Chapter 47 Before
Before
The semester was almost over, and Annabelle was beginning to feel optimistic about her future.
She had the resources to ensure that her mother would continue to be well taken care of.
She and Randy were getting along great, and his excitement about the baby was contagious.
Two weeks ago, she had moved in, and it was nice coming home to him every night.
James had moved out a week ago, after buying a house near the beach in Fairfield, but still came over often.
She had a feeling his parents had contributed, but she didn’t ask.
And in another week, she would be starting a position as a digital marketing associate for a public relations firm.
By law, she wasn’t required to disclose her pregnancy, but she did nonetheless, and it hadn’t negatively impacted her chances.
She was showing now, which made it all the more real.
As she was getting dressed, she caught a glimpse of her body in the mirror and was suddenly struck by the miracle of it all.
She ran her hand over her swollen belly.
“Hi, baby. It’s your mama,” she said, feeling a little bit silly.
But then she felt something. It was like a flutter—a brand-new sensation she couldn’t describe exactly.
Then she realized it was a kick. Was her baby responding to her voice?
Tears sprang to Annabelle’s eyes, and for the first time since learning the news, she felt a connection to her unborn child.
She used to think those moms who read to their stomachs were goofy, but now she realized there might be something to it.
She picked up her phone, ready to dial her mother—an instinct that still hadn’t died—but then her elation deflated.
It wasn’t fair. This should be a joyous time to be shared with her mother. She sighed and texted Randy instead.
He texted that he’d be there. She got dressed and was about to head to the door when she got a text from James.
I packed your lunch last night when I stopped over. It’s in the fridge. Candy bars from the vending machine don’t cut it!
Annabelle laughed and went to the kitchen to retrieve the brown paper bag with her name and a smiley face on it. She did need to pay more attention to her nutrition. The prenatal vitamins were not enough on their own.
After her morning classes, she ate her lunch and then decided to take a walk around campus before her afternoon lab.
It was a gorgeous May day and she breathed deeply, enjoying the sensation of the sun on her face.
It was hard to believe that in a little more than three months, the baby would be here.
She needed to start interviewing nannies.
She and Randy had decided to wait to find out the sex.
People kept asking her what she hoped it was.
She thought that was the silliest question; she was going to love this child no matter what it was.
She was about to go back inside when her phone lit up with a text from the university.
Her afternoon class and lab was canceled.
This was a nice surprise. Now she could be there to make sure the crib was set up properly and didn’t have any damage.
Even though she’d asked Randy to make sure, she knew he wouldn’t be as careful about it as she would. She walked to her car and drove home.
Annabelle called out to Randy when she walked into the hallway, but he didn’t answer. She could hear music coming from upstairs. She called his name again as she climbed the stairs to their bedroom.
“Randy?”
The door was shut, and she pushed it open. The first thing she saw was the UConn sweatshirt on the floor. As her eyes moved toward the bed, the second thing she saw was a naked woman lying next to Randy. She froze. Her mouth dropped open, but no sound came out. This couldn’t be happening!
“What the hell?” she finally managed, her voice strangled.
“I thought you said she wasn’t going to be here,” the woman said in a calm voice. Annabelle realized it was Darlene, the girl from last semester who’d come by the house.
“Annabelle. I thought you had class.” Randy looked panicked. Annabelle turned around and ran down the stairs. “Annabelle, wait!” he called after her, but she flew down the hallway and out the door.
She jumped in her car and drove away. How long had he been cheating on her? If her class hadn’t been canceled, she would never have known. What a snake! What was she going to do now? She’d moved out of her house; she had nowhere to go. Tears streamed down her face.
James. He would know what to do.