Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 19962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 19962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 100(@200wpm)___ 80(@250wpm)___ 67(@300wpm)
She knew there was a big chance she might already be pregnant with his baby. It was at moments like this she wished for her mother, as she would know what to do. How did she start a conversation with him? Would he believe that she loved him? Would he think she was only saying it for the baby? Was there even a baby?
She had always been on time, and her body was like clockwork. Clarissa didn’t know if she was pregnant, but she did feel like she was. How did she bring it up in a conversation? Should she wait until after Christmas?
The sound of the door opening pulled her out of her thoughts, and she looked over toward Axe. Snow covered his legs, and there was some on top of his head.
“It’s freezing out there.”
She rushed over to him, grabbing his jacket from him. The last few days, Axe had needed to change his clothes as the snow turned to water and soaked through. There were already some pants waiting for him.
She picked up his wet pants and walked to the laundry room, placing them in the sink so she didn’t get water all over the place. After she finished, she went straight to the kitchen and put the kettle on.
Axe loved his coffee but in the last few days, Clarissa had noticed that the scent turned her stomach. She used to love coffee. Now, she couldn’t even handle the smell. She didn’t know what that meant. Yes, you do. It means you’re pregnant.
“Are you okay?”
Axe’s voice was close to her ear causing her to give a yelp, and in the process, she let go of the coffee jar. It fell to the floor, but thankfully didn’t smash.
She put a hand to her chest. “You scared me.”
Axe cupped her face, and he frowned as he looked at her. “Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, of course, everything is fine.” She forced a smile to her lips. “Totally fine.”
“You can talk to me about anything.”
She nodded. “I know.”
Seconds passed and silence fell between them.
Tell him.
Tell him.
Now.
What do you have to lose?
Does it matter if it ruins Christmas? He might already know.
She opened her mouth about to tell him she might be pregnant, but before she could say another word, Dolly and Susie began to whimper, drawing her attention away from him. Glancing down, she saw both dogs were also covered in snow.
“Oh, babies,” she said. “Did Daddy take you out into the snow?” She gave a tut. “They’re freezing.”
“But they had a lot of fun. Grab Dolly, come on, I’ve got Susie, let’s go and warm them up.”
Clarissa followed him into the spare bathroom. He closed the door behind her, put Susie on the floor, and then began to run a bubble bath. The dogs loved to have a bath.
She loved watching him. Axe was so loving and attentive with dogs, she couldn’t help but wonder what he’d be like with kids. Once again, the voice inside her head kept urging her to ask him.
“You’re really good with dogs,” she said.
“I’m used to being around them more than people.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, not a lot of people love this kind of life. Gus was with me twenty-four-seven.”
She knew he had a special attachment to Gus. He was the dog she didn’t get to truly meet. She did have vague memories of seeing him with a dog around town, but they were so blurry. Her life had been much more focused on her mother back then.
“What’s not to love?” she said.
“Dogs are amazing. They love you unconditionally, and all you’ve got to do is feed them, love them, and yeah, there’s all the training stuff, but it’s fine. I can handle it.”
“What about … babies?”
“Pups?” he asked. “Breeding them?”
“No, no, I mean, you know, human babies. Have you thought about having children of your own, and I don’t know, perhaps a family, or…?” She didn’t know what else to say. In the back of her mind, all she truly wanted to do was beg him to consider her. She wanted to tell him the truth, that she loved him and wanted to spend her life with him, that she might be pregnant, and he would be a daddy.
There was so much she wanted to say, but as the silence rang out, she didn’t know what to make of it. He was so good with dogs, amazing, but at her one question about babies, he was so silent.
She looked at Dolly and Susie in the bath, and she couldn’t help but feel a little heartbroken. The dogs were part of her wish, but she also wanted a large family.
“I … I left the stove on. I better go.”
She didn’t wait for him to respond or to even stop her. Turning on her heel, she made her escape, but she didn’t even get to the kitchen before the tears began to fall.