Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Lifting my head, I see the truth in her words. I see the love in her green eyes and know this is it. “Gwendolyn Drake, I want to grow old with you. I want you by my side, always. Will you marry me?”
Tears fill her eyes as she nods and says, “Yes.” She bends down and presses her lips to mine. It’s a soft kiss, mixed with the saltiness of her tears. “A thousand times yes,” she says, pulling out of the kiss. “I don’t want to make this a big deal. I just want to go to the courthouse and make what’s in our hearts official.”
“I never should have signed those papers.” My heart is soaring, racing so hard I fear it might pound right out of my chest. Relief washes over me, knowing she’s truly mine, for the rest of our lives. I’ll never take her for granted ever again. She and our children—because baby girl needs siblings—will be my priority until I take my last breath.
“We were both stubborn and thought we were giving the other what we wanted. I never want to go back to that. I’m sorry for not telling you.”
“Now I know, and we’ll take this one day at a time together. We can sit down and figure out a good exercise regimen that is healthy for you and the baby, and meals, we eat healthy most of the time. Although, now I get why your gallon of chocolate milk in the fridge is still full and about to expire.”
“Yeah, I miss it.” She pouts. “But it’s for her.” She rubs her belly affectionately. “I can do and will do anything for her.”
“It’s for both of you. This affects more than just the baby, Winnie. This is about both of you.”
“I know that. But Peanut and me, we have the key to success. Everything is going to be just fine.”
“Oh, yeah, care to enlighten me?”
She cups my face in her hands. “We have you.”
The emotions of the day, the fear, the worry, and now hope wash over me, forming a lump in my throat. I don’t speak, but I wrap my arms around my family and hold them close, praying I can be everything they need. Now and in the future.
Chapter 16
Winnie
* * *
“I’m getting a little mad that you haven’t asked for my help yet,” my sister says when I enter the gym. The music is loud, a deep beat pulsing through my blood instantly.
“Mad? Why?” I ask as we sign in at the front desk and head toward the locker room.
“The wedding? Duh!” Gabby sighs dramatically.
I roll my eyes and open my locker, setting my purse inside. I grab one of Harrison’s T-shirts and a pair of very unattractive pregnancy workout shorts (you know, the ones with the stretchy mesh over the stomach). “It’s on hold. I’m not getting married like this,” I state, pointing down to the very large protruding ball at my abdomen.
My sister immediately smiles. “I don’t blame you there,” she replies, greeting her niece with a friendly rub. “How was your appointment?”
“Fine,” I reply, changing from my classic preschool teacher outfit into the clothes I keep at the gym.
At thirty-two weeks, the pregnancy is progressing quickly. I’m tired more frequently, which makes evenings like this, when I have to come to the gym, more difficult. All I really want to do is curl up on the couch with a book and rest. But with the confirmation of gestational diabetes after my twenty-four-week appointment, I know this is what is best. Harrison has a daily activity plan for me, which includes healthy meals. I started coming to the gym every day after work when school started again in August. As I get closer to my due date though, I’m finding it more difficult to do anything more than just walk.
“I’m going every two weeks,” I confirm, slipping on my walking shoes and meeting Gabby at the door. She looks amazing, of course, in a tight tank top and skimpy little shorts. Something I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing six months ago, let alone now that I’m approaching blimp size.
We’re quiet as we approach the treadmills. We take two side by side and fire them to life. My workout is much less strenuous than Gabby’s. She’ll run two miles before hitting the free weights. Me, on the other hand, will work up to a heart rate increasing brisk stroll that’ll leave my calves burning and my feet aching.
“How’s Roman?” I ask, trying to figure out what’s going on with my sister’s personal life. She seemed all about him, but then suddenly, nothing. Gabby hasn’t mentioned the guy she was seeing for the last week or so.
She shrugs. “We ended it. There was no spark.”
“Nothing?” I ask.
She glances around before her eyes connect with mine. “Not a thing. Kissing him wasn’t even that good.”