Page 13 of Fated Despite the Moon

Makayla’s eyes couldn't leave Dakota's stomach as she sat.

"I'm seven," Dakota said.

Makayla looked up, and her cheeks flushed with heat. "Oh… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stare."

Dakota waved her off. Her tanned skin and dark hair were striking with her high cheekbones and pouty lips. If she'd been in California she would have been a perfect model for maternity clothes.

"You're pregnant too right?" Dakota asked.

Makayla swallowed hard. "Yup." She could barely get the word out without wanting to throw up. She tugged on her shirt as if making it less clingy would hide the truth.

"How far along are you?"

"About four months or so, I guess."

Dakota looked at her strangely making Makayla flush with guilt.

"I need to see a doctor," Makayla finally said. “To find out exactly how far along I am.

Dakota chuckled and threw Makayla a smile that calmed her. "Griff makes me go like clockwork. He has every appointment on a huge calendar that he is using to count down the days till our little guy is born."

Makayla nodded, unsure of what to say. Unlike Dakota and Griffin, she wasn't at all happy to be pregnant. But that didn't mean she was willing to terminate the pregnancy either.

An idea struck her. Maybe if she could form a friendship with Dakota, it might lead to a little freedom. "I heard there's a library in town," Makayla said. "Maybe you and I could go, and I could pick up some books. I'm not sure I know what else to do out here besides read."

"Oh, there's tons to do. You can go on a nature walk and pick berries. You could help Caleb paint and stuff. I know how happy he was that you'd be coming. He didn't want to do anything to the baby's room without your permission, so I'm sure he'd love your help with that. You could start a garden. I have some chickens. I'd be happy to give you a couple hens, and the Millers in town will sell you a rooster. You could–"

Dakota's words faded away as Makayla gaped at her, reeling. Paint? Garden? Chickens? Makayla had never done any of those things. Unless you considered going to a farmer's market gardening. And painting her nails. Andagainwith the baby. Baby, baby, baby. That's all her mother had talked to her about since she'd made her announcement.The baby needed to be her priority. She needed to look to the baby's future. She needed to do what was best for the baby. What about her? What about what she wanted?

"So what do you think?" asked Dakota.

Makayla blinked several times. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Going to town to talk to the Millers about a rooster, and to Mary’s garden center to see what plants she has in so you can start a little garden."

Makayla had no interest in doing either of those things, but she did want to get out of the cabin.

"Sure. Let me just get my phone and purse." Makayla got to her feet as Caleb entered with a plate of eggs and toast.

He smiled and held it out to her. The smell of the eggs hit her nostrils, and her stomach roiled. She covered her mouth and shook her head.

"I can't." Bile pulled up her throat, and she pushed past Caleb and raced for the bathroom. She slammed the door and made it to the toilet just as she dry heaved into it.

How much mortification could she take? She heaved again as a fine sheen of sweat brushed her skin.

"Are you okay?" Caleb called through the door.

Makayla spit into the toilet and flushed it. She plopped onto her butt and lay her cheek against the porcelain bowl. "I'm fine," she croaked.

"Can I get you some tea?"

She burped and sucked down stomach acid. "No thank you."

Man, she'd thought the morning sickness was over. What if it wasn't? She didn't think she could handle more nausea. If it continued she really would need to go see a doctor sooner rather than later.

What she'd told Dakota hadn't been entirely true. She knew how far along she was. She was seventeen weeks and two days. How did she know it? Because that had been the one and only time she'd screwed up and slept with someone without thinking. Before Derek, it had been over a year and a half since she'd had sex.

She pushed to her feet, went to the sink and splashed water on her face. Ginger ale. She was going to need ginger ale to get through this, and there was only one place to get it. Guess she'd be picking up chickens and plants at the same time.

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