She rolls her eyes. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I talked to you about Mollie.”
Mads huffs a small laugh as Travis sits in another chair. “Me asking you how things went and you grunting at me in response, is not you talking to me.” She pauses, shifting her position. “How did it go anyway? Did she tell you the truth?”
Travis sighs. “It went as I expected, Mads. Look, once I know Dean’s alright, I can think about that properly. For now, just tell me what’s got you all worked up.”
She looks at him. “How about the fact my little boy or girl will be here soon, and everyone keeps calling me Mrs Carter when the one person who needs to know I said yes when he proposed, has been asleep for almost two weeks.”
She takes a heavy intake of air and so do I. She doesn’t know we’re having a girl? She didn’t look? And she saidyes?
“You said yes?” Travis asks sounding shocked.
“YesI said yes.”
Travis smiles. “When did he ask you the last time?”
She cradles her bump. I can’t remember the last time I asked her to be my wife. “When he came home drunk.”
What?
Travis turns, and I quickly close my eyes. Listening. “And he doesn’t know? Fuck, he’s going to hate that.”
No, it just means I’m going to ask her again.
“Well, I’m sure he’ll ask me again,” Mads says.
That’s my girl.
She shuffles from the chair, and I hear her walking towards me. Her breath hits my face when she kisses my lips.
I can’t help but smile.
She freezes, and I slowly open my eyes. They way she looks at me, it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen. Her brown eyes are full of relief and happiness.
Her lips part as she tries to breathe. “You... came back.”
I swallow. “You said yes.” My voice is croaky.
Between her tears, she smiles again, dropping her head to rest against mine. “I did.”
“I want to hear you say it,” I whisper, forcing one of her tears to drop to my cheek.
I hear Travis stand.
“Then ask me,” she says sobbing, but still very much smiling.
“Marry me, Madison Reed.”
A racked sob escapes her as she sags, her body deflating into me. “Yes.”
I slowly lift my arms to wrap around her back. And I hold her. Fuck the pain. That isn’t going anywhere. And neither am I.
“That’s it, Mr Carter. You’re free to leave.”
I look at Mads, giving her a wink as the nurse signs my papers. With five weeks left until the baby’s due, she’s looking fuller and carrying lower.
“Don’t forget this.” Travis wheels the chair forward.