Chapter 23
Fiona
Charlene had let me leave early on Friday even though she had initially asked me to finish my work for the week. I was so glad I was able to go home with Laird. I didn’t know what my boss had heard or seen or why she had decided to be nice for a change – usually, she was a slave driver – but Laird and I were in the cab together and headed for the mountains.
It was almost too good to be true. I couldn’t believe everything was alright again. For a while, I had been completely wrapped in darkness, but it was only getting better and better.
The last bit of our trip where the road to the cabin was bumpy made me nervous. Laird tried to act all big, but I could see he was in pain and there was nothing I could do about it. When we climbed out of the cab at the cabin, I paid the driver and helped Laird inside. I tucked him into bed and made sure he took his pain medication.
“This shit makes me sleep, and I’d rather spend time with you,” Laird said.
“You aggravated your leg by coming all the way to the city after me. You have to take it. I won’t have you being in pain because of me.”
Laird wanted to argue, but I wouldn’t have any of it.
“Fine,” he said. “But you were worth it.”
Warm washed over me. Laird had a way of making me feel special no matter what he said to me. He was amazing in every way, and I realized with a pang that I loved him. I had nearly lost him, and that had made me realize how much he meant to me. And this? This made me realize I loved him. It was the strangest love story, with twists and kinks, and we had almost not ended up together. But I loved him, no matter how improbable it sounded.
“Come here,” Laird said and reached for me. I scooted back so he couldn’t grab hold of me. I knew what he wanted. If the bulge in his pants wasn’t enough indication the hunger in his eyes was. And God knows I wanted it, too. But I wouldn’t let him have it.
“I’m here all weekend. We have a lot of time to do whatever we like, but you need to rest.”
Laird looked disappointed, but I leaned over and kissed him, and he behaved. I lay down with him, my head on his chest and his arm curled around my shoulder holding tightly onto me. Slowly, his breathing slowed and deepened, and his arm around my shoulder relaxed. He was asleep. I was glad the medicine was forcing him to rest. I knew he would have fought it the whole night if it meant we could spend time together.
While Laird slept, I moved around the cabin and cleaned up. He hadn’t been home for a week. The place wasn’t very dirty – maybe he had someone coming in – but I neatened up the place anyway. I washed the few dishes he had, swept the floor and wiped the counters. I wanted to take care of him, and while he slept, this was all I could think of doing.
When I was done with the cleaning, I opened the fridge. There was no food to be had, and he would need proper nourishment to regain his strength. We had come to the cabin in a cab, but he had a truck. I thought about waking him up for a second but decided against it. He needed to sleep.
I made sure he had a cell phone on the nightstand in case he needed me, took the truck keys from the hook next to the door and ventured out.
It was strange driving the truck after I had always driven a small car, but I managed. I carefully navigated my way to the closest store, using my GPS to know where I was headed, and I bought supplies for the cabin. I bought ready-made meals for the two of us so we didn’t have to spend a lot of time cooking. I bought apples and bananas, and in the toiletry section, I grabbed shampoo and conditioner for myself so I could stay the weekend.
When I was done grocery shopping, I bought a change of clothes and some underwear from the ladies’ department so I didn’t have to head back to the city. I checked my cell phone every now and that to be sure Laird hadn’t tried to get a hold of me.
Finally, I was done with everything, and I climbed back into the truck, starting it and turning it back to the cabin.
When I arrived home, I checked on Laird. He was still fast asleep. I filled a glass of water and put it on the nightstand next to his cell phone and prepared a meal for myself. I settled in front of the television to eat and flipped through the channels.
Being alone in the cabin in the mountains wasn’t as quiet and as isolated as I had thought it would be. It was a huge change from the city that I was used to, but I liked it here. Of course, I wouldn’t have been this happy to be here alone if I had truly been alone. I had Laird in the next room, and I was here for him. To be with him, to take care of him while he needed it.
I put my hand on my belly. To have this baby with him when the time came.
I closed my eyes and tried to picture what life would be like with Laird by my side and a baby girl or boy in our arms. It was so different from the life I had been living until now. I would have to take the time to wrap my mind around it.
I looked around the cabin. Laird had mentioned, before the accident, that we could expand the cabin to make room for the baby if I came to live with him. How would he do that, I wondered? It was a one-bedroom place. But I was sure Laird would figure something out. He was as serious about making it work as I was.
Charlene would let me work remotely so I could be home with Laird and the baby. I could still earn an income and Laird would carry on his job at the lodge. I couldn’t think of anything more perfect.
Time ticked on and there was nothing to watch on television. I was way too distracted to try and work. I made sure everything I had dirtied while I was here was clean again. I had packed away the groceries and taken out the trash. I walked to the bathroom and closed myself in. I took a shower and washed my hair before I tiptoed to Laird’s closet and found an oversized shirt to wear for the night.
When my hair was dry, and I had nothing else to do, I climbed into bed next to Laird. He was still fast asleep, but he slung his arm over me and pulled me against his body, curling himself around me like a question mark. I smiled. It was so natural to be with him, for him to hold me against him like this. It was where I belonged. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly and relaxing.
I hadn’t been this relaxed since before Laird had his accident. It had been a difficult week for me, and I had thought that my life would be miserable forever.
But everything was alright, now. I was where I belonged, and the love of my life had his arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly against him like he was never going to let go. And I felt the same. I wouldn’t let go, either. I was so glad I hadn’t decided to move on, in the end.
With love like this, we could make it through. We hardly knew each other, and we were going to bring a new life into the world, soon. But no matter how hard things became, I knew for a fact that we could make it through.
If we made it through this, we could make it through anything. The two of us together was all we needed.
Laird’s breath was hot on my neck, and his body was warm against mine. I felt safe and loved and wasn’t that all that any woman wanted in this world?
When Randy had dumped me, I had thought I would be alone forever, but now I felt that I was where I belonged more than I had ever felt with Randy. This was what fate felt like.