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I started to cry. “Thank you. I’ve never thought of it that way. I only knew that it was no longer just about me, and even though I was only sixteen, I knew I would do whatever it took to protect my unborn child.”
He looked at me and hesitated before saying, “As a parent, I completely understand that. I cannot begin to imagine the fear that ran through you. That definitely explains how you ended up here in Montana, but how did you end up with Aleks? I know you were young and scared, but there had to be another option.”
“No, at the time there wasn’t.” I shook my head. “At least I didn’t think there was. I was seven months pregnant and living on the streets. I was barely scraping by and was scared and alone. Aleks came into the café I was working at. For a while, he played the part of Prince Charming, and like most abusers, he was sweet and romantic in the beginning. He offered to get me off the streets and take care of us, and since I did not want to give birth in a homeless shelter, I agreed. The abuse started about a year after Luca was born. I guess he wanted to make sure I was all in and had nowhere else to go before he showed his true self. Luckily, I met Harry at the café and he offered me a job with a steady paycheck.”
Zane didn’t look at me with pity but like he was genuinely sad for the life I had lost. The life I could've had. “I am so sorry you had to experience that. No one should have to live with a monster like that just to stay off the streets. If I could take away the pain of those days, I would.” He wiped away a tear that was rolling down my cheek.
“Thank you. I have never told anyone my story before and it actually feels good to finally be free of it.”
“There is nothing to thank me for. I want you to always feel like you can tell me anything. We are a team now, Katya. Your joys are my joys and your worries are my worries. You have been so brave for so long, but you don’t have to be anymore. I will take care of you and Luca from now on, and I promise that no harm will come to either one of you while you are with me,” he said as he leaned up to kiss me.
Realizing that I needed to tell him about our impending arrival, I decided I might as well rip the band-aid off. “Hearing that makes me happier than you know, but…”
Looking concerned, he asked, “But what?”
“What if a new little one was to join us? How would you feel then?” I asked nervously, biting my lip. In my heart I knew I shouldn’t be nervous, this was Zane, and not Sergei or Aleks, but I couldn’t help it. I didn’t exactly have the best track record with men. I sat with my eyes on the floor and anxiously waited for the ball to drop.
He looked like he was thinking about the possibility of adding to our new family in the future and was about to say something when I saw the realization come over him.
His eyes widened and he started stuttering, “Wait… are you…?”
“Yes, Zane, I am pregnant. I took a test this morning to confirm it. I was going to tell you after breakfast, but well, we both know how that turned out.”
Zane took my hands. “Katya, Baby, why are you trembling? Are you not happy? This is wonderful news!”
“It is? I mean, I think it is, but I was not sure how you would feel considering Kenlee is so young and you and I are so new. It’s a lot to take on, so I just wanted to make sure you were ready for all of this…”
“Oh Sweetheart, so many men in your life have let you down that you don’t think you deserve to have one stick around and love you, and that breaks my heart. I am thrilled about this baby. I admit I was not expecting it so soon in our relationship, and having three so young will definitely be challenging, but some of the best surprises in life are unexpected. You were an unexpected surprise, and now I cannot imagine my life without you. This baby is a symbol of our love and I have more than enough room in my heart for all of you. You, Luca, Kenlee, and this baby are going to be spoiled rotten, so get ready,” he said before picking me up and spinning me around.
Laughing I said, “Zane, put me down! I’m getting dizzy.” “Oh, sorry. I guess I got excited. We are having a baby! Does Luca know? He’s going to be the best big brother and Kenlee will be so happy to have another baby around to play with. This is a lot to take in, but Wow! Thank You, Katya!”
“For what? Why are you thanking me?” I asked.
Just as he was about to kiss me, he said, “For turning one of the worst days of our lives into one of the best.”
In all my life, I’d never felt as safe and as loved as I did at that moment.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Zane
Aweekhadpassedsince the incident with Aleks and we were slowly getting back to normal. Or whatever normal was for us. Luca was still dealing with nightmares and slept between us every night and we were looking into finding a child psychologist who dealt with this kind of trauma. I knew that kids were resilient but this poor kid had been through more in four years than most adults go through in a lifetime. I wanted to make sure that he got all the help he needed.
We had decided to wait to tell him about the baby until after Katya’s first doctor’s appointment and the excitement on his face when we finally did was contagious. Bouncing up and down, he asked, “Is it a girl or a boy?”
“We don’t know yet, Buddy. It is too early to tell but you know, you kind of already are a big brother,” I told him.
Looking adorably confused, he asked, “I am?”
Handing him a juice box, Katya said, “You sure are. Kenlee is going to need you for all kinds of things.”
“She is? Like what sorts of things,” he asked curiously.
“Oh, like teaching her how to tie her shoes and how to scare off the monsters under her bed. Only the best big brothers know that kind of stuff,” she told him encouragingly.
Luca scooted off the kitchen stool and walked proudly over to Kenlee’s swing. She started giggling and smiling the minute she saw him.
Putting my arm around Katya, I looked at Luca and said, “See? She already loves you.”
