Where He Belongs

~Sixteen~

A/N: I'm am so sorry. This is late. And short. Yesterday was my sister's birthday and all this craziness and this just slipped through the cracks. I will update on Monday night with a nice long chapter in thanks for all your pacients and as an apology. I hope you liked it.

I couldn't sulk, I couldn't cry.

Because once I began, I wouldn't be able to stop. The pitying looks from my family weren't helping either. So I immersed myself in wedding preparation. I dyed cotton all day on the back porch, pausing long enough to do household chores. I ended up tanning leather seventy percent of time due to all the prey for the wedding my brothers and father were bringing in. I busy, I was tired, and I was sore. But at least I wasn't focusing on the deep aching pain of loss in my chest. Whenever I thought of Liam the pain would get worse. I loved him still so much. He was my best friend, my rock, my mate and he'd left me. Well, not 'officially' I suppose but the rejection of our relationship would take some planning. He'd have to talk to my father first who'd try and cushion the blow, unaware that it was more devastating coming from his mouth than my ex-mate's...

I felt thudding side me. The fluttering sensation had grown to this odd internal thumping as the baby kicked and squirmed around. "Sorry, hon." I gave my belly an apologetic rub before going back to packaging the dry venison jerky. It'd be an appetizer at the wedding, before the ceremony took place.

I wanted to gnaw a piece of the tough, flavorful meat but I knew the baby would not like it I'd end up getting sick later. And I didn't want that. The morning sickness and gone away; the morning pains were still rampid. But I was getting used to them. I hardly noticed my back anymore, or the sharp pains I got as as my muscles in my belly stretched to house a child. They came on quick and left quick. "I can't wait to meet you."

As wrecked as I felt emotionally the baby was my silverlineing. He would be there; he wouldn't leave me--assuming it was a 'he'. Fast forward to the end of the day, I'm setting the table with my mother, trying to ignore her pointed frown. "You should go sit down dear. You're looking a little pale."

"I'm fine." My voice was small and flat as I laid out a bowl of corn.

"You heard your mother," my father said from the couch. "Come sit down with us."

"It my body, I'll do what I want." My tone was venomous, a surge of emotion going through me that wasn't quite mine.

I could see my father fighting to avoid reclaiming his dominance as I flinched at myself and rubbing my tummy, hoping to quell my unneeded anger. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It's not me--"

"I know." Jeffery said with a smile. "Sassy Colton is an interesting one at least."

I forced a laugh, deciding to retire to my room for a bit. "Promise you'll eat something later?" My mother asked.

I nodded my head, going to my room. The only downside to being in here was that I now had time to think. And the thoughts I and were not ones I liked. I couldn't stop thinking Liam and I before what happened. How we had the whole world ahead of us, not a bleak future where we were alone. Where did it all go? Why was it so hard to try? He hadn't. He didn't even want to. Did the concept of having a child scare him that much? Familiar thunking made me focus on my child instead. I rubbed my stomach, trying to calm my nerves. "We don't need him do we?" I asked it. "We can be our own family."

It fluttered in response.

~~^^~~^^~~^^~~^^~~^^~~^^~~

Covered head to toe in flour, I stirred the batter furiously.

I wanted to get the bottom layer of the cake baked. I was building it up slowly, one day at a time. At this point it was grunt work. But once this was done I could begin the fun stuff: decorating. There was a massive sack of confectionary sugar leaning against the wall. Frosting would be the best to make...mostly because I could indulge my sweet tooth while whipping up batches of thick, creamy vanilla frosting. Xena had given me the green light to do as I wished to the cake. Probably because she was freaking out about her dress. It has been her mother's but the torso had to be taken in some, without damaging the dress. She was very adamant about the dress reaming as-was despite all the alterations it required. The hem needed to come up but my mother had yet to break it to her. She was frazzled enough.

Jeffery was starting to feel the stress too; he came home for hunting or working, only to be forced to look at sketches and fabrics, his fiancée looking for an opinion he didn't have. It would be quite amusing if I wasn't dying inside. "How's the leather coming?"

Jeffery was leaning in the doorway, drinking a glass of water. He was caked in dirt and mud, meaning he'd chased some game into the marshy area a few miles from here. Annoyance surged through me. Not only would it take forever to get the mud out of his pants but the marsh was pocketed with sink holes, known to suck wolves in like nothing. "Fine. You should be more careful you know."

"I know where the sink holes are, bud. I've been through that marsh dozens of times."

"You should still be more careful."

I heaved myself to my feet, hand tucked under my tummy. I practically stumbled to the counter, grabbing the cake pan. Whew. Carting this huge belly around was a workout. "I saw Liam you know."

I felt like I'd just been drenched in cold water. I didn't want to hear about this. I didn't want to think about it. "Oh."

Back to the table, I dumped the batter into the cake pan. Jeffery swiped his finger inside the bowl, making the rest unusable. I glared at him as he popped it into his mouth. "Mm. It's great Colton. But Liam asked about you."

"Good for him."

I put the pan in the oven, leaning against the counter as I recovered. Even the smallest movements took an enormous amount of effort it seemed. "Colton--"

"Will grab me a pail of water?"

Jeffery looked torn but nodded, grabbing the pail. "Okay Colton. But, maybe you could give him a chance?"

I ignored the question, gathering the dishes within reach. It had been him who 'needed time'.

I was just giving it to him.

-unedited-