Reality Ever After (2 page)

“I’ll be there for you,” he told her.

“Sure you will. If my dad doesn’t kill you first.” But she really appreciated the sentiment.

Crew’s face paled, but his grip remained strong. “Telling your parents is going to suck, but we’ll do it together. I love you, Syd.”

He kissed her gently. She melted into the sweetness of his kiss, the rightness of being in his arms.

“I love you, too,” she murmured.

It was true. Every inch of her body throbbed with love for Crew Naylor, but was it enough? It was no longer some high school romance. Now another human being relied on their love.

Could she trust him? He’d dated every attractive girl in their high school. Her parents had been so over-protective, she hadn’t been allowed to date much until her Senior year. As soon as she started going out with Crew, other boys lost their appeal, and she’d been committed to him. What if tired of her and left her as he had his previous girlfriends?

Stop it!
She had to believe in him. She just had to.

Crew tipped her chin up. “Will you marry me, Syd?”

She’d dreamed of hearing those words from Crew, but not here, not like that.

Sydney glanced down at the chipped tile floor, then back at her handsome boyfriend. She couldn’t believe her life, being proposed to in a grungy bathroom at a truck stop. It wasn’t quite how she’d imagined the moment.

The door flew open. A tiny, grey-haired woman barged in.

“Oh, excuse me. Isn’t this the women’s bathroom?”

“Yes, it is,” Crew said. “Please excuse us.”

He led Sydney from the bathroom. She mulled over his question in her mind. What should she answer? Would it be right to get married, or should she give the baby up for adoption? She didn’t want to lose her baby. She didn’t want to lose Crew.

Oh, help.
How had she gotten to this point? Crew. She glanced up at his strong jaw line. Those blue eyes and that smile that could convince her of anything. But he was so much more than looks. Smart, hard-working, kind, strong in body and spirit, and he laughed at all her jokes. Crew always made her feel so loved, so cared for. Maybe if she wasn’t so addicted to him, she could’ve stopped that night. But she still had a hard time feeling guilty. That night had been the most incredible experience of her life. But now what were they going to do? Was this her happily ever after? Married at eighteen with a baby on the way? It sure didn’t fit all the pretty pictures she’d painted in her mind.

Chapter Two

Sydney brushed her teeth and then applied a layer of lip gloss. She glanced over her reflection—from her long, dark hair to her shiny, pink lips, everything looked in order. Everything except her sunken cheeks and sallow skin. She hadn’t been able to keep food down for a couple weeks now.

Crew claimed she was beautiful. At least the man could lie well. She sighed, flipping off the bathroom light. It was as attractive as she was going to get.

Trudging down the back stairs, she could hear angry voices emanating from the kitchen. What were they fighting about today?

“Caroline,” her dad’s voice boomed, “I refuse to go to your father’s house this summer. I won’t have Sydney be influenced by him. Look what he’s done to you!”

“What he’s done to me?” Caroline shrieked. “I am fine!”

“Fine?” her dad asked. “Honey, you are so far from fine you can’t even tell there are four letters in the word.”

Sydney saw the shadow floating next to her and tried to hold in a chuckle as her grandmother harrumphed. “At least he doesn’t blame me for your mother’s craziness. I’m with him. Your grandpa is a good man, but without me around to soften him up, he’s not much fun.”

Sydney nodded her agreement. Her grandfather terrified her. He was moody, controlling, and expected everyone around him to be perfect. She barely remembered her grandmother being alive. Maybe her grandfather was nicer back then.

Her dad noticed Sydney. His voice changed to a softer tone. “Oh, hello, sweetheart.”

Dad offered his cheek to her. She walked to his side, stood on tiptoes to kiss him, and wrapped her arms around his large frame.

“How are you this morning, love?”

“I’m okay. Can you please stop arguing?”

“We’re not arguing,” he insisted.

“You’re arguing so well, you can’t even tell there are seven letters in the word.”

Her dad chuckled.

Her mother looked her up and down. “Your skirt is too short. Go change.” No cheek was offered for a kiss or even an attempt at a good morning salutation.

“Mom, come on, everybody wears skirts like this.”

Her mother arched a perfectly waxed eyebrow. “Don’t talk back to me, Sydney. You are not everybody. You’re my daughter. Now go change.”

