Chapter 46
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Andrew
I grin as she picks up her dress and rushes back to the cabin.
My sister is dancing with one of her girlfriends, and Chase is at the bar, raising two fingers for a double. He’s put on a happy face, but it’s obvious that he’s in a lot of pain. I know Tessa would want me to talk to him, even though the last thing I want is to convince a man to be with my sister. With a groan, I head over and nod for him to take a seat at an empty table with me.
“What’s up man? Feel weird to be a husband?” he asks, a fake smile plastered on his face.
“Cut the shit man, I know you’re miserable.”
His face falls a fraction. “I really am happy for you guys, just seeing what you have is, fuck, I’m jealous, I guess. Shitty friend, huh?” He sighs.
“You’re not a shitty friend, in fact, you’re probably my best friend,” I resign.
“I bet that hurt to admit.” He grins, and I laugh.
“So, I already hate myself for asking this, but what’s going on with you and Marybeth?”
His gaze flickers to where she’s twirling on the dance floor. “I told her I loved her.”
“No shit?” I say in fake surprise. Tessa told me everything almost immediately after she found out, but I wasn’t about to tell him that.
“Yeah, and she disappeared so fast I thought there would be little skid marks on the tiles.”
“You know, she refused to leave your side when you were unconscious. I have never seen her such a mess, she was terrified at the thought of losing you. That doesn’t mean nothing.”
“I know, that’s why it felt like a punch to the gut when she took off without a word. I woke up and there she was, her tiny body curled up next to mine. It struck me that I could have died without telling her how I really felt. So as soon as she popped her eyes open, I laid it all out. I guess she didn’t feel the same.”
I laugh, and he glares at me before taking another drink. “If you think she ran because she doesn’t have strong enough feelings for you, then I’ve been giving you way too much credit.”
He grunts. “What are you talking about, dickhead?”
“My parents once got my sister a rabbit for her birthday—”
“What does this have to do with anything?” he interrupts.
“Just shut it and listen. She loved that stupid, smelly rabbit so damn much. Everywhere she was allowed to bring him, she toted him around, dressed him up, had fake tea parties. One day, out of the blue she brought the rabbit to my mom, mumbled something about taking it back, and ran to her room.”
“Why? She get bored of it?” he scoffs.
“I asked her about it later, she told me she was scared she would accidentally hurt it, or that it might get loose and a coyote would eat it. She loved that damn rabbit so much that the only thing she thought she could do to protect it, was run away from it.”
“That’s. . . really stupid,” he spits out.
“Yep, but that’s one of her defense mechanisms. When she loves something too much, she creates as much distance as she can so nothing bad can happen. You can’t break her heart if she never gives it to you.”
His eyebrows bunch in understanding. “Well shit, that’s really sad.”
“She may not have said it with words, but she loves you, a lot. So, go over there, sweep her off her feet, and don’t break her fucking heart,” I threaten.
He stands up with a new look of determination. “Thanks man,” he says, and I smile, nodding for him to go get her.
I watch him stand before my sister who rolls her eyes and tries to walk away, but he grabs her hand and spins her into his arms. Her eyes widen, and a small smile turns up the corner of her mouth. Her friends move away, and with a yell from my sister, the music fades into a slow melodic number. He holds her close as they dance, and when she knows he can’t see, the biggest smile blooms across her face.
I hear the cabin door shut and turn to find Tess waddling back to me. I give her a proud look, excited to tell her about my talk with Chase, but I realize something is off. Her face unusually pale and she’s gripping her stomach. When I open my mouth to call out to her, she stumbles and falls forward.
Like I’m running through mud, it takes me an eternity to reach her.
I drop beside her unconscious form and scream for help. With trembling fingers, I dial 911 on my phone and set it on speaker so I can lay it on the ground. Ever so gently, I move her onto her side so she’s not lying on the baby.
“Baby, baby, please wake up. Tessa, you have to wake up.” I cry while kissing the back of her hand. I scream again, this time for my mom.
Not today, dear God not today.
Is this a sign?
Have we really been cursed by the universe?
Why the fuck is this happening? I refuse to let anything happen to my beautiful girl.
She’s put on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance where a paramedic hooks her up to an IV and places a breathing mask over her face. We’re rushed to the hospital, and as soon as we get there she’s wheeled away. I pace the waiting room, snapping at anyone who attempts to talk to me.
After what feels like an eternity, a doctor come through the doors.
“Is there family here for Tessa Kinsley?” he asks.
I rush forward. “Yes, I’m her husband. We—we just got married t—today. Is she o—okay?” The words stutter out of my mouth as tremors of fear jolt through my body.
“She’s okay, son. I can take you back to see her, but just you. Too much excitement can be bad for her fragile state.” I breathe a sigh of relief at his words.
She’s okay.
I look back at my family and Chase, who all look as relieved as I feel. I let them know I’m allowed to see her and that I’ll text them when I know what’s going on.
I follow the doctor down the white hall. “What happened?”
“Well, the fainting was caused by a fluctuation in her blood pressure. My guess is, she was likely too nervous to eat much. Plus exerting herself, and all the excitement from the wedding. It was a perfect storm.”
I should have made sure she ate something and took it easy, idiot.
“Okay, blood pressure.” I let out a nervous breath. “Thank God, I thought it would be something bad, Doc, thank you.”
“As we ran a few tests, we did discover something else. . .”
There’s something wrong after all.
“Tell me,” I demand.
“Tess is awake and alert, I think it best I tell you both so you can process the information together,” the doctor says curtly.
My fingers twitch to bash his head against the wall.
When he opens the door for me to enter, I rush to her side. The color is back in her cheeks and although she must be exhausted, she already looks so much better. After giving her a few kisses and asking her if she’s okay, I grasp her hand and take a seat in the little chair by her bed. We both turn to give the doctor our full attention. Her small hand trembles in mine, and I give it a firm squeeze to reassure her.
No matter what this doctor says, no matter what’s wrong, I will stand by her side. The universe should know better by now, we can and will survive anything.
I grit my teeth as the doctor flips through her chart. “Get on with it, Doc.”
“Ah yes, I do apologize on behalf of the hospital. You were admitted not long ago, suffering from smoke inhalation. You were severely malnourished and in need of stitches for several deep lacerations. The nurses and the doctor on call were so concerned with your state of health that we did overlook—”
“WHAT’S WRONG WITH HER, DOC?” I roar, unable to contain myself any further.
The doctor, as if waking from a dream, blinks in confusion as he tilts his head. “I’m sorry if I led you to believe something was wrong. Might I ask, Mr. or Mrs. Blackwell, do twins happen to run in either of your families?
“Twins? Why the fuck are you asking ab—” Like a bolt of lightning, it hits me. That’s what they must have missed in their tests, a second heartbeat.
“We’re having twins?” I gasp. My demeanor flips from frightened fury to confusion.
He nods. “Like I said, we do apologize for missing this in the initial tests. We did try to get your wife back in here for more testing, but she refused. I know it will come as a shock, so I will give you some time to process this information.” With a half bow, he leaves the room rather quickly.
Relief floods through me. God, I thought she had cancer or some horrible fucking disease. A hysterical laugh bursts from me. It’s really no surprise if I think about it. There’s at least one set of twins with every other generation of Blackwells.
I turn to Tessa who stares blankly at where the doctor was just standing. “Hunny?” I ask lightly.
No response.
I caress her cheek with the back of my hand. Her eyes widen as two words tumble from her parted lips. Two words that make me grin, and inform me that everything’s going to be okay in the language my wife communicates best.
“Oh. Fuck.”