I chew on my bottom lip.This is a trick question.He just said I shouldn’t follow orders unless they are things I want to do.“I’m starving.I’ll obey that one.”
He grins.“I think you’re catching on.”He takes my hand and leads me back to the table.“Sit, sunshine.”
I’m baffled when he picks up my bowl and removes it from in front of me.I watch, still confused, as he moves across the room.He opens a small oven, puts my dish in, and pushes some buttons on the front.The oven makes an odd humming noise as a light comes on inside.“What’s that?”
“It’s a microwave, sunshine.It reheats food in seconds.”Sure enough, less than a minute later, he pops the bowl out and brings it to me.The stew is steaming as if he just dished it up from the pot.
“Holy cow.”I set the yellow baby outfit on the table.
Aaric is smiling as he dishes up his own stew and sits next to me.He points toward my fork.“Eat.”
As soon as I take the first bite, I moan around the flavor.It’s the best meal I’ve ever eaten.I scarf it down as if someone might take it away from me.
Aaric sets his hand over mine, stopping me.“Slow down, honey.I know it’s going to take you a while to realize this, but there is plenty of food, and there always will be.You can open the refrigerator or the pantry and grab whatever you feel like eating, any time you want.”
“You just said I don’t have to listen to you,” I tease, though I’m shocked by my ability to talk back.I’m starting to believe I can, and when I challenge him on it, he simply smiles.
His eyes dance with mirth.“You never have to listen to me, but I will make bossy recommendations where your health is concerned.If you eat too fast, you’ll get sick.”
I sigh, my shoulders dropping.He’s right.It’s hard, but I force myself to eat more slowly.It’s just so good.And the bread is delicious.
While I’m eating, I think about all the things Aaric has said.It’s hard for me to imagine people not calling my child a bastard.That’s what it is.A baby born out of wedlock.It’s not the baby’s fault, but it’smyfault.It doesn’t deserve to grow up with that stigma.
But then I glance at the yellow onesie.It’s precious.I can almost see tiny little arms and legs wiggling inside it.But won’t people say mean things?
I don’t care about myself.I’m thick-skinned.Mama always said so.But I don’t want my child coming home from school in tears because kids made fun of him or her.
“What are you thinking?”Aaric asks as he removes our bowls and stacks them on the table.
I pick up the yellow onesie again and bring it to my nose.It smells so good.New and clean.“I still think his friends will make fun of him for being a bast?—”
Aaric covers my mouth.“What did I say?That word is banned.”He’s smiling, though, as he releases my lips.
“You also said I don’t have to obey you,” I counter, challenging him.
His entire body shakes as he laughs.“I’ve created a monster.”
I shrug.“Well, you said…”
Aaric sobers and takes my hand.“Kids pick up on all the words adults say around them.Would you want your baby to say mean words like that?”
I shake my head.
“Then you’d better stop using them.Also, I noticed you saidhe.That’s the first time you’ve given the baby a gender.Do you feel like it’s a boy?”
“I don’t know.Maybe.”
Aaric stares at me.He’s rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.Long seconds go by.And then he finally speaks again.“Would you feel better if youweremarried?”
I frown.“Of course I would.Except I wouldn’t want to be married to Jeremy.He wasn’t kind to me.I wouldn’t trust him around the baby.”
“What if you were married to me?”
I blink, my jaw dropping.“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not being ridiculous.You could marry me.We could go to the courthouse tomorrow morning and get married.Then my last name can go on the birth certificate, and the baby will have a father.Would that erase the ugly B word from your vocabulary?”
My breath hitches.Aaric isn’t laughing.He’s staring at me expectantly.“Why would you want to marry an ignorant, backward woman who’s nine months pregnant with a baby that isn’t yours?”
