Rebuilding Stone (The Stone Brother Series Book 2) (15 page)

I’ve been here a whole month. Adjusting to this new
environment was easier than I thought. Today, I met with a young couple that
are about to get married in a little over nine months. I think she might be
pregnant. She didn’t say it, and I didn't ask. They are both in their early
twenties, with little money. I offered to make her floral arrangements and help
decorate the church. She was so excited. It made me excited to help this young
couple who are obviously madly in love.

I’ve always loved decorating. I spent my entire life
dreaming of my future home and how it would be decorated. I’ve planned every
detail of my wedding. This is the perfect job for me. Also, Jay has helped me
work through so much. He said that if I know in my heart I’m a good person and
my intentions are always good, then what people think of me shouldn’t bother
me. He’s right. I’ve spent my entire life worrying about what people thought of
me. I realize what people think shouldn’t matter to me.

It’s the end of my workday. Kelly and I are going out to get
our nails done. I decide to call before I get home to see if she needs
anything.

“Hello?” Kelly answers sounding pained.

“I called to see if you needed anything. You okay?” I ask

“Cramps. Can you pick up some tampons?”

“Sure. Do you want to wait to get our nails done?” I ask.

“If you don’t mind. We can order pizza and veg out if you
want,” she says.

“Sounds good to me.”

I'm at the grocery store and was going to pick up some wine,
but can’t. I’m not sure, but this has to be one of the few remaining dry
counties. I laugh when I think about it.

I head to the personal products aisle. I’m glancing at all
of the feminine products. Why are there so many options in the pad aisle? Long,
thin, wings, heavy flow, light flow, panty liners. Okay, the pads I can
understand to an extent. But, isn’t a tampon a tampon?

I don’t know what she wears so I grab a couple and throw
them in the cart. As I continue down the aisle, my eye catches a pregnancy
test. When was my last period? I think trying to do period math. I grab my
phone and look at my period app. Oh, my god. Oh, my god. I’m late. Really late.
I throw three pregnancy tests in my cart and rush to the check out.

Just my damn luck, I see Brady. It’s too late to hide
anything. He looks in my cart.

“Okay. I’m confused. Pregnancy test and tampons? Shouldn’t
it be one or the other?” he asks with a laugh. Shit. SHIT. SHIT.

“Brady, please don’t say anything. Please,” I plead
panicked.

“Hey, my lips are sealed. I promise. You in trouble?” he
asks. I believe him and immediately feel better.

“No, I’m good. Thanks,” I say then go to checkout and rush
out of the store.

I speed down the highway. I’m so thankful that traffic is
never bad here. I get to the apartment in less than five minutes. As I pull
into the apartment, I slam on the breaks, jump out of the car, run up the
sidewalk, and bust through the front door. I scare the shit out of Kelly. She
jumps out of her seat and grabs her chest.

“Oh, my GOD! You scared the piss out of me,” Kelly says.

“Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom,” I say fumbling with
the bag. I have to know right now.

“Well, don’t piss on the carpet. Go,” she says.

All of a sudden, I have a need to pee and getting my jeans
unbuttoned while doing the pee dance is impossible. Can I just sit down
already? After a few seconds, I finally get them down. I quickly rip open the
package, remove the stick, and finally sit down to pee.

While waiting, I don’t move. I sit on the toilet and stare
at the pregnancy test on the counter. It’s the longest three minutes of my
life. What am I going to do? Am I mentally ready for this? I’m getting better,
but I’m still unsure of a lot of things. I guess, if this says positive, which
I know in my heart it will, then I will have to stay focused on all the
positives. Aaron happened and the abuse happened. I can’t change it, but I can
grow stronger. I will be stronger. When those three minutes are up, my whole
world shifts and a new purpose is born as I read the words: pregnant.

I’m going to be a mom. Maddox is going to be a dad. Knowing
Maddox and I created a life makes me emotional. I sit for a few more minutes
just thinking about my life and bad decisions. Being with Maddox wasn't a bad
decision. It's the best decision I've ever made. Our baby will have parents,
who will show them how much they're loved. Just thinking about it, I start
crying. I start snorting, trying to catch my breath. Kelly returns the favor of
scaring me when she busts through the door without knocking.

“What’s wrong, Kerrigan?” Kelly asks.

I can’t say anything because I am in the middle of trying to
catch my breath. I am able to point to the sink, though. I watch as Kelly’s
face goes blank.

“Who’s the father?” Kelly asks once she was able to speak.

“Maddox.”

“Noah’s brother? What is it with them knocking up my
friends?” she asks with a little humor.

I get up to wash my hands and wipe down the sink. I’m in a
daze as I walk into the living room. How do I tell Maddox? Will he be happy? I
know he said he loved me. He didn’t want to wear a condom so I guess that means
he’d be happy. Should I move back?

