Merick handed me his keys and I slammed out of the house, knowing that I was safe because I may not see them, but I could feel the people protecting us around me.
“Taryn?” I am pulled back to the present when Amelia comes back in. “Sweetheart are you okay?”
I shake my head. “No, but I will be.”
She stares at me, a dumbfounded look on her face. But I do nothing to reassure her. “O-okay, let’s check on you and baby.”
After checking my vitals Amelia has me lie down on the table and first measures my belly and then writes something down. When she squirts some jelly on my belly, she holds a little instrument to it and moves it around slowly. The fast whoosh of my little girl’s heartbeat begins to echo through the room.
Tears leak from my eyes as I listen to the most beautiful sound in the world. Amelia grabs my hand with her free one and lets me listen longer. When she pulls it away I miss that beautiful sound already. Excitement fills me though when she pulls the ultrasound over.
She turns it on, types some information into it and then turns to me and smiles. “Let’s look at the baby. Do you want to know the sex?”
Merick and I had wanted to be surprised, but I know deep in my soul that this baby is a girl—I’ve dreamt of her. “Ahem...I’d like to know, please.”
She moves the wand over my belly, stopping to type and then moving it again. “The baby looks great. From the measurements I’m estimating that the baby is around six pounds.” Amelia turns to look at me. “Honey, you’re measuring almost thirty weeks. The baby is growing fast and at this rate you could have the baby in the next month.”
“Oh god, I’m not ready Amelia.”
She grabs my hands in hers. “Taryn it’s okay. You’ll be ready trust me. You have a lot of people that are going to be there for you, to protect you, and the baby. Now let me show you that beautiful baby.”
I nod as she turns the little screen toward me. There, staring right at me is my baby. I reach out my hand touching the screen and freeze. Did the baby smile at me? She does it again, but I can’t be so sure that it really happened. I’ve been so tired, maybe I’m hallucinating.
Amelia touches my hand. “The baby is most definitely a girl. I’ll print you some pictures to take home. Then I just have to do a quick test and you’ll be all finished.”
She finishes the rest of the exam and the uncomfortable test that I don’t want to talk about. Once I’m dressed she walks me out and stands on the sidewalk, watching as I get in and drive away.
When I get home I sit for a minute in the driveway, not even sure I want to go in at the moment. I love Merick, I do, but this distance he’s put between us is killing me. How can I fix this when I don’t know what happened. I grab my purse and climb out of the truck.
Inside the house it’s quiet, almost silent. I slip off my coat and set my purse down after I fish the baby’s pictures out. I move through the house. “Merick?” No answer. I head to his office and find it empty. I set down the picture of our daughter’s face and write him a note.
I grab my phone and head upstairs. I crawl onto the bed and dial my best friend—I need her.
“Hey Momma, how are you?” The tears immediately fall. “Taryn what’s wrong? Oh god, is it the baby?”
“N-No she’s fine. I-I just...I hate to ask, but can you come here? I need you.” I hate how weak I sound, that’s not me. I also know that it isn’t exactly safe for her to be here, but I need her.
“Let me talk to Roger and see if I can’t take some time. I’ll call you when I find out. Now it isn’t lost on me that you said she, does that mean I’m going to be the auntie to a little girl?”
We spend the next half hour talking about the baby and my appointment. Of course when she comes she’s going to know something is up since I’m hugely pregnant now and you can’t miss that fact either.
Once we hang up I feel better...of course that is until the bedroom door opens and Merick steps inside. “I want to take a nap.” I tell him and roll over, wrapping myself around the pregnancy pillow that Rowan bought for me.
I feel the bed dip and his body heat as he sits by my side. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, but I don’t respond. Merick tries to touch me but I scoot away. I know it’s childish, but I am so hurt right now and whatever he’s keeping from me has created this great divide between us.
“Why can’t you tell me? Are you sleeping with someone else? Were you wrong about me being your mate?” God, those words feel like acid on my tongue.
“Fuck no, I would never do that! You. Are. My. Mate.”
I take a deep breath. “Who is Abigail?” I don’t miss the way his body freezes behind me. “You block your thoughts from me, but I’ve heard her name twice. Who is she?”
He stands up and I wait for him to leave, but when I turn my head I find him standing next to the bed, scrubbing his hands over his face. “Before I tell you I want you to know that I didn’t tell you because I was trying to protect you. This isn’t easy to hear.”
“Oh but ignoring me and making
