continued talking after supper; then he left.
Randy let out a squeal. “You guys will be great together I know it!”
“On the picnic, we agreed to take our time,” I said. “I’m terrified of a new relationship.”
“Take all the time you need,” Randy said. “Sometimes you just know when it is right. I have to go, need to head to work. I’d rather stay here and chat with you though!”
“Me too. I have to get to work soon,” I said.
“When are you seeing Jacob again?” Randy asked.
“Tonight,” I said, smiling.
“I won’t bother you tonight then.” She said winking at me. “I am so happy for both of you. I just know you two will be great together.” She gave me a hug, then ran down the steps, whistling for Lady. I watched them go when she got to the path leading into the trees she turned and waved. I waved back. Turning, Lucky and I went into the house.
I had enough time to start our supper in the crockpot again, this time it was ribs. I’d let them cook all day in seasonings, then throw them on the grill shortly before we ate. I managed to get the ribs started, cleaned up the kitchen, and then headed down to my office to start work. Lucky followed me down, curling up at my feet as I started my first day. The day started with finishing up some paperwork and then training via a web call. We took a break at 12 for lunch.
I went upstairs, adding a few more ingredients to the ribs, then made a sandwich, taking it out on the deck so Lucky could run around for a little while. The break was soon over so Lucky, and I headed back to the office. Toward the end of the day, the trainer thought I understood the job well enough she let me work alone for the last hour. I sent all my reports directly to her, which was protocol for the first couple of days.
Then, when my work was consistently up to the standards set in the protocol, I would be able to send my work directly to the customer. My trainer received my work and told me she would review it, getting back to me in the morning with feedback. Clocking out, I went upstairs.
I checked on the ribs, deciding to make some mashed potatoes and sweet corn to go with them. I got those started, then sat down to watch a little TV while I waited until time to through the ribs and sweet corn on the grill. Lucky jumped up on the couch next to me. I stroked his head while we watched a cooking show. When the show was about to be over, there was a knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat, I shut the TV off and went to answer it. It was Jacob. He came in, closing the door behind him. “Hi,” he said.
“Hi,” I said smiling. He leaned over, kissing me.
“Mia Amata,” he said. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you today.” I didn’t say anything, I couldn’t. “Mia?” he asked. I raised my head to look at him. “Are you OK?”
I smiled, “Yes, I’m fine.” I laid my head on his chest; he wrapped me in his arms. We stood like that for a few minutes, until he said, “What’s that wonderful smell?”
“Supper,” I said.
“Well, it smells great,” he said, smiling.
I looked at him. “Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” he said. “I worked up an appetite today.”
I went into the kitchen. Jacob sat up on a stool at the counter. I felt him staring at me, turning I said, “What?”
He smiled, “You’re beautiful.”
I shook my head. “No, I’m not.”
“Mia Amata,” he said, “you are beautiful. I wish I could teach everyone that hurt you, that made you think you were unworthy of being happy, a lesson.”
I didn’t say anything. My self-worth was almost nil. The fact that Jacob recognized how low it was actually hurt. I started to set the table. He came over to help. I carried the ribs and corn out to the grill; they only needed a couple of minutes there. While they cooked, I finished the mashed potatoes and gravy, sitting those on the table. I went out, pulled the corn and ribs off, and we sat down to eat.
“This smells fantastic,” he exclaimed as he picked up his fork. He took a bit, groaning. “And she cooks too, a woman of many talents.”
“Thank you,” I said smiling. I asked him about his day. He told me about saving a little fawn whose mother had been hit by a car. He took it to a local woman who would raise it on a bottle until it could be released into the wild. We talked about my first day at my new job. I told him all I could, he understood that I couldn’t share what the reports were about. I then told him that Randy knew we had been spending time together .
He raised his eyebrows. “How did that happen?” he asked.
“She comes over every morning for coffee. She has a way of worming information out of me.” He was quiet. “Is that bad that she knows?” I asked, getting up to clear the remains of our supper off the table.
He laughed as he got up and started helping me. “She is very resourceful. She is great though. I don’t mind at all. She will probably tell Josh, but neither of them will tell my parents until we are ready to tell them ourselves. Besides, it is nice to know she will be here for my girlfriend too. I’m glad you are friends.”
When he said girlfriend, I dropped the silverware I was carrying into the kitchen on the floor. He picked them up for me, putting them in the dishwasher. “Girlfriend?” I asked, “Is that what I am?” He came up behind me at the sink, putting his arms around my waist. “I hope so. There is nothing I want more right now than to call you, my girlfriend.” I turned around in his arms and faced him. “We are supposed to take it slow,” I said.
He looked at me, “Are you going to be dating other men?”
“No,” I said.
“So you are going to date me exclusively?” he asked.
I could see where he was going, but I wasn’t sure I was comfortable putting a title on our relationship. “Yes, Jacob, but…” He didn’t let me finish.
“Well, I am not going to be dating anyone but you. We will take things slow, but the terms girlfriend and boyfriend do not mean we are engaged. It just means, at least to me, that we will not be dating other people. Will you be my girlfriend?” I hesitated; he sensed it. “Mia Amata?” He was looking at me worriedly.
“Jacob,” I said. “Have you seriously given this relationship thought? I know we have talked about it; I know you say you love me, but have you really thought about it?”
“Yes, I have,” he replied.
“What will your parents think when you introduce your pregnant girlfriend to them? They are going to dislike me, think I’m a slut or something.” I walked to the window overlooking the deck. He walked over to me. He turned me around to face him, I ducked my head to hide my tears. He pulled me in his arms.
“Oh, Mia. You are not a slut.”
I laughed ruefully. “I’m pregnant with another man’s baby. ”
“How many relationships have you had before me?” he asked.
“One.”
He laughed. “That’s hardly a slut. Listen, Mia Amata, my parents will love you. They will see you as the person you are, not for your past. They will not judge you.” He wiped away my tears with his thumb. “What about your friends and other people? They are going to think you knocked me up?”
“So what? Who cares what they think? Besides,” he said, raising my chin, so I was looking at him, “I’m OK with them thinking that.”
“You are?” I was surprised.
“Definitely, I love kids.” He kissed me. “People will see us together and think, ‘Look at that happy couple expecting their first baby together’.” He kissed me again.
“Jacob,” I said.
“Yes?” he said.
“I will be your girlfriend.”
“Good,” he replied.
It was still early, so we turned on the TV. We were watching a show when a commercial came on for the local hospital, showing their delivery area with a very pregnant woman checking in. I looked at Jacob, “That will be me in a few months, you won’t want me then.”
“Now what are you talking about?” he asked.
“I’ll be fat, not beautiful at all.”
He laughed, “I disagree. I think you will be extremely beautiful.”
“Really?” Raising an eyebrow, not believing a word he said.
He looked at me, running his hand over my stomach, which was showing just a minimal pregnancy bump. “You have a life growing in you. Your body is amazing in that it provides all that a baby needs for the first few months of its life. What could be more beautiful than that?”
Either this man was turning out to be too good to be true, or I was an even bigger fool than ever before.