Page 5 of A Magnolia Move-In
“Is it the father?”
I pursed my lips. Jackson knew very little about Walker. I’d done a good job at keeping my love life a secret from my overprotective brother. The last thing I needed was Jackson heading up a mob to murder the man. Especially if he found out that the whole reason I was in the car in the first place was to track down Walker.
It was better if no one knew about the father until I could talk to him. Which wasn’t going to happen if I allowed Jackson to drag me to Magnolia. “It was a one-night stand.” For some reason, that was less embarrassing than admitting my relationship status with Walker.
Jackson was quiet. I could see his rage slowly simmering behind his gaze, but thankfully, he recognized I was a grown woman and didn’t need his brotherly protection anymore. At least, that was what I pretended he was thinking.
“What are you going to do?”
I swallowed. I’d just been in an accident, and thinking ahead didn’t seem like something I was capable of right now. But there were a few things I was going to have to face no matter what. First, I was going to have this baby. There were no other options for me.
But beyond the birth…I wasn’t sure.
And in terms of Walker? I was clueless.
“I don’t know, Jackson. I’m bedbound. I’m hurting. I’m tired, and yet the pain won’t let me sleep.” I couldn’t stop the flow of words, so I closed my eyes and let them out. “I’m hungry. I’m nauseous. I have no clue what I’m going to do about my future, and it seems like I don’t have enough time to figure it out.” I opened my eyes and met his gaze. “I’m scared.”
He frowned, crossed the room, and grasped onto my hand. He held it as he stared down at me. “You’re not alone. I will be here for everything. The rehab” —he swallowed— “the baby.”
I gave him a weak smile even if doing so made my skin feel tight against the scabs I was sure were all over my face. “Thanks.”
He nodded. “Of course. I won’t ever leave your side.”
I sighed, my body relaxing at his words. Even though I felt confused as to what I needed to do, I knew that with him by my side, I would be safe, no matter what the future held.
A month later,I stared at my now empty house. The house we’d grown up in. The house that had become my home. All of my furniture was either sold or in storage for when I found a place to plant some roots.
My hope that Walker would come back had dwindled to a chunk of coal. I’d warded off Jackson’s insistence to move in order to give Walker an opportunity to walk back into my life. But he’d never texted or called.
No matter how many messages I left begging him to contact me, he didn’t. I felt as if I were screaming into a void, and no one heard me.
After two weeks, Jackson declared my stubborn streak over. I was coming to Magnolia if I liked it or not. I wanted to fight him, but I had no strength. So, I gave in, and at the same time, I gave up hope that Walker would ever hold true to his promise to marry me.
My life with Walker was over, and I was too tired to hang onto what we once had.
I knew Magnolia wasn’t my resting place—even if I didn’t know where my resting place was going to be.
I wheeled over to the window and stared out at thelarge willow tree that hung over the small pond in the back. I pressed on my eyelids, forcing myself not to cry.
After all, I’d cried so much these last few weeks that I was certain I was certifiably dehydrated. When I asked Henry, my physical therapist, he just laughed it off and told me to drink more water.
“I’m doing the right thing,” I whispered. My fingers found my stomach, and I held them there. Thankfully, the morning sickness that I’d just written off as stress had subsided, and I felt a bit more alive.
After talking with Dr. Williams, and having a small breakdown that included full denial, I finally allowed the OB to check on me before I left the hospital. She confirmed that I was five months pregnant, and everything looked great.
She instructed that I get in touch with an OB as soon as I could as my condition will likely make birth difficult. I still had some time for my hip to heal, but they didn’t want to leave things to chance.
It wasn’t until Jackson wheeled me out of her office and down to the elevator that reality kicked in. I was wheelchair-bound, broken, and pregnant.
Now, as I sat in my once full house, I was homeless, jobless…and alone.
How on earth was I going to be able to bring a baby into this world? Not only was my body at risk, but there was no way I could care for myself, much less another person.
I swallowed back my tears, forcing myself to be stronger. I could do this.
I could…
I shook my head.
