Chapter 38
Two Months Later
“ W hat ya doin’?” Mitch sneaks up behind me and rests his hands on my stomach. I’m definitely starting to show, and feeling much better now that the sickness has worn off.
“I’m writing a letter to my sister.” I shock and please him at the same time. “I think she should know that she’s getting a niece or a nephew, and I read her letter,” I confess.
“When?” Mitch takes a seat beside me looking intrigued.
“When you were helping Hunter move Annie and Naomi into their new place yesterday. I just felt like it was time.”
“You never told me.” His brows knit together.
“Well, we had a lot going on after,” I remind him, since I’ve taken the leap and let the Carsons in, there's been no going back. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can’t believe I spent so long hiding away from them. I like how it feels to be part of a family, it makes me even more excited for when our little one comes along.
“Ya still should have told me.” He reaches across the table and kisses me.
“I wanted to get everything straight in my head before I wrote this. I need to be strong for when the baby gets here and this is one of the final steps.” I smile at him.
“Well, I’m very proud of ya.” The smile on his face proves it.
“There's something else I need to do before I can move on.” I stand up and head to the bedroom, taking my journal from the top drawer and standing in front of him.
“Samantha told me the best way to heal was to ease up some space in my head and speak out. I didn’t want to face up to those memories, but I wanted so badly to heal so we could get closer. She suggested I write in this journal, she said once I had everything out, the control would be mine. I could decide what to do with those thoughts and memories after.” I look down at the journal in my hands.
“I could keep this forever hidden in a drawer. I could burn it. But I want to share it with you.” I lift my eyes up to his. “I need there to be someone in this world who understands me completely and I want that someone to be you. So, here.” I hand it over to him, feeling fear and relief, all at once. “This is the first chapter of my story. The one that broke me and made me lose all faith in God and humanity.”
“Everleigh.” Mitch looks down at it with tears in his eyes.
“There will be parts that are hard to get past, but knowing the story has a happy ending will get you through.” I smile at him through the happy tears that are blurring my eyes.
“I want to have a relationship with Addison, but I need to focus on our baby. I don’t want to take any steps backward, and I’m explaining that to her in the letter. I hope she understands.”
“She’ll understand, she’s just gonna be happy to hear from ya, darlin’.” He takes me in his arms and pulls me close.
“Thank you,” he whispers as his lips touch the top of my head.
“For what?” I pull away and laugh at him.
“For choosin’ me to share this with, and for lettin’ me be part of the next chapter.”
“Well, I have a feeling the next chapter is gonna be interesting.” I look down at the bump that's resting between us and smile. I’ve started to feel flutters these past few days, and it’s the most incredible feeling in the world. I can’t wait until Mitch can feel it too.
The door crashes open and when Leia bursts inside the excitement on her face tells me Savannah’s suffering is finally over.
“Please tell me she’s had it?” I sigh, knowing how uncomfortable and irritable Savannah’s been getting since she passed her due date last week.
“Oh, she had it.” Leia smiles. “And you won’t believe where.”
“Try us.” Mitch wraps his arm around my neck and pulls my back tight against him.
“At the rodeo last night.” Leia grins. “She never even made it to the hospital. She and Cole are at home with their little girl, right now. We just got back from visiting. I thought you might wanna be next.”
“At the rodeo?” Mitch chuckles.
“I know, it’s so Savannah.” Leia rolls her eyes. “I gotta get back to the car, Dalton’s due a feed, we’ll see ya later.”
“Thanks for letting us know,” I call after her as she rushes back out the door, and when I look over my shoulder at Mitch and smile hopefully, he sighs.
“Come on, let's go meet her.” He grabs his keys
Savannah doesn’t look at all as if she’s just given birth when we get to their cabin. She’s in bed holding her little girl and looking as radiant as ever.
“Congratulations.” I bend over to take a look at the new edition while Mitch shakes Cole’s hand.
“How was it?” I ask nervously.
“Awful,” Cole answers first. “It just happened so fast and then boom , she was here.”
