Chapter 29
Pullingour clean laundry out the dryer, I sit on the floor and fold it into a neat pile and place it into the laundry basket before pulling the last of the clean washing out of the washer and popping it into the dryer, turning it on.
Standing, I carry the dry laundry up to our bedroom and put it into piles.
Our bedroom.
It’s not ours. It’s Keaton’s.
I just sleep in here and have done since before Vegas. Leaving Keaton’s clothes out, I take mine and start putting it away when I hear the front door go. My brows pinch when I look at the time, it’s just past eleven.
“Babe?” I call out, walking out into the hallway then get halfway down the stairs when I see my dad standing there looking a mix of angry, sad and defeated. “Dad… I…”
“Ari… Sunshine,” he chokes, stepping forward and I slowly begin to walk towards him and off the bottom step. “Can we talk?”
“Depends… are you going to shout at me?”
And he sighs, dropping his head for a moment and after what feels like a lifetime, he shakes his head from side to side slowly.
“Then yes, we can talk,” I keep my head high, nose slightly lifted as I walk past him, ignoring the urge to throw myself into his arms and let him cuddle me. But I continue forward, moving towards the living area. “Take a seat, can I get you anything? Tea, coffee, water, a dash of betrayal.”
“Ari…”
I sigh, sitting down in the one seat armchair, crossing my legs under myself and wait for him to speak.
He doesn’t. Silence fills the room, and the tension grows until I can’t take it anymore and I hate it.
“What did you want dad, you obviously came here for a reason so just speak or if you can’t find the courage to talk, then you might as well go back to work,” I cross my arms against my chest and eye him.
“Keaton told me…”
My heart races in my chest, eyes widening as I sit and wait for him to explain further because I do not want to trip myself up. But the explanation never comes.
“Told you what?” I finally give in and ask him.
“That you feel like I don’t love you… that you think I am going to leave you just like your…” and he pauses, closing his eyes for just a moment before he swallows and I watch as his throat bobs. “Mom did,” he finally says, and I feel a small pain sear through my heart. Not at the thought of my mom, I don’t remember her at all, and she is irrelevant in my life to be honest, but at how much that must have hurt him to hear from his best friend.
“Ari, I will never replace you, I will never leave you… you are my daughter, and you will always be my daughter. Just because I am having a baby with Amora doesn’t mean that I am going to replace you with that baby…”
My eyes are watering and there is an ache in my chest that runs so deep I am worried I won’t be able to rub it out even if I wanted to.
“I’m just…” I pause because I don’t even know what I want to say to him, I just feel so overwhelmed by the conversation and a mix of emotions flood me, water cascading over me until I am unable to keep my head above the surface.
“I know… and I went about all of this in the wrong way, and I know that, I never planned to tell anyone before I told you, but then Kaleb took me to the bar and I don’t know, it all just went in a different direction. I was nervous about you finding out and I had it all planned out on how I was going to tell you. But everyone was there apart from you and I don’t know why, but I just… I suppose, I panicked.”
I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek.
“I know you can’t just forgive me, but I will be waiting for you when you’re ready.”
“Dad…” I pause for a moment and suck in a deep breath. The thing is, I have so much that I need to tell him too, but I am not ready for that conversation yet and honestly, I don’t know when I will be. It’s not just that I married Keaton and it was both of our ideas and not a drunken mistake. It’s the fact that I have dropped out of med school, I am soon to become a manager for the gentleman’s club I work for and lastly, I am pregnant with a baby and I am not sure who the dad is, so yeah. Now honestly is not the time for my truths just yet.
I stand up just as he does and this time, I do throw myself into him, waiting for his arms to fold around me and keep me close so I can listen to the sound of his steady heartbeat, only it is not steady. It is racing under his skin and it makes me smile knowing that he is no doubt feeling as nervous as I am.
We break away and I sit back down, my dad sitting a little closer to me.
“How’s work?”
I swallow.
“Going well.”
“I’m assuming you passed your exams?” he is smiling so wide and my stomach knots.