I quickly push that out of my thoughts as soon as I remember
that I had offered to help with a wedding. This is something I want to see
through to the end. I won’t bail on this young couple. I just won’t make any
plans until after that wedding. Shit. When is my due date? Will I still be in
Kentucky when I have him? Or her? Oh, my gosh. There is a baby in my belly. I
move my hand down to my stomach. Kelly interrupts my thoughts.

“You know, I was planning to drive up to Chicago next week.
You should go and talk to Maddox,” Kelly says.

“Actually, that’s a good idea.”

Keeping this a secret for a week will be difficult. I want
Maddox to know, now. Maddox knows my face more than anyone. So, I will limit
our time Skyping.

I spend the next few days in a daze. I can hardly wrap my
head around becoming a mother. My life has been cluttered with failures. I’ve
pointed the finger at everyone from my parents, ex-boyfriends, and Aaron. I
should’ve been pointing to myself especially after leaving home. With my
ex-boyfriends, I never really got to know them before sleeping with them. I never
had that feeling of love for any of them. So, the fact those relationships
ended shouldn’t have hurt. With Aaron, I said yes to that first date because I
wanted to move past Maddox. I stayed because he pulled at my heartstrings when
he talked about his dad and how he wanted help. Then, of course, I stayed to
protect Maddox.

Somewhere along the way, I wish I would’ve opened my eyes
and seen that these other people weren’t the issue. It was me. For allowing it
all to happen.

I make another promise to myself to think about things
before reacting. I need to give people a chance to explain themselves before
jumping to conclusions. I need to listen to my gut. I’ve ignored it for far too
long.

---

It’s the night before we head to Chicago. Talking to Maddox
has been difficult. He has asked a million times if I’m all right. It’s been
hard not to just blurt it out. I know I want to be there with him and hold him
when I tell him. I haven’t mentioned coming to Chicago yet. I’ll let him know
tonight when I call.

I just got a frantic phone call from Donna asking me to do
security detail at a local socialite’s wedding. Apparently, the security firm
she hired went on strike. I called a few buddies from the force, and they were
excited to be working this wedding.

On my drive over, I think about Kerrigan. She has been gone
a month. I’m worried about her. This week she has been so cryptic. I don’t know
what’s going on, but I decide to drive down there in the middle of the week
when I have a few days off. I thought she was doing better. She mentioned that
she is seeing Jay more and that she is getting better. I know she needs to
stay. I love hearing her on her good days; the days she goes on and on about
her new friends and the places she gets to see. It makes my heart swell. I know
now she is in a better place and I know my visiting won’t set her back.

My phone buzzes. It’s a text from Donna.

Where are U????? 911. - D

Pulling up now. - M

Head straight to the bridal suite. EX G making trouble with
bride. - D.

I hop out of the car, and my phone rings. It’s Kerrigan
calling.

Damn. I’ve been wanting to talk. I’ll have to make this
quick.

“Hey, babe,” I say.

“Maddox, I wanted to tell you I’m coming home tomorrow,”
Kerrigan says.

“No, you need to stay there, Kerrigan,” I say.

I look up and see Donna rushing towards me.

“Thank God, you’re here,” Donna says.

“Who is that?” Kerrigan asks.

“Donna,” I say swiftly.

“Okay, I see. Bye, Maddox,” Kerrigan sounds sad.

“I’ll call you back.”

“Don’t bother.”

Dammit. I want to talk but I can’t. I can see shit is
hitting the fan as a hair weave was just pulled from the bride’s scalp.

I slump to the floor and start crying. I’m trying not to
jump to conclusions, but it’s hard not to. I thought he’d be thrilled I was
coming back. Why would he tell me to stay? Donna was saying she was glad he was
there and he sounded rushed. I don’t know what other conclusion to draw. I just
rock myself back and forth. As I sit here and cry, words Jay said to me came
back to me. What is the positive? This baby. That’s the biggest positive. Even
if Maddox moved on, this baby is mine. I will love him and do anything I can
for him. I don’t know why I think it’s a boy, but I do. I will give Maddox a
chance to explain because another thing Jay tells me is that I jump to
conclusions because that’s what people with low self-esteem do. All right, I
will give him a chance. I won’t go up tomorrow because he told me not to. I’ll
have to find another way to tell him. I start breathing, trying to calm down.
Kelly walks through the front door and takes in the sight of me. She
immediately comes to my side.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“I called Maddox to let him know I was coming tomorrow.”

“Okay?” she questions.

“He told me not to come. He was with a girl.”

“I’m going to tie a steak to his balls and sic a black bear
on him,” she says pissed.

I start cracking up.

