Chapter 26
Strolling along the neighborhood this morning, it’s hard to ignore how beautiful everything looks, even though we’re still in the dead of winter. The trees lack leaves and the regular beauty that comes along with spring, but something about the promise of the warmer climate in the months to come brings with it a sense of a new beginning. I know for Grant and me, it brings a new start to our lives together.
I touch my belly, an automatic reaction I have found myself doing since Grant left, and I feel the smile on my face grow. I can’t wait to feel those little flutters that will then escalate to kicks, something I know we are both excited for as we move forward through the pregnancy.
Each time I speak to Grant, he’s quick to ask how we are doing, not just me. The fact he has welcomed this change is something that I knew he would do, yet it still catches me by surprise. For so long, I pushed this away, the possibility of more, because I was hurting from the pain of my past.
I lived life without really dreaming bigger because surviving each day felt like the biggest hurdle. I love the life I have built for myself since I moved to the city. The strength I’ve given myself to get up each new day and try to do better than the last was no easy feat, but I know that with this new chapter beginning, I will feel like I have been given another chance at a part of a life I previously lost.
I’m well aware that I will never be that exact same Laney from nearly twelve years ago. I know that I walked away from that trauma a different person, but I’ve worked on putting my best foot forward. I may have kept myself at a distance from many people and experiences, but I didn’t fully shut down. Many classmates I had kept in touch with in the very beginning had turned to ways to release their stress and found themselves completely different versions of who they could have been.
I don’t blame them. I understand their pull toward something that numbed that pain. It crossed my mind multiple times. I suffered. I imagined what it would be like to pick up something, anything, to simply take me away from my thoughts. If it weren’t for my family getting me the help that truly saved my life, I would have fallen down into the pits of despair. Therapy, guidance, and good support kept me from seeking something that may have caused me to completely get pulled down a hole that would have left me in more darkness than I was already in.
I reach the yoga studio and find a few students walking out of the last hot class. A part of me watches them, their smiles infectious, as they try to bundle themselves up after being in a hot room for the last hour. I will say if there’s one thing I already miss, it is the movements in those hot rooms. There’s something detoxing about that heat and the muscles moving that really helped me focus in my practice.
I reach the door, and as I’m about to pull the door open, I see a hand reach ahead of me and grab the handle. I look back to see Tad standing behind me, his smile there but not reaching his eyes.
“Hey, Tad. It’s good to see you.” I smile at him. I will always be grateful for his help that day I fainted. I know that seeing someone faint can be too much for some, but from what I was told by those students who were there, many took the lead and helped bring me aid, Tad being one of them.
“Hi, Laney. You feeling okay?” I haven’t seen him since that day I fainted, although I haven’t been back to the studio for much time since the incident.
“Yeah. Much better. Seems I’ll just have to lay off the hot classes for a few more months, then I’ll have the all clear.”
I walk toward the back of the studio, pulling out my lock to put my things in a locker. I have back-to-back yin classes today, and I am so incredibly excited for them. If I can’t be in a hot class, yin is my next favorite practice. I added new classes to the schedule as I am limited in my movements still, per Becca.
Tad hasn’t said anything, and it causes me to look back to see if he’s still trailing behind me. I find him following me, his gaze down, his eyebrows drawn together.
“What do you mean you’re laying off the hot classes?” He looks completely confused, and I realize maybe word hasn’t gotten around about my pregnancy.
Each time I get to tell someone that I’m expecting, I find myself smiling to the point that my face hurts. Right now is no different.
“Oh, um, I’m pregnant.” My voice always raises a bit at the end when I tell people. I sound like a kid letting this personal secret out.
The moment I tell Tad my news, I see his shoulders stiffen, and the hard look on his face is almost immediate. But then, as fast as his reaction was there, it disappears.
“Wow. Congrats.” Sadly, his words don’t match his tone. He sounds less than thrilled, and I honestly don’t have the time to dwell on it. Many don’t know about my past in Wyoming, so they don’t realize how much I have gone through in my short life already. But his reaction lacks any depth and that”s off-putting.
It’s unimaginable to people, and I try to keep my personal life outside of the studio. The only problem is you can’t quite hide a pregnancy bump with yoga pants and tight tops. It’s better I let the cat, or baby in this instance, out of the bag now. Plus, each day that passes, Becca feels more confident that the IUD did not hinder me from continuing this pregnancy.
