Steele Promises

Surprise Developments

Chapter 5

July 14, 2011, Annapolis, MD

Jaxon drove in silence trying to figure out how he was going to tell his best friend’s wife how he’d died. He hadn’t even known Preston was married and it came as a huge surprise. His chin almost hit the ground as he’d read the letter Preston’s lawyer had given him.

He couldn’t believe that Preston had kept something this big from him, they may not have known every detail about each other, but the big stuff they’d always shared. He pulled up to the house that Preston had bought only a few weeks ago. It had a large wraparound porch and a swing in the front. It was yellow and looked like a happy place. He knew that’s the reason Preston had bought it. Knowing that Preston had been orphaned at a young age, it looked like the perfect place to start and raise a family.

Chey opened the envelope that held her knew visa platinum card and smiled. Preston had insisted that she get a credit card so that she would be able to shop for the baby while he was away. It made sense because she was never really sure when he would be returning or being deployed. It all depended on when he got a call or when he finished a mission. This would also pay for any doctor’s bills that came, because the paper work for her benefits was still in limbo. They were counting on the insurance company reimbursing them for the appointments and things they had already paid for.

She was starting to show now so she knew she would have to hurry and start buying things for the baby’s room. If Preston didn’t return soon she would have to figure out how to build the crib on her own. Not to mention paint, and shop for cloths. The more she thought about it the more positive she was that she wanted to surprise Preston with a nursery. When he returned this time she would tell him the sex of the baby by showing him the nursery. She grabbed a light jacket and slipped on her ballet flats knowing that bending over was starting to become a problem. She grabbed her keys and pulled open the door and froze.

Standing poised to knock on the door was a man in dress blues. His hair was dark brown and scruffy, his green eyes were wide with surprise and redness streaked across his tanned skin.

“Can I help you?” she asked resting her hand on her stomach. His eyes followed the motion and though she hadn’t thought it was possible his eyes got bigger.

“Uh…Are you Cheyenne Kelley?” Jaxon was finally able to stutter out.

“Yes, who…” she froze as if it suddenly dawned on her why he would come to her. “Preston?” she said covering her mouth with her hand.

“I’m sorry you weren’t notified?” he asked puzzled. He watched as her small body seemed to collapse in on itself and rushed forward to catch her. His shoulder still hadn’t healed completely so the most he could do was lower her to the ground gently with his good arm. “Shit.” He’d expected someone to have already told her the news. According to the letter he’d gotten at the lawyer’s office they’d been married for five months. She should have been notified at least a week ago, while he’d been recovering in the hospital. He closed his eyes remembering the burnt corpse that remained after the explosion.

He looked down at the woman passed out on his lap. He needed to move her from the door and get her some water. Preston’s letter hadn’t mentioned that she was pregnant; it made Jaxon even more upset about the whole situation. This woman had lost a husband and the child growing inside her had lost a father.