Afflicted (25 page)

“I think I need some time to let it all sink in. We’re going to have to talk eventually since I’m sure he’s going to want to be a part of the baby’s life.”

“I think you’re right. I’m actually on my way to see my youngest son, David. He and his wife Becca just had a baby girl. She’s my sixth grandbaby. I get sad that Maggie isn’t here to see all of this, but the big guy upstairs decided he needed an angel and took her one night in her sleep.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like you had a wonderful
life together.”

“The very best. You’ll have that one day too. Try not to be too hard on the guy when you decide to let him come around. I’m sure he’s doing a good job of that all on his own.”

“Judging by the forty-four voicemails I had before I left, I reckon you’re right.” I smiled. “Thanks for the talk.”

I needed to do me for a little while before I threw myself back out there.
After spending years focusing on anything but myself it was what I needed to do.

Blake

I felt empty like the bottle next to me. Against my better judgment I couldn’t stop trying to forget. Jake forced me to come back to Smithville with him and Aubrey despite her growing agitation with me. He thought that she
would
more than likely come somewhere out here. No one had seen or heard from her. I tried going to her place, but that was empty too. I knew Cole was around somewhere and needed to find him because there was a good chance that he might know where she was.

Heading down the stairs I grabbed Derek and asked him
to take me to see if we could find Cole. He tried talking me out of it, but there was no use. I was determined. If I wouldn’t be risking a DUI I would have gone myself. Tossing him my keys we climbed into the car and took off towards his usual hangouts. 

We kept coming up empty until I had him drive by Piper’s place and saw a light on in the kitchen. Derek pulled into the driveway
,
and
I was out of the car in a flash. I started banging on the door, but he didn’t answer. I kicked in the door and started looking around before heading back to the bedroom.

Walking over to the bed I
put my hand on his shoulder giving him a gentle shake. He appeared to be breathing. I tried and turn him onto his side when he reached out and lunged for my throat. Caught completely by surprise, I felt his hands squeezing into my throat. Derek came into the room and started yelling at him to stop. He slightly loosened his grip refusing to let go of me.

“I knew you’d come back looking for her.” He seethed. “It’s your fault that she’s gone and wants nothing to do with either of us. She’s carrying around your
Satan spawn. It should be mine!”

I saw red.

I punched him right in the face
, hearing a satisfying crunch when I hit his nose.

“I’ll fucking kill you, dirtbag!” Grabbing his hand
, I unclenched it and pinned him to the bed. “Where is she?” I demanded.

“Who fucking knows… I might have had an idea
, but I’m sure as hell not telling you. You’ll just have to try and beat me there, asshole.” He made a sinister laugh making me haul back and punch him in the face one more time before Derek pulled me off, only because I let him, and led me back to the car.

“Where do you think she is?” I asked him.

“Dude, I have no clue. Obviously, somewhere where she won’t be found.” He shrugged, throwing the car in reverse heading back to the house.

I stayed up all night staring at the ceiling thinking of where she would go. Then it dawned on me
, it was so obvious that I didn’t even consider it. I was sober enough to drive now, so I grabbed my keys and went to hopefully find her. After making a quick stop for coffee and gas I was on my way. My mind was racing the whole way. I realized I wouldn’t care if she kicked me out on my ass, as long as I knew that she was okay.

Four hours later I pulled onto the winding driveway feeling my heart rate go into overdrive when I spotted her car. How could I have not figured this out sooner? I gunned the gas and sped the rest of the way not giving two shits that I was hitting potholes. Without bothering to shut the car off I got out of the car and headed to the door
of the cabin. I started banging and yelling for her to get up. Peeking in the window I saw her curled up in bed. Running back to the car I retrieved the keys from the console and used them to unlock it.

“Piper.” I
yelled, but she didn’t answer. It was fucking freezing in here.

I heard a hissing sound and
saw that the stove was lit. Seeing that the fireplace was unlit I assumed that’s what she was using for heat. I quickly moved to the bed and tried to wake her up, but she wasn’t moving. Putting my hand on her back I felt that she was breathing, but
after checking her wrist
, I noticed that her pulse was low.

Wrapping her in the quilt
I lifted her and moved her outside and into my car. I was mentally freaking out, but trying to keep my calm and assess the situation. I had no idea what was wrong with her other than she needed immediate medical attention. Turning the heat up full blast to try and warm her up I cracked the windows and drove like a bat out of hell for the fifteen minutes that it took to get to the hospital. Parking in the no parking zone I scooped her up and carried her into the ER yelling for help.

A doctor c
ame running over and led me to an exam room. They started assessing her and asking me questions that I didn’t have the answers to. After a couple minutes they determined that she had acute carbon monoxide poisoning and would need hyperbaric treatment to replenish her oxygen immediately. They whisked her away while I sat in the chair with my head in my hands. I knew I should call someone, probably Jake, but I wanted to know more before I sent them into a frenzy.

After what felt like an eternity
, a nurse came over to tell me that she was improving and that the baby still had a viable heartbeat. A wave of relief washed over me as she led me to the second floor to where they moved her for observation. I prepared myself for her to throw me out. As much as I would hate leaving I’d go sit outside until Aubrey could get here and make sure that she was taken care of.

Pulling the curtain back she was in bed with her hand resting on her stomach and tears rolling
down her cheeks. She looked at me expressionless. I took another step into the room waiting for her to start yelling at me, but it didn’t come. Taking a seat in the chair next to the bed I took her cold hand in mine before she pulled it away and looked in the other direction.

