The pic on the side is of Rylee's Dad
Everyone left.
Jace is pissed as hell at me.
It's been three months since they're been gone.
In fact, it's Halloween. Adam and Nikki and Charlotte flew in to visit me and we're taking the kids trick or treating.
I'm broken inside.
Jace hasn't spoken to me since July.
I get why. We had sex and I told him we weren't together.
I panicked.
It was a spur of the moment thing.
Kaden can crawl now. Adam is holding him and holding Charlotte's hand.
"How are you doing?" Nikki asks.
"Horrible."
"Why?"
I didn't tell anyone.
I shove my hands in my pockets.
"Remember that day everyone went to the beach and you left Jace and Kaden and I at home?"
Adam drifts back with the kids to hear the story.
"Yes." He and Nikk say in sync.
"Jace and I had sex." I look down at the ground.
"You did?" Nikki asks.
"Yes. I love him, but...I-I panicked! It's hard for me to just...jump into a relationship after Marcus."
"Does he know that?"
"Kinda."
"Does he know you love him?"
"No. To make it worse, I told him we can't be together."
Both of them sigh.
"So why don't you go after him?" Adam asks.
"Because she's been through a lot and she's scared." Nikki says.
Adam steps on a rock.
"Don't step on rocks, Daddy! Step over them!"
I'm silent, Charlotte's words ringing in my ears.
Don't step on rocks, step over them.
I can't keep letting the gravity from my past keep me from walking.
That's what I've been doing.
Jace loves me. I know he does, and I hurt him.
I'm going to go see him.
****
A week before thanksgiving, I'm packing a bag for Rhode Island.
I might be going to my family, but I'm dropping Kaden off at Mom and Dad's and running to Jace's.
Everyone moves in in February.
I don't feel good.
I sigh.
I've gained weight too. With all the stress, I haven't really been watching hat I've been eating. I'm pretty sure I'm getting the stomach flu as well, because my stomach has been hurting and feeling weird.
I go into the bathroom to fill my toiletry bag when I see it the purple box.
I stare at it for almost ten minutes, and then I pick it up, do what I need to do, and wait.
I finish packing the bag while I wait.
And the one word lights up the oval screen.
I pinch the bridge of me nose, slipping to the floor.
I sit there for ten minutes, an then I finish packing me and Kaden, and I leave.
****
I drop Kaden at Mom's house, tell my family I'll be back in a couple hours, and drive to Jace's.
I get out and as I walk up the path to Jace's door, Jace comes outside.
He stops short, and then shakes his head.
He's got a suitcase. He keeps on walking. I follow him. he throws the suitcase viciously in the back of his car and slams the hood.
"What do you want, Rylee?"
"To say I'm sorry." I say.
"Well it's been four months." He says. "I'm pretty sure you're just here for sex again."
My anger rises, given the circumstances.
"Not going to answer me?"
He rips open his car door, but I slam it, hard.
He grits his teeth and looks me right in the eyes.
"What?" he hisses.
"I'm sorry, okay? I can't just jump into a relationship! I know, okay? I know I fucked up! I know! I feel horrible! I loved you when I did it! It didn't mean nothing! I still love you, and I'm not leaving here until you forgive me."
"You love me?" he whispers.
"Yes!" I snap. "I didn't want you to leave. I didn't mean to say it wasn't going to happen, because it is. I want it to."
"So it is going to happen? You promise you didn't mean it?"
"I swear to god." I whisper.
His eyes search mine for minutes, and then he nods. "You're forgiven."
He leans in to hug me, but I put my hands up.
He sighs.
"I want you to know this wasn't the reason I came here. I just found out this morning. I was packing to come here before, but now..." I gulp.
"What?" he asks.
It starts to snow, the wind whipping at us like a whip.
"Jace..." my eyes fill with tears and I look down.
"What?" he asks.
"Jace, I'm pregnant."
His eyes get wide and he slowly steps back.
"You're what?"
"I'm-"
"I know what you said!" he gasps, leaning against the car. "A baby?"
"Yes."
"You're...we..." he trails off.
He buries his head in his hands.
"Please don't leave me to do this alone." I whisper, scared.
He runs his hands over his face three times. "I'm not." He says. "I would never do that. It just...thought we would be married."
"So let's get married."
He laughs, but his smile vanishes when he sees I'm not kidding.
"Wait, you're serious?"
"Yes. Let's go to the courthouse. We'll get married, and then I'll put you as the legal father of Kaden. Then we'll go to a jewelry store, get rings, and then..." I shrug. "Spend life...together."
"I was just about to leave for Maine." He says.
"So tell your Dad you're coming tomorrow because something happened, but you'll have someone with you."
"I don't want to lie." He says.
"You wouldn't be lying." I frown.
He nods. "Alright, let's go get married."
****
"Well my parents took that better than I thought they would have." I say quietly, tracing his tattoo. Kaden is staying the night at Mom's. We got married, told them what's going on, and Mom offered to watch him for the night.
We've had sex more times than I can count in one night.
Jace takes a deep breath and lets his fingers glide up and down my back. His hand goes all the way down to the curve of my ass.
"I love you." he whispers. I sigh, content, resting my head against his chest.
"I love you too." I whisper.