“Thank you.”
“I’m going to get that IV out now,” she said. In no time she’d removed it and bandaged my hand. “Your friend scanned and emailed a copy of your card so we have everything we need from you. As soon as you’re ready you can go.”
“Thank you,” I repeated and she left.
I ventured a look at Drew. His beautiful dark eyes were laser focused on me.
“You’re pregnant,” he said.
“Yes,” I took a deep breath and steeled myself, “but I’m fine. I’m okay raising the baby on my own.”
“Why the hell would you think you need to do that?”
“Drew, I was there at the diner that night with you and Greg. I heard you talking. You said that marriage and kids were never in the cards for you. That sounded pretty clear and final to me. I have no intention of trapping you or making you feel obligated to be involved in any way,” I said as calmly as I could manage.
I was trying not to go to pieces. It took an effort to pretend I was holding it together while I watched his face change, first angry, then shattered in disbelief, and then a dawning understanding.
“So you heard half a sentence and decided I wasn’t dad material? What I said to Greg was that after I left you, I knew that marriage and a family couldn’t be in the cards for me. Because you’re the only one I ever wanted to do that with. There wasn’t ever anybody else for me but you, Chel.”
“Well shit,” I whispered, trembling all over. Then I started laughing like a crazy person. He looked at me, so concerned, and that made me laugh even harder. “I’m sorry,” I choked out. “I just…” I took a drink of water and made myself sit up. “I love you. I thought you didn’t want me and didn’t want to be a father. I remember you saying you were never scared in your life like you were when we thought I might be pregnant in high school.”
“I take it back,” he said. “When I saw you fall today, when you passed out, I thought I was going to die. I said that. I said it to Damon when he checked you over before I put you in the truck. I said, if anything happens to her I’m gonna die.”
“That’s a little dramatic,” I said.
“When were we ever anything else?” Drew challenged. “I’ve loved you since before I knew what it meant to love anybody. For more than two years, the thing that kept me getting up in the morning and going to school was knowing I’d get to see you and kiss you. Kissing you was the best thing ever invented. I mean I was convinced of that until you turned sixteen and we did more than kiss.”
“Kissing you is still the best thing ever invented,” I said.
“If that’s what you think, then I should do more of it,” he said, and he kissed me softly, sweetly.
“Are you sure?” I said.
“Am I sure? Am I sure that I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen years old or am I sure that finding out you’re pregnant is second only to the day I kissed you on the street and knew you didn’t really hate me for the highlight of my entire life? Are you kidding me? Goddamn, Chel—”
“Um, you weren’t gonna say that anymore,” I teased.
“Damn. Sorry about that. What I’m saying is I love you and I’m sure. If the devil showed up and offered me everything I ever wanted, it would be this. You loving me and wanting to be with me and having our baby.”
“That would be really sweet except for the part about the devil.” I laughed. He laughed with me and then kissed my forehead.
“Come on. I’m taking you home now. Do you want to go to your place or mine?”
“You know my old room? It has a window facing out where the fireworks are going to be. If you want to stay up and watch them with me. It’s about eight now, so in an hour or so, they’ll start. I guess you wouldn’t take me out to watch them from the community center?”
“No way. I heard the doctor’s orders. You’re staying inside and resting. I’m going to make it my job to see that you do.”
“What if I try to get up?” I challenged.
“Then I’ll have to carry you back to bed,” he said archly.
“I’m not on bed rest. Normal activity, remember?” I said peevishly.
“I didn’t say it wouldn’t be active bed rest,” he teased.
“Oh,” I said, color staining my cheeks and a smile playing at my mouth.
“I love you, Chel. And I’m never losing you again.”
There had never been a moment in my life as happy as this one. Not when I made valedictorian or when I got my dream job as head librarian, not even when Trixie chose me to be Ashton’s godmother. This was another level of joy, a deeply personal bliss that seemed to fill me up with light.