I tried to show Grant I was fine, but inside I felt so scared of doing too much and harming this baby. She keeps telling me that I”ve lived too much of my life walking on eggshells. I”ve leaned on my sister and Becca a lot in the last few weeks. Becca wants me to embrace this new step forward with as much love and excitement as possible.
“Thanks, Tad.” I smile again and turn away to finish putting my personal belongings in the locker. I place my phone on airplane mode and get my playlist ready for me to cue the music once I get into class.
“Is it his?” Tad’s voice is low, but it startles me nonetheless.
“I’m sorry?” I have never had super personal conversations with any of my students, so this feels out of my comfort zone.
“Is that guy from a few months back the dad? The tall one with the bright eyes?” He’s seen Grant for an instant, and he remembers his features down to the eye color. It leaves me unsettled, but I try to brush it aside.
“Yes. Grant is the father.” I push through the doors into the yoga room to make sure everything is in order for the next class. Some students are already setting up, and I make sure I am mindful of their space as they sometimes arrive early to meditate.
I can feel Tad’s presence behind me, but luckily, I don’t hear any more questions from him as I move around the room, plugging in my phone and distributing yoga blocks and bolsters.
I make my way out the door, grab a water bottle, and speak to Serena, who just finished teaching the last hot class. She’s finishing up cleaning the floors of the studio.
“Hey. You teaching another one after this, or are you done for the day?” Our schedules got moved around now with the holidays behind us, and some shifts have been rotated. Yoga studios aren’t open at all hours of the day, and there’s usually an extended gap after lunch where no teachers are here, and the studio is closed. We open back up when we know more people are coming from work or after school for a class.
“No. This was my last one for the day. Tyson will be teaching one at three p.m., and then I think Nora will be here for some classes later tonight. Are you good to teach your classes then close up?” She’s mopping the floor right at the entrance to that yoga room as I am at the front desk, scanning the schedule.
“Don’t worry about it. My yin classes are so chill. I’ll finish them, and then I’ll head home. I’ll be done for the day after that and lock up.”
“Okay. Sounds good. I have about another ten minutes here, and I may wash up and then head out. I have a date tonight, so I have to get ready.” She winks at me, and I smile back. Serena is newer here, but in the short time she’s worked with us, I’ve really grown to enjoy her company. She’s always telling me about her weird dates with guys from whatever the latest dating app is the new craze. I bet she and Olive could exchange some strange stories. Last I heard, Liv had given up on men because the last few dates were that bad.
I wave goodbye to Serena, wishing her luck on her date, and head back into the studio. The moment I start the music, I feel my body instantly relax, and my mind is completely set on the task in front of me. Ensuring my students get the most out of this hour of practice is my biggest wish.
“Laney, that was just what I needed.” I’m at the front desk, ensuring all who were in my class are accounted for on my roster. The timing of this session makes it very difficult to get a full class, but I had a good number of students in both. Tad, along with two others, stayed for the entire two hours, which I’ve had happen when some students need to get a longer break.
I’m focused on the screen in front of me until the last student walks out the door. I lock the front door before I head back to the room, ready to clean up. I notice all the mats have been pulled and placed back, so I go ahead and grab some towels to begin cleaning up. As I enter the room again, the door closes behind me.
I jump, startled to find a student left behind when I thought it was just me in the studio. My heart is already racing when I notice Tad standing in my way, making it impossible for me to pass.
“You scared me, Tad. I thought everyone had left.” I bring my hand to my chest, hoping to calm the racing beat beneath my palm.
“Yeah, that’s the thing. I’m nearly always dismissed by those around me.” He stands there, that quiet student I was so used to now replaced by someone completely different.
His posture is contradictory to the shy person I’ve grown accustomed to. His features are stone cold as his eyes narrow, taking me in. This isn’t the Tad I have gotten to know since he started frequenting the studio.
“What do you mean?” I feel completely lost by his comment. I’m used to him being shy, maybe a little uncomfortable in crowds when we”d have packed classes. I never felt drawn to him, but I will say that his aversion to crowded places was the one thing I thought we had in common. Although I tried to show myself as confident when I was in class, I was never fully comfortable if we had a class that was so packed, students were mat to mat.
“Tsk, tsk, Laney. Come on. Let’s be honest. You never saw me. You just saw some weak guy that came to your classes.” He’s still standing at the door, blocking my exit, and I feel the panic set in because I know that whatever he’s trying to accomplish here isn’t a situation I want to be stuck in.
He continues, “You never saw me each time I watched you from afar. At that club, grinding yourself against him. Or outside of the hospital. Or at the damn theater!” Realization dawns on me that he’s been following me outside of the studio and I can’t help the unease that rolls through me.