“With flying colors.”
“Just like I knew you would,” and the pride is seeping out of him, and guilt crushes me whole. I was such a bad daughter.
“Just put me out my misery… was your marriage a black out drunk moment?” I could say yes and make it easier for him. But I don’t.
“No; we were drunk, but we planned it before we got drunk and well, you know what I am like and you know what Keaton is like, neither of us wanted to back down and well the rest is history.”
“Oh god,” he places his face into his hands and scrubs his face.
“Look, you can’t judge, you married your client and got her pregnant so…”
“Fair.” He smirks and silence fills the room, and we just stare at each other. Somehow fixing the broken parts of our hearts, letting them sew themselves back together.
“We good?” he asks.
“Yeah dad, we’re good.” I smile at him before we lose ourselves in easy conversation as we catch up on each other’s life over the last three months that we have both missed out on.
We both stand,it’s late afternoon and I am just seeing him out the door.
“Thank you for coming by,” I lean against the front door as he steps out into the cold winter’s breeze.
“You can thank your…”
“Husband,” I wink.
“Keaton,” for that, “he threw me the keys and told me that you were at home.”
“Of course, he did.”
“Hey, it was the least he could do, plus I did plant a fist to his jaw just before I walked out…” and my eyes widen at my dad.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I did, it was the right thing to do,” he smiles too proudly for my liking, stepping closer to me and giving me a kiss on the top of the head. “You’re my baby, he overstepped the mark.”
And I nod, because he is right. But he wasn’t the only one who overstepped the mark. We both crossed that line.
“And please, can I sort a date out for you to meet Amora soon, you really would like her. I promise.”
“Can I think about it?”
I just felt so overwhelmed by everything over the last couple of hours that I just needed to have a few hours to let everything settle down.
“Sure,” and I can hear the pain in his voice, but he brushes it off like he always does.
“Thanks dad, I love you.”
“Not as much as I love you, Sunshine.”
He wraps his arms around me again and gives me one last cuddle before he turns and walks away.
I watch him drive into the distance and I rub the ache out of my chest that has presented itself and set up camp.
Closing the door, my back presses against the cool door and I have no idea why, but I crumble into a pool of tears.
The day has flown,and I am now on a countdown to Keaton walking through the door. It has just turned five. I don’t want to be his keeper and I definitely do not want to be the kind of woman that cooks his dinner and has it ready for him and waiting every day, but I also would like to do something as a thank you for him sending my dad around. He didn’t have to do that and I know it must have been awful for him as my dad would have been furious with it all and the fact that my dad punched Keaton because of what we had done… I owed him it all.
Once my dad had left, I got myself showered and changed into weather appropriate clothes and walked towards the small store on the corner of Hamilton Heights to grab stuff for dinner and a bottle of red. I got carded, I mean, of course I did.
Walking out onto the sidewalk, the city air was cold and had a nip to it now the evening was drawing in. Walking a little quicker to keep warm, I could see the light on outside Keaton’s and I can’t wait for him to be home. Letting myself in, I kick my boots off and place the grocery bag on the side table and hang my coat up. Closing the door of the cupboard, I walk down the hallway and into the warm kitchen. Turning the stove on, I fill the saucepan with water and bring it to the boil then add the spaghetti. Heating a pan, I throw in the onions, carrots and garlic before tossing in the mince, cooking it until its browned and then adding the meat sauce. I’m not going to lie, it smells divine.
I hear the front door go and I give myself the once over in the reflection of the glass and I am glad that I decided to put on an apron with nothing underneath. Once we’re finished with dinner I am going to show him how thankful I am to him.
“Baby?” he calls out, his deep voice floating down the long hallway to the back of the house where I am waiting for him.
The table is set, his wine is poured, and dinner is ready to be dished up.
He walks down towards me and clings onto takeout.
“Wanted to surprise you with dinner,” he smirks when he looks at the candlelit room and drops the takeout bag on the countertop. “But this looks a lot more appealing,” he wraps his arm around the back of me and his brows lift when he realizes that I am completely bare underneath.
