Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
“Hey, I’m not old!” Brand exclaims with mock-protest.
My mom merely rolls her eyes.
“You’re the same age as me,” she says in a dry tone. “And I know I’m old, which means you’re old too.”
“I’m glad you’re on board with our relationship, Mom,” I say in a soft voice before exchanging glances with my boyfriend. “Because Brand and I have something to tell you.” Then I gulp and then take a deep breath before smiling and resting a hand over my stomach. Brand covers my hand with his own big palm, and I can see my mom’s eyes widening.
“Are you--?” she begins in a shaky voice.
I nod.
“I’m pregnant.” I murmur, my eyes filling with tears. “You’re going to be a grandma, Mom!”
My mom looks utterly stunned.
“Holy shit,” she breathes. But then a huge smile wreathes her face. “I’m going to be a grandmother! I can’t believe it! I’m so happy for you, honey,” she says in a tearful voice while pulling me in for a hug. “Having you is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I want that kind of happiness for you too, sweetheart. Congratulations!”
We hug again, laughing and crying as Brand watches, satisfaction on his handsome face. After all, this pregnancy was a surprise for us. Brand and I are careful to use protection when we’re being intimate, but we did slip up a couple times when we were using the truck stop showers, so it probably happened then. But I love being pregnant, and Brand’s over the moon to be a daddy. It’s the best thing that could have happened to us as a couple, and it’s only cemented our relationship.
The three of us chat some more about plans for the baby and all the pre-natal visits I have coming up. To be honest, my mom is more excited to go baby shopping than either me or Brand, and she wants to throw me a baby shower too.
I smile.
“Yeah, but won’t your friends be shocked that you’re going to be a grandmother? I mean, Mom, you’re still so vibrant and beautiful. It’ll be weird for the baby to call you Grandmommy Sheena!”
My mom merely presses a kiss to my cheek as we start walking down the drive to Brand’s truck.
“Yes, but it is what it is, and this baby can call me anything he or she wants to. Grandmammy, Grannie, Grandmom, it’s all good,” Sheena reassures me. “I’m just happy that you’re back and that everything’s worked out,” she says as Brand pulls the truck out of the drive. “Love you!”
I wave back my own love you, and then with my man at my side, we begin the drive back to his place.
“Happy?” he asks, taking my hand in his as the wind whistles through my hair.
“Yes, more than anything,” I say, smiling at the handsome trucker. After all, this has been a whirlwind ride, but I’ve loved every second of it with this trucker at my side.
12
Brand
I don’t think I’ve ever felt this happy and satisfied in my life. We’ve just gotten back from telling our baby news to Sheena, and now Janie and I are curled up on the couch watching a movie together. Of course, I moved the curvy girl into my house right away when we got back to Jersey. After we found out about her pregnancy, there were no ifs, ands or buts. Janie was mine, and she and the baby were going to live with me.
But it’s been amazing because everything I want in life is right here. My woman laughs a little at the scene on the big screen, and her head rests against my shoulder as my hand lightly grazes her belly, the bump hardly noticeable yet. But soon, it will be. Soon, Janie will be walking around our house looking ripe and swollen with my child inside.
The love of my life is carrying our child and I couldn’t be happier. She looks up at me, smiling gently.
“Something on your mind, Brand?” she murmurs.
“Thank you.” I growl. The words slip out of my mouth without me even really meaning for them to.
She struggles to turn to look at me with those beautiful brown eyes and the prettiest smile on her face.
“But for what?”
A few beats of silence go by as I carefully think over my next words. I don’t know how to convey how happy and thankful I am right now, but I’ll try my best to.
“Honey, at my age, I thought that the opportunity to be a father had passed me by. It was something that never bothered me, and with my itinerant lifestyle, it wasn’t something that I expected either. But now, with you … well, I’ve come to the realization that this is what I want. You are what I want. A family, and a child. So thank you, sweetheart. Thank you for giving me the best gift a woman can give a man: a baby.”