The Journey Home(55)
Author: Kelly Elliott

I laughed and said, “Nope,” popping the p.

Cale dragged in a deep breath. As his chest raised, so did my head; it lowered as he breathed all the air out.

“You have to promise not to say a word,” he said.

I nodded as I watched Lily’s sweet little back move up and down with each breath. “I promise,” I said with a wide grin.

“Okay, here goes,” he said. “Monica is pregnant.”

My smile dropped and held my breath for a second, expecting him to say he was playing a mean joke on me.

“Did you hear me, baby? Monica is two months pregnant.”

“What?” I asked. “How? I mean, when did you find out? How did you find out?” I pushed away and jumped up. “Oh my God. No. Please don’t tell me she cheated and confided in you. Oh God!” I turned and began pacing, wondering why she’d confide in Cale like that. Wondering if it was someone we knew.

Cale’s face dropped as he jumped up and pulled his boxer briefs back on. “What? Wait, Maddie. Calm down for a second. Please, just take a deep breath okay? Monica didn’t cheat. The baby is Jack’s.”

I closed my eyes and shook my head. My mind was running rampant.

“Wait,” I said. “So Monica didn’t cheat, and it’s Jack’s baby…but I thought…I thought Jack couldn’t…I mean, he said he couldn’t have kids.”

Cale smiled. “I know. That’s what the doctors told him, but Monica said that they are telling her she probably got pregnant on their honeymoon.”

I placed my hands over my mouth and attempted to hold back sobs as tears began to roll down my face. Then I dropped my hands and curled my lip. “Wait one minute,” I said. “Why the hell would my best friend, who didn’t think she would ever be able to get pregnant, tell you about this, and not me?”

Cale laughed as we both turned to Lily, who was now sitting up in her playpen, mumbling, “Dada. Dada. Dadadada.”

Cale got dressed and scooped Lily up as I fumbled to get dressed. I hopped on one foot, trying to follow him. As he climbed the stairs, Lily smiled over his shoulder at me.

“Monica saw me in the jewelry store and came in.”

I gasped and said, “I’m getting jewelry!”

“Fuck,” Cale whispered as he disappeared into Lily’s room. I pulled my shirt over my head and took the stairs two at a time.

I leaned against the doorjamb and watched Cale as he talked to Lily.

“How did you sleep, Princess? Did you miss Daddy?”

“Dada. Dadadada,” Lily said, giggling.

Cale masterfully changed Lily’s diaper and had her dressed within seconds. “Oh my, big girl. Daddy loves you so much.” Lily’s hair was growing in more and more—I couldn’t wait to start putting it in little ponytails. Her blue eyes were beginning to change to a more blue-green color.

I cleared my throat and said, “Jewelry, huh?”

He shrugged and winked at me. “Do you want to know about Monica or your gift?”

“Monica!”

He picked up Lily and said, “So I ran into her and asked if she wanted to get coffee. I knew something was wrong when we walked in silence all the way to the coffee shop. Monica is never quiet. Before I knew it, she was breaking down crying and I was thinking the worst. I was ready to kick Jack’s ass. Then she just busted out with the pregnancy news.”

I put my hand over my mouth and shook my head. “Oh my gosh! How, though? When did she find out?”

“She’d just found out. I think that’s why she was so emotional and couldn’t hold it in,” Cale said. “She had to tell someone. She wants to tell Jack before everyone else, but she honestly just seemed shocked. She asked her doctor how this could happen when Jack’s doctors told him it was nearly impossible to conceive.”

I wiped my tears away and asked. “What did they tell her?”

The smile that spread across Cale’s face made me smile bigger.

“The doctor told Monica that nothing is impossible. Miracles happen every day.”

I reached out for Lily as she began saying, “Mama.”

“A truer statement could never be said,” I sighed.

Cale kissed Lily on the cheek and then kissed me gently on the lips. “When can we try for our little miracle?”

My stomach dropped and my heart began beating harder in my chest. Carrying Cale’s child was something I couldn’t wait to make a reality. I held Lily closer. Having Cale’s child would round out our little family. I would finally feel whole. I knew it was silly to feel this way. I just didn’t feel like I was…complete.

I sighed and said, “I’d like to at least wait until we get closer to the wedding before we start trying. If that’s okay with you?”

Cale’s eyes lit up. I wondered briefly if it was the idea of the two of us making a child together. Lily would forever and always be my daughter, but I wasn’t really her mother. No matter how much I tried to move on from that fact, I just couldn’t. At least not yet. Zoey still held that one last thing over me.

Cale placed his hand on my cheek and smiled so tenderly. I’d never experienced the kind of love I felt with Cale. I fell more and more in love with him every day.

“Of course it’s okay, Maddie,” he said. “I’m ready whenever you are, baby.”

I licked my lips as his eyes traveled down to my lips and he smiled. He leaned down and kissed me as Lily started laughing. Cale and I both chuckled as he took Lily from my arms.

“You want to go to JJ’s for dinner tonight?”

I nodded and said, “Yes! I think Lily will love feeding the fish.”

The rest of the day was spent at JJ’s. By the time we made it back home, Lily was exhausted, so she went to bed earlier than normal. I was about to open up a bottle of wine when the doorbell rang. I set the wine down and walked to the door. When I opened it, my mouth dropped to the ground—Andre was standing there.

I tried to speak, but nothing came out. He smiled and looked me over from head to toe. “Bella,” he said. “I’ve missed you so much.”

I glared at him. “What are you doing here, Andre?”

His smile faded, his eyes turning from happy to angry in an instant. “I came to see if you were done playing house yet. I want you back.”

I looked behind me, then turned and pushed him on the chest to back him up. I stepped outside and shut the door.

“Are you kidding me? Really? You have the nerve to show up on my fiancés doorstep and ask me something like that?” I asked. “I love Cale. I’ve always loved him and I will always love him. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m asking you to please leave and never contact me again. I’m happy. Very happy and very much in love.”