~Blaze Kane's point of view~
~Two weeks later~
I'm sitting at work. It's Monday. There isn't a lot going on today. My mind had wandered to my wife. She's incredible. I have missed out on something magical for so long. Echo is where I am supposed to be. Every touch, every kiss, every intimate moment is more explosive than the one before her. Her voice that used to make me cringe now sends chills bumps all over my body.
I have to be at work before her, but she still gets up with me. This morning I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She is right at four months pregnant. She has a baby bump already; she's sexy as hell with it. She's sexy without it. I've been sitting here with a hard-on thinking about her. She's incredible.
I still kick myself for treating her like I did. I'm thankful she doesn't bring it up. I don't either. I do live with the guilt from it. If I had spoken up that night at the club, Chad wouldn't have happened. On the flip side of that, she wouldn't have her baby. I wouldn't wish that on her. She wants that child.
I am excited about it too. She has her appointment next week, and I am excited to go with her. I have already asked for the time off through HR. I told them my wife was pregnant. They didn't question anything but why she wasn't on my insurance. I explained to them she had better at her job.
I have worked for this company for a long time. It's always been Spencer and me. We did everything together, and neither of us has really taken any vacation. We banked. This year if we don't use any, we lose some. You can only bank so much.
I took the week for my parents' party, and I plan on taking two to three weeks when she has the baby. I want to spend time with my family. That also has me thinking about other things. She and I are going to need our own place before the baby comes. We have room right now, but it would be crowded. I also want to start a life of our own. I send her a text.
~Text conversation~
Blaze Kane: "Hey Babe."
Echo: "Hey :}."
Blaze Kane: "Are you busy?"
Echo: "Not really. What's up?"
Blaze Kane: "I would like to discuss something with you when we get home tonight."
Echo: "Ok."
~End conversation~
I know her mind is immediately going to go to something is wrong. I go about my day. Spencer and I worked on a small project. That was all we had. I was sitting at my desk looking at houses when my phone rang; it was my mom.
~Phone Conversation~
Blaze Kane: "Hey, Mom. How are you?"
I hear her sniff, and I knew.
Blaze Kane: "We will be right there."
~End conversation~
I go get spencer, and we leave. I call Rick on the way. Spencer drove.
~Phone conversation~
Rick: "What's up, Blaze Kane?"
Blaze Kane: "Did you drive your SUV today?"
Rick: "I did; why?"
Blaze Kane: "Dad died. We all need to go home; we can all just go together."
Rick: "I'll gather the girls and have them waiting in my office. Jade is here too. She stopped by unannounced."
Blaze Kane: "Perfect. We will tell them there; then we can head to their place."
Rick: "Sounds like a plan."
~End conversation~
I let my tears out on the way. I need to be strong for my sisters and wife. I'm not ashamed to cry in front of Spencer. I dry my face as we pull into the parking lot. Mickey didn't greet us like she always does, and I knew why. Rick made it clear we aren't to be questioned when we come here. His staff knows we're all family.
We get to his floor. As soon as I open the door and saw Echo standing there, my heart ached even more. I made my way to her and kissed her. I run my hand over her belly. I then turn to everyone else. It's like Echo knew something wasn't right; she placed her hand on my back. Just enough to let me know she there.
Blaze Kane: "We all need to go to Mom and Dad's."
Spencer already had his arms wrapped around Kelsea. She immediately knew.
Kelsea: "Oh nooo."
She loses it. Then Jade and Mickey got it. I didn't even have to say the words. I'm thankful for that. I turn to Echo and hold her.
Rick: "We should go. Y'all need to be with your mom."
We don't speak; we just all follow him to his car. Rick drives, which I am thankful for. I needed Echo as much as she needed me. I don't know if I am holding her in the back seat or she is holding me. Either way, it's happening. I needed it.
When we get to our parents' house, Ellis was already there. Rick barely had the car stopped before Mickey opened the door and sprinted to him. He wraps his massive arms around her and just holds her.
We make it in the house. One by one, we hug my mom. We all go to the living room. My aunt comes from the kitchen with a tray that had a coffee and teapot with cups. She asked us what we wanted; I think we all just spewed something out. She makes the drinks then leaves the room. My mom doesn't speak until my aunt comes back.
Monica: "I got up this morning and went to the bathroom. I tried to get your dad up when I came out, and he wouldn't wake up. He died in his sleep."
