The Wandering Caravan (14 page)

“I’ll try,” I whispered.

He kissed my forehead then cradled me in his arms. “Now I’m hot for you. Knowing you’re pregnant is such a turn on.”

“But I’m fat,” I said as he carried me upstairs.

“You aren’t fat,” he said firmly. “Seeing your round belly is hot, especially knowing I’m the person who made you that way.” He laid me on the bed then stripped his clothes off. He pulled mine off just as quickly.

“You get turned on by odd things,” I teased. It was the first time I felt happy in two months. Ryan destroyed all my happiness when he left me. But now I felt a little better.

“Are you saying you’re odd?”

“We both know I am.”

He parted my legs then entered me. Our joking demeanors disappeared. We clung to each other as we connected our bodies. And I fell into him.

15

Sean

I had to work on Christmas Eve. There was too much work for me to ignore. I promised Scarlet I would be home before dark. I took my dad’s words very seriously. She was more important than work, and I made sure I would be there to spend the holiday with her.

But I let the rest of the staff have the day off.
Judging by the smiles on their faces, I knew they appreciated my generosity. Mike came in as well and we took care of all the important things before the end of the day. I normally got off work at 5, but I promised myself I would leave at 3.

Mike came in when he was finished with his work. “Want me to bring anything?” he asked.

“Scarlet has everything. Don’t worry about it.”

He eyed me. “She’s been looking…plump.”

My eyes narrowed. “Are you calling my wife fat?”

“No. But is she pregnant?”

Scarlet and I agreed to keep it a secret until she was three months along. She was worried something would go wrong and she didn’t want everyone to get excited over nothing. But she was also paranoid for the worse case scenario. “No.”

He eyed me. “She looks it.”

I sighed. “You can’t tell anyone.”

His eyes lit up like Christmas morning. “I knew it.”

“We wanted to keep it a secret until she finished her first trimester—just in case.”

He nodded. “I can understand that.” He came around the desk and hugged me. “Congratulations, man.”

“Thank you.” I clapped him on the shoulder then pulled away.

“I didn’t think you had it in you.” He winked at me.

“Oh, I did,” I said with a smirk.

“This is so awesome. I’m going to be an uncle.”

I could tell he was genuinely excited. “I’m very happy. It’s sooner than we planned, but I’m okay with that. When the baby comes, I’ll be taking time off so you’ll have to hold down the fort on your own.”

“Can I do the same when I have mine?”

“What makes you think you’ll ever have any?” I teased.

He scowled at me. “How long?”

“A month. I’ll still work at home, but I want to be with my wife and baby. I know Scarlet is nervous about being a mother.”

“She shouldn’t be,” Mike said. “She’s a natural.”

“She’ll realize that when the baby gets here.”

“Names?” I asked.

“If it’s a boy, she wants to name him Ryan.”

Mike didn’t react for a moment. “They really aren’t going to work it out, are they?”

“It’s been months…I don’t think so.”

“Wow…I can’t believe it.”

“I thought time would bring them back together, but…Ryan won’t change his mind.”

“That’s horrible,” Mike said.

“It breaks my heart.”

Mike sighed. “Well, I’ll be there a little after five. I got some errands.”

“Okay.”

He left my office then
I packed my stuff. I couldn’t stop thinking about my wife. She would spend the holiday without her favorite person in the world. I wished I could fix it for her. I understood Ryan’s anger, but my wife didn’t deserve this pain.

I decided
to stop by his shop on my way home. I doubt my visit would be beneficial. I’m sure the guy hated me. And he wouldn’t listen to anything I had to say. But I had to try—for Scarlet.

I walked inside and saw
it was deserted. The bell rang over the door, and Ryan appeared from the back. When he saw me, he stilled but didn’t speak.

“Merry Christmas Eve,” I said quietly.

He stared at me but didn’t respond.

I approached the counter and looked at him. “I’m sorry about everything. I…it didn’t mean anything.”

“I don’t give a shit, Sean. You didn’t know Janice would be my wife someday. I won’t hold that against you.”

I wasn’t expecting that reaction. The space must have really cooled his head. “Thanks.”

“I’m pissed at Scarlet. She’s the one who betrayed me. Now go.”

Nevermind. “Scarlet is miserable without you. Please work it out with her.”

“No.”

“Ryan, it’s Christmas.”

“I don’t give a shit if it’s the damn rapture. She doesn’t give a shit about me.”

“Yes, she does,” I said firmly. “Let it go, Ryan. She said she was sorry. She cries every day over you. I hate seeing my wife like this.”

Ryan wouldn’t look at me. “Just go before I kick your ass and throw you out.”

“I don’t care what you do to me.”

He finally met my gaze. “Sean, nothing you say will change my mind. Scarlet and I are done. I gave everything for her but she still stabbed me in the back. I trusted her more than anyone, and she lied to me. She fucking lied.”

“She was trying to do the right thing. When you love someone as much as she loves you, you’ll a
lways do the best thing for the other person even if they are pissed at you for it. She didn’t want to hurt your relationship with Janice.”

“I’ve heard this all before, man.”

“Then listen to it. See reason, Ryan.”

