Parker's Island (34 page)

I was able to buy a few pairs of maternity pants
, some underwear,
a few tops
and a much needed support bra
.  I had a little bit of money left, but was unable to buy anything else.  Logan
came up behind me then
and handed the sales girl cash.

“I told you I was buying this
,
” I said, irritated at him.

“I know, but please just let me take care of it.”

“Logan, I don’t want your money!  You already pay for everything.  You pay all
of
my medic
al bills,
you buy all the food.  Y
ou
take care of everything
!
  I can’t keep living off of you like this
,
” I said, hating to be so dependent on someone
I cared so much about
.
  I felt like I was taking advantage of him.

“Delaney, I told you, I’d buy you anything.  And it’s because you don’t want anything from me
that makes me want to do it all the more.  It’s also because I love you.  Can’t I just do it because I love you?”

“I love you too, and that’s why you can’t do this.  I will pay you back for everything eventually, but please let me buy my own clothing.
  You don’t need to buy my bras!” I said, rather harshly
.  W
e both started to laugh.

“Alright, you win.  Let it not be said that I pissed off a pregnant woman by buying her a bra!”

I had the sales girl give Logan his money back
as a symbolic gesture,
and then paid her from my own stash.   We headed out of the store laughing and
then
stopped dead in our tracks when we ran right into Hailey Williams.

I froze, but Logan didn’t miss a beat.  “Hi Hailey, how are you?”
h
e asked, offering
her
his most dazzling smile.

“Um, I’m okay
,
thanks.  Delaney, you
’
r
e
pregnant?”
s
he asked
, looking down at my over-grown belly
.

“Hi Hailey
,”
I was able to get that much out.

“Wow, I guess it figures.  You guys were always staring at each
other!” s
he said with a grin
, but
not
one
bit of sarcasm
.

Something was different about her, but I didn’t know what. 
At first I was terrified that she would run home and tell everyone that I was pregnant, but then I realized that
she
was also in a maternity store
, and she
had come
all the way to Parker’s Island to
shop
.
  I looked down and noticed the faintest bulge from under her shirt.

“You caught us
,
” Logan said, grinning again.

“What are you doing…here?”
I asked.

“The same thing you are, but unlike Logan, Chad refused to come with me
,” s
he said
sadly
.

Logan put his arm around me then
, for support.  “Chad?”
I asked
, trembling at the mention of my attacker’s name
.

“Yeah.  I guess we both got our dream guys
, huh?” s
he said
,
and
then added,
“I’m glad that it at least worked out for you.
  Don’t worry, you
r secret’s safe with me.
”
Then she rubbed her belly and said, “I certa
inly have no room to talk,
”
s
he said and then headed into the store.

“Oh God, I wonder if he…
?
”
             
“They were dating
,
Delaney
.
I don’t think he had to drug her to get what he wanted from her.
I feel bad for her, but she pretty much made her
own
bed…
so to speak.  You can’t worry about it.”

“What if she says something to anyone at home?”

“I don’t think she will.  There’s nothing you can do about it anyway.  Let’s go have some dinner.
”

That night we had
Chinese
take-out
and watched an old Chevy Chase comedy.  We were laughing at the stars
’
antics when
I felt the baby kick me, hard.  Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed Logan’s hand and put it on my stomach so he could feel it.  I had felt
a lot of
movement, but this was the first actual kick
that I could feel from the outside of my belly
.  “That’s amazing
,
”
h
e said, closing his eyes and waiting for another kick.

After a minute, he laid his cheek against my belly and waited for more movement.

I reached down and ran my fingers through his hair.  How could he be so wonderful
?  The baby must have felt
or sensed
him because she kicked me hard and his head popped up.  “Does that hurt?”
h
e asked, looking amazed.

“No
,
” I said, staring at him
in awe
.

“What?”
h
e asked me.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“This…all
of
this?  Why have you taken me in and taken such good care of me?  I don’t deserve you.”

“Because I love you, even though I shouldn’t, even though I
technically
belong to another…I love you, with all my heart.
  And Delaney, you do deserve it
.  Y
ou deserve
much
more than I can give you right now.  But I swear it won’t be like this forever
,
”
h
e leaned down toward m
y
belly again and pulled up my shirt to bare my swollen stomach.  “Tell your mom
that it’s going to be okay, that it will all work out and
to stop
worrying!” 

