Page 24 of Unexpected Love

Chapter Seven

Chloe

My eyes feel like there’s sand in them; that’s what I get for falling asleep with my contacts in. The sun is shining brightly into my bedroom, which normally doesn’t happen until the late afternoon. I fling my blankets back and gingerly sit up. It takes me a minute before I’ve got my wits about me, and I stand up. I feel a warm tiny gush, and then I remember what happened.

With tears leaking from my eyes, I step across the hall into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I use the toilet and take the soiled pad out of my panties. They told me I’d bleed, but dammit I just wanted it to magically be over so I could try to forget any of this ever happened. It hurts too much to think about.

I start the shower, and while it gets hot, I brush my teeth because it feels like I have a layer of scum on them. I do the whole mouthwash and floss thing and then strip out of my pajamas. When I step into the shower, the hot water feels good all over my sore, tired body.

I wash and condition my hair and then scrub my body clean. Running the soapy washcloth over my stomach, I freeze. The tiny little pooch I had is gone. A sob tears from my throat as I drop to my knees. Why? I just want someone to tell me why I lost my baby.

What I wouldn’t give to have been able to see her alive. To hold her in my arms and smell her sweet baby scent. The tears slow, but the emptiness I feel is crushing.

The water shuts off, and my head jerks up to find Joe standing there with a towel, concern written all over his face. He doesn’t say anything—he just wraps the towel around me and then stands me up, hugging me to his chest before he proceeds to dry me off. He grabs one of my pads and leads me back into my room. He grabs me panties, sweats, and a t-shirt.

“Get dressed, babe. I’ll be right back.” He steps into the bathroom while I quickly put the pad in my panties and then slip them on. I’m just slipping my t-shirt on when he comes back into my room with a hairbrush. “Come with me.” Joe grabs my hand, leads me out into my living room, and sits me on my ottoman with my back to him.

Slowly he starts to use the brush to work out the tangles. When he’s done brushing it, he surprises me when he braids it, and quickly. “Where did you learn to braid?”

“Between my baby sister and niece, I’ve become quite proficient in braids, ponytails, and buns. Are you hungry?” I shake my head. “Let’s at least get you something small. You haven’t had anything. You were asleep for a long time.”

That’s when I look at the clock and see that I slept about five hours. “I’m not hungry. You can leave now. I don’t need you here.” This isn’t like me, but I can’t help the venom that spews from my mouth. “Get out.” I shove him, but he doesn’t budge.

“I’m not leaving you.”

“You didn’t want her, and now I can’t have her.” I know my accusatory tone is uncalled for, but it’s like I don’t have control of my mouth. It’s not connected to my brain. “You’re off the hook. You got what you wanted.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth. Joe looks like I’ve slapped him. He’s so hurt right now.

I open my mouth to apologize, but his hand slashes through the air. “I don’t want to hear anything else you have to say.” He leans in close. “You don’t know shit.”

Before I register what’s happened, he disappears down the hall and returns with his bag and then my front door is slamming shut and headlights shine into my living room. My feet become unglued, and I run to the door, throwing it open. By the time I reach my driveway, he’s flying down the street.

Guilt, shame, and regret fill me as I head back inside. I grab my phone and call him. It goes straight to voicemail. “Joe, please call me. I need to know you’re okay. I am so sorry. That was mean and uncalled for and so not true. I was hurting, and I needed to hurt someone else, and you were the unlucky victim. It’s no excuse.” My voice breaks. “We both lost her. I don’t know you very well, but you just don’t seem like the type of guy who would’ve stayed gone long.” I inhale. “Please call me.”

I dial my parents, and it’s Pops who answers. “Hey, baby girl.”

“D-Daddy. Please come o-over.” My words are broken by tears as I remember the horrid things I said.

“Chloe, what is it, baby? Dad said Joe was with you.”

I tell him that he was, but now I need my pops. He tells me he’s heading out now and will be here soon. He’ll know what to do.

I see his headlights and move toward the door, opening it as he reaches the steps. I rush right into his arms. With his arms around me, he leads me into the house.

***

A week has gone by, and Joe won’t answer or return my calls. I even had Tay Tay try and talk to him for me, but she was rebuffed too. It’s my fault, and I deserve this. This is my punishment.

Physically, I’ve healed up well from the miscarriage. I’m just spotting now, and soon I know it’ll be gone and I’ll be back to normal. My heart and my mind aren’t even close to being healed, though. Truth is…I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Joe. The look on his face haunts me. We both lost something so precious, and I threw it in his face that he got scared. I’m such an awful, horrible bitch.

Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath, clearing my head. I go back to polishing the locket I just got done engraving. It’s for a father from his daughter on her wedding day.

Pain hits my chest when I think about my dad and when he realized the other day that he was still wearing the grandpa pendant I made for his birthday. His face paled, and he yanked it from his neck, shoving it in his pocket.

I’d walked up to him. “You better keep it, because one day you’ll need it.” His face had softened, and his eyes had turned glassy.

I place the locket in the velvet box and shut the lid. “Chloe?” I turn my head and find Hailey standing next to me. Since I came back to work the other day, she’s been surprisingly friendly.

“Yeah?”

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