Private Bryan

Chapter 6:

I looked at rob holding our son and I nearly broke down and cried right then and there. Bryan died thinking that Leland was our son. Because of my stupidity, bryan died thinking I had been faithful to him when I had fucked up and cheated.

"What does it say?" Rob asked as he bounced our son, who had woken up and started to fuss. They looked perfect together, like rob was meant to be standing here, a father.

"Leland is your son." I said and looked out the window. Snow was steadily falling. "But I can't take him home yet, I don't have his car seat or anything. It was all at my house."

"I've got it all set up in my truck." He said and smiled softly. "Erin let me in when you were in labor. I knew he was my son, but even if he wasn't, I was going to get you home safe."

"Thank you." I said and held my arms up for Leland, and rob handed him over. "You are very beautiful, Camile. Are you ready to go home?"

"Can I?" I asked just a nurse walked in.

"If you sign this, you and that adorable little bundle of love there can go home." She said and rob took Leland again so that I could sign the paperwork. Then she smiled. "Congrats on your beautiful son you two. Have a great day." Then she left.

"Do you want me to bundle him up while you get dressed?" Rob asked.

"Sure. But are you staying in here while I get dressed?" I asked and looked up at him.

"Is that an issue? If it is, I can leave the room and get Leland ready once you're dressed." He said and looked at the door.

"No. It's okay. Just keep your back turned." I said and got up slowly. Rob had grabbed my bag of clothes and I quickly pulled on a clean bra and panties then pulled on my faded blue maternity jeans and a beautiful baby blue maternity shirt. It felt so weird not being pregnant, not feeling Leland kick and move around inside of me.

"Am I allowed to look?" Rob asked softly.

"Yes, I'm dressed." I said and sat on the edge of the bed to pull on my snow boots. "Can I hold him while you pull out his clothes?"

"He's your son too, honey." Rob said and placed Leland back in my arms. He still felt so small and foreign, I was afraid I was going to hurt him. Then rob dug around in the bag of baby stuff I had packed and laid them out on the bed.

I helped undress Leland and rob and I worked together to bundle up our son then I put him in the car seat, buckled him up and put another blanket on him. My back hurt a little but I managed to walk out to robs truck, carrying Leland in the car seat. Rob had the bags and helped buckle Leland into the back seat.

It was sweet that rob opened my door and helped me into the passenger seat. I settled and wrapped my jacket tighter around my chest, Leland was settled in the back seat cooing away as rob got in the driver seat and started up the truck.

"We will be to your house soon. Then I will help you settle, I'll make you dinner then I will go home and let you bond with Leland." He said and put his hand on my knee. "I'm going to do what I can for you. You are the mother of my child."

"You don't have to leave tonight. It's already getting late." I said and looked at the clock. 7:54 pm. "But I do need to stop at the store. My kitchen is almost empty."

"That's fine, hon. We will stop at the store in town." He said and turned at the intersection. At the store he hopped out and grabbed lelands car seat from the back and put him in a shopping cart. I pushed the cart around the store, picking up everything I could use for the next month. We were expecting a huge storm so I did grab about four crates of water bottles and a bunch of food I wouldn't have to cook in case the power went out. I also grabbed some more blankets and lots of hot chocolate mix. And a fifth of jack Daniels.

"Whiskey?" Rob asked with a smirk and raised one eyebrow.

"I'm going to be using a breast pump every now and then, so if I want a cup of spiked hot chocolate im going to." I laughed and gently punched his arm.

"Okay okay." Rob said and held his hands up in mock surrender. "Ready to go?"

I grabbed the last of my items and headed out to the check out. Rob refused to let me pay and handed the cashier his credit card before I could bring out my bank card.

"I've got the money rob." I said as we headed out to the truck. He loaded up the bed of the truck with all my stuff as i strapped Leland into the back seat. Thankfully, Leland was all warm and cozy and fast asleep in his car seat.

"I bet you do, but I'm going to help support you." He said as he pushed the cart away then we got back in the truck. The drive to he house was in relative silence, but it was a comfortable silence. Once at the house, I grabbed Leland and rob grabbed the bags, making multiple trips. But I took Leland upstairs, settled him into his pajamas, fed him the laid him down in his crib.

I turned on the baby monitor and grabbed the one for me. Then I changed clothes into my sweat pants and a baggy maternity t-shirt and headed downstairs to put away all of the groceries. My slippers were by the door and I slipped them on and went into my kitchen.

The groceries didn't take long to put away, and by the time I had it all put away, rob was back in the house. I pulled out a couple steaks, some potatoes and corn. As I set up he stove rob came up behind me and placed his hand on the center of my back. He was so damn tall.

"I said I would cook." He said and smiled.

I yawned.

"Yeah, that's right. Go take a nap on the couch. I will make dinner for us." He said and ushered me out of the kitchen. I wrapped myself in my new muddy girl camo blanket and curled up in the couch with he tv remote. I quickly dozed off to the cooking channel.

My dreams were scary. Bryan wasn't dead and he was hitting me for cheating on him. Tears streamed from my eyes as he hit me with a belt, blistering my back. Blood dripped and soaked my shirt and sweat pants.

I woke up with robs hands on my arms, trying to shake me to wake me up.

"There you are, honey. Are you okay? You were screaming an crying." He said and wiped my tears.

"I-I'm fine." I said and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Is Leland okay?"

"Yes, fed already and having belly time on the floor near you. He keeps looking at you like he's afraid you're hurt." He said and got down on the floor to gently tickle lelands feet.

I slid onto the floor and scooped up Leland and smothered kisses on his face. He smiled and I couldn't help but giggle. My son was so adorable.

"Dinners done if you're hungry." Rob said as he poked his head into the living room.

"I'm starved. It's been a long time since I ate dinner with someone."