“I can feel her too.” My words are a whisper as I feel my little girl move about happily. I bring my hand to cup Lacey’s face and bring her in for a soft kiss.
“I’m so happy, Cole. It scares me.” Her voice is small and quiet.
“Why?”
“Because when I’m happy, bad things happen, and I don’t want anything bad to happen. I have too much to lose.”
“You’re not losing anything.” I kiss her till she forgets about any of the negative thoughts swirling around in her head.
I kiss her till she’s moaning my name and begging me to take her home.
I won’t let anyone try to take this happiness from her.
Chapter 22
Lacey
27weekspregnant.Babysize – Cauliflower
The past two weeks have passed, and every day I have been back and forth between work, home, and my dad's house. I’m tired. The kind of tired that settles deep in your bones. Your muscles feel heavy, and your eyes seem to have grit inside of them. That’s how exhausted I feel.
Cole has been busy at both worksites, and I know he’s just as tired as I am. Today, I’m supposed to have another yoga session with Daisy, Emmy, and Hayleigh, and that’s the part of the week I look forward to most. I get to relax with my girls and de-stress.
That’s one of the reasons I decide to walk to Emmy’s house to meet them there; I want the walk to clear my head, as well as get in some steps, although my poor feet are paying the price for it now. I’m too busy, lost in my own thoughts, to hear the footstepsbehind me. I don’t realise I’m being followed until two big hands grab the tops of my arms and spin me around. A voice, low and deep, and not one I recognise, grumbles in my ear.
“Are you Lacey?”
My breathing picks up, my heart starts to race as dread fills my stomach.
When I turn to face the man, the first thing I notice is his height; this guy is huge. His features would be handsome if he weren’t grabbing me, but it’s edged with a roughness, and his eyes are hard.
Tears well in my eyes as I move my hands to cover my bump, and I nod.
His eyes widen when he looks down, and immediately he lets go of me. His brow creasing, he mutters, “That fucker.” He looks back up, and he softens his face, holding his hands out in front of him. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know. Just forget this ever happened. I’m truly sorry.” No quicker does he arrive, he’s leaving, running off in the opposite direction.
I stand there, shaking and unable to move.What the hell was that about?As the nerves start to subside, the hormones rear up and show their ugly face. Now I’m pissed. That guy knew who I was, and he what? Was going to rob me? Worse? Who the hell did he think he was? My mind is swimming when my phone rings and I see it’s Emmy.
“Hey, Em, I’m around the corner. I…can you meet me?” I can’t help the shake in my voice.
“Sure, two minutes.” She clicks off and I will my feet to move, but they don’t.
Not even thirty seconds later, Cas comes running around the corner. I don’t know if it’s relief that I’m not alone or because the Petersons save me at every turn, but I fall to pieces, the what-ifs catching up with me and hitting me in my chest full force. My hands start to tingle, and I open and close them, trying to stopthe sensation, but as always, the numbness spreads outward from my palms. Sweat beads on my brow and runs down my face and back, and my heart feels like it’s going to beat right out of my chest.
Cas is in front of me. He’s talking, but I can’t hear him. My arms are heavy as the numbness spreads. What if it spreads to my heart and it stops?Stop it, Lacey, just breathe.But what if I can’t breathe? Are my lungs filling with numbness? Why can’t I breathe? Why can I see spots in my eyes? How is everything closing in on me?
I open my mouth to take a deep breath, but nothing comes out.Why is Cas flapping his arms about? Why can’t I hear him? Why am I on the floor?
“Lacey!” Suddenly, Emmy’s face fills my vision, her hands on either side of my cheeks.
“We’re going to look around. I need you to sit up.” She speaks slowly, or is that my brain processing in slow motion?Why can’t I still breathe? Am I going to die?
“Okay, that’s good,” She coaches me like I’m about to break.
Maybe I am. My breathing is too choppy, too fast. I can’t get the air inside of my lungs because they’re burning.Why are my lungs burning?
“Focus!” She snaps her fingers. “Tell me five things you can see.”
Is she on something?