“You did a great job, honey.” Savannah taps his arm sarcastically.
“It wasn’t quite that fast, but honestly, it wasn't that bad. Once I calmed him down.” She smiles at me and makes me feel a little better about what I have coming. “D’ya wanna hold her?” she asks.
“Of course, I do.” I sit on the mattress beside her and let her place her precious, little bundle in my arms.
“Savannah, she’s beautiful.” I look down at her, noting how she has Savannah’s chin and Cole’s nose. I can’t help wondering what features of us mine and Mitch's baby will have when they get here.
“You got a name for her yet?” Mitch asks, peering over my shoulder to take a look for himself.
“Still undecided.” Cole looks at his wife and smiles
“Screw you, I pushed her into the world, so it’s my choice. Her name’s Evie,” Savannah tells us.
“You told me you wanted Beyoncé.” Cole looks stunned and very relieved.
“Baby, you should know by now that I like to keep you on your toes. You liked Evie and she looks like a little Evie. We can call the next one Beyoncé.” She winks at me.
“That’s beautiful.” I stroke my finger over baby Evie’s cheek.
There's a knock at the door and when Hunter steps through it, he loiters awkwardly with a bunch of flowers in his hand.
“Garrett said she’d arrived. These are for you.” He passes them over to Savannah before scratching the back of his head.
“You want to hold her, Hunter?” Savannah offers.
“Oh no, no. You can’t trust these hands with something as delicate as a baby.” He laughs.
“He’s right,” Cole quickly intervenes.
“I just wanted to say congratulations and bring ya the flowers. I’m grateful to ya all for what you’ve done for me and Mom. I know we’re not family, but you’ve sure as hell treated us like it.” He smiles that awkward smile again before he backs up to leave.
“Hey, where ya goin’?” Cole calls him back.
“I figured you and your brothers will be celebrating so there’ll be extra chores to do back at the ranch. I’ll?—”
“We’re all gonna be celebratin’. You included.” Cole makes his way around the bed and lifts his little girl out of my arms. “I want this little girl to have as many uncles, who know how to shoot straight, as she can get.” He looks down at her lovingly.
“You don’t have to be blood to be family, just loyal.” He looks back up at Hunter who nods his head.
“Guess I better learn how to shoot straight then, huh?” The grin on his face makes us all laugh and after checking Savannah has everything she needs, we leave her to rest for a few hours before the homecoming party, for baby Evie, starts back at the ranch.
“Do you care what we have?” I ask Mitch as he drives us home.
“‘Course I don’t mind, whatever we have it’ll be perfect.” He reaches his hand across the console to pat my stomach proudly.
“Seeing her today just makes everything seem so real, we’re gonna have one of those soon.” I slide my hand over his to keep it there. I love how it feels when Mitch touches me now, it’s a comfort and I can’t believe I spent so long fearing it.
“Trust me, it’s real, so real that we’re gonna have to extend the cabin. I spoke to the boys about it the other day, I reckon we can get somethin’ fixed up before the baby comes.”
“We have plenty of space.” I laugh at him.
“And suppose I want him, or her, to have a brother or sister?” He looks over to me with a mischievous grin on his face.
“There was you saying you felt too old to date me, now you want us to have an army.” I shake my head.
“Well, suddenly I'm feelin’ very young again. I’ve got me a new lease of life,” he tells me as we pull up outside our cabin. I’ve not even opened the door before he’s around my side and helping me out.
“You got any other plans for our future?” I ask as I step up onto the porch.
“It just so happens I do.” He shocks me when he drops down onto one knee and takes off his hat.
“I’ve been thinkin’ of ways I can do this to make it special, but I can’t wait any longer.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring.
“Everleigh, you've changed my life, you’ve brought out a side of me that I never knew existed and I just have to have you as my wife.” He looks up at me and waits for my answer, and I nod my head while I try to overcome all the emotions that have hit me at once. Tears stream down my face as he slides the ring onto my ringer and when he stands back up and kisses me and our baby stirs within me, this moment makes all the dark ones I had to endure suddenly feel worth the fight.