“I wanted to surprise you with a homecooked dinner,” I trace my finger over his shoulder and run them along the stubble down his jaw line. He winces. Redness blemishes across his cheek and jaw.
“Well, you definitely surprised me,” he smirks, his arms locking round my body as he pulls me close, his lips hovering over mine.
“How pissed would you be if I said let’s skip dinner?” his lips brush against mine and my whole body reacts.
“Pissed…” I smirk, locking my hands round his neck.
“Fine, let’s eat, then I want the whole evening with you.”
“Deal,” I wink before he gives me one last kiss then lets me go and I instantly miss him.
Hate that.
I plate up and he is sitting at the table, his hungry eyes pinned to me the whole time and I feel my skin flame under his heated gaze.
“Stop staring.”
“Can’t help it, my wife is just too hot,” and my cheeks pinch crimson. Facing him, my brown hair sits in loose waves just past my shoulders and I saunter my way over to where he is sitting, placing his food down in front of him.
“This looks delicious.”
And I am sure he is just being kind.
Sitting next to him, his hand rests over mine and my heart thrums in my chest.
“I just wanted to say thank you.”
“For?” he asks, but a knowing smirk tugs at his lips as he spins his spaghetti onto his fork and pops it into his hot mouth.
“You know what, don’t make me say it,” I blush, and I have no idea why.
“Look, it was the least I could do. It was even worth the kick to the ribs and the fist to my jaw.”
My eyes widen.
“I’m kidding,” he winks at me but I know deep down he isn’t.
I know my dad.
And I know Keaton.
And the ache in my chest is back, and this time, I can’t rub it out.
“WishI could be with you today,” Keaton says between kisses, his hands clasped round my face.
“I know,” I whisper against his lips, “me too, but you have your big work meeting,” I sigh, shoulders sagging forward slightly.
“I can always play hooky,” he smirks, his arms looped round my waist, and I never want him to let me go.
“You”re forty-seven, not seventeen. Hooky,” I laugh, shaking my head from side to side.
“Fair.” He sighs, “Any problems, you promise you”ll call me?”
“Of course,” I nod, and I don”t want him to see how nervous I am feeling. I am petrified.
“Okay, I...” he pauses and his brows furrow as if he is trying to fathom how to speak the words he wants to.
“I know, me too,” I smile, pressing onto my tip toes and letting our lips slant once more before he steps away and walks out of the front door. Once he is gone, I let out a heavy exhale of breath and walk towards my bedroom. I needed to get ready for my appointment with my OBGYN. Keaton found the best of the best, and luckily, she is still in Manhattan and just off sixth avenue. I may even get a chance to have a little look around the shops.
Sage gave me three weeks off after we flew home from Vegas, I think she was worried about me and wanted to give me some time to let it all settle in. I mean, married and pregnant all before my twenty-second birthday in a few weeks. Dad has been amazing and has arranged for an intimate dinner with Nate, Killian, Keaton (of course) and Kaleb. I said he could bring Amora, but I would like to meet her by myself first before being thrown into the deep end without a float.
I dress in mom jeans, sneakers and a long-sleeved tee. Casual. Comfortable. Everything feels tight around my stomach after lunch time, so I am making the most of wearing jeans until I am home from my appointment and stripping into sweatpants. Reaching for my NYC cap, I place it over my head and push my glasses up my nose. I wasn”t feeling contacts today and my head was hurting. Grabbing my keys, I jog down the stairs and fill up my insulated cup with water and drink a few mouthfuls. You just can”t beat the first few sips of water.
Stopping in front of the long mirror in the hallway, I rub some lip balm into my dry lips thanks to the lovely cold New York weather that seems to be blasting through the city this week. We”re nearing the end of October, and we have a cold spell hanging over the city and I am hoping it”s gone by thanksgiving. I like the crisp autumn days, not the bitterly cold. Grabbing my long black puffer coat, I shrug it on and toss my phone, lip balm and keys into my shoulder bag. I didn”t feel too good this morning with a bout of sickness but luckily, it subsided after an hour or so, but the flush of nausea still swept over me every now and again.
