29. Sarra

29

Sarra

I sat at the table, my stomach churning with nausea. When Evie put some bacon on the table, I excused myself and rushed out of the room. I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Moments later, Reaper was there, holding my hair back.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Should we go to the doctor?" he asked, his concern evident.

I glanced at him before rinsing my mouth. He followed me to the bedroom, and we sat on the bed. He took my hand, his beautiful eyes searching mine. "Reaper, I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it."

"We are having another baby."

"What? Did you say we're having another baby?" he repeated, his voice a mix of surprise and joy.

"Yes, I know we didn't plan this, but it happened, and I'm happy about it. I want lots of children."

He picked me up and twirled me around the room until my stomach flipped, and I had to rush to the bathroom again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have swung you around, but I'm so happy. I can't wait to have another baby. Glory is going to love a little sister."

"It's a baby boy," I said confidently.

"How do you know?"

"I just feel like it's a boy."

"Sweetheart, I love you so much. I guess it's all that love-making we did when I had those bandages on."

I chuckled. "Yes, that's what I thought too. I need to go back to New Orleans."

"You want to live in New Orleans?"

"No, I just want to get some of my stuff and put the house up for sale."

"Why don't you wait? The Delta Force might buy it as a safe house."

"I'll give it to the Delta Force as a safe house. I don't need it. We'll get my personal things, and I'll leave the rest there."

"That's a big gift to give away."

"I don't need it. So, I'm giving it to the Delta Force. You can have cameras put up everywhere. Let's leave tomorrow. The sooner I take care of this, the better I'll feel."

"Okay, we'll leave in the morning."

I must have lain down because I woke up when Reaper was putting Glory next to me so I could feed her. He already had my top up, and I moved my bra out of her way; she was hungry.

I smiled, glancing at my baby's head as she drank voraciously. There was nothing gentle about Glory. Every time she ate, you'd think it was the last of my milk.

"She's a good eater," Reaper said, looking at me.

"That's an understatement. This little angel loves her food. Hopefully, she won't attack me with so much force when she has teeth."

Reaper laughed. "We'll put your milk in a bottle if it comes to that. She's five months old already, so the teeth will start popping out real soon."

We both chuckled when Glory started making noises. She didn't like it when we talked while she drank. "We will have to stop spoiling her," I said, glancing at Reaper.

"That's going to be hard to do when she looks at me with that sweet pout on her face."

"I know, but let's at least try."

"I agree. We will try," Reaper said, but I knew full well that he wouldn't. He had spoiled her since the day she was born.

As soon as the plane landed in New Orleans, I knew I would have to return to the cabin in the swamp, if only to say goodbye. It was where I grew up, and not all of that time was bad—or was it?

I tried to remember some good times, but for the life of me, I couldn't recall any. I remembered getting my hands hit with a switch from a tree. I even remembered them bleeding.

I looked down at my hands, and there was no evidence of a switch hitting them. I remembered crying for my mother when I remembered her, and it wasn't Amanda; it was my real mom. But most of the things I remembered were bad.

I saw the man from the family we gave a ride to that night. He was coming from the swamp. "I thought that was you," he said. "Thank you again for helping us that night. We would have died if it weren't for your help."

"You're welcome," Reaper said.

"Did you know they found out the fire was started intentionally? They haven't caught the ones who started it, and I doubt they ever will. I better get going. I need to pick my wife and the little ones up. You take care of yourself."

"You too," Reaper said, covering Glory's head as the man walked past us.

"I'm ready to leave all of this behind me for the last time. These are memories I would rather wipe from my mind. From now on, my memories will be of you and our children," I said, wiping a lone tear from my cheek.

We walked out of the swamp, and I thought I saw a man and woman standing together, watching us. Then they were gone.

We drove in silence most of the way to my house, which was now the Delta's safe house. When I felt able to talk, I looked at Reaper. "I'm glad you were sent to me when you were. What would I have done without you?"

"You would have been fine. You are a fighter. I'm sure you would have gotten out of the fire alive."

"You saved me so many times, not just from the fire. In my heart, I knew you would come for me. We were meant to spend our lives together. I love you so much."

"I love you too, sweetheart. Should we call and see if Shane is around?"

"Yes, he's going to be so surprised to see how much Glory has grown. Let's stop and get Chinese food for dinner. We can take it to Shane's place and eat with him."

When we pulled into Shane's driveway, I was shocked to see a for-sale sign in his yard. He walked out onto the porch, smiling, then came down to hug me and shook Reaper's hand.

"Look at her; she is beautiful and growing so fast," he said as he held Glory, and she smiled at him.

"We brought Chinese food," I said as Reaper got it out and carried it into the house. "Why are you selling your home?" I asked.

"First, I'm starving, and I was just wondering what to make for dinner. Second, I bought another home. This house is too big for me."

"Where did you buy another home?"

"In a little mountain town where my favorite cousin lives."

"You bought a home where we live?"

"Yes, I don't have anything to hold me here anymore. Everyone has moved, so instead of sitting here by myself, I decided to move closer to my family."

"Shane, that makes me so happy. I didn't like thinking of you being alone," I said, then started crying.

"Why are you crying? You are going to upset Glory," Shane said, though I could tell he was the one getting upset.

"Don't pay any attention to me. I'm pregnant, and my emotions are all over the place."

"Are you having another baby? It's a good thing I'm moving down the street from you. You'll need a babysitter so Reaper can get a break."

"It was you who bought that white house I always walk past on our walks," I said, sniffing. "That place is beautiful. I wondered who bought it."

"There were a lot of people who put a bid on it. I was the highest bidder, so I won."

"I'm so happy for you," I said. Reaper was busy setting out plates, and Glory had fallen asleep, so I put her on the baby bed in the family room. Shane bought it when I was pregnant.

"What brings you all here?" Shane asked.

"I wanted to remove my personal items from my house. I gave it to the Delta Force team to use as a safe house."

"That's a great idea. The movers will be here next Monday. I'm asking anyone with personal items here to get them because I will be going through everything, and I will give away what I don't want to take."

"Would it be all right if I bring a few boxes, and your movers can take them to your new house?"

"Sure, I also found some photos you might want to keep. There are some from your parents' wedding and some from when Aunt Jeanie was growing up. I put them in a box, and they are already packed."

"Thank you. I would love to have those photos."

"Good. This Chinese food hit the spot. I've been so busy going through the attic that I forgot to eat," Shane said, helping himself to more food.

I smiled with a big weight off my shoulders. I wouldn't have to worry about Shane being alone anymore.