Sheriff Daddy’s Unforgettable Little by Jess Winters
CHAPTER TEN
Winston
The months leading up to the wedding was the best time of my life, but I already knew that things were going to get even better on the day we finally tied the knot. Between the days of planning the wedding and the nights of the hot sex we continued to indulge ourselves with, I felt that we were extremely productive as far as getting Celeste out of her cramped apartment and into my house.
As the days passed by, I became aware of the fact that Celeste was growing a bit more withdrawn from me than ever. At first, I thought she was just nervous about how quickly everything was happening, but, as the day drew closer, I realized that it had to be something else entirely, especially on the day I woke up alone in our bed to the sound of Celeste throwing up in the bathroom. Growing concerned about her health, I rushed over to the door, only to find it locked.
"Celeste?" I called out as I turned the door handle, panic building inside me. "Celeste, it's me. Please, open the door." I heard her moving around inside the bathroom a bit before I heard the door unlock, and she opened the door.
She looked pale, and there were bags under her eyes, signifying that she hadn't been sleeping as well as I thought. I stared at her in absolute horror as the realization dawned on me. She was clearly sick, and she had been hiding it from me. I wasn't sure how long she had been sick, but she looked a lot worse than when she went to bed the night before. Hopelessness overtook me as I dropped to my knees, staring at her in fear and disbelief.
"You're sick?" I asked, and she nodded her head as I took her hands in mine. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have taken you to the doctor's!" Much to my surprise, rather than looking worried, she gave me a weak smile and shook her head.
"I'm not that kind of sick," she informed me as she motioned towards the bathroom.
Confused, I rose to my feet and entered the bathroom, looking for whatever it was she wanted me to see. The bathroom seemed pretty normal, but I noticed a strange box in the trash can. Curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up to examine it. It was a pregnancy test box, and it was empty. I turned to look at Celeste.
"Where's the test?" I asked her, and she pointed to the sink.
"In there," she told me with a gentle smile. "I didn't want it to make a mess while I went to get you." I turned slowly towards the sink and looked down.
There, in the sink, was the little white plastic stick with the blue cap. My heart raced as I examined the stick, my eyes finally landing on the indicator screen of the test. On the screen, there was a little plus sign. My heart stopped dead in its tracks, making me feel like I had just died and was simply hovering over my corpse as I stared down at the test. Finally finding the words, I smiled and looked at her.
"Are you pregnant?" I finally asked, voicing my very thoughts. She nodded as she gave me a joyful smile.
"Yes," she breathed almost inaudibly. My gaze dropped down to her belly, where our child was now growing inside her.
We had done it… We were creating a new life, and we had done it together. I dropped to my knees and cupped her small belly in my giant hands, my body trembling due to all the emotions I felt in that exact second. She continued to smile down at me as she placed her tiny hands over my massive ones.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice gentle and nurturing. When I found my voice once again, I nodded.
"Yes," I told her as I rose to my feet. "Are you okay, though? Do you need anything to eat? Do you need to lie down?" She laughed and shook her head at me.
"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean you should lose your head," she told me as she stared at me. "I'll admit, though, there is one thing I'm just craving." I shook my head.
"Anything you want," I told her, "I will get for you. All you have to do is tell me what it is." She blushed in embarrassment as she got ready to answer.
"I would love some rice and orange chicken," she admitted to me. "From that Chinese place we went to on our third date." I thought for a moment, trying to remember the name of the place. Once I finally remembered, I looked over at the digital clock by the TV and saw that it was eight in the morning.
"I hate to tell you this, Little One," I told her, "but they don't open until eleven. Is there something else I can get you in the meantime?" She thought for a moment before shaking her head.
"I take it sex isn't an option, is it?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"It's not a good idea at this point," I informed her. "After all, I really don't want to put you under any sort of stress that could hurt the baby." She nodded understandingly as she gave me a fresh smile.
"What about cantaloupe and cottage cheese?" she asked, and I thought for a moment.
"I'll need to go to the store for that," I thought out loud as I made my way over to the closet to retrieve my shoes and coat. "I'll be as quick as I can. In the meantime, you should lay back down and rest. I don't need you wearing yourself down while I'm gone." She agreed to lay down in bed and watch a movie, settling on yet another cartoon as I finished getting ready to leave. As I kissed her before heading to the store, she stopped me.
"I suppose we should hurry with the wedding, shouldn't we?" she asked, and I frowned in confusion as she continued. “Dress alterations are so expensive, and I would hate to continuously inconvenience everyone just because I need the dress fixed.” Realizing what she meant, I nodded in agreement and gave her a reassuring smile.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about a thing,” I reassured her. “I’ll take care of everything. Just relax and take care of yourself and the baby.” With that, I marched out of the room and down the stairs, my heart soaring as I went out to get breakfast for my soon to be bride and my child.
