Saving You (Love Wanted in Texas #2)(58)
Author: Kelly Elliott

“Gross mom, I just threw up in my mouth some.”

She laughed as she moved her arm and we walked together holding hands now. “Libby, I’m not going to judge you or say you did something wrong. You used protection and you’re not upset about being pregnant. I’m glad you’re being honest. It’s just, I would have rather you waited a few more years.”

Nodding my head, I stopped and turned to my mom. “The day I found I was pregnant was the day we were leaving for our camping trip. I was scared, Mom. I knew you and Dad were going to be upset with me. I didn’t want to disappoint either of you. I didn’t know how Luke was going to react either. When Luke graduates, we had already decided he was going to get a job close to A&M, maybe at a ranch or something. Being apart wasn’t an option.”

“Did you ever talk about kids?”

I chuckled. “No. I mean sometimes we would talk about our future and we both wanted kids. The plan was to wait a year or so after I graduated. I would stop taking the pill. If it happened, it happened. Then, I started to feel sick. Like I was getting the flu. My period was a few days late, so I bought a test. I was positive I wasn’t pregnant. I mean, I was on the pill. I took them every single day at the same time of the day.”

Clearing her throat my mother asked, “Libby, did you ever talk to your doctor about being sexually active?”

“I was planning on it when I went to her for my yearly. Why?”

“Were you still taking the same birth control pills? I mean your doctor hasn’t changed the type of pills or anything has she?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s been the same pills I’ve taken all along. Why?”

Stopping my mother looked at me with such a loving face. “Baby, you were on the lowest dose of birth control pills. You were supposed to talk to her before you became sexually active.”

Thinking back to that day in the doctor’s office, I remembered the doctor telling me I would need a higher dose once I became sexual active. My mouth dropped in horror as I slammed my hands over my mouth. “I’m so stupid! I totally forgot about her saying that, Mom.”

Shaking her head she winked. “Well, what’s meant to be will be.”

“Luke says the baby is a miracle. That she saved his life.”

Lacing her arm with mine, we began to head back toward Gunner and Ellie’s house. “How so?”

“Mom, it was bad on that trail. Luke had lost so much blood and he kept going in and out of consciousness.” I shuddered as if I could still feel the cold wind blowing on me. “A cold front had moved through and the temperature dropped so fast. I was beginning to think Luke wouldn’t make it through the night. Then Mr. and Mrs. Lambert showed up.”

My mother stopped walking. “Who?”

“It was this older couple. We had met them before we went hiking. They walked by our campsite and it was really weird because they even warned Luke to watch where he stepped when we went on a hike. And Mrs. Lambert even told me to bring my phone. I thought it was kind of ironic that their last name was the same as your maiden name.”

My mother was just staring at me. “Keep going, Libby.”

I continued. “I don’t even know what time it was, but it was dark. I heard someone talking and I looked up to see Mr. and Mrs. Lambert. I was shocked they were out late and in the cold. I was panicked and asked for them to go get help. I didn’t want to leave, Luke. That’s when the really strange thing happened.”

“What?” my mother asked in a whisper.

Thinking back to that moment I got a chill. Inhaling a deep breath, I slowly blew it out. “Mr. Lambert told me I had to give Luke hope because he was giving up. I cried and told them I didn’t know how. Mr. Lambert smiled and told me I did know how, I needed to tell Luke my news. Luke had let out a moan and I turned toward him. When I turned around—they were gone.”

My mother let out a gasp. The look on her face was like none I had seen before. I couldn’t tell if she was shocked, scared, or just plain confused. The color in her face had drained as she continued to stare at me. “Go on, Libby. Keep talking,” she whispered.

“Then the paramedics came. When I asked them if the Lambert’s had told them where to find us, he said they had received a call saying someone was badly injured on the falls trail so they immediately came looking for us.”

Standing there, I stared at my mother. She wasn’t moving, talking, and I wondered if she was even breathing. “Mom?”

Wiping the tears from her eyes before they could fall she let out a small laugh. “Do remember when you were little, Libby, and I used to tell you stories about how your grandparents were watching out for all of us?”

Tingles moved through my body. “Mom! I knew there was something special about them. I told Luke Mrs. Lambert kind of looked like you.”

Pulling me into her arms, she held me for the longest time before she pushed me back and moved her eyes up and down me. “I have to agree with, Luke. I’m pretty sure this little baby was your miracle, hand delivered by your grandparents.”

Breaking down into tears, I stood there as sobs rolled through my body. “I don’t know why I cry all the time, Mom!”

She giggled and said, “Welcome to motherhood.”

“I HATE THE month of July,” Grace said as we walked into the mall. I breathed out a sigh of relief when the cold air hit my face.

Placing my hand on my stomach, I smiled. “She kicked again!” I said as I stopped walking. Grace fell to her knees and began talking to my stomach. The first few times she did this in public I wanted to crawl under a rock. Now, I just laughed.

“Kick again for Auntie Grace. Come on, baby girl. Give mommy a giant kick so Auntie Grace can feel you. I’ll sing to you. The itsy bitsy spider went up the waterspout.”

I looked up and drew in a breath of air. Noah. He was smiling as he walked toward us. “Shit,” I whispered.

Grace told Luke and me how she had seen Noah with another girl and they were talking about their wedding. It was the day Luke was picking out my engagement ring. I tapped Grace on the top of the head. “Grace,” I said as I smiled at Noah. He stopped and smiled back at me warmly. Then he looked at Grace on her knees with her mouth up to my stomach.

“Out came the sun and dried up all the water and the itsy bitsy spider—”

Leaning down, I hit Grace harder. “Holy hell, bitch! I’m just trying to bond with my niece.” Grace jumped and spun around, slamming right into Noah. Noah quickly reached out and took a hold of Grace.