“I am. Scarlet is a selfish brat—not in a good way—and she only cares about herself. She only comes to me when she wants something and she manipulates me to get what she wants. I want nothing to do with her.”

“You can’t possibly think that,” I snapped. “She’d take a bullet for you. She’d leave me in a heartbeat if you asked her to. There’s nothing she wouldn’t do for you.”

Ryan shook his head. “Just g
o.”

“We’re having Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at the house. You should come.”

“I’m good,” he said bitterly.

Knowing this was pointless
, I turned and walked out. I stopped on the sidewalk and thought about the pain on Scarlet’s face when I came home. The holiday would be quiet and depressing. She would think about Ryan the entire time. I turned around and walked back inside.

Ryan cursed. “Seriously, just go.”

“Scarlet’s pregnant.”

He flinched then met my look. His eyes brightened slightly. “She is?”

“She’s almost three months. If it’s a boy, we decided to name him Ryan—since his uncle won’t be around.”

Ryan looked down then gripped the counter.

“You know where to find us.” I walked out then got inside my car. I didn’t know if my words would have any affect, but I hoped they would.

Scarlet tried to put on a brave face when everyone came over, but I knew she was depressed. Her weight gain was noticeable despite the baggy clothes she wore. There was no point in hiding it. I was certain everyone suspected it.

“You look radiant,”
Mike said when he came over.

“Umm…thanks,” Scarlet said with a laugh.

He hugged her tightly. “Thanks for letting me come over.”

“You’re always welcome, Mike.”

I rolled my eyes because he was making it so damn obvious.

We spent Christmas Eve talking on the couch then sharing dinner at the table. It was quiet and relaxed, but it didn’t feel right. I kept looking at my watch, hoping Ryan would let his anger go and come over. But he didn’t.

When everyone left, Scarlet broke down in tears. “I don’t know if my pregnancy is making me more emotional, but I can’t believe Ryan isn’t here. I can’t do this…”

I pulled her into bed then rubbed her back. “Baby, it will be alright.”

“No, it won’t.” She sobbed. “I can’t live without him. I can’t do it.”

I held her close and whispered words of love in her ear until she calmed down. I felt like a piece of shit husband for not convincing Ryan to come back. I was a failure. Feeling my wife cry in my arms made me cry. She was having my child and it was supposed to be the happiest time of our lives, but it was only full of sorrow.

Christmas was just as depressing as Christmas Eve. Cortland tried to cheer Scarlet up with jokes but she only chuckled. I rubbed her back and lathered her with kisses, but nothing I did could take her pain away. I finally accepted the loss of Ryan. If he wasn’t coming back knowing she was pregnant, he was never coming back.

We sat down in front of the tree and exchanged gifts. Ryan’s pile remained untouched.

A knock on the door made us all flinch. I immediately assumed it was my parents.

Scarlet did too. “I’m not in the mood to deal with your mother.”

Neither was I. “I’ll tell her to leave.”

“Thank you,” Scarlet said.

I walked to the door and opened it, immediately feeling the chilly wind. Our lawn was covered in snow. Even our grand fireplace couldn’t keep the cold away.

When I saw Ryan standing in front of me, holding a bag of gifts, I froze. Janice stood beside him, smiling.

Ryan and I didn’t speak for several seconds. I didn’t expect him to show up here, becoming a Christmas miracle.

“Can we come in?” he asked.

“Of course.” I opened the door and let them walk inside.

When Scarlet saw Ryan, her eyes immediately poured with tears. She jumped off the couch then ran to him, hugging him like she would never let go. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry too.”

“I love you. I would never hurt you on purpose.”

“I know,” he whispered.

She cried into his shoulder, holding him tightly. “Thank you for coming.”

He kissed her forehead then held her close. The rest of us backed off so they would have some privacy.

Ryan placed his hand on her stomach. “I heard you got knocked up.” A smirk was on his lips.

She chuckled and cried at the same time. “I did. I’m a slut.”

“I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

Ryan and Scarlet sat on the couch, directly next to each other. She held his hand and laid her head on his shoulder. It made my night to see how happy my wife was. Now we were back to the way we used to be.

“So, I’m going to be an uncle?” Ryan asked.

“The best one in the world,” she said.

“You’re pregnant?” Cortland asked.

She nodded. “I’m not just fat.”

Monnique clapped her hands excitedly. “I’m so happy for your guys.”

Everyone moved in and hugged Scarlet, making it into a group hug.

She started to cry again. “I’m so happy. My emotions make me all over the place, but I know I’m happy right now.”

Ryan stared at her fondly. “Do happy people always cry?”

“Shut up.” She squeezed him tightly.

“Still a brat, I see.”

“God, I miss hearing you call me that.”

He smiled. “Now I’m going to tease you like crazy since you love it so much.”

“Please do.”

His eyes softened. “I’m sorry about everything.”

“Let’s just forget about it,” she said with a sigh. “I’m happy.”

“I am too.”

I watched Scarlet stick to Ryan like the moon to the Earth. I wanted her in my arms but I was content watching the happiness on her face. Perhaps I wasn’t a piece of shit husband after all. She was happy, and now I was happy.

The Next Installment of the Forever and Always Series

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