𝐙𝐚𝐫𝐚|𝟏| [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

Chapter 48

"I like how peaceful it is..." I trail off, eyes on the moon.

"We found something, Thomas and I." He says, taking a big swing so I can feel the air wafting toward me. "We aren't sure how safe it is, but we are going to check it out and see if it is."

"What did you find?" I ask, curious.

"It's a pipe that runs alongside the tunnel under the factory, it's quite narrow so I'm not too sure larger people would fit." He says as he stops his motion and glances to my stomach, the white top is tight and the outline of my belly button is very clearly in view.

I cover myself with Theo's coat and step up from the swing. "I can wait."

"Oh, yeah, I meant to say as well that Theo and Crawford are at the town hall."

What?!

I spin round and stare at him, "You couldn't tell me that ten minutes ago?" I say harshly, picking up my bottle of water and going as fast as I can back to the hall.

The penguin waddle is out on full force for the next half an hour, arms swinging to the side to try speed myself up. My back is aching, feet pulsing and sweat beading down me by the time I make it back to the entrance, panting like a dog as I push the door open.

"Where is he?" I yelled out as I searched the hall for his stupid blonde head.

"Theo?" I called out, eyes blown at this point as I run into the office then the washroom.

Thomas appeared behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"He's gone, he was only there to get some things and left again." He said softly turning me around and placing his hands on the side of my face.

"Where did he go? Why didn't he wait for me to come back?" I'm fully sobbing by now, sniffing and snotty as my body shakes.

"He didn't ask anything about you, didn't even mention your name." He replied. His hands drop from my face and take a step back. "You really do love him, don't you?" He asked, no judgement in his tone.

"Yes. I love you, too." I admit.

It's true, I do love them both. But, I'm starting to think I love the idea of Thomas. He is the perfect man, inside and out.

But I'm in love with Theo, crazily, madly and downright idiotically in love with the rude Scottish asshole.

"I know, it's hard for me to watch you like this... I know he should be here." He says, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me into a warm embrace.

"For once, I actually wish the fucker was here too." He laughs into my hair and I join him.

"When did he leave? Could I catch up to him?" I ask, pulling away so my eyes fall on his hazel ones.

"A while ago, wait... how did you know he was even here?" He asked, raising a brow as he pushed a lock of hair behind my ear.

"Drew came and told me," I say, running my runny nose along Theo's sleeve. Oops.

"Drew? But he didn't know Theo was here... he went out hours ago and hasn't come back yet." He drops his arms and looks around the room. "Did he come back with you?"

Coming to think of it, Drew didn't come back with me. He walked in the opposite direction.

"No... he walked the other way, down past the gas station." I bite my lip, this sounds sketchy.

"What the fuck." He scratched the back of his head. "That's weird."

I agreed with him before we start walking back out the washroom. Jane jumps up from her sleeping bag and heads in our direction with a worried look.

"Will you help me go after Theo? We can take Jane in case anything happens. We need him, Thomas. I need him." I say as Jane reaches us and hold me at arm's length, inspecting me.

"Are you OK? I heard he was here... I hope you got the chance to speak with him." She says, smiling to me as she wipes away my nearly dried in tears.

"I missed him." my lip trembles again and my chin twitches as I try to hold myself together.

"You will get another chance, I promise dear... let's get some sleep and we can go baby clothes shopping tomorrow."

There is a town across the river, with big shops that are bound to have baby stuff. The place we were in was lucky to even have a gas station. One that was emptied as soon as we got here.

I fell asleep as she played with my hair, something my mother did when I got upset about school or my friends treating me like shit. Jane reminded me of her, same age, same hair colour and the same soft tone to her voice that would comfort a crying baby, lucky me.

We woke up quite early, Thomas was nose to nose with me and Jane had fallen asleep on his lap with her hand over my stomach.

It gives me a chance to study his features that I have neglected to care for recently. The obvious stress lines giving him the older look, but his chiselled look is there, the cheekbones that would slice your fingertips and the fluffy dark hair that is currently sticking up from sweat.

I don't get the same fluttering feeling like before.

"If you are finished, you can get dressed and head out." I hear Jane's judgey voice behind me. I hadn't noticed she had sat up and got ready herself while I traced my fingers over Thomas.

I roll my eyes and get a quick cold shower before pulling on a summer white dress, tugging my thick hair into a pony. "Let's go."

It took us forever to get past the river, holding my converse in my hand while trying to rock hop over to the other side. Jane had a huge bag on her back full of all the tools if I were to go into labour, she was always carrying it around.

I'm terrified for when it happens, what if something happens to me? Or worse, the baby?

This place is beautiful, clean and quiet.

You wouldn't think it was so close to us with all the white townhouses and smooth roads.

"Over here, this place will have baby stuff," Jane says as she points to a big store. We pack loads of diapers, wipes, mitts and little hats in both pink and blue into the bag. Jane disappears for a few minutes before reappearing with the smallest sleepsuit I had ever seen, it was crisp white and smells so fresh.

"Thank you." I smile, she packs a few more in and we head to a clothing store that had the words 'Tippie toes' on the shop window.

I push the door open and nearly lose my footing when I see Theo standing, staring at the blue baby clothing sprawled over the walls.

He turns abruptly and stares at me. I should run into his arms and beg him not to leave me and especially not to leave his child fatherless.

I should beg him to be a family and work it out together.

Instead, I lose my shit.

"Where the fuck have you been?!"

-OLD VERSION-UNEDITED