“Are you happy about it, or are we sad?”
“We’re … I don’t know how to feel about what’s going on.” She smiled and stared down at her pillow.
Pearl nudged her hand out of the way and sank onto the pillow. She stroked her cat rather than her pillow.
“Is he happy about it?”
“He’s gone to get some food. I think he’s going to marry me. At least, he’s talked about marrying me.” She shrugged, knowing that Lydia couldn’t see her. “He’s not run off yet. I guess I’ll see.”
“Maybe you’ll be the woman to change him.”
“I doubt I’ll change him. He’s set in his ways.”
Lydia mumbled her agreement. “About today, I think it’s best that we don’t talk about it ever again. I’m not interested in pissing anyone off.”
“I think that’s a good idea. Lydia, you don’t have anything to be afraid of.”
“I know. Erm, I’m going to go and have a wash. I smell.”
Chuckling, Donna said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.
Stroking down Pearl’s back, she sighed. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I can’t believe I’m pregnant, and now I’m talking to my cat hoping you’ll tell me what to do.”
Life was passing by so fast, and if she wasn’t careful she wouldn’t have gotten a chance to live.
When her door opened she climbed off the bed and went in search of Caleb. He held a box of Chinese.
“I got all of your favorites.”
For three weeks he’d been learning everything about her.
“Thank you. I’m starved.” She smiled, tucking some hair behind her ear.
“Come and sit.” He walked into her small kitchen area. She owned a small dinner table only suited to two people. He opened the correct cupboards in her kitchen and pulled out two plates. She watched him navigate her area as if he had an intimate knowledge of her space. “I’m going to start looking into getting a house. Our apartments are not suited to raise a kid.” He placed an egg roll along with noodles and sauce onto a plate. She took it from him and the chopsticks from his hands.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Yeah, we’ll pick a place together.”
Eating some noodles she looked up at him and wondered what to think. Four weeks ago he walked into the jewelry store to get a bracelet for a woman he was going to end a relationship with.
Now, she was pregnant by him, discovered he was involved in criminal activity, and about to move in with him.
He joined her at the table.
His legs brushed hers, and he reached out to take her hand. She stared at his fingers then placed her hand within his.
“We’re going to get through this, Donna.”
“Lydia called, and she said Darren has left her.” She watched his jaw tense.
“Baby, I’ve got to tell you something.”
Donna listened as he told her everything that happened with Darren, Lydia, and Henry. Tears filled her eyes as she thought about her friend being held with a lunatic who had a gun. “Why would she lie to me?”
“You’re her friend, and Henry was trying to protect me. He knows how important you are to me. I’m not going to do it. I won’t keep secrets that involve you. Lydia’s your friend.”#p#分页标题#e#
Donna nodded. She understood both points. She still felt weak and exhausted from their fight.
Nodding, she took another bite of noodles. Caleb changed the topic of their conversation.
“We’ll start looking tomorrow for a place. I’ll pay, and I’ll make the necessary arrangements for us to be married.”
“You don’t need to marry me.”
“I’m going to marry you.”
Donna looked up to see him staring at her. “No man is allowed to touch me?”
“Yes.”
“What about you?” she asked.
“I’m not going to be touching any other man,” he said, smirking.
“What about women? You’ve told me often enough that you’ve been with other women. I want to know whether you’ll be faithful or not.”
He stared at her. “And if I say no?”
“Then we’ll bring a child up together, but you won’t be touching me. I can’t do it, Caleb. I’m not going to be the kind of woman who turns her back.”
“There won’t be any other woman,” he said. “You’re the only person I need. The only person I’ll ever need.”
He squeezed her hand.
Was there any way for her to believe him?
She ate her food knowing in her heart and mind that she didn’t have much of a choice. Her only option was to believe him, as otherwise she wouldn’t be able to cope with such an uncertain future.