Inhaling deeply, I open the front door and brace myself for the coldness that welcomes me once I step out onto Keaton”s front step. Locking the door behind me, I pull my coat close to my body, wrapping it round me like a duvet and start my walk up to sixth avenue to the clinic for my eleven a.m. appointment. I would be lying if I said I wasn”t nervous, but also, a slither of excitement bubbled inside of me. The thought of having a little baby growing inside of me and being all of mine and hopefully Keaton”s. But the way my luck goes, it”ll be the asshole from my cam chat. That reminded me that I needed to log on and delete it all. I couldn”t face it. That one moment scarred me for life and though the evening could have gone a lot worse, I am so angry at myself for agreeing to go. I knew it was wrong, but I was craving something, chasing something, but I didn”t know what it was. Maybe where I was so alone, I felt like I was already at rock bottom and just wanted to feel something other than hurt and betrayal. I just wanted to feel. How sad is that? I sounded pathetic. Letting my head drop, I keep my eyes down as I walk, lost in my thoughts to the clinic.
Climbing the steps, I walk into the clinically clean clinic and past the receptionist who buzzed me in and sent me up to Doctor Kyra”s waiting room. Pushing through the door, my eyes scan the room at the artwork on the wall, scattered with the odd poster of babies, pregnant bellies and families with their bundles of joy. The seats were decent cloth armchairs on black wooden frames, a large square coffee table sat in the middle with a few magazines and a pretty plant sat potted on the glass. It didn”t smell like a typical doctors waiting room; it was warm and smelt of citrus. I took a seat in the corner, a few eyes scanned over me. Some ladies were by themselves, some with partners and a couple with their surrogate who I overheard talking about how grateful they were and my heart warmed. And never did I want Keaton here more than I did now. Sage did offer to come with me, but I said I was okay going by myself. I wasn”t. But I didn’t want to be that girl. I had to get on with it by myself, because, truthfully, Keaton might not be here through it all. I know he has promised that he will be, but promises can be easily broken. If this baby turns out not to be his, he has every right to walk away. Who would I be to force him to stay just because I love him.
I reach for a magazine and begin flicking through the pages, not reading, just trying to keep myself busy so I don”t drown in my thoughts. I”m not sat long when an impeccably dressed woman steps out, looking down at her notes and calling my name out. I stand, pushing a false smile onto my lips and walking into the room.
“Hey Arizona, I”m Kyra. Nice to meet you.” She sticks her hand out and I shake it softly. She”s British. Kind eyes, cold hands and a warm heart. Or that”s how the saying goes.
“Hi,” I manage, mumbling my words as I take my seat.
“How have you been feeling?” she sits at her desk, clicking on her mouse and tapping on her keyboard.
“Yeah okay, had some sickness, but nothing too terrible,” I give her a nod and lock my fingers together in front of me.
“And when was your last period?” She asks, looking up from her screen now.
“I know I had one last month, around the third of the month,“ I blush, “I think,” and I am annoyed that I can”t remember the exact date.
“And the test said two to three weeks, is that correct?” her eyes are back on the screen and her fingers dance over her keyboard.
“Yes,” I swallow the thickness and suddenly, I am feeling hot. Too hot. I strip my coat off me, running my finger round the neckline of my crew tee.
“You okay?“
“Just a little hot, I think where I have been outside in the cold weather and now in the warm room,” I give her a weak smile and reach for my water, taking a sip.
“Just take a moment,” she crosses her hands over and waits for my hot flush to pass.
“I”m good,” I nod, taking another mouthful.
“Perfect,” she flashes her toothy grin at me, “and is there a father involved?”
Her question feels a little too personal. I know it”s not and I shouldn”t feel like she is judging me, but I totally feel like she is judging me.
“Yes,” I nod, “there is a father.”