“Listen, Tad. You’ve always been super kind. That’s what I saw each time I had you in my classes.” I’m trying to keep my voice calm and even, but I can sense the unease in my words.
“Don’t placate me, Laney. You think I’m stupid too?” He yells the last part at me. I can tell my kindness is being taken as a form of offense to him, and it’s not making the situation better. It’s only feeding this anger he has within him.
“Tad. I’m so confused. Please tell me what’s going on. Is this because I didn’t agree to go out on a date with you?” The moment I say it, I regret it. The look on his face proves that my question was a step in the wrong direction.
A creepy chuckle escapes his mouth, and it causes the hairs on my arm to stand. “You think that your rejection is what’s upsetting me right now? No, your inability to see what’s best for you is what is infuriating me right now. You think I don’t know the kind of guy Grant is for you? And now you’re having his baby.” He’s shaking his head in disgust, and I’m feeling even more clueless now than I did when he first trapped me in here.
“Seriously, Tad. What is it? Did I do or say something to hurt your feelings?” He starts to laugh harder now, and it only pulls me further into a pit of fear. I feel like I’m on the outside looking in.
“Laney, listen. You are someone I saw a future with. I saw something special in you, but now I see you’re no different than the rest of them. You just brushed me aside like the rest always have. I mean, look, we lived through the same experiences, like our lives are parallels of each other, and you still don’t see how special we could have had it.”
Now I’m getting mad. He keeps talking around whatever fucked up notion he has conjured up, and I really need to understand what it is that he’s referring to. Parallel lives? What the hell is he talking about?
The thing is, Tad is bigger than me. He isn’t as tall as Grant by any means, but he’s stalkier. Add to the fact that I’m pregnant, I will not jeopardize my baby by physically struggling with him so I can get free. I have to be smart about my next move.
My phone is too far from me to call for help. It’s still connected to the audio system in this room and in airplane mode. My one hope on that front is that someone will find that my absence at home is worrisome and come looking for me at some point.
I have something bigger than myself to live for, and I will not live a life of fear when it comes to this man in front of me. I have faced the ugliest of demons, and I will not cower anymore. That’s what my therapist always told me. No matter how much I might run from the darkness, it always finds a way back in when we least expect it.
For years, I had prepared for the nightmares. For so long, I expected to be swept down into the depths of depression. But never in all my time did I expect myself to be trapped with some crazy person that keeps talking in code, never getting to the damn point.
I pinch the area between my eyes, the headache already starting because my anxiety is through the roof. “Tad, I’m begging you. Please tell me what you’re referring to. Nothing you’re saying makes sense.”
“Of course, it doesn’t make sense. I’m the only one who was seeing what we could have been with clear eyes. You’ve been ignoring this thing between us, and now here we are, you carrying another man’s baby.” He begins to pace in front of the door. I can’t run out without him grabbing me. “You”ve ruined everything!” he yells, and throws his arms up toward the ceiling.
His tone is escalating, and I am still frozen in the spot I was when he first got my attention. With his rising anger, I feel the first tear fall down my left cheek. I keep my eyes on him, hoping that if I remain quiet, he’ll continue to explain his behavior, maybe moving a bit to his right and giving me an opportunity to leave this room.
“Laney, you and I are meant for one another. I thought that’s what I had with Nori, but with you, it’s stronger. Nori didn’t know any better. She leaned on me when she needed to use me, and then she left me behind. She and I lived through the worst day together but then she used me to feel better. Then she tossed me aside. But you and I? We are meant to be together. We both lived through the unthinkable, and we’re here, crossing paths. It’s meant to be.”
The moment he says we’ve lived through the unthinkable, I feel like I’m going to be sick. Was he there?
“Were you at my school that day, Tad?” I whisper. It’s hard for me to bring up the shooting, and my voice always gets lost beneath the trauma I have left within me from that day.
“No, Laney. I wasn’t there with you. But two years later, I lived the same day you did, except this time, I was left behind, never finding my way back into this life. That is until I found you. You and I belong together. I know our paths didn’t just cross out of coincidence. We lived through a horribly similar event, and I’m just supposed to ignore that?”
His voice raises the more he talks. I can feel his anger, it’s palpable.
“I’m really sorry you went through?—”
“Don’t treat me like a victim, Laney. You’re sounding like everyone else. No one understands what it’s like going through something like that and trying to piece together the life we are left behind with. That day caused me to completely change everything about myself. I walked on this earth, completely shattered, until I met you.”
