From Bully To Beloved

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Isqueeze Cal’s hands, so I can turn and puke right there on the ground.

My mind is spinning. What the hell? I’m not anxious or nervous anymore. My stomach shouldn’t still be upset. It can’t be food poisoning, since the Chinese food Marie and I ate after meeting with the lawyer yesterday was hours ago. I never get sick. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve puked in my adult life. Everything has worked out great. There’s no reason for me to still be like this.

Unless…it’s not nerves.

I do some quick math in my head and my eyes go wide when I realize what’s actually going on.

Oh. Oh, no.

“Babe?” He reaches into his pocket to grab a handkerchief. Handing it to me, he gives me a concerned look as I clean myself.

“I think I’m pregnant,” I tell Cal.

Coltonblinks.

Then blinks again.

And a third time.

Uh-oh. I think he’s broken. I think I broke him.

Taking a step back but keeping my arms around him, I look at him with concern. “Cal, are you okay?”

It takes him a second to respond. “I’m sorry, I think I had a mini-stroke there. For a minute, I thought you said you were pregnant.”

“I think I am.”

He takes a shaky breath. “Just now? You got pregnant right now?”

I can’t help but laugh. “No, it happened earlier.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

I nod. Then shake my head. “Not a hundred percent, but I wasn’t feeling well this morning. Actually, looking back, I haven’t been feeling well for days. Please take me to the drug store.”

“Let’s go, babe.”

Hours later

One trip to the gynecologist confirms the test. It’s very early on, but the results are the same. I’m pregnant with Cal’s child. Our child.

“I attest to the validity of your results. Congratulations, you two,” the friendly doctor says and smiles at us. Luckily enough, Dr. Dillan Maxwell is one of Cal’s biker buddies who agreed to see us as soon as Coltoncalled him up.

The moment Dr. Maxwell leaves the room, Coltongathers me into his arms and spins me around. “Oh, my fucking God! Sera, I’m happy!”

My heart is elated, but my stomach is pissed. “Please don’t spin me. I’ve been throwing up all day.”

“Oh, sorry, babe.” Coltonhastily puts me down. Grabbing my hands, he starts to pepper them with kisses. “This is amazing. Holy shit. I’m going to be a dad!”

I smile.

“You forget, Sera, that I knew the second you walked into Gran’s apartment you were attracted to this.” He gestures to himself. “Also, I know what a headstrong person you are. If you didn’t want to be here with me, you wouldn’t be. Fuck, okay. All right. I need to call Jane Deets, the realtor, and tell her to speed up the process. She’s not going to like it, but fuck it. If I’m going to build us the perfect place, we need to get started right now. Shit, we’re going to need so much more room-”

“Wait, realtor?”

“Yeah. Remember I’ve been looking for a big new place? I asked Jane to find something that wecan make our own. With lots of space for an art studio.”

I’m speechless. Utterly speechless.

His eyes grow big, and a shadow of concern clouds them.

He pauses.

It’s clear he’s wondering if he’s gone too far, again, if I’ll be mad or not, again-but in this case, how could I be? I can’t help but laugh a little inwardly when I see his worried “uh-oh, I fucked up” face. Coltonhas the funniest “uh-oh I fucked up” face in the whole world. This situation is different. Not in itself, but…I have changed. Love, Cal’s love, has changed me. He did it for me-so I could have an art studio. If I want it. I don’t have to agree, but it’s there for the taking. My heart melts into a puddle of goo. It’s such a sweet and kind gesture and shows how much he loves me. “You were thinking of finding a new placewitha studio for me?”

His features relax instantly at the sound of my gentle voice. “Of course, I was. A big one.” He gives me that smug smile that used to make me want to smack him but now makes me want to kiss him. “I knew you’d come around.”

I hit him playfully on the shoulder. “Smug jerk.”

“But I’myoursmug jerk.”

“Oh, my God, youare.”

Laughing, he pulls me into another kiss.

* * *

Coltonand I spend the night together at our place, talking about the baby and plans for the future. There is still a lot we need to figure out and focus on, but for now, things are good. Things are solid. He tells me about what he found in his gran’s storage unit, and I have to laugh. That woman was crafty, that’s for sure. At least the new place will have a wonderful new bed.

Then, he hands me a small red envelope, the word “Sera” on it. When I pull out the note, I recognize Mrs. Bianca’s neat handwriting, scrawled with her little wrinkly hands. I tear up when I read it.

My Sera,

You were always family.

I always knew one day, you would be officially too.

Love you,

Bianca (The Merlot-Baroness)

Guess what is on the back of the note? Her secret butter cookies recipe!