“What a pain in the butt,” Sydney muttered as she turned to leave.

“Watch your tongue, young lady.” Caroline turned her back on Sydney to continue her fight with her dad. “We will go to my father’s house. He’s lonely and needs us. Besides, it would be good for Sydney. You’re too easy on her. My father won’t put up with her attitude.”

“Her attitude? She doesn’t have an attitude. Sydney is an angel.”

“To you, maybe.”

Sydney slowly climbed the stairs, drawn to their argument like a person witnessing a horrific traffic accident. She wanted to run away, but couldn’t. She changed into jeans, tossing her skirt in her backpack. She’d switch on the way to school.

“‘You’re not everybody. You’re my daughter,’” she mocked her mother. “Like she cares that I’m her daughter. She just wants to lock me away. If she had a tower and dragon to guard it, she’d use it.”

Granny lingered on the edge of her bed, laughing. “If I had legs like that
I’d
show them off.” She glanced heavenward. “Just kidding.” She continued in a monotone voice, “You need to be modest, my love.”

Sydney wished she could hug her grandmother. “Why couldn’t you be my mom? Then I wouldn’t even have to keep this secret about the baby. You’d deal with it so great.”

“Ha. I’m a lot more fun now that I’m dead. Don’t kid yourself, love, I wasn’t that great of a mother.” She gazed at Sydney fondly. “You’ll be a hundred times the mother your mom or I could ever be.”

Sydney blinked back the emotion building in her eyes and laid a protective hand on her abdomen. She and Crew’s baby. They would both love and spoil him or her. She grew more excited about the baby every day. “Thanks, Granny.”

“Have a great day, love, I’ll be watching over you.” Then her angel disappeared.

Sydney dashed toward the kitchen, but had to slow her pace as she tasted last night’s dinner.

“You can’t coddle Sydney her entire life,” Caroline yelled.

“Mom, Dad,” Sydney interrupted, taking shallow breaths to prevent the inevitable. “Can you please stop?”

They both looked at her.

“Better,” her mom said, “but I wish you wouldn’t wear jeans. I’ve bought you so many nice skirts and slacks.”

Didn’t her mother realize she was seventeen, not seventy?

“You look beautiful.” Her dad beamed at her. “What would you like for breakfast?”

“I don’t have time for breakfast,” Sydney said, loving her dad’s praise.

“At least grab a granola bar or something,” her dad insisted. “I bought you some of those Carnation instant breakfast drinks for when you’re in a hurry.”

“She doesn’t need breakfast,” Caroline said. “Her stomach isn’t as flat as it used to be.”

Sydney fought the red creeping into her face. Was she starting to show? Had her mother somehow guessed Sydney’s secret?

“She’s too thin! I won’t have you cramming your messed up diet methods down our daughter’s throat!”

“My messed up diet methods? Last time I checked you liked how thin Sydney and I looked. Do you want our daughter to be a blimp?”

“Stop it!” The stress got to her. She rushed for the laundry room bathroom. She could sense her parents hovering behind her as she leaned back from the toilet moments later.

“I told you she was still sick,” her dad said.

“What do you want me to do?” Caroline asked. “Dr. Saunders says she has the flu. He told me she’d get over it.”

Dr. Saunders was a saint who covered for Sydney when her mom hauled her in for a checkup, but he couldn’t do that forever. Even though she was dreading the confrontation, it was time to come clean. Maybe when she and Crew told her parents the truth they’d be yelling at her instead of each other.

“Well, she’s not getting over it. You’d better take her back in. Insist on some blood work this time.”

“No.” Sydney struggled to her feet, trying to smile at her dad through her queasiness. “I’m fine. It was probably something I ate.”

“Honey, you don’t look fine,” her dad protested.

“I’m good, Daddy. I need to go. I’m going to be late for school,” Sydney said.

“Why don’t you stay home today?”

“I can’t stay home with her,” Caroline said, “I have Bible study group and an eyelash appointment.”

“You’ll have to cancel them.”

Sydney wanted to tell them that she could stay home by herself, would prefer it actually. She’d rather go to school and see Crew than be stuck home with her mother, no matter how sick she was.

“I can’t. The study group is here and Jamie fit me into her schedule before she goes on vacation. If I don’t get my lashes done today it will be two weeks before she’s back. I’d look horrible.”