“Tad, we’ve lived through something horrific, you’re right. And I think it’s incredible you’re standing here with me. We both are able to give life another chance.” I speak as calmly as I can, hoping not to anger him further.
“You sound like a fucking shrink!” I probably do because it’s something I was told very early on when I first survived the shooting. But saying it in this instance, I feel it to my core now that I have perspective from that event. Had I given up years ago on myself, I wouldn’t be able to have what’s about to happen next: a life with Grant and our child.
“The last thing I want you to think is that I’m psychoanalyzing you. I’m being honest. It took me many years, but each moment I got to live, I now see what a gift it is. It’s not a burden.”
“Speak for yourself. It has been a burden for me. But then I entered this yoga studio and took your class. You greeted me and gave me that big smile. I was told to try a class to see if it would help. And sure enough, of all people to teach the class, she is none other than a survivor herself.
“Of course, I didn’t know that at the time. It was simply an attraction that first moment we met. I went home and googled your name, learning more about your yoga journey. It took some time, but I found your name buried in web postings of the shooting in Wyoming, and my heart nearly burst, it was beating so hard. Don’t you get it? We are meant to be.”
I remember my therapist telling me that becoming obsessive could be a coping mechanism after surviving a trauma like I had. I started to show signs of it when I first started practicing yoga. I would practice multiple times a day, diving into it to the point that I ate, drank, and slept yoga. It wasn’t until she saw my behavior sway toward becoming obsessive that she asked me to start weaving in different activities to keep my mind occupied. That’s when I picked up romance books, and from there, I’ve branched out to walking, going outside to spend time with my family, and doing other activities to keep my mind occupied in a more healthy manner.
“Tad, I’m so sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. You’re so incredibly sweet, but?—”
Tad slams his hand against the wall, startling me. I can’t help the tear that escapes, and I feel my hands begin to tremble. This isn’t the same person I’ve gotten to know in my classes throughout the last year.
“Stop, Laney. You’re not understanding me. We are together. Not you and Grant. That’s not how this is supposed to go. I saw everything so clearly the moment I realized we shared so much in common. You are supposed to be with me. You are mine. You’re not his. He will never love you the way I can love you. There’s not a part of me that wouldn’t sacrifice myself to ensure your happiness. That’s what our love would be. It would be divine. You’d forget all about Grant the moment I showed you how I could love you properly.”
I hear how much he believes his words, completely ignoring the fact that this idea is ludicrous. I bow my head in defeat because no matter what I say, he will not let me out until I start to play into this little game he has conjured up in his head.
We stand there, me trying to absorb the situation I’m in while he’s seeing me as his only salvation.
I feel the lump only growing bigger in my throat because what I’m about to say is so far from the truth, but it might be my only salvation out of this situation. I need to get myself to safety, and I need out of this studio to achieve it.
“You’re right, Tad. Grant can’t give me the life you can give me. I was hiding my feelings from you because I felt trapped with Grant, like I owed him.”
At first I think he’s not buying my words. But then he begins to nod, liking how I’m bringing him up while taking Grant down with my confession.
I continue, “If I ever saw my future with anyone, it’s with someone like you. We can get out of here, you can raise this baby as your own, and we can begin anew.”
I speak softly, hoping somewhere deep inside, he will understand that my safety is key right now to ensure the wellbeing of my child first and foremost.
“Exactly, Laney. That’s what I’ve been trying to say. I’m so glad you see it clearly now. Grant is no good. I hate that he got you pregnant, but I can raise that baby as my own. We can do this together. Nothing in life needs to be as difficult for our child as it was for us. We can make sure of it.”
I’m nodding, unable to formulate words as it feels like bile is making its way up my throat. I feel disgusted at myself for what I just said. But I need to keep focused on getting out of here, hoping that once we get outside, someone will be walking by, and I can catch their attention and get away from Tad and his crazy idea of a future together.
I begin to walk toward him, slowly to ensure he won’t see through my lies, moving my hand out for him to grab. The moment he grasps my palm, I want to vomit. I feel disgusted by this man because he’s claiming he loves me by instilling fear in me.
I understand he’s in a fragile state, something I can relate to more than I’d like, but at the same time, it’s hard to see past the hurt he’s causing me. The potential damage he could be posing to me and my baby.
He pushes the door open, and we begin to walk, me trailing ahead of him while he’s got my hand in his. I’m a few steps away from the front entrance of the studio when I feel him tug on my arm, pulling my body back. I turn my attention back on him, even though all I want to do is get outside on the busy street.