The next day we went for our usual walk on the beach.  We brought Duchess, and she had a great time. 
“She loves this.  If it wasn’t for the mess
that
giving her a bath entails
,
I’d bring her every day.  I end up wetter than
she does
,
” I said, and yawned.

“
You’re so tired lately
.
  Aren’t you sleeping
at all
?”
Logan asked
, looking worried
.

“I’m fine
,
” I said, but yawned again.  I hadn’t been
sleeping
.  M
y recurring nightmare either kept me from sleeping or woke me up in a state of panic
, refusing to let me go back to sleep
. 

“
Delaney, I have to go to the mainland tomorrow for a meeting.  Will you be okay here by yourself?”
h
e asked.

“Um, yeah, I’ll be fine.  Duchess and I can come back here and play some more
,
” I said, and threw another stick into the water for her to fetch.

Just then an older couple stopped to ask directions to the nearest bookstore.  Logan gave them directions and then Duchess came running over
at full force.  I was afraid she might knock one of them over, so I stood up and yelled, “No
,
Duchess
!
” 

“Look Jim, they’re going to have a baby
,
”
t
he older woman said
, giving her husband a knowing smile.
  “When are you due
, dear
?”
s
he asked me, while reaching out to touch my stomach.

“Um, in a few months
,
” I said.

“Enjoy this time
,
honey
.  I
t goes so fast.  We have four children
, e
ach one so special.”

“Thank you
,
” I said, wanting to end the conversation.
  Logan sensed my nervousness and reached out and squeezed my hand.

“
You two are a lovely couple.  Your baby will be beautiful
,
”
s
he said and then they walked off, hand in hand
,
toward the bookstore.  As they headed up the street, I heard her tell her husband, “Yep, they’ll have a pretty baby.  Do you remember looking at me that way?”
s
he asked her husband.

“I still do
, Dear, I still do
,
”
h
e said as they strolled off together.

“What’s wrong
,
Delaney?” Logan asked me a
f
t
er
dinner.

“Nothing
.”

“I know something’s bothering you.  Why
w
on’t you tell me what it is?”

“I’m fine, just a little tired
,
” I said.

“Delaney, you said you weren’t going to lie to me.  Now what is it?”

“It’s just that couple on the beach.”

“What about them?”

“They assumed that this was our baby.”

“So has everyone else we’ve run into.  Why is this particular couple bothering you?”
h
e asked.

“I’m really tired.  I don’t want to talk about this.  If you don’t mind, I’m going to go to bed.”

“Delaney?”

“Please, can we talk about
this
in the morning?”

“I won’t be here in the morning
.  R
emember?”

“Oh, yeah
, t
hen
we can talk about it when you get back
.
”

“I think we should talk now.  I don’t want to leave you when you’re obviously upset.”

“I’m fine
,
” I said, and smiled at him.  “I think my hormones are just
getting the better of me and mak
ing me crazy.”  I stood up and touched his cheek and
said, “Thank you for caring. 
But, r
eally
,
I’m fine.”  I looked up at those piercing blue eyes and wanted him to kiss me so badly that I
had to take a step back
,
ex
cuse myself and almost run to my room. 

I think he knew I needed some time to calm down because it was almost an hour before I heard a quiet tap on my door.

“Yes?” I asked.

“Delaney
,
may I come in?”

I knew
there was
no use
in
say
ing
no, so I invited him in.

I was standing by the window trying to figure out how to explain to him what I was feeling, when he handed me a cup of hot chocolate.  “Thank you
,
” I said, and smiled at him.
 
I knew that he wanted answers
as
to why I was so upset and suddenly I had a knot in my stomach and set the cup down on the window sill.

“So, are you going to tell me what this is all about?”
h
e asked, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I stared out the window and said, “Do you know how many
s
trangers come up to me and touch my belly?”

“
People like pregnant bellies.  They don’t mean to
offend you
,
”
h
e said.

“I know.  I don’t usually mind.”

“But you did today?”

I felt the tears start and he was instantly by my side.  “What is it?”
h
e asked, putting his arm around me.

“She looked at me like
you and I had
shared this
beautiful
secret.  I’m having a baby and she assumed that
we
were
in love and that
we
had shared
this
wonderful…
moment
together
.  But the truth is,
there was no wonderful moment
.  T
here was only
a
horrible image of…
his face, leering at me before I passed out again.
  Every night I go to sleep and
I
see his face
.  E
very night
I wake up
terrified
;
e
very night!
”
I sobbed.