All We Were

Dirty Little Secrets

Stunned momentarily, Sprig shrugged out of his grasp. Why did he still effect her her like that, it just wasn't right.

"I honestly don't think I need your explanation. I wish you two nothing but the best, I really do, now if you'll excuse me I need to get going. Good bye, Caleb," Sprig turned and started towards her car, shaking, a wave of sudden nausea hit her and her step faultered. Doubling over, desperately trying not to hurl the food she had eaten at the diner, she quickened her pace.

Now was not a great time to be sick, she chided her body for rebelling against her, Caleb couldn't find out about her dirty little secret, not this time.

She prayed he hadn't noticed her sudden actions as she ran but she heard him shuffle after her. She groaned when she heard him call after her.

The nausea hit again and this time she couldn't stop.the contents of her stomach expelling. She leaned over letting nature take its course.

This whole situation was mortifying and embarrassing. It was like her body was rebelling against her, forcing her to make the baby's presence known to Caleb.

Mid hurl she felt his touch, softer than before, rubbing and comforting her as she finished.

After a few moments of bending over, waiting for more to come up, and calming her nerves she finally raised up, adjusting herself and she sadly smiled a thanks to him.

This time, she allowed herself to take in his features. Dark circles traced just beneath his eyes, his face hollowed a bit, and unshaven. He looked about as bad as she felt. Without even realizing it, she reached out and traced her fingers over his cheek.

Caleb shut his eyes and leaned into her touch, as if savoring it, like it was his last meal on earth.

"I've missed this so much," he whispered through closed lids, "Sprig, I'm pleading with you, please can we talk?"

"What is there to talk about Caleb," Sprig said just as quietly, "I seen what I needed to see."

An expression of slight annoyance traced his features, and hurt, Sprig registered hurt before he began to speak, "Sprig, please don't be stubborn. I often love that about you but right now, I need to just explain myself, hear me out and when I'm done, I'll leave you alone."

Sprig weighed her options, looking into his eyes, she knew he was telling her the truth,"Okay fine, but I'd like to go home first, I obviously need to change and clean myself up."

He nodded, "I'm going to just go ahead and ride with you, if that's okay."

"Whatever floats your boat dude."

The drive hadn't been long and they'd both sat in silence, though it hadn't been awkward. Sprig assumed they'd both been deep in thought.

Once inside and cleaned up, Sprig sat down at the kitchen table with some herbal tea, Caleb sat on the other side, waiting for her to be ready.

"Sprig, what you saw a few weeks ago," he began but Sprig immediately interrupted him.

"It's okay Caleb, you don't need to explain," she caught his look of sudden relief before she continued, "I get it, Mandy's a hot girl, she's fun. I wouldn't blame you for trying to knock boots with her.

That momentarily relieved face turned into a pained expression, " Uh, no. You've read the situation entirely wrong, what you saw that day, if you'll let me finish, I wasn't trying to hook up woth Mandy. We ran into each other in California and she asked if she could explain what happened here before I left. I was just as stubborn, not wanting to hear her out but something told me I needed to listen to her explanation. "