She lets tears fall, and all the girls do too. All of us guys are trying to keep it together for them. Three of the four of us have been around for a while. Ellis is the newest, but my dad took a liking to him. I think it's because Mickey is our cousin on our dad's side, and she is the only link to his sister.
The house used to feel like happiness the moment you walked in. Now it feels like sadness and heartbreak. This has been our home our whole lives.
Echo: "Oh god."
Echo gets up and runs to the restroom. She doesn't puke as much anymore, but she does at random times. I get up and follow her to the bathroom. I do what I always do and rub her back until she is done. When she is, she wipes her mouth, then lays her head in my lap and cries. I run my fingers through her hair and cry right along with her.
She didn't throw up on purpose, but I am thankful she did. We needed this. I needed this; we sit there for a while. When we're both ready, we go back out. She clung to me, and I didn't want to let her go. My dad affected a lot of people. There wasn't a person who knew him that didn't love him.
The next few days are going to be hard for my family. Being the only son, I have to step up and be there for my mom and sisters. Mickey and Echo as well. These next few days are going to be extremely long and hard.
~Two days later~
My dad's funeral was hard for all of us. The good thing about it was he and our mom had everything picked out and planned. Everything went smoothly, just hard mentally. It felt like the whole town showed up; my dad was a very well-liked person. He could make you smile on your worst day, and people loved him for that.
We have all stayed at our parents' place. We didn't want her to be alone; I had called HR and got time off for the week. I am Spencer's boss, so I was able to approve of him being off. Rick gave the girls off and Ellis. Other than the funeral, none of us have left mom at all. Not one of us has complained.
I do know that Echo has been off. I also know she and Rick slipped away for a while. I know nothing happened. I know their relationship isn't physical. She needed a break, and he needed away from Jade. Jade treats him like shit. I have never seen her like that before. He puts up with it, though; I know he does it because of his child. I don't know if I could.
Echo's talk with him didn't seem to help her. I have been helping my mom and sisters, but I have been paying attention to my wife. She is either in a corner by herself or somewhere close to Rick. I get their bond. I don't question it. I do question why she hasn't spoken to me at all. I get we haven't been in the same bed here.
Jade and Mickey have been sleeping with mom. Kelsea and Echo are sharing Kelsea's old room. Rick and Ellis have Jade's old room, and I have been on the couch. It was done that way because three of the four girls are pregnant. Jade, Echo, and Kelsea. Kelsea found out the day our dad died. She took a test that morning. We've done what we have had to do to make things work.
I still don't like the disconnect between Echo and me. I never get a chance to pull her aside and talk to her. I look around the room and don't see her anywhere. So, I go check Kelsea's room. She wasn't there either. I look on the front porch. I know she loves the porch swing. She wasn't there either. I find her on the back deck. As soon as I open the door to go out, my mom yell's for me.
I drop my head and go to my mom. This is how it's been since we got here. I get that my family has to come first. Echo is my family. She is my wife. As far as my mom is concerned, her baby is mine. It seems like none of that matters to her or the girls. The girls have time with their men, but I am being isolated from my wife unintentionally. I guess we will just have to see how the next two days go.
~Echo's point of view~
We are finally home. It's not that I disliked being at their parent's house. I knew that we only stayed married for Jerry. Now that he is gone, I expect my marriage to go down the drain. It's been weighing on my mind. I have avoided talking to him because I don't know if I can handle the "I want a divorce." Words come from his mouth.
I get everybody's clothes and start laundry, then go to the kitchen to start dinner. Both Spencer and Blaze Kane wanted to come home today. That way, they had the weekend to relax before they go back to work. I don't need it. I don't really work anyway. They don't know that, and I will never tell them that.
That is the only good thing about this. If Blaze Kane does want a divorce, I will have Rick to fall back on. He will never divorce Jade, and I wouldn't want him to. We would never have a relationship, but I wouldn't be alone. That brings tears to my eye. I want my marriage; I want Blaze Kane. I don't think he wants me anymore.
I silently cry as I cook dinner. As soon as we got home, Spencer and Kelsea went to his room. I haven't see Blaze Kane since we have been home either. I set the table while it finishes. I go back to the stove, pull everything off the stove, and put the meat on the serving tray. I turn to take it to the table, and Blaze Kane is standing there.
