Page 112 of My Vows Are Sealed

He

“Are yousureyou’re okay?” Brendan asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and laced up his work boots. “I can call in.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled sleepily. “I’m just tired.”

He turned to look at me and brushed some hair off my forehead before bending down and giving me a kiss. As our lips touched, for a moment, it was easy to believe that somehow, we would figure everything out. But the second he pulled back, reality set in again.

I was pregnant, and I wasn’t even eighteen years old yet. I’d already enrolled in college classes, and I didn’t have a job or any way to support the baby that was growing inside me. And, on top of that, it wasn’t even safe for me to move in with said baby’s father yet, becausemyfather was still out there looking for me.

“Get some rest, baby,” he whispered, giving me another feather-light kiss. “We can talk more tonight when I get home, okay?”

I nodded, and he reached down to rest his hand on my stomach as our mouths connected again.

“I know the timing’s horrible, but wewillmake this work,” he whispered. “You’re my whole world, Dar. You and this baby. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I can give you both the life you deserve.”

For the gazillionth time in the past twenty-four hours, a lump rose in my throat. Brendan seemed so certain that we’d find a way to be able to raise this child, but I wasn’t so optimistic. I knew there was a very real possibility that we might have to give it up for adoption so it could have a fighting chance of having a normal life.

“I love you,” he murmured, planting a kiss on my forehead. “I’ll see you when I get home.”

“Love you too,” I sighed as my eyes drifted closed again.

* * *

My ringing cell phone woke me from a dead sleep, and I groaned as I sat up and grabbed it. A glance at the screen told me it was Brendan, so I answered.

“Hey,” I mumbled sleepily.

“Did I wake you up?” he chuckled, and I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Yeah,” I admitted. “I don’t know why I’m so tired all the time lately.”

“I’m not sure how much of it was real when my mom had Nate, but I remember her being tired a lot too,” he told me. “Anyway, there’s some cash on the coffee table, and I ordered you some Chinese food. Hopefully that doesn’t make you sick.”

I snorted quietly. “It’s so weird that I can’t stand the smell of my favorite food now.”

“Iknowfor sure that’s normal. Anyway, don’t go back to sleep until the food gets there. And text me when they get there and after they leave so I know you’re okay. I hate having you open the door at all while I’m not there with you, but I figured you could use some comfort food. Not to mention, I have to go grocery shopping, so there’s almost nothing in the fridge.”

I smiled. “I hate that I can’t offer to go for you because someone might see me at the store.”

“Just a couple more weeks,” he reminded me. “And then it won’t matter if anyone knows where you are.”

“I know. But that seems like forever now,” I sighed.

“I know it does. Look, baby, I have to get back to work, but I already told my foreman that I’ve got stuff going on at home and I need to have my phone on, so if you need me, call. Okay?”

“‘Kay,” I murmured. “I love you.”

“I love you too. More than you know.”

Brendan hung up, and I let out a yawn as I got up and headed into the bathroom. I’d gotten my own toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush to leave here a while ago, and I’d left a few items of clothing in a drawer, so I quickly brushed my teeth and hair and got dressed. Just as I was walking out into the living room, I heard a knock on the door.

It seemed a little fast since I’d just gotten off the phone with Brendan about five minutes ago, but I didn’t knowwhenhe’d called that order in for me. So I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent him a text.

Me: Delivery’s here already. That was fast.

I grabbed the money from the coffee table, then headed to the door and unlocked it, but before I could open it, my phone started ringing with a call from him.

“Hey,” I answered.

---