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Chapter Nineteen
“Iscared myself, too,” Laurel said. “Or I did before I was too sick to think about anything. Are my kids okay? How were they when you left?”
“They were looking a lot better. I don’t think either of them have been sick again since some time last night. At least, that’s what they told me. Travis is with them. Which reminds me, I need to call Travis and tell him you’re okay.”
“I’m so glad you brought me here. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that bad before.” She’d kept thinking the worst was over, but then it never was.
“I’ve never seen anyone be that sick before. Thank God Tobi was able to help you.”
“What made you show up? Did you just stop by?”
“No, Cody called me.”
“Really? I knew he could call Travis or Harlan but I didn’t realize he could call you.”
“He’s a smart kid,” Zack said with a smile.
“Thank you.” Laurel blinked back tears. Zack was being so sweet. What would she have done if he hadn’t come over? She knew she couldn’t handle everything alone. Especially not with twins coming. Before long she would have to accept help from Zack. But it wasn’t fair to him to live with him simply because she needed the help. It wouldn’t be fair to any of them. “How about marrying him because you love each other?” her mother had said.
Laurel put a hand on her stomach. Tobi had said the babies should be fine but to have her OB check her out when she was feeling better, just in case.
“I’m not sure how long we’ll be here,” Zack was saying to Travis on the phone. “The IV drip can take a long time. Can you stay a while?” He turned to Laurel. “Travis says don’t worry about anything,” Zack told her.
To Travis he said, “Okay. Tell Cody and Katrina their mom is fine and she’ll be home later on.”
Zack hung up and stuffed his phone in his pocket. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep while we wait?”
“Okay. I am sleepy. Probably the medicine they gave me.” She sighed and shifted around to get comfortable, but the IV made that a little difficult. “Zack? I’m really glad you’re here with me.”
“Me too. Now get some sleep.”
But she still had something to say. “I wanted to look perfect the next time we saw each other. I dreamed of being all dressed up and looking great.” She laughed weakly. “I’m about as far from that picture as it’s possible to get.”
“You look perfect to me no matter what.”
“That’s so sweet. And false, but that’s okay.” She hesitated, then said, “About our argument, I—”
“There’s no reason to talk about that now. We’ll talk later, when you feel better.”
“Why are you so good to me?”
He smiled at her and traced his fingers over her cheek. “Because I love you. Now go to sleep.”
Laurel closed her eyes and felt him kiss her forehead and smooth back her hair. And she slept.
*
After the virusmess, Laurel no longer denied she needed help. She didn’t know what they would have done if Cody hadn’t called Zack. He could have called one of her brothers but she knew neither of them would have been able to stay with her and take care of the kids while she recovered. They could have handled the emergency, but the aftermath? Probably not.
The virus had done a number on her. Probably because of the pregnancy, she hadn’t bounced back the next day. In fact, it was three days before she felt remotely human. Zack had stayed with them the whole time. But when she went back to work, and the kids went back to daycare, he moved back to his apartment.
And she missed him, damn it. She still saw him, but he wasn’t living with them. Obviously, she and Zack had made up since their fight. Not that they’d solved anything. No, they mutually agreed not to talk about “it.” The fight. The misunderstanding. Living with him.
She would need more help as her pregnancy progressed. And she would continue to need help after the babies were born. Laurel remembered how difficult having twin newborns had been for a friend of hers and her twins had been her only children.
Her babies. Even though she hadn’t wanted to be pregnant, even though it made her life harder, with every day that passed she grew happier about having more children. She’d been petrified she’d lose them when she was sick, but Tobi had reassured her quickly. And a quick trip to her OB had reassured her further.
Zack didn’t bring up the subject of living together again, but he talked about his new house. Hearing his plans for remodeling made her itch to be involved. Which she could be, if she’d agree to move in with him. Zack and she could have so much fun picking paint, carpet, floors and working on the yard, which needed massive amounts of labor.
