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He looked at his hands. “He reminded me that scripture talks a lot about order.”
I scoffed. “Convenient.”
“Can you listen?”
“I’m listening.”
“He said sometimes God gives us things before we’re properly positioned to receive them.”
I stared at him.
“He talked about Ecclesiastes. There’s a season for everything. A time to build. A time to tear down. A time to plant.”
I laughed bitterly. “You’ve got a Bible verse for my abortion now?”
“I didn’t say abortion.”
“You haven’t had to.”
He looked hurt. “He said I need to finish one covenant before I try to establish another.”
Caleb continued. “I don’t want to bring my child into sin and confusion.”
I stared at him. “We’ve been fucking for over a year and a half.”
“I know.”
“But the baby is where you finally become concerned with God?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Sounds like it.”
He looked down. “I don’t want our child carrying the label of an affair baby. I don’t want someone calling my child a bastard because I couldn’t get my life in order before bringing them here.”
My hand rested over my stomach. I felt pain because I could imagine that too. A child old enough to Google. A child learning how they were conceived inside something everyone else considered shameful.
“I want more for my baby than that.”
My eyes filled again.
Caleb looked at me. “I want to do this right with you.”
I swallowed. “What does right look like?”
His voice softened. “I want to propose to you.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
“I do.”
I’d never heard him say that.
“I want to give you a ring when there isn’t another woman still legally wearing mine. I want a wedding.”
Tears slid down my face.
