Page 156 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
Test results showed up in my texts. I had a son. While I had no intention of making up with them and joining their pack, or trying to get traded to somewhere closer, this still changedeverything.
I wanted to be a dad. But I wasn’t sure I could do this without messing everything up. Including myself.
Fuck.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Gwen
The doorman opened the door of Clark’s apartment building for me, greeting me with a smile and a “Hi, Gwen,” as usual. On the way to the elevator, I waved at the desk lady. I always felt so fancy. A door attendantanda desk person? So fancy. It differed greatly from my old building, which didn’t even have a security door or a working elevator.
I took the elevator up to Clark’s floor, my equipment bag and new backpack over my shoulder. I was still a little tired from all the festivities, but yesterday had been a holiday, so I’d gotten some rest. Today was the first day of my last year of university.
This year I had some interesting courses. I also had apaidinternship, which I was doing at the rink.My hockey team wasstill riding the high of winning our division championship. This would be a fantastic semester.
“Clark, are you home?” I called as I entered the apartment and tossed my bag onto the kitchen counter, while I took out the protein bars and hydrogels I’d taken from practice, and put them in a bowl.
Then I removed some cushy socks, two headbands, ultra sporty deodorant, and mini packs of odor removing detergent, which were all from the care cupboard the athletics department kept for scholarship students. I plopped my equipment bag on the bench by the door, that was there for that purpose.
Clark sat at the kitchen table, working on his laptop. He looked up. “Hi, Gweny. How was your first day?”
My heart flipped at that grin.
“It was great. My class on detecting fraudulent reporting is going to beamazing.” I put my backpack on the counter and got out a baggie full of over-the-counter medicines, vitamin and energy shots, and first aid supplies from the campus clinic. Also, some star-shaped noodles, carrot and ranch packs, tiny containers of peanut butter, and little bags of celery, along with a baggie of chopped tomatoes and onions, that I’d taken from the salad bar in the dining hall.
Snowball napped on the top of her tree. I took out a feather cat-toy wand and shook it. Hearing the bells, she woke up, jumped off the cat tree, and bolted over to me.
“I think our team’s going to be pretty good.” I’d gotten a shit ton of side-eye. Windy had been flapping his mouth all summer talking about how I’d cheated on Austin, then dumped him when he didn’t get signed. We all knew each other, and I’d have to deal with that at some point.
I dangled the toy for Snowball and she batted at it. “The treasure room hadcat toys. I’d never even thought to look for stuff like that.”
“Treasure room?” He pushed his glasses up, which had slid down his nose.
“It’s what NYIT calls their needs pantry. We’re theKings.” I grinned at Snowball as she jumped at the toy. “Feel free to take some carrots or celery. The little packs are great on the go. Maybe next time they’ll have bottled smoothies or yogurts.”
Still dangling the toy for Snowball, I put the veggies in the fridge, except for the baggie of tomatoes and onions, which I put in the freezer, then grabbed a beer.
“People can have pets in the dorms?” Clark held out his hand and I gave him the toy. Snowball bounded over to him.
“You can in family and pack housing.” I sat down and opened my beer. “A lot of the stuff is donated. There were tons of school supplies today, too. But I used my points for snacks and a cat toy.”
“That’s great your school has that. My old college had one, too. The jam factory nearby always donated the jars with the messed up labels,” he told me. “Don’t feel like you have to use your points for meal stuff for us. Also, please order what you need on the grocery account, even extra things, like protein shakes and snacks. I want you to have enough food and I know you can’t always get to campus to eat.”
My hand went to my heart. “Thanks, that’s so sweet. I need to make some pasta sauce this week. If I can’t find the right fresh herbs in the greenhouse, behind the athlete’s dining hall, I might buy some.”
Sometimes I felt a little guilty that he paid for all the groceries, but I managed to feed myself a lot, so hopefully it balanced out. I tried to be a good shopper, but there were also foods I missed eating.
“Go for it. Pasta sauce? Sounds delicious.”
“Can I use your slow-cooker?” I added. Yeah, it was cheating. So was freezing my tomatoes, since it took a bunch of trips to thedining hall to take enough, since I only took a little at a time, so it wouldn’t be unfair. Every time I tried to grow my own in pots they died.
Clark blinked. “I have a slow-cooker?”
I nodded. “It’s a little one, still new in the box. I think it was awelcome to the team giftfrom the MASOs last year, because there’s some super cute hockey-themed potholders with it and recipes.”
Some of which I wanted to try.
“Um, go for it. Hey, you got a package.” He got up and brought me a large box.
