Page 100 of Two Wrongs

There’s no fight in her now. She lets me help her up. I have a spare toothbrush in the bag I brought with me and I hand it to her. When she’s done removing the after effects of morning sickness from her mouth, I guide her to lay down on the bed. I sit next to her, and I watch a single tear slip down her face. “It’s yours. There’s no way it could be anyone else’s. I haven’t been with Liam in over six months.”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you that.” Now, my anger is directed only at myself.

She takes a deep breath. “I know we started wrong. Maybe everything about us was wrong.” Her hand moves back to cradle her flat stomach. “But I’m not sorry. I mean what I said. I won’t make you choose. Liam needs you, I understand that. I’ll be everything this one needs.”

“You’re coming home with me,” I say. I can tell her I want her back, that she never should have left, but she’s not wanting to hear me right now. It’s going to take time to win her back.

“Griffin, I did what you asked. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I need to come back. What are you even doing here? You couldn’t have known about the baby before you left. I just found out today.”

“Baby bird, I was coming to get you. Or at least I was coming to beg you to come back if I had to, but if you think I’m leaving you here knowing you’re carrying my baby, you don’t know me very well.”

“I won’t fight you, but only because this is too much to thrust on Hattie.”

I tuck her hair behind her ear. “I’ll take it for now, but I will be getting you back.”

She doesn’t answer, which in itself is an answer. She thinks we’re too broken. I’ll prove to her I can be what she needs. That I’m all she’ll ever need. The time for me to coast through life is over. It’s time I start taking what I want. For the first time what I want is exactly what my family needs.

“Sleep now,” I tell her.

Her eyes drift closed and I cover her with the spare blanket.

I move into the living room portion of the room. Charlie somehow managed to snag me a king suite. It’s probably not fancy by many people’s standards, but for me this is luxury.

Wren’s breathing slows, and I know she’s fallen deeply asleep. My poor girl is really going to have a tough time with morning sickness. I hate that I can’t take the pain and discomfort for her, but she won’t deal with it alone.

Once I know I won’t wake her, I grab my cellphone to let Charlie know I made it safely.

“Did you find her?” he asks.

“Yeah, I’m bringing her home.”

“Just like that? Are you sure that’s best? Liam is a fucking wreck,” he advises.

“Well not everything is about him. Not anymore,” I mumble.

“I know you need her, but maybe you two should be apart for a while. I’m not saying break up with her, but maybe do long distance for a while so we can get his stupid ass back in rehab.”

“She’s pregnant, Charlie. I’m bringing my family home. He’s a grown man. He fucked up, and she’s not suffering for that anymore. My baby isn’t going to be without me because he blew up his life.”

“Fuck,” he sighs.

“How serious were you about buying me out?” I ask. I’ve been thinking about this since he brought it up.

“It was a joke, Griff. You’ve got a kid on the way. Now is not the time to do anything rash.”

“I’ve got a plan. I’ll fill you in when I get back,” I tell him.

“When will that be?”

I poke my head back in the bedroom. “Maybe tomorrow. I’m not sure how long it will take to get back either. She seems to have really bad morning sickness.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing. Liam is going to blow a gasket,” he comments.

I exhale, but Charlie starts speaking before I can lay into him. “I’m not saying you should cater to him. But it sounds like she’s dealing with enough right now. Liam could add stress she doesn’t need.”

“She needs me. I just need to convince her of that first,” I grumble.

“Uh oh. So she didn’t welcome you back with open arms then?”

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