“And you have a good support system around you?” she continues, and nerves cripple me.
“Yes, I have my dad, my friends,” my voice is filled with confidence when on the inside I feel like I am dying.
“Okay, I want to get some bloods done and then we will get you on the table for your ultrasound. I”ll call the nurse in then send you back outside for ten whilst I go through the results, is that okay?” she asks, but I don”t actually feel like I have a choice.
“Yes.”
I hate blood tests. Never liked taking them at work either. I know why she is asking all of these questions, this is my field, well, sort of. But I”m not a silly twenty-one-year-old.
She presses a button on her phone, and an older lady walks in with a trolley with a tray on top filled with everything she needs.
“Hello love,” she smiles sweetly at me as I roll my sleeve up to give her access to my vein. She presses a couple of times with her gloved fingers, her eyes moving from mine to my arm. “Are you nervous?”
“A little,” I admit, “shouldn”t be, I’m a first-year med student,” I say a little too proudly seeing as I am a fraud.
“You’ve achieved a lot for such a young age,” Dr Kyra states as she looks at my date of birth, I’m assuming.
“I was an over-achiever, really clever actually...” I pause for a moment when I feel the scratch on the crease of my elbow, “probably wouldn”t think it seeing as I am sitting here at the age I am and pregnant.”
“These things happen,” Kyra smiles, “birth control isn”t always one hundred percent, you know that though don”t you,” and I nod. She wasn”t being condescending, she was quite nice actually. Not a bitch. Maybe a little judgmental but hey, I would be the same if I was her.
“Okay,” the nurse says as she places a cotton ball on where she took blood and tapes it in place, “that”s all done, go and take a seat in the waiting room.” She gives me a kind smile and I stand up, moving towards the door and back into the busy waiting room.
Pulling my phone out, I smile when I see a message from Keaton.
Keaton
Hey baby, this meeting is a snore fest. All okay? x
I scoff.
Me
Hey, all okay. Just had bloods to check my hormone levels, then will be ultrasound time xx
I see the three dots pop up.
Keaton
Does that mean something is wrong? Your dad has just left, he got out of it. Lucky bastard. xx
I sigh.
Me
No, they sometimes do it to work out how far along you are. Stop worrying, everything will be okay. Now, go, enjoy your meeting and I”ll call you when I am out xx
Keaton
Okay wife, xo.
Wife. My heart melts. Keaton replaced my tacky pink diamond ring with a thin gold band, and I love it. I did protest a little, but it”s perfect. He still has the one from Vegas and he told me he is never taking it off.
“Arizona?” I hear Dr Kyra call me forward again and I push out of my seat and back into her office.
I re-take my seat as she pulls up my file on her computer once more.
“Okay, so your HCG levels are a lot higher than they should be for how far along you are. Could you be a little further?” My heart sinks, because if I am further, it will more than likely be my mystery man and not Keaton’s baby.
“I mean, there is a possibility. I know you can still have periods and be pregnant,” I breathe out, my voice quiet.
“Come lay down, let me take a look at your womb,” she smiles a bit too happy at the thought of that. I shake it off, laying on the bed and tucking the hem of my tee under my bra wire.
She squirts the cool gel on my belly, then takes her seat, reaches for the probe and she presses it against my lower stomach. I can hear her clicking the buttons as she takes measurements and I pray everything is okay.
“Well, I suppose this explains the high HCG levels,” she smiles as she spins the screen around and my eyes widen as soon as they land on the black and white fuzziness that is in front of me.
“No way,” I whisper.
And there on the screen in front of me is two sacks and two little beans.
“Twins,” me and Kyra say in unison.
“One placenta which means they”re going to be identical...” she beams as she starts printing out pictures of the inside of my womb. “You”re around six weeks. Due date 28th May, but as you know I am sure, twins normally come early. We will try and keep them inside as long as we can. Ideally…” and I switch off, I am too busy staring at the two little flickering heartbeats on the screen.
“Can”t believe I can see their heartbeats,” I mutter to myself.
