That was one thing I’d gotten from Ben last night. Zoe wasn’t allowed to be strained. It would be fine after the pregnancy, but her mom had a hard time with Zoe and she was weak for months after giving birth, so I had to take really good care of her.
Like I needed him to tell me that.
“She tells me you guys plan on moving in together,” he said after another pause.
I hesitated, because this was news to me. Of course, I wanted it, so I wasn’t going to deny it. “Yeah. We’re still talking about it, though.”
“I want to ask a favor,” Ben continued, sounding disgruntled. “Can you let her stay at home for a while? You’re going to get busy really soon, and it would make me feel better if Zoe could stay at home where she could be looked after. You can come and visit her whenever you like. Your apartment is about big enough for just you, right?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly, glancing around.
It was a single bedroom with a large living room space. It was fit enough for three people, or two and a baby, but thinking about it now, I’d have to move soon. If Zoe was finally moving in with me, then it wasn’t going to be here. At least a bigger apartment with a second room...
“Your mother and I were talking, and we thought it would be best if we left the old house to you instead of selling it. It’s not too far away, and it’s got plenty of space. What do you think of that idea?”
I pursed my lips. I hadn’t lied when I told Zoe I wouldn’t miss my old home much. I hadn’t been back there, and while I occasionally visited, it didn’t really matter where Mom lived. The house wasn’t
easy to keep in the first place. Mom had gotten it with my dad long before I was born, and he’d left her with a mortgage to pay back on her own. If she sold it, it would fetch a good price, and she would deserve it for all the hard work she put in for it.
The house was big, though, good enough for a family. We’d cleared everything out already, and with some renovation, the place would look amazing...
“It sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Ben.”
He grunted. “I’ll pass that thanks along to your mother, she was the one who brought it up because she’s been hesitating about selling. Anyway, that wasn’t all I wanted to talk to you about.”
My anxiety spiked a little when I realized I’d let my guard down. What else was there?
“Yes?”
“You’re still getting drafted.”
My jaw dropped, and in the next second, I was pleasantly surprised. “Really?”
So, he didn’t try to kick me out again, taking advantage because I hadn’t signed the contract?
“Don’t get so excited. I still don’t like you, and if you hurt my daughter, I’ll make sure to bury you.”
“Yes, sir. I’d never do something to hurt her,” I said honestly.
“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know. Since you’ll officially be a member of the team, I’m going to be quitting. No offense, but I would probably give you a hard time if I stuck around. Since my daughter is involved with you, I can’t remain unbiased. They’re looking for a new coach, but one of my assistant coaches will take over the job for a while.”
This was even better. I’d been worrying about Ben being there at practice, and now I wouldn’t have to see him at all. It was mean of me, to my soon to be father-in-law, but I would feel a lot easier if I didn’t have to see him at practice.
“Besides,” he continued. “I’m getting on in years, and I’d like to have time to spend with my grandchild and my new wife. I know that... I was a bit of a bully. To you, and even to Zoe. I’ll tell her this, too, but I’m sorry.”
He cut the call immediately after, and I wondered if he was embarrassed. In the next moment, though, it didn’t matter as I called Zoe. I had time left.
Epilogue
Zoe
“Are you ready, Zoe?”
I looked up to see Katie and Dad standing in the doorway. Katie hurried forward when she saw me trying to stand up so she could help. When I was on my feet, I slowly turned around, then smiled at the both of them.
“How do I look?”
Katie pulled me into a hug with a squeal, and Dad cracked a smile. His eyes were wet with tears.
“You look so beautiful, Zoe! Oh, now I wish we hadn’t been so quick to get married. Even a small ceremony would be fine, we were just in such a hurry.”
I laughed at her grumbling, and Dad let out a chuckle. I was in a simple white wedding dress with cap sleeves and the veil already tucked into my hair. I was heavily pregnant, nearly nine months along, and the baby was bound to come out any day now, so I was in flats.
“Kayla, you did such a good job with the makeup,” Katie said.
Kayla came up behind me, her hands on my shoulders. “I practiced it so many times, I’m glad to see how it came out. You’re going to be so amazing in the pictures, Zoe.”
I could have waited for the wedding until the baby was born, but I’d been insistent. I wanted to be able to legally give the baby Howard’s surname after they were born, so I wanted to be married first. Even though that didn’t really matter to me, I was just worried we would be too busy after the baby came and would have to wait another year. We were cutting it close, but finally, the day had come for us to get married.
“It’s time,” Dad said, holding is arm out for me to take as Kayla and Katie went ahead. “Let’s go.”
The wedding was happening in our backyard, with a pastor from the church Mom used to go to attending. The guests included close friends of mine, and the team came on Howard’s side since he didn’t have any other friends. It was a small enough ceremony for the two of us, we didn’t need anything big or fancy.
Dad had booked the reception at a fancy hotel about thirty minutes’ drive away. We planned to go and do most of the picture taking there, but not long after Howard and I took our vows and exchanged rings, I felt it.
“Zoe?” Howard asked in concern at my gasp. “Is something wrong?”
I put a hand on my stomach, and looked up at him with wide, spooked eyes. “I think my water just broke.”
There was a still moment, before everyone else realized what this meant, and I had to be rushed to the hospital. The whole trip there was hazy. My contractions started part way there, so by the time I arrived, I was already panting and sweating and screaming.