“Come on, you really want to take pictures with Shamu standing next to you? I’ll probably be waddling like a duck, walking down the aisle.” I started laughing picturing it.
Mom joined in on laughing at me too, and Chloe was still glaring at me. “Just because you went and got knocked up doesn’t mean…”
Someone cleared their throat behind me.
Chloe and Mom turned their head, but I knew who it was, felt who it was.
“Hello, Hunter,” Mom said. “The boys aren’t here. I think they went to the movies.”
Hunter was still. “Can I talk to CC alone?”
“You ok?” Chloe asked.
My cheeks burned. I nodded. I folded my hands in my lap, and curled my legs Indian style on the couch.
They walked out. Hunter sat across from me. He didn’t say anything. I bit my lip.
This would be the end of us, the end of us all being a family—no more holidays, Sunday dinners, birthdays, graduations—no nothing if this didn’t go over well. My eyes darted down to the table. Between the wedding books, a pregnancy magazine peeked out.
His eyes followed mine. He scratched the scuff that was on his face. “Are they yours?”
My hands were sweating. I was shaking. “Yeah.”
His eyes went wide, “You’re pregnant?”
I nodded.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Hunter, just listen to me for a minute, okay? You are twenty-two, and ready to graduate from college in a few months. I don't want this to stop you from making something of yourself. Just because this baby is ours doesn’t mean you have to be with us.” I stood up from the couch and started pacing. “I want to be with you, God knows I do. Don't get me wrong. I can raise this baby on my own. You didn’t ask for this, and I don’t want you to think I trapped you.”
“Are you done?” He asked, smirking.
“Yes.”
“CC, I love you more than you will ever know. I never stopped. I understand why you haven’t told me, why you didn’t come to me first. I’ve been an asshole.” He stood up, and came over to me, grabbed both of my hands with his, and pulled them between us. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know what to do. Our families are so close, and I felt like I was ruining it. I broke my promise to you that I wouldn’t break your heart. I need to make that up to you.”
“You don’t need to make anything up to me. Hunter, I ruined us. I told you I was protected. I thought I was. Remember when I was sick over Christmas break, and the doctor put me on antibiotics?”
“Yeah, when you had your ear infection.”
“Well, it counter-acted my birth control. I’m so sorry.” The tears pooled in my eyes. “I wasn’t thinking. I don’t want you to hate me; I swear I wouldn’t do something like this to trap you.”
“I know you wouldn’t do anything like that,” He said. “I love you. I want this with you, with our baby. I want to be a family. I want to take care of you both. You know everything happens for a reason, right? Please stop crying.”
I took a shuddering breath. “Yes, but I feel like I’m holding you back now, trapping you. I don’t want you to regret doing this with me.”
He reached up, cupped my face in his strong hands and used his thumbs to brush the tears away. “CC, I could never regret anything about you, ever.” Hunter dropped his hands to my hips and pulled me towards him. “You know I’m going to marry you one day, right?”
“Are you going to marry me just because I'm pregnant?” He couldn’t be serious. Just because I was having our baby didn’t mean I was expecting him to propose.
He kissed me. “No. Because I’m never letting you go again. You are it for me. I don’t give a shit if your brothers like it or not. I’m done trying to make everyone happy. I should have been done a long time ago. I’m going to make it up to you, I promise.” He kissed me again, lingering a little longer this time.
I reached up, and entwined my fingers behind his neck. “I love you, Hunter.”
“I love you too. I need to show you something. I should wait until it’s finished, but this is for you now too.”
He led me out to his truck. It was just starting to rain, but the sun was shining bright, and a rainbow spread