“Do you want me to stay tomorrow? I’m sure Molly would
understand,” she says.

“No, you should go. Molly needs help.”

It’s true. Noah, being a doctor and working long hours, has
to be hard on her.

Over the next couple of days, Maddox keeps trying to call. I
ignore them and send him a text just letting him know I am busy. I know it’s
driving him crazy. Heck, it’s driving me crazy.

I’m still upset, though. Hurt.

I want to sort through this before I drop the bomb on him.
In my heart, I know there is a reasonable explanation. I know Maddox loves me
but I think the issue is that I go back to the self-doubt. Tonight, I will
think it over and call him tomorrow.

I don’t know what the hell is wrong with Kerrigan but I’m
going to find out. I plan on driving down to Kentucky tomorrow. Tonight, Molly
made dinner since her friend Kelly is in town. She invited everyone over. It’s
the usual group. I have to admit it’ll be nice to see everyone. Still, I should
be on the road.

When I walk in the door, Molly rushes over to give me a hug
and to introduce me to the greatest friend she’s ever had. I already know I
like Kelly because Molly has said so many great things about her.

“Maddox, this is my best friend in the whole wide world,
Kelly.”

I smile at Molly’s excitement. I extend my hand to shake
hers.

“Hi, Kelly,” I say.

She just rolls her eyes and storms off. Uh, okay. What is
going on? I look at Molly, who looks equally confused.

I try to let it go. I know I haven’t done anything to offend
her, so I start talking with Brayden and Evan. I guess I found my group for the
night. Just like every other night. Men with women problems.

Molly calls us over, and we go sit down next to each other
at dinner. People are talking, but I am still trying to figure out Kelly’s
reaction to me. Did something happen with Kerrigan? Did I do something to
Kerrigan that got Kelly this upset? I decide to try one more time to get Kelly
to talk to me.

“So, Kelly, what are your plans while you’re here?” I ask
but she completely ignores me. She doesn’t make eye contact. Nothing. Something
is wrong. I can see the Kelly that Molly loves because she is talking easily to
everyone else. Molly, thankfully, decides to talk. Everyone at the table is
staring at both Kelly and me.

“Kelly? What’s wrong?” Molly asks.

“Nothing. My momma told me if you can’t say anything nice
then don’t say anything at all,” Kelly responds.

Evan and Noah both look at me, and I shrug my shoulders. I
have no fucking idea, but I don’t like her attitude.

“You have nothing bad to say about me. I’ve not done shit to
you,” I say pissed.

“Oh, you’re right. But, you sure as shit hurt Kerrigan,”
Kelly says equally pissed.

Would someone please fill me in? I’m so confused. How did I
hurt Kerrigan?

Running over the past couple days and how she has been
ignoring me, I look around the table again and now Lani looks pissed at me.

“I swear. I haven’t done anything to hurt Kerrigan,” I say,
as way of explanation.

“Oh, yes. He did. Kerrigan called to tell him that she was
pregnant and that she was coming home. He told her to stay, and he was with a
girl.”

What? I hear several forks drop on plates. My heart starts
pounding. My girl is pregnant with my baby? Oh, my god. That’s why she had been
cryptic. That’s why she called the night of the wedding. Kerrigan thinks I
don’t want her or our baby? I feel a piece of bread hit the side of my head. I
look up to a pissed Lani.

“I swear I didn’t know Lani, I didn't.”

“Oh, I believe my best friend. Not you, Maddox. You had me
fooled,” Lani says.

I can’t find the words to form them. I’m going to be a dad.

“Maddox, you better start talking if you don’t want to meet
your maker,” Evan spouts off.

Yes, each girl at the table is giving me a murderous glare.

I must admit that I am a little scared for my safety. I
smile.

“Kerrigan called the other night, but I couldn’t talk. Donna
had asked me to do security detail at the Gordon wedding. When she called,
Donna was freaking out because an ex-girlfriend of the groom was causing
trouble. I told Kerrigan I would call her back,” I explain.

I can see the girls are starting to calm down.

“Then, why would you tell her not to come?” Noah asks.

“I only said that because I had planned on going down there
tomorrow. I see and hear the change in Kerrigan. I know she is where she needs
to be for the moment but, now, she needs to be with me,” I say.

“Oh, my God. I’m sorry for being such a bitch,” Kelly says.

“Nah, don’t sweat it. And, thank you for defending her that
way. Kelly, did you happen to bring the keys to your apartment?” I ask and she
smiles.

She gets up and runs to the bedroom. She rushes back to me
and places the keys in my hand.

“Leave, right now,” she says.

“I am,” I say getting up.

Before I get out the door, I look back. I see smiles and
hear laughing. Today is the first day of my forever.

“Please don’t let her know I’m coming,” I say as I step into
the elevator.