Page 58 of Audra: The Prequel

Audra looked at him with fear in her eyes. “Did you hear me? Say something.”

Damon sat up in the bed. “Yes, I heard you.”

“We weren’t always careful, like just now,” she explained, as if he didn’t know how babies were made.

“When did you find out?”

She sat up, holding the sheet to her breasts. “Coincidentally, the same day you contacted Claudia and sent the message. I was at the doctor’s office when she called me.”

“Did you plan to tell me?”

“Yes, of course.”

He nodded, satisfied with the answer, and slipped from the bed. “We need to get dressed. I can’t have this conversation naked.”

They moved quietly through the condo, collecting their discarded clothes and putting them back on. During those few minutes, Damon’s mind raced with possibilities.

A father. He couldn’t believe it.

Finally, they sat down on the sofa facing the balcony, and he took Audra’s hand. She looked nervous.

“Why do you look like you’re about to throw up?” he asked.

“Because I’m pregnant again. My parents are going to kill me.”

“Then let’s get married.”

Her eyes went wide. “What? No.”

“Why not? We love each other.”

“Damon, I appreciate the offer, but this is sudden. We weren’t planning to get married five minutes ago.”

“Plans change. You adjust.”

“We’re talking about ababyandmarriage. Those are major decisions and life-changing events. We can’t make these decisions lightly.”

“I’m not making this decision lightly.” A smile broke out on his face. “We’re having a baby. That’s good news.”

Clearly, she hadn’t expected him to say that. She shot him a look of confusion. “How is this good news?”

“Because we’re in love, and we’re about to have a baby.”

His gaze dropped to her midsection, and his smile widened. He hadn’t noticed any difference when they made love, but eventually, her waistline would expand with his child.

Audra eased her hand from his. “Damon, you do know what me being pregnant means, right? That means you’re going to be a father. That means all kinds of other responsibilities besides playing ball. When you have a kid, your whole life changes. Forget about sleeping in on your days off. A baby doesn’t care if it’s one a.m. or one p.m. When they’re ready to eat or have their diaper changed, they will scream the whole house down until their needs are satisfied. Don’t get me started on teething.

“A baby causes strain on the best of relationships, and we haven’t been together that long. Less than six months. We’re still getting to know each other. I haven’t met your parents or anyone else in your family yet! Weekend trips like the one we took to the retreat are out the window. We were only able to do that becausemy daughter is older. I won’t leave our child with other people to take care of for a weekend when they’re that little.

“And they’re expensive!” Audra continued. “They need clothes they’ll outgrow within months, there’s private school if we want to go that route, college down the road—and everything in between. Being a parent changes you forever, and it’s not an easy job. Your life is no longer your own because your child takes over your life. Do you understand that?”

She had said a mouthful, but nothing she said had changed his mind.

“I understand more than you know, and despite everything you’ve said, I’m still excited. I’m willing to put in the work because the reward is great.” He leaned toward her. “I want someone to look at me like the world revolves around me. I want to take care of our son or daughter and protect them and let them know how much they’re loved.”

He paused as emotion swelled inside him.

“I’m looking forward to their first smile, their first steps, and when I get to teach them to ride a bike. I’ll teach them to throw a ball and work with their hands. We’ll go biking, swimming, camping—everything. I’m looking forward to a little you or a little me—a combination of both of us. I already know it’s not always going to be easy, Audra, but I want this baby, and I want this baby with you.”

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