“I know, a little early but amazing for you,” she stands and wipes the gel from my stomach before helping me up. “I will get you some prenatal vitamins and we can book your next appointment and ultrasound in,” she sits back at her desk, drying her wet hands on a hand towel then sanitizing them.
I just nod.
I am numb as I try and work out in my head the dates and who the father may be.
“How does the beginning of November sound?”
“That works,” I rub my lips together as I lift my eyes to meet hers.
I have no idea how I am feeling in all honesty. I was excited when I walked in, and now, well...
“That”s all booked in, I also booked another scan for December, your vitamins will be at the front desk,” she stands and shakes my hand once more before seeing me out into the waiting room.
We both say goodbye and I walk towards the front desk where a young girl smiles at me.
“I need to pick up some prenatal vitamins,” I lean my elbows on the light wood surface.
“Name?”
“Arizona King,” she nods, tapping on her computer then opening her drawer and pulling out my medication. I thank her and turn, when I see a pretty redhead woman standing in front of me. Pale skin, eyes different colors. One ice blue, one dark brown and freckles scattered across her nose. Of course.
“Arizona,” she says softly, and I know before she even introduces herself who she is.
“Amora,” I stand a little taller, my eyes falling to her round stomach and my heart skips a beat.
“Your dad is just parking the car, we have an appointment...” and her words are like a warning, giving me the heads up to get the fuck out of this clinic before he walks through the door.
“Hear you loud and clear,” I give her a weak smile and step forward, “thank you,” I whisper just as I pass her and disappear out onto the streets before I bump into my dad. I don’t want to have to explain that not only did I marry Keaton, I was pregnant with his babies. Maybe. I hoped.
Fuck.
Walking onto the sidewalk, my mind was occupied with everything and anything to do with the baby, but there wasn”t just a baby. There were two. Twins. Identical twins. And I wish that it would have made it official that the babies were Keaton”s by being twins, but identical twins are not genetic. Keaton and Kaleb were not identical. They were a genetic set of twins. I just got lucky, or unlucky, I suppose it”s how you look at it. Cup half full, cup half empty and at the moment I was feeling more like a cup half empty kind of girl. And I shouldn”t. I should be elated that I have two healthy babies inside of me and growing, but I just feel dread and fear. I want these babies to be Keaton”s and not the mystery guy’s. Keaton says he doesn”t mind, but will he once the babies are born and they look nothing like him? Will he reject me and them? Maybe he would feel like he has bitten off more than he can chew when he finally comes to the realisation that this is really happening. That I am having a baby, sorry, two babies and that he may or may not be ready for this huge change in his life. Because let’s face it, everything is going to change once these kids are in the world. He never wanted kids from my understanding and from what I eavesdropped when he and my dad used to speak about him and Satan.
Sighing when I walk onto Hamilton Heights, my head lifts from the floor and my eyes settle on the light outside Keaton”s house. My heart feels heavy, and my chest aches with an unbearable weight that I can”t seem to shift. I stall for just a moment, the fine rain beginning to dampen my dry skin and I try and figure out what I am going to say to him, figure out how I can tell him that he doesn”t have to be here if this is not what he really wants. Even though we”re married, even though he probably feels he needs to be by my side throughout just because we got drunkenly married in Vegas. My legs begin to move, and I know once I am inside the front door, all of this becomes a little more real and I will be on countdown until he gets home.
Until I tell him I am moving out. Until I tell him that this isn”t going to work and I don”t care how much he begs and pleads, I need to do this for me. I was moving out before Vegas, nothing has changed on that part. We needed this. We never discussed an us. I don”t think there would have been an us if it wasn”t for Vegas and now my pregnancy. This was the right thing to do, I knew that deep down and so did he. And once my head was straight and I was settled in a new apartment, I was going to make a new appointment with Doctor Kyra and see if I can find out who the dad is. I knew this could be done, I had seen it done at hospital when I was shadowing and learning for my internship, but for some reason, I felt like I was doubting myself.
