A Little More Time

Chapter 20

*three months later*

Most of my stuff has been moved into Josh's house. I decided a month ago I couldn't live in my house any more. Too many bad memories.

I'm four months pregnant. I rub my hands over my belly as Josh walks around the living room. He's been pacing for ten minutes. Baby hutch is kicking and I can't get comfortable. "Josh please sit down and talk to baby hutch. I can't get comfortable and you have to tell me what's bothering you," I tell him.

He stops pacing and sits next to me. He splays a hand across my belly and rubs his thumb back and forth. "It's okay, daddy's here," he whispers to my belly.

"Josh tell me what's wrong," I demand in a soft tone.

"I'm worried about you," he says. "All the stress of the wedding and you being pregnant. I don't want anything to go wrong. And I got off the phone with the wedding planner and she won't listen to me," his voice soft as to calm the baby and me.

"I'll call her and talk to her later. For now just sit here with me and our baby and relax," I say and kiss the top of his head.

"Okay," he whispers and lays his head on my belly.

He talks to baby hutch and calms him or her down. After a few minutes I have to pee. Josh sits up and I go to the bathroom. I come back as the doorbell rings. I cock an eyebrow and look at Josh who shrugs. I walk over to the door and open it. My mouth falls as I see who is standing there.

I rub my left hand over my belly. Smoothing out the shirt to show I'm pregnant. "Dad, Jacob, what do you want?" I ask. My voice laced with panic.

"Just came to check up on you," Jacob says. His eyes are blood shot. Either he's high or drunk. One of the two. Maybe both.

"Go away, I don't want or need any trouble right now," I tell both of them.

"Carls, whose at the door?" Josh asks as he walks up behind me. "Carly, baby get behind me," Josh says. It's only then do I notice Chris is standing behind my dad and Jacob.

"Josh Chris is behind them," I whisper. My panic rises to a new level. I'm either going to faint or vomit. Or both.

"We don't need this right now. All of you leave now and I won't call the police," Josh reasons with them.

"You see, we can't do that," my dad says.

"Carly has to pay for what she did to us," Jacob says.

"Especially me," Chris says.

"Got Jacob thrown in jail. Me thrown in jail. And cheated on Chris," my dad spits.

I never cheated on Chris. Well I kissed Josh once while me and Chris were together. But that was on impulse. Josh backs me up further away from the three of them.

"Josh, what about the baby," I say so only he can hear me.

"I'll keep you and our baby safe," he whispers to me. "I promise," he adds. I swallow hard and nod.

"We don't care if you are pregnant or getting married Carly. You will not see the light of day again. And neither will he if he gets in the way," Chris says.

Josh's hands are behind his back. One hand on his phone. His dialing a number. He's dialing 911. How can he do that behind his back? I don't care to know how he does it. I'm just glad he is.

"Both of you sit on the couch now!" My dad screams. We do as he says and sit on the couch. The only way I can sit comfortably on the couch is if I tuck my feet under me. I go to do that but my dad yanks my legs out from under me. I shriek and cling to Josh as my dad touches me.