“Your
eyelashes
are more important than our daughter?”

Sydney slipped out the back door, closing it firmly on their elevated voices. She wondered how long it would be before they noticed she’d disappeared. She climbed into her rusted Nissan Sentra. The car wasn’t much, but she’d paid for it with her earnings from teaching dance and working at the Snow Shack. She was proud to own it.

Her stomach rumbled as she fastened her seat belt. Pulling a sleeve of Saltines from her backpack, she nibbled on one.

Fleeing from the house of disagreement, she finally relaxed. Music blared from the stereo. Warm spring wind rushed through her hair. She slid out of her jeans and into her skirt as she drove.

The saltines worked their magic. She felt close to human as she strode through the front doors of Malad High.

“Hi, Sydney.”

“Hey, Sydney.”

She smiled as she slowed her pace to greet her friends.

“Hello, Syd.” The voice was deep, throaty, absolutely inspiring. Her friends faded away with knowing smiles and a few envious glances.

“Hi, Crew.” She turned to face him.

His handsome face studied her, pausing for a bit too long on her legs.

“I like your skirt,” he said.

“Thanks.”

Crew gently took her arm. “Do you have time for a walk?"

“No,” she said. “You get me into trouble.”

“I’ll try not to do anything too troubling.” His smile about did her in.

“Disappointing,” she managed, trying to remember to breathe, in and out, in and out. She didn’t want to throw up again this morning, especially in front of Crew.

He escorted her behind the school.

“How are you feeling today?”

“So-so. I’ve only thrown up once.”

“Better than yesterday then.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Take care of my baby.” Crew gently patted her stomach. “Are you getting more...excited about it?”

“Depends on the hour. When I’m puking, not so much.” She instantly regretted her flippant words. She might not be excited, but she was falling in love with the little spirit inside her and she loved the little one’s father more than she’d ever dreamed she could love someone.

His slow smile caressed her. “You know what I like about you, Syd?”

“I’m sure the list is long.”

“It is.” He brushed a hand down her cheek and she trembled as he leaned closer. “You’re beautiful, smart, funny, and so strong.”

“Ha!” she laughed. “I’m not strong. I cry all the time. I can’t stop throwing up. I’m scared to death to tell my parents.”

Crew gently caught her chin, raising her face until she had no choice but to look him fully in the eyes. “You’re strong. I love you.”

Sydney’s pulse accelerated. His face began a gradual descent toward hers. She melted into his arms. All that mattered was Crew. His gentle kiss was reassuring and filled with love. He liked to tease her about getting into trouble, but she knew he had been working on repenting and would wait until they were married to do more than kiss. She was so lucky to have him.

He pulled back. “So Sunday night we’ll break the news?”

She tried to smile. “Are you afraid?”

“Are you kidding?” Crew arched an eyebrow. “I’m terrified.”

“Yeah, right.” Sydney eyed the chest muscles rippling underneath his t-shirt. “Why would you ever be afraid of anything?”

“What if your dad says no?” A slow, irresistible smile crawled across the sculpted planes of his face. “I’ll have to kidnap you and run to Vegas. I can’t stay away from you.”

Warmth encompassed her. He wanted to be with her. He told her all the time, but she needed the reassurance.

“You won’t have to kidnap me. I’ll be running to you.” Sydney moved closer to him. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in. Her pulse resounded in her ears like the pounding cadence of the marching band. She focused on the sensuous curve of his mouth. He smiled, then his lips softened as they gently brushed hers.

As the kiss grew in intensity, she felt the nausea rising inside of her. She wrenched her face from his, relieving herself on the grass. Crew knelt down beside her, using his sleeve to wipe her face.

She turned away. “Oh, Crew, I’m sorry.” She was crying now and couldn’t stop. “That was nasty.”

He lifted her into his arms, cradling her against him. Standing slowly, he moved away from the smell. “It’s okay, sweetie. It’s okay,” he soothed.

He kissed her forehead, her cheek. “I love you, Syd. You’ll feel better soon. I bet by the time we’re married the sickness will be over.”

She couldn’t stop the tears racing down her cheeks. “I hope so. I hate this.”

“But I love you.” He lowered her onto her feet but kept her close, simply hugging her in his strong arms.

Through her tears she managed a smile. “What’s not to love?”

He laughed and hugged her closer.