Page 34 of Sunday

“Were they not good enough, or were you just not turned on?”

“It was neither. I decided that I would be abstinent because I treasure myself too much. I felt that I’d been reckless enough the last few years, and I needed to slow up and get to know the adultversion of myself better. I knew that when I found that special someone, I would give him my everything.”

“How’d you end up with me then?”

She smiled, and in a very sleepy voice, she professed, “You’re someone special.”

I closed my eyes but kept rubbing her feet. Her words did me in. I vowed not to break this girl’s heart, but I wasn’t good for her. I was damaged goods, and she deserved something so much more.

I finished rubbing her feet. After a few minutes, Sunday snored lightly, and I moved her feet off my lap. She didn’t budge. After a few moments of staring at her beautiful face, I couldn’t help myself. I repositioned her on the sofa so that she was against the back of it, and I nestled in behind her on the edge.

I pulled her into my arms, and she snuggled closer. Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, I whispered, “You’re someone special too.”

Sunday

One Month Later

“C’mon. Your mother’s peeked out those drapes six times.”

Cedar jumped out of the car, rounded it, and came to my side and pulled the door open. I wore cream leggings and an oversized pink and cream sweater with brown calf-length boots. I had thrown a brown leather jacket on that matched my leather boots. The leggings were comfortable, and I wouldn’t have to worry about trying to squeeze into tight jeans.

The sweater would not only ward off the chilly March temperatures, thanks to the rain, but also hopefully hide my protruding belly. At seventeen weeks, I wasn’t big, but I had put on some weight around my midsection.

Since I had always been a small girl, the slightest weight gain on me was noticeable, and my mom would be the first to detect it.

“What have you told them?” Cedar asked as he helped me out of the car and led me up the sidewalk.

“That I was bringing my boyfriend to meet them.”

“Sunday.”

Shrugging, I replied, “Well, we faked a relationship for your family. Why not for mine?”

“We have to tell them the truth eventually, especially with a baby coming. We can’t fake a relationship for eighteen years. We’ll have to tell your family the truth.”

“And yours also.”

“Or I could tell them that we broke up not long after the wedding.”

“And I could do the same thing,” I pointed out.

He sighed. “All right.”

I turned the doorknob and stepped inside.

“I was wondering when you two would finally come in out of the cold. Give me your jackets,” my mother greeted.

We handed my mother our jackets just as my father entered the living room with a boisterous, “Hey, baby girl.”

“Hey, Daddy,” I greeted and threw my arms around him. “Where are the boys?”

“Bjorn and Sarah are setting the dining table, and Nils is grabbing his gaming system to play after dinner. Who do we have here?” my father asked and turned his gaze to Cedar. My father’s arm rested possessively around me as we faced Cedar, and my mother stood beside Cedar, smiling at him.

“Mom, Daddy, this is Cedar, . . . my boyfriend. Cedar, these are my parents, Astrid and Raymond Monroe.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Monroe,” Cedar greeted and extended his hand to my father, who took it hesitantly and then squeezed it.

I elbowed my father and scowled up at him, and he scowled back. When he released Cedar’s hand, my mother threw her arms around Cedar, catching him off guard.

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