Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 678(@200wpm)___ 543(@250wpm)___ 452(@300wpm)
I nod, “I still have to work your shift though.”
“Ask someone to cover it. Don’t leave my side for a second.”
I’m about to ask what he’s talking about but I’m distracted by a strange thumping sensation in my stomach. My heart accelerates along with my excitement. “He’s kicking,” I whisper and press Caleb’s hand to my stomach.
We wait and just when I think it’s not going to happen, I feel him tap. “Oh my god,” Caleb laughs and looks at my stomach in wonder. “That’s…” he moves down the bed and rests his cheek on my naval. “He just did it again.”
“Yeah,” Tears fill Caleb’s eyes, his lips pinch together as if suppressing them. He looks up at me, his eyes full of hurt and sorrow. “What’s wrong baby?” I ask and hug him as tight as possible. His body starts to shake and a sob escapes him. Now he’s crying it’s almost like I can feel his pain, my own eyes begin to tingle and burn. “Talk to me.”
He shakes his head, “I’m just so happy.”
“That’s a lie, I know you and I know these aren’t happy tears.”
“I’m so sorry, Gwenny.”
“Sorry?”
“Oh god,” he chokes out and sobs tear through him. Sobs of the likes I’ve never heard. They torture my very soul.
His arms hold me tighter with each second and my chest becomes wet from his tears. My own tears stain my face as I try to figure out what’s wrong with him but nothing comes to mind. “Talk to me,” I beg, closing my eyes to push out another tear. “Please baby. Talk to me.”
“Don’t ever lose yourself okay?” He whispers. “Promise me.”
“What are you talking about? You’re scaring me.”
“You’re perfect the way you are. Don’t ever change. Never leave me. Never. I know it’s selfish but I…”
“Hey,” I soothe him and stroke my fingers through his hair. “I’ll never leave you I swear it.”
******
Sasha and Tommy have agreed to be our witnesses for the wedding tomorrow. I’m nervous and excited and nervous and even more excited. Caleb hasn’t brought up last night and I daren’t. Seeing him so tortured has killed me. Maybe everything has just gotten on top of him at last. He wasn’t bothered when his parents disowned him, or maybe he was and he just bottled it up. He’s always so happy. To see him so devastated… it makes me sick just thinking about it.
I never want to see him like that again. My heart can’t stand it.
Now I know what he means when he says seeing me cry breaks his heart.
He looks happy enough although I know he has a headache because he’s wearing sunglasses indoors and he’s going through painkillers like they’re sweets. I keep telling him to go to the doctor’s but he won’t listen. He assures me it’s nothing but this can’t be normal.
As promised I haven’t been to work or classes, I’m yet again curled up with Caleb watching crappy TV with Sasha and Tommy who are insisting they drink in front of me seeing as I can’t join in. Caleb isn’t drinking either, he says he wants to suffer with me. I love him even more for it.
“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” Sasha sighs wistfully and downs the rest of her glass. Tommy leans over and fills it with white wine. “You two were meant to be.”
“You’re so soppy,” I joke, throwing a scatter cushion at her.
“I’m serious. I’ve been single for a year. I’m sick of it now. I want what you have,” She wags her eyebrows at Caleb. “Sure you don’t want me instead? I’ll teach you things you didn’t know were physically possible.”
We all start laughing when she tries to hook her ankle behind her head, fails and falls to the ground with an oomph.
“I’m sure you’re hot Sasha but Gwenny blows my mind.”
“I’m sure she blows something,” Tommy mumbles, earning a glare from me and a cackle from Sasha.
“Oh my god, I only just got that. That’s funny,” Caleb starts laughing a few seconds later, earning a glare from me and a cackle from Sasha and a high five from Tommy.
Caleb starts drifting asleep on my shoulder after a few more minutes. This concerns me because he’s not normally this tired by nine at night. I say my apologies to Tommy and Sasha and take him up to bed, even more worried when he leans on me the entire way. My panic is overloading when I have to help him get undressed.
“I just need to shut my eyes for a while,” he says softly as I kiss his cheek. “Hey, I almost forgot.” I lift my shirt and smile when he kisses my small bump. “I love you baby Weston.”
“Caleb,” I whisper and sit beside him. “Are you okay?”
He looks me straight in the eyes and nods, “Yeah Gwenny. Hurry up and come to bed, I want to hold you until…” His voice trails off as he drifts to the land of nod.