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re playing me, aren’t you? You really think I’m that dense?”
Right when this realization dawns on me that my plan may go to shit, I hear a firm banging on the window of the glass door. I swing my gaze back toward the front of the studio and see Becca and Shane at the door. The panic when they see me standing inside with Tad and the doors locked seems to increase their need to get inside.
“Laney, open the door!” Shane yells, his gaze jumping from my eyes to Tad’s.
I look back at Tad, trying to have the same even tone I had in the yoga room but failing as fear begins to creep up with each second that passes.
“They’re going to break the door down. I need to let them in.” I look up at him right then and see the defeat in his gaze, but he doesn’t let go of my hand.
“No, Laney. I’m sorry. But I finally have the ability to have peace and love in my life. I’m not giving that up.” He grabs my upper arm and begins dragging me toward the back door. I can hear Becca screaming while I’m trying to resist him.
He turns his body toward me, trying to get a better grasp on me, and that’s when I find the opportunity to knee him in the balls.
With a curse, Tad falls to the ground, grabbing his groin, his face turning red like a tomato.
I rush toward the front door, my fingers shaking as I put the key in the lock and turn it.
The moment I feel the cold air of the New York winter upon my face, I feel the relief wash over me. Shane bypasses me and goes straight to Tad, bringing his hands behind his back and putting all his weight on Tad’s back to ensure he can’t move. Tad would probably struggle, but the pain he’s still feeling from my fight is keeping him from getting out of Shane’s grasp.
Becca engulfs me in a hug, and I begin to cry. The fear I have rushing through my veins feels like it’s going to consume me. I’ve never been more grateful for the self-defense classes I took with my sister and Becca as I am right now. The moment the three of us were in the same city, we took classes because we didn’t feel comfortable living on our own without some way to protect ourselves.
I hear Becca shushing me as my body shakes from the sobs breaking free.
“You’re okay now, Lane. You’re okay, sweetie. I’ve got you. He won’t hurt you.”
I grasp onto her coat and allow myself to let go. All the emotions from the last thirty minutes pouring out of me.
I’m sitting in the police station after giving my statement. The warm cup in my hand is providing me with the comfort I need while I wait for Becca and Shane to finish speaking to the authorities. The police took Tad into custody, and I’m still baffled by what transpired this afternoon.
I hear footsteps, and I look up to find a flustered Ellie searching the precinct for me. The moment her blue eyes find mine, she rushes toward me.
“Oh my gosh, Lane. I am so sorry.” She pushes my hair aside, searching my face for any pain she’s once seen in my gaze. “Are you okay?”
I nod, the emotion creeping back up and threatening to spill again. I finally find my voice to explain more.
“Yes. The paramedics checked me out before I made it over here. They cleared me, probably because Becca said she’d be taking me back to her office to do a proper assessment. But I don’t feel hurt, and he didn’t do more than tug on my arm really hard.”
The moment I say this, my sister takes the blanket that’s wrapped around my shoulders off to inspect any injuries. There are red marks on my upper arm, but nothing that won’t heal with time. The emotional effect is always way deeper anyway.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” She pulls me into another embrace, and I can feel that it’s more for her comfort than mine. I know how much I’ve put my loved ones through with all the experiences I’ve had, so I let her have this moment to ensure I’m okay. Soon enough, though, her phone is vibrating, and I can almost bet money it’s our parents.
She keeps an arm wrapped around me while grabbing her phone to answer the call.
“Yes, she’s fine. I promise, Mom. No, Dad, the guy isn’t here. No, I will not give him a message.” A second passes, and then she sounds like she’s trying to get through one of those automated calls to reach an operator. “No. Yes. Yes. No. I don’t know. Yes. No.” She steals a glance over at me and winks, knowing that our parents are not going to allow her to get off the phone until all their questions are answered.
“I promise, if there is anything to report, I will keep you informed. Yes, I’ll start a group chat with Laney. Uh-huh. Yep. Nope. Okay. Got it. Yes. No need. Okay.”
She finally hangs up but doesn”t complain. I think now that she is a parent herself, she doesn’t find their behavior as overprotective or overbearing. They care, and that’s where this is stemming from.
“You know you’ll have the Spanish Inquisition when you get back to my house. They’re home with my girls. Tyler is none the wiser. He has a game, and I didn’t fill him in beforehand. I hope you don’t mind. The kid has enough to worry about.”
