fated love

Chapter forty-four

Shawn

Melanie and I installed cameras around the house. The police department has direct access to the feed, should there ever be an intruder while we're working, a car will be dispatched immediately. I'm not taking any risks of Greg showing up and harming anyone while I'm not there to protect them. It's been a few weeks and thankfully he hasn't tried anything. 

I came down for breakfast before work and Melanie wasn't in the kitchen. I look at Beth and she shrugs. She was swaying with Michael in her arms while warming a bottle to feed him. I look at Abbigail, she was eating her breakfast and shakes her head.

I head back upstairs and find her sitting on the floor of her and Beth's bathroom. She had tears in her eyes, looking up at the sink. I spot a pregnancy test and take a look. It was positive and I sit next to her on the floor. She comes in my arms and lets out uncontrolled sobs.

I rub her back in comfort and she lets out a calming breath. "After Iraq, I never thought I could get pregnant again," she chokes quietly and I kiss the top of her head. She shutters a calming breath and says in a choked whisper, "Thank you Shawn."

"You're welcome," I say softly and help her to her feet. "How are you feeling?"

"Now that I'm standing, dizzy," she says in a wavering whisper. She rests her head on my chest as her breaths grew shaky. "I need to lay down."

"I'm going to pick you up, okay," I say softly and she nods lightly. 

I carry her to her room and lay her in bed. "I already called the captain and told him I'm pregnant. He said we could continue as partners, but I'll be working from our office at home," she says in a breathy tone and I nod. "I'll give you a camera pin and an earpiece as your second pair of eyes and our way of communicating."

"Does this start today?"

"No, I asked for a few days off," she says quietly and tears fill her eyes. "Will you tell Beth and Abbigail?"

I nod and say softly, "I'll make you some tea."

"Thank you Shawn," she chokes quietly and I kiss her forehead. 

I head down to the kitchen to make Melanie some tea and could hear Beth and Abbigail talking, wondering how Melanie was doing. I walk in and they were sitting at the table with Michael. "How is she," Beth asks as she looks up from feeding Michael. 

"Pregnant and emotional," I choke quietly. "We weren't sure if she would get pregnant after what happened in Iraq. Please don't ask, it's not a story we like telling. She's extremely emotional about it and it's too painful for me to tell."

I wasn't the only rescue mission. I had to rescue Melanie a few months before the ambush. She was severely beaten to the point of death. I won't go into further detail about it, it's too graphic. 

"Are you guys still going to be partners," Abbigail asks in sympathy. 

"Yes, she's just going to be working from our office at home," I choke quietly as images of Melanie all beaten up fill my head. "How are you feeling Abbigail?"

"Worried about you," she says softly turning my face to look at her. Her eyes meet mine as tears roll down my cheek and she places my hands on her stomach. "You're not over there anymore Shawn, you're here with us, Beth, Michael, Jordan and Melanie. Melanie has all of us here too."

"You can't turn off memories Abbigail. These memories are lived nightmares and they won't go away," I say in a choked whisper. 

She takes me in a kiss and I found it distracting. Tears fell freely down my face and she continues kissing me. I let out a calming breath a moment later and she breaks from the kiss. I give her relieved eyes and say in a choked whisper, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh."