Living Again

Chapter Nine

I laid on his chest, my eyes closed, the blanket wrapped firmly around me. Gunner laid back against a tree, his eyes lazily half closed as he leaned against a tree. He stroked my hair happily, a smile on his face. I gave him a look. "What?" He opened his eyes to look at me fully. I ran my hand down his jaw, feeling the stubble against my fingers.

"You look so content. So happy." He gave me a smirk and buried his head into my shoulder. He kissed my neck before pulling back.

"I am happy, I just wish your first could have been somewhere else." I shrugged.

"It was with you and that was all that mattered to me. Nothing else mattered." Gunner just held me closely, his chin on top of my head as we drank eat other in till I shivered. Gunner looked down at me.

"Are you cold?" He pulled the blanket tighter to me as the sun started to yet. I nodded as gunner pulled his sweatshirt off and put it on me

"We should probably start heading back anyway." I sat up slowly.

"Your parents are probably worried sick." He ran his hands through my hair. I gave him a shrug. "Amira." He tugged my hand. "They are, they were worried the moment you left." I just sighed.

"Its just with everything, its like the world reminding me that they aren't my parents." I gave him a sad look. "Like if I was gone they would just go back to being them again, before they had to spend all their money on me."

"Enough of that. You know that they have never been as happy as when they had you. I've known them my whole live and they have always been trying for a child. My parents always felt bad for them. When they lost the baby they were adopting, Jessa was crushed," He played with the hem of the blanket looking away, "she fell into a deep depression. Noah had my family check on her some times, she was broken. My mom was the one that suggested adopting a foster child this time. You're her miracle, Amira." I looked away from him. He was right. I knew he was right along. He pulled my face back so I saw his words. "So don't you for a minute think that they don't want you." I fought back the tears as I stared at him. "Okay?" I nodded. I wrapped my arms around his chest and signed.

"Thank you. You're right. I'm being stupid." I blushed.

"You're not stupid, you're just going through a lot right now. No one is saying you aren't." We sat there in silence, Gunner just running his hands up and down my side slowly. His hand stopped on my ribs and ran slowly to my ribs.

"You've gained weight." He said as I looked up at him shocked.

"Gunner!" I gasped loudly at him. I wrapped my arms around myself trying to hide myself from him. He pulled my arms away from my body.

"I say you gained weight because I can no longer feel your ribs or hips as much." He ran his hand down my side again. "Still too small but almost there." He pressed his face into my neck. "Too fragile." He was right, I could feel the difference too. A healthy weight is not something I have always had but now that I've been with Jessa and Noah, I'm almost to healthy. My doctor should be proud. I blushed at him as he pulled me to him. "We should get going." I nodded as he helps me pull myself up and give me a kiss. He pulled me back to the car and helped me in....

We pulled up to the house well after the sun set. I just felt exhausted after everything that happened today. My head was pounding and I just wanted to go curl up in my bed and sleep till everything was okay again. Gunner was keeping me grounded but I needed the comfort of the darkness now. I love Gunner and he gave me all the comfort I needed, but now I needed to process this alone. Gunner pulled up into the drive way and looked at me. "You want to come in? Stay the night?" I shook my head.

"It's okay. I'm okay. Thank you." I kissed him. "I'll see you tomorrow." I smiled at him. "Thank you for today. I don't know what I would have done without you." He leaned his forehead against mine.

"I don't know what I would do without you either, baby." He kissed me softly. "Go get some sleep." I walked into the house silently and closed the door behind me. Jessa and Noah were sitting on the couch when I walked in. Jessa was huddled in Noah's her eyes red from crying. Noah rubbed her back as I shuffled making them look up.

"Amira your back!" She smiled at me weakly sitting up. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat." I gave her a weak smile and nod. She pulled me into a hug and kissed my head. "I love you so much, Amira." I went upstairs to change, but I kept Gunners sweatshirt on. Noah sat at the table with a towel of tomato soup as Jessa made grilled cheese. I sat next to him and snuggled into his side.

"Hey, kid." He smiled at me holding me to his side as I watched Jessa made us food. "How are you feeling?" I shrugged.

"It's just all still so new. I just feel sick. Everything is turned on its head. Nothing is the same anymore." Noah sighed.

"Amira, you are still our daughter and that will never change. Whether you have siblings or not, you are still our only daughter. Arabelle might live here and we love her but she isn't our daughter. You are. We will always care for her but you will always be our priority." I wrapped my arms around him and closed my eyes.

"Thank you." I whispered as he wrapped his arms around me back. Gunner said I was their miracle but the real answer is they were truly mine.

So sorry! I got so busy with my summer class and being sick again I forgot about my baby. I hope to get a lot written before I go back though so fingers crossed!! Enjoy! ❤️