Chapter Eleven
Meg
Fear radiated from deep within me as I stared at the positive pregnancy test. It was one thing to sleep with your stepbrother but an entirely different thing to have a baby with him.
Then there was the worry that he may not take to having a child like I did. I couldn’t picture myself being with anyone else. I might have been a naïve woman before ever crossing paths with Elijah, but now that I knew what he wanted, and how much he loved me I could never see myself being with someone else.
“Hey baby, if you aren’t ready yet we’ve got to be at the steakhouse in…” Elijah’s words cut off as he looked from the pregnancy test in my hands and then to my face. I was shocked, my mouth dry, and my heart beating furiously against my rib cage. What if he wasn’t ready?
“I…. I just found out.” My voice wobbled. I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. Fear rooted me in place.
“Is it positive?” His voice was soft, and soothed the ache of fear in my chest. I handed him the test to let him see the results.
“I’ll understand if you aren’t ready, but I won’t lie and say I’m not happy. I’ve always wanted children.”
Elijah stared at me with disbelief reflecting in his eyes. “What do you mean you’ll understand if I’m not ready?”
I wrung my hands together nervously, “I mean if you don’t want a baby right now I’ll understand, but I’m not having an abortion or anything. I want to keep it.”
Elijah sat the plastic test down on the bathroom counter before cupping me by the cheeks. His touch made me weak in the knees.
“I would never tell you to get an abortion. Hell you have no idea how excited I am to have a baby with you. I love you, and knowing that you’re carrying my child inside of you only makes me love you more.”
Butterflies took flight in my stomach. I felt complete as soon as he told me he was excited to have children.
“You mean that? You really want to have kids?” Tears formed in my eyes. The positive pregnancy test explained all my cravings and mood swings over the last month. I was damn near surprised that Elijah was still around after the way I had been acting lately.
“I fucking mean it, Meg. I would rather have children with you than any other woman in this world. You’ll be the best fucking mom ever.” I couldn’t hold the tears in, so I let them go, showing Elijah just how much his words meant to me.
I sniffled, my chest heaving as the floodgates opened, tears falling from my eyes instantly.
“Don’t cry, Princess. I love you, and our unborn baby.” Elijah wrapped me up in his arms rubbing tiny circles along my back.
“I’m not sad. I’m happy, so happy.” I sucked in a breath.
“Good, because we have to tell our parents not only about us, but about their new grandbaby too.” I blinked, realizing his was right. We had to tell both his father and my mother about our relationship. Maybe we could wait a bit to tell them about the baby?
“I feel like that much news might send them over the edge…” I was back to worrying about what would happen once everyone knew about us, and the baby.
Elijah stared at me so much love, and care as he spoke. “Nothing anyone says about us matters. What matters is what we want. Don’t let the fear of what others will say make it so we can’t be happy.” I swallowed nodding my head yes. I wrapped my arms around his strong frame knowing he could hold us together when I fell apart. He was right, nothing else mattered but us and what we wanted.
“I love you Meg, and nothing anyone says is going to change that.” Elijah’s voice was slow as he pressed a gentle kiss over my thrumming heartbeat.
“I love you too.” I declared knowing no one could take this moment of happiness away from us.
***
Elijah and I walked into the BJ’s Steakhouse hand in hand. The place was packed and I hoped that a scene wouldn’t be made when both our parents realized that we were together.
“Everything is going to be okay baby… I promise.” Elijah assured me as our parent’s table came into view. They were smiling and laughing together as they saw us. I waved at them as we made our way over to the table. Elijah and I were still holding hands. My mother was the first to notice, eyes slipping from joint hands and back to my face.
“Hi Mom!” I smiled, allowing Elijah to pull my chair out so I could sit. Once I was seated he took the spot next to me.
“Son.” Richard greeted him, he too noticing our joined hands as we walked in.
“Thanks for having us. I hope you enjoyed your vacation.” Elijah started up an easy going conversation, but all I could feel were my mother’s hard eyes on me.
“Why don’t we just cut to the chase…?” My mother started. “Explain to me why you’re holding Meg’s hand when you walked in?” There was an accusing tone to my mother’s voice.
Elijah sipped from his water glass his eyes gliding from me, and then back to my mother. My stomach was in knots as I waited for him to speak.
“While we wanted to announce this after dinner, but since you noticed right away, we might as well announce it now…” I sucked in a breath nodding my head yes so that he would know I was ready.
“What the hell is…” Richard started but Elijah cut him off before he could finish what it was he was saying.
“Meg and I are together. We started seeing each other back in June. We wanted to wait till you got back to tell you.” Elijah was smiling I was filled with worry and my mothers expression was unreadable.
“Ummm…” Richard started and then paused. “I need a drink.”
I was going to second that but couldn’t since I was now pregnant.
“We also have more news…” My mouth went dry. This was my part. I had to tell them that we were expecting. I played the words that Elijah had spoken to me over and over again like a mantra.
“What could be more disturbing then my daughter sleeping with her stepbrother?” I could tell how displeased my mother was with Elijah and I seeing each other.
“Well, since you find it disturbing that were together I’m sure you’ll find it even more disturbing to know that you’re going to be a grandma.” I clenched my fist under the table, feeling Elijah’s hand against mine.
Anger like I had never felt before took over the fear that had been consuming me. How could she be angry with an unborn child?
“Dear Lord, this cannot be happening.” She looked to Richard for some type of encouragement but received none. He was to busy looking for the waitress so that he could order a drink.
“It is and you don’t have to agree with a single thing to be happy for us.” Elijah’s voice was strong and confident which only made him a target for my mother’s rage. I loved my mother, but when she didn’t approve of something she made it more than known.
“You’re right, but what will the media say? Will they be happy for you? Or will they twist the story and make it seem like we’re some inbred family?” She narrowed her eyes at both of us.
“What they say doesn’t matter. All that matters is what we want.” I gained the courage to speak.
“Sure, Meg. Do what you want, but don’t come crying to me when you’ve made a completely mockery of yourself and our family. I will not have any association with you if this comes out in a bad light.” I rolled my eyes trying to exhale the negative shit she was stirring up.
“Then don’t have shit to do with us. It doesn’t matter really, because it doesn’t change a thing. We’re still going to be together, and we’re still going to have this baby whether you like it or not.” Elijah made his final statement about us, and dinner carried on. It was tense, and very few words were spoken on my half but we stayed sitting through dinner, and enjoying our steaks. My mother’s dark eyes burned holes through me as I stuffed my face with a piece of cheesecake.
I was more than happy that dinner was coming to an end and that I wouldn’t have to spend another second in my mother’s unpleased presence.
Elijah and I stood, saying our goodbyes as we did so. My mother looked me straight in the eyes.
“Remember what I said Meg. If this comes out in a bad light I don’t want you contacting me, not even about the baby.”
My heart sunk into my belly. How hateful was it that my mother couldn’t even love our unborn baby
“We don’t need you, or your shitty words, but thanks.” Elijah sneered, pulling me in the direction of the door. Now all we had to do was break the news to Evan who I presumed wouldn’t want to be living with us anymore once he discovered he was going to be an uncle.
“I love you Princess. Don’t let her shit words worry you. I’m never going anywhere, not unless you’re right by my side.” Elijah’s words brought me peace that I never thought I would find in this life.