Page 71 of All Your Firsts Without Me

“I was hoping it was a phase,” I admit.

“Men like your husband and Kaden were born with a strong set of morals and an extra dash of courage. They have an innate desire to help others.”

I laugh lightly. “Yeah, I guess I can’t complain. David saved my life.”

“And Kaden will undoubtedly do the same for someone else.”

“How did you get so wise?”

She giggles. “I’m not. I broke down in tears when he told me, but he explained. How can I deny him something he feels he was called to do?”

“He’s so much like his dad.” I grab her hand and squeeze it. “We are lucky to have men like them in our lives.”

“We are.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “I’m hoping maybe we can help each other get through the scary times.”

“I’d like that. He’s going to need us to be strong.”

She sighs dreamily, “He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

I wrap my arm around her shoulders, guiding us back to the table. Kaden and Westin smile in unison when they see us together.

Westin leans in close as I sit down. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “I think so.”

He smiles, pressing a light kiss to my temple.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

April

Angrily, I swipe at the toilet paper roll, staring at the pink tinge in my panties.

This is good. I mean, I wasn’t ready to be a mom anyway.

Knock. Knock.

“Teresa and I are going to go drop that stuff off at the thrift store and then pick up a few pizzas. Did you need anything from town?” Kaden yells from the other side of door. He’s home for a couple of weeks. Today we’ve been going through David’s things.

“No, thank you. I’m good.” I stand up, flushing the toilet.

I study my reflection in the mirror as I wash my hands. I’ve gained weight since David found me at the compound. Not unwanted weight, I needed every bit of it. Surely, it will help with getting pregnant. Not that I wanted to be but….

My finger runs under my eye. What if my time in the basement somehow made me sterile? I was severely malnourished when they found me.

“Everything okay in there?” Jeff hollers.

“Yeah.” I open the door to find him leaning against the wall.

“You good?” He scratches his head. “I’m sure today was hard.”

I look past him into my bedroom which is much emptier without David’s things. I nod, stepping around him. He follows me into my room.

“Can I ask you a work-related question?” I ask as I busy myself rearranging the beauty products on my dresser.

“Sure,” he shrugs, sitting down on the bed behind me.

“Would malnutrition make a woman, I mean someone, infertile?”

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