Page 80 of Moving to Love
Emily smiled at him. “Don’t get too excited until we know for sure.”
He nodded. She was right, of course. But he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to have babies with Joci.
Emily finished making her tea, and he followed his mom as she carried it to Joci. She was still sitting up, her head dipping into the pillow, her eyes closed. Emily walked around the bed, set the tea on the bedside table, and touched Joci’s forehead.
“I brought you some ginger tea. It’ll help calm your tummy. Will you try it?”
She nodded, and Emily handed her the tea and sat on the edge of the bed. Joci scooted over to make room for her. She sipped the tea and smiled. “This is good.”
Jeremiah smiled as he watched his mom tend to Joci. The two most important women in his life were a sight to behold. His heart fluttered and felt so full. He reclined on the bed, propping himself up with his arm.
Emily folded her hands in her lap. “You need to go to the doctor, Joci. If you’re pregnant, you’ll need to take proper care of yourself and the baby. If you’re not pregnant, there might be something else wrong.” She looked over at him and smiled. “Jeremiah worries about you like crazy. We all do.”
Joci smiled. “I don’t want to worry anyone. I’m on birth control because I haven’t had a regular period in a few years. It’s common in my family.”
Emily patted her hand. They sat quietly for a few moments. Then Emily said, “Jeremiah won’t leave you, Joci. He loves you. He told me that very thing a while ago.”
A tear silently slid down Joci’s cheek. He reached over and took her small hand in his and squeezed. She set her cup on the bedside table and swiped under her eye. She looked into his eyes and smiled. He saw her swallow a couple of times, and his heart constricted. Watching her struggle with her emotions was difficult, but she needed to work through this.
Emily broke the silence. “Okay, if you’re feeling better, I’ll go home. But promise me you’ll call the doctor first thing Monday morning.”
Joci blinked and looked at Emily. “Yes, actually, my stomach feels much better. Your tea is a miracle cure. And I promise to call my doctor.”
Emily smiled again, looked over at Jeremiah, and winked.
“You need to get some sleep. Goodnight, honey. Call if you need anything.”
She stood and walked around the bed. Jeremiah winked at Joci and got up to walk his mom to her car. When she got in her car, he leaned down and kissed her temple.
“Thanks, Mom. I appreciate you coming over to help. I was scared shitless. I didn’t know what to do.”
Emily smiled at him. “You may have a few months to get it right if she’s pregnant. I left more tea in the fridge. If her tummy starts acting up again, just warm some up for her. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He closed her door and walked back into the house. He felt happier than he had on the day Joci agreed to marry him. He turned off the lights in the kitchen and living room and softly walked to the bedroom. She was sound asleep, hugging his pillow. He put his hand on his chest. If his heart got any bigger, there wouldn’t be any more room in there. He undressed and quietly climbed into bed. He slid over to Joci and pulled her into his arms. He laid his hand on her belly and closed his eyes.
Chapter 34
Joci woke up feeling better. She had slept through the night without waking. She felt rested and had no fever, but Jeremiah wasn’t in bed with her. She looked at the clock—it was nine o’clock. Holy crap, she had slept late. She got out of bed and went to the bathroom before walking out to find Jeremiah. As she walked down the hall, she heard Emily and Thomas’ voices. Good thing she had thrown some clothes on—that could’ve been embarrassing.
“Good morning,” Emily said.
“Good morning,” Joci echoed.
Jeremiah jumped up and hugged her. He cradled her head against his chest. She loved the strong, solid beat of his heart. Of course, the sinewy muscle and strong arms wrapped around her were amazing, too. After a few moments, he pulled back and cradled her head in his strong hands. He looked into her eyes.
“Are you feeling better?”
“Yes, actually, I feel pretty good this morning. It feels like my fever is gone.”
She smiled at him, and he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.
“Sit down, baby. Do you want coffee or more tea?”
Joci smiled. “The coffee smells good.”
Joci looked at Thomas. “Good morning.”
“Morning, Joci. Glad you’re feeling better.”