He doesn't speak; he just takes the tray to the table while I put the vegetables in bowls. I bring them to the table. When I do, everyone is there. No one talks while we eat. As soon as we get done, I switch the laundry and do the dishes. I am trying to keep myself busy. If I don't, I'm going to completely lose my shit. I get the dishes done and start to head upstairs.
Blaze Kane: "Stop Echo. We need to talk."
I don't want to talk. I don't want the words to come out of his mouth. It's already been a hard enough week; I can't handle it right now. I stop, though. Internal panic instantly kicks in. I feel like I am on the verge of a panic attack. I haven't had one since my mom's funeral.
I stop and make my way to the kitchen table where he is sitting. I can't stop the tears as I sit down. I won't let him see me that way. I stand up to get a paper towel, dry my face and then blow my nose. I then grab extra and go back to the table.
I wait for him to talk. He is the one that said we needed to talk. I can't look at him, though. I can't look him in the eye while he breaks my heart. I have known him almost my whole life. I don't feel that it's uncommon that I fell in love with him so quickly. He will never know that. I will keep that piece of information to myself.
Blaze Kane: "We need to talk."
Echo: "You've said that."
Blaze Kane: "I know a lot has gone on this week."
Echo: "It has. If you want a divorce Blaze Kane just tell me that is what you want. I don't need you to explain it; I knew the deal when we made it."
Blaze Kane: "What are you talking about?"
Echo: "We only stayed married for your dad."
Blaze Kane: "So your mind went to we're going to file for divorce?"
Echo: "We didn't speak all week. Some of it was me in my head. As soon as I heard you say he was gone, my mind went to so is my marriage. It's been driving me crazy, Blaze Kane. If you're going to do it, just do it."
Blaze Kane: "Divorcing you never crossed my mind. Several other things have but not divorcing you."
He stands up and comes over to me. He pulls me out of my chair and kisses me. When he breaks it, he pulls me to the couch.
Blaze Kane: "This is probably better than the table."
Echo: "The table sent me into an internal panic. The table is never where positive things are shared during; we need to talk conversation."
Blaze Kane: "Look at me, Echo."
I still hadn't made eye contact with him. He could be playing games with me; He could still drop the bombshell. I do what he says, though. I turn my body to where I am facing him.
Blaze Kane: "Monday before my mom called, I had a thought. Then she called, and that took over. That didn't make me lose sight of what I wanted to talk to you about. It didn't make me lose sight of us. I want to be with you, Echo. I want to continue to build a life with you."
The tears fall again. They are happy tears but also hormonal, emotional pregnant tears.
Blaze Kane: "First, I think I should tell you that while I was dealing with my irrational family this week. I missed you and us. I knew that there was a void; it was a void I couldn't control. Every time I would try to come to you, someone would yell for me. That is the biggest reason I wanted to come home. I needed you; I needed us. I realized during all that Echo that I am in love with you. My heart has belonged to you for a long time."
Echo: "I love you too. I thought I was being foolish for feeling the way I do. I thought maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones. It's not, though. When my mind went to you wanting a divorce, it hurt, and it hurt bad. I cried my eyes out to Rick. He told me I was crazy. I didn't want to believe him."
It's true. I knew I was in love with him, and then Jerry died, and it all went to hell in my head. Rick did find me losing my shit on my own and held me through it. He told me that he thought Blaze Kane felt the same way, and I blew him off.
Blaze Kane leans in and kisses me. It's a long, slow kiss.
Blaze Kane: "I want to spend the rest of my life being able to kiss you like that and any other way I want to kiss you. I love you, Echo. I am going to love you the rest of my life."
Echo: "I love you too."
He kisses me again. When he breaks it, he gets serious again.
Blaze Kane: "There is still one other thing."
Echo: "What's that?"
Blaze: "I think it's time for us to get a place of our own. With the baby coming, we need our own space. We need to live as a married couple. A couple who is about to have a baby."
Echo: "I love that Idea."
Blaze Kane: "We are going to go to bed and make up for the week. We will spend this weekend looking at homes. When we agree on a few, we will contact the realtor and set an appointment."
Echo: "You mean buying a home, not renting?"
Blaze Kane: "That is exactly what I mean."
He kisses me again then leads me upstairs to his room. He sent the night paying special attention to my body all night long.