Chapter 31

Ashley

I needed to count to ten or I was going to knock the shit out of a pregnant woman. Better make it a hundred, I decided. I didn’t want to go to jail for domestic violence, but Anna was pushing me to the limit. She was a vile woman. I couldn’t believe we were related. We couldn’t be. I decided to ask my dad if one of us was adopted or the product of an affair. There was simply no way we could share the same blood.

She hated me. That was evident by the way she was sneering. Anna had spent last night at the farm in her old room. I had a feeling she and her boyfriend had been fighting. This morning, when I asked her if she was okay, she had snapped, spewing horrible things about me in front of Jasper. That crossed a line, and I let her know it in no uncertain terms.

She glared at me. Her eyes were barely open as she looked me up and down with pure, unfiltered hatred.

“It was me,” she spat out.

“It was you what?” I shot back. I was tired of fighting with her. I wanted to ban her from the house, but knew I didn’t quite have the authority to do that.

“I told Brock about Jasper.”

I sighed. “I expected as much. You’re a vindictive woman, Anna. It isn’t very becoming,” I said in a haughty tone.

Though I pretended it didn’t bother me, it did. I’d had a feeling it had been her, but I had refused to believe my own sister would betray me that way. We had always had our differences, but this could have hurt my son. It was unforgiveable.

“You had no right to have that baby and not tell him,” she said.

“It’s none of your damn business!”

She bestowed an evil grin on me that was full of malice. There was no possible way she could be my blood relative. Something went very wrong with her. She was a nasty, angry woman who seemed to thoroughly enjoy hurting other people and causing trouble in general.

I wondered if she was mentally ill. I could forgive her if that were the reason behind these horrible outbursts and nasty behavior. Maybe she could get some meds and hopefully become a normal human being.

“What is your problem, Anna? You are acting like the spawn of Satan. I half expect your head to start spinning around,” I said, my voice filled with anger.

Her mouth dropped open and she burst into tears.

Shit. That was unexpected. I had said far worse than that, and she had certainly said far meaner things. Why did that make her cry?

“Anna, I’m sorry.” I quickly apologized. It didn’t make sense that my words could make her cry. I didn’t call her any names or threaten bodily harm. I wondered if this was more drama to lull me into lowering my guard before she would attack. I put nothing past her.

She waved a hand in the air.

“Sit.” I directed her to the kitchen table. “What’s going on?”

“He left. He doesn’t want a baby or me!” she wailed. “I’m knocked up and alone.”

“Oh, Anna. You don’t need him to have this baby. His part is done. You can do the rest; trust me. It isn’t so bad.”

“I’m not you,” she moaned. “You can run away and have babies. I can’t do that. I don’t have the slightest idea how to do that.”

“I didn’t either. Turns out nobody does. It’s one of those things you figure out as you go. Lucky for you, you have me and Dad to help out. Even Jasper can give you a hand.”

Her sobs were loud as she buried her face in her hands. “This sucks. I hate being pregnant.”

I laughed. “How many weeks are you?”

“Eleven.”

“You’re almost through the roughest part. The second trimester is a breeze, and the third, well, it’s a little tough, but you get to feel your baby so that makes it better.”

I kept the fact that feeling the baby was often more of a curse than a blessing when you wanted to sleep and the baby wanted to play soccer, but she would figure that out on her own.

“I thought he would be okay with a baby. I don’t think I’m ready for all of this,” she hiccupped.

“Anna, you do have options. I won’t pressure you into doing anything. It’s your choice, but if you are feeling overwhelmed, you should talk to someone. There are all kinds of pregnancy counselors out there. Just remember, we’re all here for you.”

“I can’t believe I was stupid enough to get pregnant. I’m twenty-seven. I hear my biological clock like a gong in my ears. I figured if I accidentally on purpose got pregnant, things would magically work themselves out. I didn’t think I would end up alone. And if that isn’t bad enough, I’m going to be out of a job soon.” She broke into a fresh round of sobbing.

I put my hand on her back and gently rubbed, giving her time to calm herself down. Hormones were a bitch, and she clearly had a killer case of pregnancy hormones.

“Helen is going to be gone for a couple months at least, Anna. You have time to figure out what to do,” I reminded her.

“I have no job, no boyfriend, and no real home.”

“You have a home here. I come with the deal, so you would have to be okay with that. Move in and stay for good. Dad and I will help you. You are not alone,” I repeated.

I sat there with her while she got the sobbing under control.

“I don’t want stretch marks!” she blurted out.

