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He spun around on his seat and stood up. He paced a few steps, stopped, came back, and sat down. He passed his eyes up and down her body and rested on her face. His mouth opened to say something, but he shut it again and shook his head. “Can we walk? I need to walk.”
“Sure.” Elizabeth stood up slowly, picked up her watered-down lemonade and followed Brady out of the food court and onto the greenway.
They strolled in silence, both lost in thought. Elizabeth fidgeted with her cup as they walked, determined to give him as much quiet as he needed.
There were a lot of people in the green areas. A group of college-aged boys were throwing a frisbee. A man, probably a father, was playing catch with his young son. There was a woman sitting on a blanket with a baby in her arms watching the man and boy. Elizabeth figured they were a family. The woman seemed relaxed and peaceful watching them and was playing with the baby. Elizabeth tried not to think of what that would be like. This wasn’t the time.
Finally, Brady broke the silence. He turned to look at her while he spoke. “Elizabeth, I want you to know I’m more shocked that you seem to think I wouldn’t want to take care of my baby, than I’m shocked about you being pregnant. If it is mine…”
He stopped mid-sentence when he saw her eyes widen. “And I’m sure it is. I want to be a part of its life. Are you sure you got pregnant in February?”
She was trying to be understanding, so she just nodded her head yes, afraid that if she talked her irritation would be evident.
Seeing her reaction, Brady stepped off the trail and walked toward a tree. He stopped and leaned against it. She did the same. Elizabeth stared off at the scenery with the city in the background.
Brady was looking down at the ground, but finally reached out and took her hands. He rubbed his fingers over hers trying to get his thoughts together. “Elizabeth, I don’t know what to say right now. Except, thank you.”
Elizabeth froze and scrunched up her eyes. She had been running this moment through her head all week, and a thank you was not a scenario she imagined. She turned to look at him. He was a good head taller than she was, and she had to look up to make eye contact.
Even though it had only been a few months since they last saw each other, it looked like he had changed a lot. Matured a lot. She was sure she looked the same way because she had.
“Thank you?” It came out as a question.
He smiled his cute, crooked smile at her. “Yeah. Thank you.” He squeezed her hands. “You didn’t have to tell me anything about the baby. The chances of us ever seeing each other again were slim. You could have had the baby and never told me or anyone I was the father. So, thank you. I don’t know what that’s gonna mean, but I appreciate it.”
He moved his left hand up her arm rubbing it. A familiar, yet long forgotten flutter started in her belly.
She took in his facial features, his wavy brown hair—shorter than it was in college—his amazing body—still looking good, and his well-chiseled and handsome face. She used to know this face and this body like the back of her hand. Even though they never said they were boyfriend and girlfriend, never made it official, there was something unspoken about their relationship.
Brady slowly leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against hers. Elizabeth closed her eyes and returned the kiss. It was delicious. Slow at first, then longing filled Elizabeth as Fireworks went off inside her. She pressed harder into his warm soft lips and found Brady eagerly answering her. She enjoyed the kiss as much now as she did a few short months ago.
It wasn’t long before they broke apart. They stared into each other’s eyes, neither one wanting to break the spell they felt between them. After a beat they both found themselves grinning.
“Feels like we never stopped,” whispered Brady still watching her.
“Something like that,” Elizabeth answered breathlessly.
Brady gave her one more amazing smile, kissed her again, quickly, softly, then tugged lightly, and they walked away hand in hand, both lost in the moment.
Elizabeth found herself watching a couple playing fetch with a dog which wasn’t quite listening to its owners. The antics of the dog were making Elizabeth chuckle. Brady broke into her quiet entertainment and handed her a dandelion.
“Here ya go. I know how you like these.” Brady laughed at the look of amusement on Elizabeth’s face.
“Thanks, how thoughtful.”She glanced at him and let go of his hand picking at the weed he just gave her, smiling at the memory.
When they were in college, Elizabeth told Brady that her favorite color was yellow, and she liked yellow flowers the best. She meant roses, daffodils, daisies, and tulips. Brady, picking her up for a date, presented her with a bouquet of dandelions, a yellow flower, straight from the heart, and the lawn out in front of her dorm.
Brady broke into her memory. “So, do you know if the baby’s a boy or girl?” He looked at her as they walked.
Focusing on the man walking beside her, she answered him the only way she could. She shook her head no.
“Honestly, I don’t know if I want to. My mom and I went to the doctor when I was around sixteen weeks for a checkup and an ultrasound. They asked if I wanted to know the sex. I told them no, so they didn’t tell me.” Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. “Sometimes I wish I knew, but it won’t matter either way. My friend Jessica, though, insists it’s a boy.”
“A boy. Would I prefer a son or daughter?” Brady looked up at the sky, becoming thoughtful. “I have a sister, and my dad said my brother and I together, even with all our rambunctious ‘boyness,’ were easier together than she was by herself. A daughter, especially if she looked anything like her mother, would make me have to stress over all the guys who would be chasing her. It would be a lot of work.”
Elizabeth looked at him, nudging him a little. “I’m not quite sure how to take that. Is it supposed to be a compliment, or saying something else?”
“It’s just that if she looks anything like you, I would be spending my time chasing the guys away. I’d probably be thrown in jail either because I shot someone or locked our daughter in her room.”