Pushing through the front door, my clothes felt heavy and the water from my hair dripped down my face, running down my nose and off the tip. I hang my wet coat up, slipping my shoes off before I carry myself upstairs and climb into the shower, letting the hot water wash the day off of my tired body. Wrapped in a fluffy towel, I walk into my room and my eyes find my laptop that has collected dust over the last month. Guilt pangs through me for some reason and I have no idea why, but it makes me feel uneasy, my stomach knotting and swirling with apprehension. Moving forward, I grab my laptop and place it on charge, leaving it for ten whilst I get changed and towel dry my hair.
Dressed in leggings and an oversized tee of Keaton”s, I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply. I will never tire of his smell. Falling onto my bed with a sigh, I reach for my laptop and open the lid. I wait for it to load then pop my password in and open my cam page. Nerves drum in my chest, my stomach swirling at the thought of signing back in and that”s when I see a message from TallDarkandHandsome.
I hope you enjoyed Vegas... seems I have more of a hold on you now than I did before... you might run Vixen, but you can”t hide. I”m coming for you.
My blood runs cold and sickness swarms in my stomach, goosebumps prickle at my skin and my palms are damp. I delete my account before slamming down the lid of my laptop. I am up and moving across the floor to the bathroom where I fall to my knees and hurl the contents of my stomach up and now, I am not sure if this is pregnancy sickness or sickness out of dread and fear. What the fuck did the cryptic message mean? I can”t tell anyone. Just need to keep my head down and my wits about me. I can”t run from work, I needed this and truthfully, I needed the money more. Wiping my mouth, I stand and splash my face with cool water. This was not happening.
I hear the front door close, followed by Keaton”s voice travelling down the narrow, long hallway.
“Baby?” he calls out and I run to the top of the stairs, his eyes on mine in an instant and he looks frantic. Worry is etched all over his face and all I can do is run to him, letting his arms envelope and fold me into his chest, my head against his racing heart. “Are you okay? I never heard from you after your appointment.”
Realisation smacks me in the face at his words. I was meant to message him and let him know that everything was okay, but I was so focused on myself that I forgot.
“I”m so sorry,” I whispered, clinging onto him like he was my lifeline.
“Is everything okay Ari?” he asks me, and I lift my head to look at him, wide eyes blinking as I do.
I nod, tears pricking my eyes but I”m not sure if they”re happy or sad tears. Mixed emotions swirl deep inside of me, and I can”t decipher what’s what.
“Let me show you,” I whisper, because he deserves to know, and I want to feel some of the excitement that he will feel once I show him the ultrasound. I reach for my bag and slip out the ultrasound before lacing my fingers with Keaton”s and leading him towards the living room. He looks at me confused, brows furrowed as his beautiful green eyes settle on mine, bouncing back and forth with anticipation.
I hand him the ultrasound and his large hands reach forward, his long fingers gently taking the corner of the picture and I watch as he studies it, and then the crease lines that were deeply dug into his skin slowly start to fade, softening within seconds before his eyes are back on mine.
“Twins?” he blinks at me, and my eyes are streaming, nose running as tears roll down my cheeks. I nod my head yes, hands clasped together and pressed to my lips like I am praying. He stands, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting my feet off the floor, his face buried in the crook of my neck, and I feel wetness on my skin.
He”s crying. Oh be still my heart.
“Baby this is...” he whispers, placing me down and pressing his forehead against mine.
“Scary,”
“It”s amazing,” his lips press against mine and my heart soars like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
“They”re identical,” and I feel him stiffen against me only slightly before his smile creeps onto his lips.
“Ari,” his tone a little edgier, “these babies are mine, blood or not. You”re mine, this, us... we”re a thing. It”s real. You”re my wife and I am your husband. I know you probably think I won”t love these babies if they aren”t mine, but that”s where you”re wrong. I will love them with all I have, I love you with all I have...” and that”s the first time he has ever said the words out loud and my heart crumbles in my chest.
I love you too.