Page 21 of Waiting to Love You

Chapter 6

Bristol

“Come on, Rebekah. Mama just wants a few more minutes of sleep,” I groan into my room, praying she will go back to sleep.

Rebekah turned seven months old a few days ago, and all the baby books say she should sleep through the night soon. I’m praying that they’re right. Waking up three to four times a night for feeding, diaper changes, or just because she thinks I should be awake is for the birds, but I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world.

When her crying gets louder, I know there is no hope of me getting any more sleep. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and walk to the other side of the room, where her travel crib is. Yes, I know I should have her in her own room, but if I’m being honest with myself, I enjoy having her close.

“How’s Mama’s baby girl?” I coo at her.

She gives me a smile and giggles, and her hazel eyes—a pale green around the outer edges with a light brown center with flecks of gold—twinkle with mischief as she kicks her legs in glee. There’s a softness to them that mine don’t have. Something I can guarantee she got from her father.

“Let Mama grab you some clothes to wear, and I’ll be right back.”

I turn and head toward her closet, stuffed with clothes from her grandmother and aunts. I swear, this little girl is the best-dressed kid in this town. If she doesn’t have it, it’s because those five ladies haven’t discovered it yet.

As I comb through her closet for the perfect outfit, I think over the last seventeen months of my life.

As I open the door, Leia’s face pops around the corner.

“What are you blaming me for now?” she asks.

“Me getting pregnant,” I deadpan as I slam the bathroom door in her face.

“Last I checked, I don’t have a penis. So, I highly doubt it was my fault you got pregnant.” She shoves her way into the bathroom and freezes. “Wait. You’re what?”

I push past her as the timer on my phone goes off.

“You could’ve knocked. People close doors for a reason,” I quip before picking up the test and looking at the two pink lines in the little window.

“Well, that’s interesting,” she mumbles as she takes a seat on the toilet beside me.

“Yeah, tell me about it.”

“Is it Seth’s?” she asks, even though she already knows.

Seth is the only person I have been with in years. Ever since Austin and I broke up, I haven’t been interested in anyone.

I nod in response before taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub, burying my head in my hands.

“What am I going to do?” I question, already knowing the answer.

I’m going to have this baby.

“You should call him,” Leia whispers as she moves to sit beside me and wraps her arm around my shoulder, pulling me into her side. “I know this isn’t what you expected, but he should at least know he’s going to be a dad.”

“Are you kidding me?” I shriek as I stand and storm out the bathroom door. “He’s off fighting a war! The last thing he needs is to know the girl he had a one-night stand with is knocked up.”

My cell phone rings, but I don’t even pick it up to see who’s calling. I hit ignore before turning back to Leia.

“Who was it?”

“Does it matter? I have bigger things to worry about,” I grumble as I throw the phone onto my bed and flop down, pulling a pillow over my face.

Maybe if I just lie here long enough, I can pretend none of this is happening.

After that day, Leia dubbed herself Rebekah’s substitute dad. She was there for me through most of my pregnancy, but when her dad had another heart attack right after Audrey moved to Tyson’s Creek, she needed to be at home with him. Walker does what he can, but he can only be so much help all the way in Rose Hill.

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