“Please.” I pleaded, reaching for her hand again. She rested hers feebly in mine. “Piper, I am so sorry. I know now isn’t the time to talk about this, but I hope in time that you’ll find forgiveness in how I reacted. I wish I could turn
back the clock, but I can’t, and I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my life.”

She didn’t say anything for a couple minutes before she turned to look at me. “I had this crazy illusion in my head that I when I told you you’d be happy.”

“I am happy, babe. I’m going to be a dad. We’re going to have a baby, Pipe. A fucking baby.”

“You saved us.” She wept
looking down at her
little, baby
bump.

I used
my free hand to wipe her cheek. “What were you thinking using the stove for heat?”

“It was cold
,
and
I ran out of firewood.” She shrugged.

“I’ve never been so scared in my life. I thought you were dead.” I felt my eyes well up. The thought of something happening to her was too much to take. I was going to find a way to earn her forgiveness
. It might be the hardest thing I would ever have to do, but nothing is impossible.

“You would be
fine. You already moved on. I don’t expect you to give up your life for me. I won’t keep the baby from you either. You can come see him or her whenever you want.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused.

“I know you’re back together with Rowan. I knew it was only a matter of time. It’s fine Blake, I understand.”

“Why would you think I was back with Rowan?”
I asked, confused.

“I saw you on TV and the way you were at the release party. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”

“She was there to support me as a friend, nothing else. She was trying to help me get over you.”

“How’d that work out?”

“Not that you’re going to want details, but horribly. I had drunken sex with a girl the first night back in LA and ended up calling her Piper midway through. Knowing that I was setting myself up for disaster I called Rowan, and she gave me a way that would ensure me of not making a monumental mistake.” I said putting my hand behind my neck. “I, um, I got a ladder. No sex for six weeks.” I cringed, remembering the pain of getting it done.

She let out a small giggle. “We’re quite the pair aren’t we?”

“Definitely. Part of my reaction was that I thought you would be raising our baby with Cole, and that pissed me off. I don’t want anyone taking the daddy role away from me. It’s not going to be easy, but together we’ll figure it out. I want you back Piper. I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you. There will never be anyone else for me. You, you’re it. I know I have a lot of making up to do, and that it’s going to take time for you to forgive me, but I promise you that I’m yours, even if you aren’t mine.”

As if to prove a point I pulled out my wallet and took out what I’ve been carrying around for three months. A diamond ring.

“It’s not the right time, but to prove how serious I was, and still am about you, I got this the same time that I got your necklace. The timing wasn’t right and it was too soon, but I wanted to have it ready for when that perfect moment happened. There’s never been any hesitation about it. I probably would have asked you the weekend of the wedding if you wouldn’t have thought that I was
absolutely
insane. There’s just something about you that I can’t live without. It’s to the point that it’s getting kind of crazy what I’m willing to do to prove that I’m all in.”

“You saved me from myself. You were
stuck dealing with a heart that you didn’t break. Cole would bring me up, just to knock me down. It was his way of ensuring that I didn’t leave him. You pulled me out of that and made me realize that I deserved better. I’m not ready for any relationship right now. I need time to decide what I want to do.”

“I can respect that, as long as you agree to come back to Smithville
, or let me stay nearby so I can make sure that you’re being adequately taken care of. I don’t want a repeat of this morning.”

“I want to stay at the cabin. I’m not ready to face everything waiting back home just yet.”

“Then I’ll sleep on the couch.”

She looked like she wanted to argue, but nodded slightly before leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

All or Nothing

Piper

Two days later I was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health. I was instructed to take it easy for the next few days until I got the rest of my strength back. After being wheeled to the exit
, Blake was there leaning against his car waiting for me. He barely left the entire time I was in there and was trying his best to prove that he was “all in.” I was still hesitant and decided that we would take it day by day. After helping me get in the car he took off nice and slow heading back to the cabin.

“I had the place vented and installed some carbon monoxide detectors. I also had two cords of firewood delivered
, so we should be set for however long you want to stay.”

“Thanks, Blake. Thanks for everything. You really don’t have to stay. I’m sure you have a lot of things waiting for your attention.”

“They can all wait, or go to hell. I’m where I want to be.”

When he pulled in the driveway he came around and helped me inside putting me straight to bed.
Pulling the covers up he tucked me in and went to the kitchen to heat up some soup. He told me that he called Aubrey and that she is royally pissed at both of us right now, but relieved that everyone is
fine
and to call if we needed anything.

I watched as he moved around the small kitchen looking like a giant in his plaid shirt and jeans. I
hated to admit how much I still loved him. The fact that he still cared about me enough to come find me was validation enough that he still loved me.

I was still in disbelief that I was pregnant
,
and
if it weren’t for the ultrasound pictures there’s no way that I would have believed it myself. After lunch he ran me a bath and helped me inside. We both looked down at the slight swell of my abdomen where our baby was nestled safely inside. He looked at me with total adoration, before excusing himself.

“Let me know when you’re ready to get out and I’ll come help you.”

I relaxed in the warm water, closing my eyes and dreaming of a dark haired, little boy with dimples exactly like Blake. Was I crazy for wanting to get back together with him? I wanted to have that perfect family like the Cleaver’s, like Jake and Aubrey.