I sit up and kiss her shoulder. “It will be okay,” I tell her, wrapping a hand around her waist.
“I think you’re delusional.” She shakes her head, handing me back my phone.
“I can’t believe you told them that I’m pregnant just so they would not freak out on you.”
“That is not why. I just wanted them to know. That way, they would have something else to look forward to.”
“Our mothers called me every day to talk about the wedding. Do you know what they are going to do now that they know I’m having a baby?”
“They are excited.”
“Yes, and now, I’ll never get a break ‘cause they are going to call or come over. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mom talks my dad into buying an RV so she can stay close…like ‘our driveway’ close,” she says, flopping back onto the bed.
“Your parents are not living in our driveway.” I frown.
“If you say so. They are probably already on their way to New York now.”
“No,” I deny, glaring at her.
“Hey, it’s not my fault you have a big mouth. Be mad at yourself. I mean, for all I know, your parents are moving in as well.”
“Our parents are not living with us.”
“Okay,” she mutters, and I see a smile twitch her cheek.
“Maybe we should just build onto the house and have both our parents move in. We do have plenty of land,” I suggest.
“What?” she shrieks, making me chuckle. “That’s not funny.” She rolls her eyes, and I pull her down to me, tucking her head under my chin.
“Everything will be okay.” I press a kiss to the top of her head.
“I know.” She yawns, and I pull the blanket up over us.
Nothing matters anymore but us, and I know we will always be okay.
*
“Mom, calm down. What happened?” I ask, pulling my phone from my ear slightly so I can understand her better.
“Chloe!” she cries, and my stomach drops.
“What happened to Chloe?”
“She was almost run over and fell. We called an ambulance.”
“What do you mean ‘she was almost run over’?” I growl.
“We were leaving the baby store and she was getting into the car when a motorcycle came down the sidewalk and almost ran her over. She got out of the way, but she fell and hit her head against a parking meter.”
“Where is she now?”
“In the ambulance.”
“Jesus. Where are you exactly?” I roar as I run out of my office.
We haven’t even been home for a week. Since we’ve been back, our mothers have been keeping her busy with shopping and constant nagging about what is good for her and the baby. I was planning to go home tonight and force everyone out of our house so that I could get some alone time with Chloe, where we could just enjoy the fact that she’s pregnant. Life has been so consuming that I forgot Chloe was in danger and we have something to be concerned about.
“We’re at Bu and the Duck, near Church Street.”
“I’m on my way!” I shout into the phone as I head out of the lobby.
Just as I’m about to hail a cab, Ricket pulls around the corner in my car. I open up the backdoor and hop in.
“I need to get to Bu and the Duck on Church Street.”
“I know, sir,” Ricket says, and I pull of my suit jacket, tossing it across the back seat.
“How did this happen?”
“I don’t know, sir. I found out when her mother called me.”
“Her mom called you?” I ask, looking at him in the rearview mirror.
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His eyes connect with mine as he nods before looking back at the road. “She said you would need to be picked up and where they were at.”
“Did she say anything else?”
“No, sir. She was distraught.”
“Yeah,” I mumble, looking out the window.
It takes less time than normal to make it across town. Once we reach the block my mom told me they were at, I see cop cars and a crying Chloe sitting in the open door of an ambulance. I don’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before I jump out and head straight for her. When I’m almost at her side, a police officer steps in front of me and nearly gets punched in the face as I try to get around him.
“This is her husband,” my mom says as I fight with the cop to get by.
The cop looks at her and releases the hold he has on my upper arm, letting me get to Chloe.
“Nolan!” she gasps through tears.
“I’m here, Angel.” I wrap my arms around her, kissing the white bandage on her forehead.
“Who called you? I told them not to call you.” She shakes her head, pulling back to look up into my eyes.
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t want you to worry. I didn’t want you to have to leave work.”
“Beautiful, do you know the kind of trouble you would be in if I would have found out about what happened later instead of right now? You never keep anything from me, especially if that something has to do with you.”
“I’m fine, and you worry too much.”
“You were almost run over. You have a cut on your forehead, fell, and now have tears streaming down your cheeks and you don’t think I have a reason to worry?” I bark, making her jump.
“I know it sounds bad,” she mumbles, making a growl vibrate my chest.
“It not only sounds bad, but is bad, Angel. Now, tell me. Have they made sure the baby is okay?”
“The baby is fine. I didn’t fall hard.”
“Chloe, I’m beginning to wonder if you understand what the fuck happened.”
“I know exactly what happened. I was walking out of the store when a stupid delivery bike almost ran me over. I jumped out of the way and tripped, hitting my head on one of the meters.”