Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,87
and another small knee was pressed against his back.
*-*-*-*
“I’m very disappointed in you, young lady,” Ben said with a long-suffering sigh that was going to get him killed.
“Please don’t make me kill you right now,” Charlie said, dropping her head in her hands only to find herself standing up and pacing the bathroom when sitting still became impossible.
“Sex before marriage,” Ben said, shaking his head with a disappointed sigh that was quickly cut off with a pained grunt when her foot somehow connected with his ankle.
“God, you’re mean,” he muttered, absently rubbing his ankle as he looked down at the pregnancy test that she’d convinced him to pick up for her and sighed. “Still counting down.”
Nodding absently, Charlie continued pacing the bathroom until even that wasn’t enough and she found herself pulling out her phone and double-checking that she’d counted right and-
She was definitely late, she realized, unable to help but smile as she finally allowed herself to think about what this could mean. She hadn’t planned for this to happen, but now that it was, Charlie realized just how badly she wanted this. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t married or that she was finally getting Dabbi Digital Marketing off the ground because she wanted this more.
She wanted another baby, one that she would be able to be there for from the beginning, to watch grow up and be there for all the things that she’d missed out on with Abbi and Dustin. She wanted another baby boy who loved hanging out in his tighty-whities and a little girl who had her father wrapped around her little finger.
“Shouldn’t Devin be here for this?” Ben asked, taking a sip of his coffee as he glanced back down at the test.
“He doesn’t even know that I’m late,” Charlie said, shaking her head as she released a shaky breath and-
“You want this,” Ben murmured thoughtfully as he considered her.
“Would that be so bad?” Charlie asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she sent him a questioning look to find him shaking his head.
“No, I don’t think it would be a bad thing, not when it makes you this happy,” he said, shooting her a wink that had her biting her lip to stop herself from crying.
“Thank you,” she said, glancing at the test that was taking forever, praying that-
“What’s going on?” came the question that had Charlie glancing back to find Devin standing in the doorway, staring at the pregnancy test with a look that she couldn’t quite figure out.
“What are you doing here?” Charlie asked, shifting nervously as she sent Ben a questioning look.
“Well, it looks like my work here is done,” Ben said as he stood up and headed for the door only to pause so that he could kiss the top of her head as he said, “Call me when you find out,” before heading out the door.
“You said that you were working from home today, so I thought I’d surprise you with donuts,” Devin said, holding up the small white bakery bag that she hadn’t noticed before. “What the hell is going on here, Charlie?” he asked hollowly as he stared helplessly at the pregnancy test that should be finished by now.
Licking her lips, Charlie said, “I might be pregnant,” as she forced her legs to take her across the small distance so that she could look down at the pregnancy test and-
“No, you’re not,” he said firmly, making her frown as she glanced back at him to find him watching her with something close to dread as he added, “I can’t have children.”
Chapter 40
“What are you talking about?” Charlie asked as she glanced back down at the pregnancy test as he was forced to stand there and watch as the last glimmer of hope slowly died in her eyes.
“I can’t have any more children, Charlie. I had a vasectomy,” he said, forcing the words out of his mouth as he tossed the bag on the counter.
For several minutes, she didn’t say anything. She just stood there, staring down at the pregnancy test that confirmed everything until he couldn’t take it anymore.
“Say something,” he snapped.
“When?” came the softly spoken word that had him slowly exhaling.
“Right after the twins were born,” Devin said, watching as she slowly nodded, never taking her eyes off that fucking test.
“Were you ever going to tell me?” she asked, finally looking at him.
“I don’t know,” he said hollowly as he watched the tears run down her face.