When I entered the home, Clara was nervously cleaning the counter with the old rag. Her eyes were wide, and she chewed on her bottom lip. She glanced at the staircase as I locked the door. I thought about potentially leaving it unlocked, but I was not confident on how Maisie would react to the news. She appeared happy with Miles, but she had shown that she can be quite emotional. Would she panic and try to leave?
"Joey, what is going on?" Clara asked. "Miles rushed upstairs without saying a word. I checked on Maisie an hour ago, and she still felt unwell. What's happening? Is she alright?"
I smiled, and I pulled off my jacket. Her repetitive cleaning did not stop as I hung my coat and walked forward. She did not look at me when I approached. Her brows were furrowed, and she shook her head so slightly that it was barely noticeable. It was the same look she had when Emily was ill.
Clara jumped when I placed a hand on her waist. I reached forward and pulled the rag out of her hand. She let out a shaky breath before lowering her gaze. She loved Maisie like she was our daughter because she was the perfect girl for Miles. If she thought Maisie was dying, then it would be like her losing another daughter.
"Maisie is not sick," I said. "She is pregnant."
Clara spun around and placed her hands against my chest. I watched as a smile slowly formed on her beautiful face. In an instant, she went from upset and anxious to complete happiness. I brought all of this joy into my family. I am responsible for this.
"Pregnant?" she asked, her voice heavy with disbelief. "Why do you think that?"
"Clara, don't you remember being in a similar state at the beginning of your pregnancies?" I asked. "Mary was the same way when pregnant with Bram's daughters."
Saying my brother's name no longer caused me to feel the same painful stab of betrayal. We did not need him. If he were truly a Wilcox, he would have never abandoned this family. We were doing better without him.
"Pregnant?" Clara repeated again. "She has not been here long enough to be pregnant, especially to be already suffering from so much nausea. It's too soon."
"Not long enough?" I asked. "Clara, she has been here for months."
"That cannot be right."
I brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face. Despite having doubts, her smile did not disappear. She knew I was correct, and she knew she should always trust me.
"It has been months," I said. "She came here in the summer, and it is already autumn. Maisie is perfect for this family, so everything has been going more seamlessly than I could have imagined. She is a natural fit."
"So a baby makes sense?" she asked.
It was a rhetorical question, but I nodded. Clara's face lit up with even more happiness. I had not seen her this happy since the birth of our last child. Warmth spread through my body, and my heart fluttered. I saved this family and continued to bring her so much joy. She curled her fingers into my shirt and pulled me close.
"Grandparents," she said in disbelief. "Joey, we're going to be grandparents."
"We will be," I said. "This will be the first of many."
"We are going to have a little baby in this house again."
Clara's eyes glistened with tears. Her happiness was too much for her to contain. I cupped her face in my hands and ran my thumb across her cheek.
The staircase creaked. I looked over Clara's shoulder to see Miles coming into the kitchen. He pulled off his jacket to hang on the hook. Clara was not exaggerating when she said he rushed upstairs.
"How is Maisie?" Clara asked.
Her voice cracked from the tears. Miles furrowed his brows when he looked at his Mother. She was smiling but pushed me back and wiped away the stray tears. He froze as he watched her odd movements.
"I told your Mother about the pregnancy," I told him.
"Why are you crying?" Miles asked. There was a cold edge to his voice. "What do you know? What is going to happen to Maisie?"
"Nothing is wrong," I said. "She is crying because she is happy to be a grandmother."
Clara took a sharp breath and pushed the loose strands of her greying hair behind her ears. Miles's puzzled expression did not leave his face.
"Maisie needs to be drinking fluids," Clara said. "She cannot be dehydrated. It is not good for her and the baby."
"I was getting her a glass of water," Miles said.
"Good, good," Clara said. "I will make her tea too. I also have some mint leaves. They helped with my nausea when I was pregnant with you."
Miles nodded as Clara turned to boil some water. I watched them argue about the best foods for Maisie to eat without being sick. It was great to know they both cared so much for the girl. She was perfect for this family.
Neither of them noticed me step out of the kitchen. I went up the stairs and down the hall. Miles had his bedroom door closed. Without knocking, I walked in to see Maisie's small frame on the bed. She did not move as I shut the door behind me, probably assuming I was Miles.
The pillows were stacked behind her head and shoulders. She was curled on her side, and her eyes were closed. Her blonde hair was loose but tangled. The blankets were pulled up high, making her look even tinier.
I sat on the edge of the bed, but she did not move. A few months ago, she was lying in this bed unconscious after I brought her into our home. I had been unaware of how long the tranquilizer would keep her sedated, so I took her clothes to stop her from trying to escape when she woke. The tranquilizer was more powerful than I anticipated, so her movements were slow and weak as she struggled to stay awake. Now, she was lying in this bed as a wife and soon-to-be mother. This was where she belonged.
I brushed her hair away from her face, causing her to stir. Her skin was pale, and her lips were dry and cracked. She groaned as she ran her hands over her face. Her eyes widened when she saw me instead of Miles. Her arms were shaky as she tried to push herself up. I placed my hand on her shoulder to stop her, and she laid back on the pillows. I readjusted the blankets to cover her body.
"You need to rest," I said.
Maisie refused to make eye contact with me. She moved her hands, but I could not see her body because of the blankets. I reached for her stomach, and I could feel her hands. Was she cradling her baby? Had she already known and said nothing to the family?
"Pregnant already," I said. "I knew you were perfect."
Maisie closed her eyes, but it was difficult to tell if it was from fatigue or emotions. I brushed her hair away from her face again. She did not flinch at my touch, so she was not scared. She liked being here.
"Are you happy?" I asked.
She did not answer with words, but a small smile appeared on her face.
"This is why I brought you here," I said. "This is why I saved you."
She was silent for a few seconds, but her smile did not disappear.
"Thank you," she said.
Over the past few months, I saw my family become happier. The atmosphere of the house changed once Maisie stopped screaming and crying. We were almost able to recreate how it used to be when we had dinners with Bram, his family, and our parents. Maisie had never thanked me before. I had doubts she realized what I had given her, but she was thankful. She realized I saved her from her terrible life.
I grazed my fingers along her soft cheek. What would have happened if she never approached me in the tavern? It would have been a nightmare if I tried to drag Bram back. This was meant to happen.
I could not take my eyes off Maisie. My fingers delicately traced over the freckles on her cheeks before grazing my knuckles along her jaw. She did not react to my touch. There was no attempt to push me off or roll away.
The door opened, and I pulled my hand back. I stood and turned to see Miles. He had a mug in one hand and a plate with slices of Clara's sourdough in the other. His brows were furrowed, but he was smart enough not to say anything. He walked past me and set the food down on the nightstand.
Maisie looked up at Miles. He tried to pass her the tea, but she shook her head. She pulled her hand out from under the blanket to push the mug away.
"You need to be eating and drinking," Miles said. "You and the baby need to be healthy."
Maisie groaned and continued to shake her head. Miles looked down at her and bit his lip.
"Make sure she is alright," I said. "You have your own family now to protect."
Miles was silent, but he sat on the edge of the bed. He cupped her face in his hands and pulled himself closer. He softly spoke to her, but I could not understand his words.
I stepped out of the room confident that my family was safe. This was exactly what was supposed to happen.