I laughed. “You might not get them. Drink plenty of water and try the vitamin E oil on your belly and hips. I read that it helps.”

“Did you get a bunch?” she asked, suddenly oddly interested in my body.

I shrugged. “A few. It happens, Anna. Few women get through life and pregnancy without them. It’s not a big deal. You’re going to be a mother. You don’t need to be flaunting all your bits and pieces. Remember, your child is going to be looking up to you, watching you and maybe even mimicking you.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “No! I’m a terrible role model!”

“Then be a better one. No one expects you to be perfect. You are going to make a lot of mistakes. I certainly did, and I still do.”

“I can’t believe I put myself in this situation. I feel like such an idiot. I’m a grown woman. I should have known better,” she mumbled.

“Anna, give yourself a break. Quit stressing out over things that haven’t even happened yet. Relax. It will be better for you if you do. Being stressed and anxious is only going to make the pregnancy symptoms worse. You have to learn to let it go,” I said.

She wiped her face with her hands. I jumped up and grabbed her a couple napkins, which she used to wipe her nose.

“I have to get to work,” she said, all business now.

“Maybe you can go in late or take the day off,” I suggested.

She shook her head. “No. I need every dollar, and I don’t want to give Brock any more reason to fire me. I need this job, and it is actually a good job. I like it.”

I smiled. I was glad Brock had given her the chance. I knew she could be surly and probably didn’t make the best assistant at times, but it showed he was willing to help out a woman down on her luck. It was one of the many reasons I had a little soft spot for him, even if he had tried to steal my family’s home.

“Are you okay now?” I asked.

She stood, and I followed her.

“Yeah. Sorry,” she mumbled. “I don’t know why I feel like I have to take all my crap out on you. It isn’t personal. I’ll try to contain it, but I make no guarantees.”

I laughed. “It’s okay, Anna. I’m glad you finally told me. We’ll get through this. You don’t have to carry this burden alone.”

She smiled. “You want to carry the baby for me?”

“Ha. Not a chance in hell. This will teach you to have unprotected sex, young lady,” I playfully scolded.

“I doubt it,” she shot back.

“Okay, fair enough. Are you sure you’re okay to go to work? I could call Brock. I’m sure he would understand, and he isn’t going to fire you. He needs you.”

“Yes. I’m fine. I just need to clean up and get going,” she said, dashing out of the kitchen.

I heard her in the bathroom and a minute later she was heading out the front door. I stood at the window, watching her leave. She reminded me of the Tasmanian devil. She blew in, created this crazy disaster, and then blew out just as fast. Her mood swings were no joke. She could make your head spin. I was afraid for that last month of pregnancy. Maybe we could send her away to some isolated camp.

“You can come out now, Dad,” I said in a sarcastic tone.

He’d been eavesdropping but chosen to let me handle the lunatic sister while he kept a safe distance. I probably would have made the same decision had I been given the chance. Things had been ugly in the beginning of our fight. He’d probably been debating whether to call the police or an ambulance.

He came to stand beside me at the window. “You’re a good sister.”

I laughed. “Please tell me we aren’t actually related.”

“Sorry. You two are sisters. Same blood. Hers is just a little more heated.”

“Acidic, you mean,” I shot back.

He chuckled. “You handled that like a pro. You are going to be an excellent mother to your own daughter one day.”

“Lord have mercy. I think I’ll stick with Jasper. He is so easy going and so good. I don’t want a girl that can grow up and turn into that. Or me for that matter.”

“It’s the spirited ones that are the most fun,” he joked.

“I think you’re lying.”

He winked.

“Ready for some breakfast?”

“Sure.”

I got busy making him some eggs and toast and made sure he took all his medicines. That alone required a full glass of water to get all the pills down. He didn’t complain. He swallowed the pills and then declared he was going into the fields.

“Not too long, Dad. It’s already hot out there. You have to take it easy. I know you’re feeling better, but I don’t want you overdoing it,” I said.

“Yeah, yeah. I know the drill.”

I watched him as he ambled outside and took long, deep breaths. It wasn’t even eight in the morning yet and I was already exhausted. Anna had a way of zapping my energy.

I headed to my room to get my laptop. I needed to finish editing the pictures of the property so I could get them back to Brock. As I flipped through the photos, I thought back to our time there. Whenever I was with him, I turned into a sex maniac. I couldn’t seem to get enough of him. I felt like a horny teenager with raging hormones. He didn’t seem to mind and even seemed to be experiencing the same affliction. I guessed as long as neither one of us was complaining, it was all good.