I give her the best smile I can muster and nod. My parents are just in town for a day between trips.
“I know Mom and Dad come from a place of concern. I won’t judge them for making sure I’m okay. I’ve been through enough to know they need to see me to believe I’m okay.”
We both take each other in. As much as I’m dealing with my own traumatic event right now, I can”t help but notice my sister looks different. Now that her concern for me has dissipated, seeing I’m overall going to be okay, she looks relaxed in a way. I wonder what that’s about. I know I can steal her away at some point and have some sisterly time with her to get the scoop. I know I’ll need it after the day I’ve had. And I’m well aware I can point all this back to a certain grumpy man has been spending time with her and it seems to have relaxed her in a way I wasn”t expecting.
That’s when it dawns on me, I haven’t updated Grant. Shit. He probably called on the way to bed, and my phone is still in the yoga studio.
“Can I use your phone? I need to message Grant.” I bring my palm out for her to hand me her phone.
“Sure, but just so you know, he’s a step ahead of you. He’s probably in the air right now. He pieced things together and called his sister. That’s why Becca was at the studio when you were arguing with Tad.”
I’m about to open my mouth to ask more questions, but she stops me before I do, as if reading my mind.
“I don’t know how Grant figured it out. I don’t know if Becca really knows. He called her and quickly started telling her that you could be in danger and asked her to go to the yoga studio to check on you. He told her he was headed to the airport to try to catch an earlier flight. I’m not sure if he was able to do so, but I’m assuming he did. He’s quite persistent when he wants to be.”
I type a quick message to Grant, hoping that the moment he can see it, it will prove to him that I’m okay.
Right then, one of the office doors opens, and Becca comes out. Right after her, Shane follows, shaking the officer’s hand behind him. Once all of them reach me, I can feel my emotions getting the best of me again. The tears begin to pool in my eyes when I look up at everyone surrounding me.
“Thank you both for being there when you were. I don’t know what would have happened. I lied to Tad and told him I would go with him, with the plan to get outside and run or scream, or I don’t know what. But he figured it out, and that’s when you caught us. He was trying to go out the back, and luckily, that self-defense move got me out of a bad situation.”
The mere thought of him touching me makes my skin crawl. I rub my arms with the memory of his forceful hands on my body. It’s hard not to let my mind wander toward what could have been had I not escaped.
“Miss James, Mr. Lameley will be held, and bail will be set in the morning. Here’s my card if you need anything. I’ll reach out once I know more.” The officer hands his business card to me, my fingers still shaking as I grasp the small paper.
I nod my head, trying to get a full understanding of what transpired today. Everything started so well, and it’s hard not to feel the similarity to the giddiness when my day started to how it ended, much like that day at university years ago.
Becca is the first to speak once Officer Sedder leaves the area. “Listen, Laney, I know you’re scared. We’re all here for you.” She embraces me, and I feel completely at ease knowing they’ve got my back.
“But the baby,” I croak out with little volume to my voice.
“Are you feeling any cramping, or have you bled?” I shake my head, and I see my sister’s shoulders visibly relax with my answer. I think they’re all on edge, concerned about what another loss might look like for me emotionally. I understand their concern all too well because it’s passed through my head multiple times since this whole thing started with Tad this afternoon.
“I’ll do a full assessment after this at the office, and I can even get the little one on the monitor for you again so you can see with your own eyes. But your body is stronger than you think, so remember that you’re keeping that baby safe, much like you have even before you knew you were pregnant.” Becca’s reassuring voice carries over me like a soothing hug.
“How did you know to come to me?” Now I’m finally able to sort out my thoughts, and my mind is racing with questions as to how she knew, or I guess Grant knew, something was wrong.
“Grant called me in a panic. He saw something that made him want to ensure your safety, and he begged me to drop everything and make sure you were okay. He didn’t elaborate. When I tried calling him once I knew you were safe, it went to voicemail. Then one of the associates on the trip sent me a quick text explaining Grant was able to get on a red-eye home and gave me the flight details.”
“Could someone grab my phone from the yoga studio? I left it in the room where I taught my last class.” I worry my lip with my upper teeth, wondering how I’ll feel stepping back into a sacred place like that again without thinking of Tad.
Shane is the first to speak up, “I’ll make sure to swing by and grab it for you. I’ll meet you all at Becca’s practice before heading to my friend Noah’s place.”
“Okay, well, that’s settled. Now, let me get you to the office so I can check on my niece or nephew.” Becca says, showing no sign of fear or restraint when referring to the baby being okay.