Guardian Angel

Chapter 40

Archie rubs his eyes as he walks into the bathroom. He's still very tired and didn't even notice that Veronica wasn't in bed with him anymore. His eyes widen when he sees his fiancé lean against the wall with her phone in her hand and tears in her eyes. Before he can even say anything, Veronica grabs something from the edge of the bathtub and holds it behind her back.

"Archie!"

"Ronnie? What are you doing? Are you okay?"

"I'm— I'm fine"

"You don't look fine. You're crying" He steps closer to her but Veronica takes a step away from him. Just in that second the timer on her phone goes off. Archie's eyes wander to the display. A 5 blinks on the screen.

"Ronnie, baby, what are you hiding behind your back?" he asks as he again steps closer to her. This time she doesn't move.

"Nothing" she mumbles but it sounds so weak that she wouldn't even believe herself. She slowly takes her hand from behind her back to the front. In it she holds a pregnancy test.

"Are you— are you pregnant?"

"I don't know. I'm too scared to look"

"Do you want me to look?"

Veronica nods and hands Archie the little stick. Her whole body is shaking.

Archie stares at the stick and bites the inside of his lip. "What does two lines mean?"

"What?" Veronica asks. She rips the stick out of her hands and takes a look herself. "Oh god" she mumbles when she sees the result.

"So you're pregnant?" Archie says with a smile growing on his face. "This is great, right?"

"How did this even happen? We only did it a few times. Why am I pregnant again?"

"Is this a bad thing?"

"I don't know if I'm ready for this Archie" she cries "we lost our baby three months ago. I'm still dealing with the loss and now there is a new little baby. I don't think I can do this"
Tears stream down her cheeks as she sinks to the floor. She covers her face with her hands and just cries. It breaks Archie's heart to see her like this.
He sits down on the floor next to her before he pulls her into his lap. He holds her close against his chest and rocks her from side to side slowly.

"Shhh Ronnie, it's okay"

"Nothing is okay!"

"Sweetheart" he whispers and kisses her forehead. "I'm here, I'm with you. It will all be okay, I promise"

"I don't know about that"

"I promise, my love. When you're not ready there are ways to end a preg—"

"Are you serious. We lost a baby and you're seriously suggesting to kill our child?"

"No Ronnie, that's not — I'm just trying to make you feel better. I'm sorry"

She sighs and closes her eyes. "I'm sorry too. I know you only want what's best for me but I will never, never kill my baby"

"So we're keeping it?" he asks and places his hand on her stomach.

"Yeah" she nods and places her hand on top of his. "But I need you. I need your love and support so I can focus on this baby and keep our other one in my heart"

"Of course Ronnie"

"What if we lose this one again" she asks with a shaky voice. New tears form in her eyes.

"We won't honey, we won't, I promise you. I'll keep you two safe"

A little smile grows on Veronica's face as Archie strokes her stomach. "I'll make a doctors appointment for later today. Can you come with me?"