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Chapter Seven
~ Mimi ~
This was ridiculous. I’d lived here for all of four days, and now I was moving back in with Judd. Before we’d left my new coffee shop—oh my God, I had a coffee shop!—he’d kissed me some more and begged me to move back in with him.
I said yes.
In a way, it made me feel like a drama queen that I’d moved out, started a separate life and almost immediately gone back to Judd. In retrospect, maybe we should have just talked.Reallytalked. Maybe, if I’d stayed though, he wouldn’t have seen the problem or known just how serious I was.
Who knew? In the end, however, I loved him. He loved me. There wasn’t likely a person in our world who didn’t know it, too. He wore his emotions on his sleeve a lot more than I did. I’d always been more reserved, learning young to hide my feelings and never let my hopes or disappointments show. It was to my detriment now. I felt deeply, so deeply that it cut into my soul. Just no one knew.
So saying yes to Judd today… It had been easy.
Actually, it had been harder to tell Jill and also to explain about the coffee shop. She’d laughed and hugged me. And after I’d gotten sick for the second time that day, she’d also sent me home.
Being eight years older than me, she grasped my shoulders and stared me straight in the eyes. “Stop at the pharmacy and get a pregnancy test,” she advised.
“I’m not pregnant,” I’d groaned. “It’s just food poisoning.”
“Are you sure?”
No, I wasn’t sure. Especially when I thought back over the past couple weeks and the dizziness and occasional, absolute exhaustion. But I was terrified to hope.
Jill had known me for several years now, even if not well, because we often encountered each other in our small town. She easily read my thoughts.
“Right,” she’d said. “Do you want me to close up early and drive you?”
“No. I can get there myself.” We both knew I’d make the long drive over to Hoover City to get a test. If I bought one from the grocery here in Sweetville, Judd would know I’d bought it before I even got the results.
“You’ll come and visit me sometimes?” she’d asked.
“What?”
“I know you’ve got to get started on your shop. But it’s been great to have someone else in the store with me during the day.”
My head had tilted to the side as I studied her. “You knew I wouldn’t be here long?”
“I had an inkling. And that man is over the moon for you. We should all be so lucky.” She’d nodded toward my middle. “Good luck with the test. You better call me and let me know. Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
And now, I held the test in my hand. I hadn’t taken it yet. All those stories of girls who rushed home to immediately pee on the stick? Yeah, no, not me. I was terrified. I’d been disappointed so many times before.
With a sigh, I set the box and wrapped test on the counter and went to finish packing my suitcases. I’d picked up a couple packing boxes during my errands today, and they were filled. Soon, my bags were packed, and the cot I’d been sleeping on was folded. My entire life was in a small pile in the middle of the living room.
In fairness, most of my life was back on the farm. My hand flattened over my belly. And maybe some of that life was growing inside me, too. My breathing sped up at the thought, my eyes burning with emotion I’d normally hide. This was just…so big. It could be the fruition of a dream Judd and I had whispered about in the bed of his truck years ago, when we were still in high school then later, after we’d gotten married.
I wanted his baby so badly.
Hands shaking, I took the test into the bathroom. I wanted to know before he got here. And if it was negative, I would never say a word. He’d never know.
Coming out of the bathroom shortly later, it hit me how weary I was. I also had no place to sit. I hadn’t been here long enough to even buy chairs. With a sigh, I slid down the wall to my butt and curled my legs up to my chest while waiting for the test and also for my husband to arrive to move me home. The truth was, I could take my things down to my car. I could just drive over, but he’d wanted to come get me.
I supposed it was the principle of the thing. Bringing me home. He’d insisted he’d bring his brother to help, and whoever came with him, Wilt or Morrie, could drive back my car. I had to laugh, looking at my meager belongings. Help wasn’t really necessary.
A knock came before it was time for me to check the test, and I leapt to my feet. Not wanting to show Judd before I knew, I hurried to shove the thing in my purse.
Wilt and Judd stood outside the door when I pulled it open. My husband immediately pulled me into his arms and pressed his lips to my forehead. My eyes closed while I drank in the intimate gesture. I’d missed him so much. I was still unsure, but being with him just seemed better. After being parted from him for weeks, that was more evident than ever.
“Ready?” he said as he stepped back.
