Page 40 of A Magnolia Move-In
Walker:Text me back and let me know that everything is okay. I’m worried about you, Naomi.
Tears clung to my eyelids. As much as I wanted to say that it was because of the pregnancy, I knew better. I missed him. And even though I had heard a woman on the other side of the call, that didn’t have to mean what I’d thought it meant.
It could have been something completely different, and I’d spent the better part of a month hating the man for cheating because of it.
My fingers shook as I responded.
Me:I had no idea where you were. I was in an accident and am in Magnolia, RI with Jackson.
My fingers hovered above the keyboard as I contemplated telling him that I was pregnant. But then I shook my head. That really was a conversation that I should have with him in person. A text message felt too impersonal.
I didn’t have to wait long before his response came in.
Walker:I’m calling you
No sooner had I read his words than my phone started ringing. My whole body went numb as I pressed on the green icon and brought the phone to my ear. I’d been waiting for this moment for so long that it felt surreal that it was finally happening.
“Hello?” I asked.
“Naomi? It’s Walker.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He paused as if he didn’t know what to say. “Are you okay?”
It hurt to speak with my emotions choking my words. So, I just nodded until I realized that he couldn’t see me. Feeling like an idiot, I gathered my strength and said, “Yes.”
He sighed, and it felt nice. He was worried about me. He had thought about me. I’d figured that he was starting his new life with the girl on the phone while I was stuck here, pregnant and alone. But from his texts and the sound in his voice, what I’d feared hadn’t been the truth.
That made me happier than I’d been in a long time.
“I’m so relieved. You about ripped my heart out when I read your message.” His voice was wavering, which only gave me further hope that I’d been completely wrong about the phone call.
Walker cared about me.
“I’m sorry. When I couldn’t get ahold of you, I went to find you. That’s when I got into the accident.” Phantom pain coursed through my body as the memory of being thrown against the steering wheel played through my mind.
It didn’t help that, at that moment, it had felt as if my heart was breaking as well. But now that I knew where Walker had been, a sort of peace was settling around me, making it easier to breathe.
“Can I come see you? I need to see you.” His voice sounded pained, and all I wanted to do was reach through the phone and hold him.
“Yes. Please.”
I rattled off Jackson’s address, and he read it back tome. He said he’d get in his car as soon as he was off the phone and head to Rhode Island. “Expect me there by this evening.”
I nodded as my smile grew to the point where it hurt. I was going to get Walker back. I was going to have this baby, and we were going to be a family. This entire nightmare was going to be over.
We said our goodbyes, and a feeling of warmth washed over me when he told me he loved me. I returned the words and we hung up.
I set my phone onto my bed and flopped back, letting out my breath as I stared up at the ceiling. A smile played on my lips as I replayed our conversation in my mind.
Walker was back. He was coming to Magnolia. My life could finally start back up.
I was excited.
Wanting to look presentable when Walker showed up, I pushed myself up and climbed into my wheelchair. Then I headed into the bathroom and started the tub. It was definitely interesting, trying to bathe myself while my leg was completely covered in a cast, but I was getting better at it.
Plus, it made me even more excited to be getting this blasted thing off.
