First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 113

  Dani falls asleep against me without warning. One minute she is tucked into my chest, breathing slow and shaky, and the next she is out cold. Her body finally gives in after fighting itself all day.

  I stay still so I don't wake her. She is warm against me, soft and heavy in the way people get when they trust you. Her breath brushes my collarbone. Her hand is curled into the front of my bra like she anchored herself there before drifting off.

  I don't move. I just watch her. The little furrow between her eyebrows is gone. Her mouth is relaxed. She looks so young. Tender. Safe.

  The feeling that hits me is strong. I love her. I love her in a way that feels like a choice and a promise and a fact all at once.

  I don't know how long we stay like that. Long enough that the sun shifts through the window. Long enough for my arm to fall asleep beneath her. I don't care.

  Then the doorbell rings. A sharp sound that cuts through the quiet. Luckily Dani doesn't stir.

  I carefully ease her hand off my bra and slide my arm out from under her. She sighs and turns onto her side, still out. I grab a blanket from the foot of the bed and cover her up, tucking it around her stomach. She always sleeps better with weight there.

  The doorbell rings again. "Okay, okay," I whisper as I grab my clothes from the floor.

  I pull them on fast and quiet then I tiptoe to the door, check Dani once more, and slip out of the bedroom. I move down the stairs quickly but quietly. The doorbell goes off again right as I reach it, so I yank it open before anyone can hit it a fourth time.

  KK's face lights up the second she sees me. "Mama T!" My whole chest warms at the sight of her.

  "Hey, princess," I say, picking her up. She throws her arms around my neck like she was waiting all afternoon for this.

  Behind her, Dani's parents smile at the scene. "We brought pizza," Dani's dad says, holding up the boxes.

  "Perfect timing. Ya'll come on in," I say.

  KK cups my cheeks with both hands. "I missed you, Mama T."

  "I missed you too," I tell her, kissing her forehead.

  She pats my shoulder as she looks around. "Where's mommy?"

  "Upstairs sleeping," I say. "She was tired."

  Mrs. Laura gives me a knowing, soft look. The kind moms give when they see something true. "Rough day?" She asks gently.

  "Just emotional," I say. "She needed rest."

  The look Mrs. Laura gives me shifts. Pride. Relief. Love. The kind you get from someone who is grateful you love their child the right way.

  "You're good for her," she says softly. "For both of them."

  I feel that. I don't brush it off. "Thank you," I say. Because it matters.

  We step to the kitchen and KK is still glued to me, her little hands tight around my neck. I adjust her on my hip and she lays her head on my shoulder like she belongs there.

  Mr. Nathan sets the pizza on the counter and Mrs. Laura starts opening the boxes.

  KK lifts her head. "Mama T?"

  "Yeah, princess?"

  "Can I help you carry plates?"

  I smile. "Yeah. Let's do it." She beams like I asked her to help run the whole house.

  As we set the table, I keep an eye on the stairs, listening for Dani. She's still asleep. I'm glad. She needed it. I'll go check on her in a bit. For now, KK chatters beside me and Dani's parents settle in. The house smells like pizza and comfort. By the time everything is set, Dani still hasn't come downstairs.

  Mrs. Laura lifts her chin toward the stairs. "You want me to check on her?" she asks.

  "I was about to," I say.

  KK grabs my hand before I can move. "Can I come?"

  "Not yet, baby. Let mommy rest." I brush her hair back. "You can see her when she comes down, okay." She nods, even if she doesn't like it.

  I head upstairs. The house gets quieter with each step. When I open the bedroom door, Dani is exactly where I left her. Curled up under the blanket, hair messy, breathing slow and deep. Pregnancy emotions and exhaustion hit her hard today.

  I sit beside her and touch her cheek. "Baby," I whisper. "Dinner's here."

  Her face scrunches like she's fighting her way back to the surface. She blinks a few times, eyes foggy and soft. When she looks at me, her whole expression melts.

  "Hey," she whispers.

  "Hey," I say back. "You okay?" She nods, but her eyes tell me she's still fragile. Still a little cracked open from earlier.

  "How long was I asleep?" she asks.

  "A while. You needed it."

  She shifts under the blanket. "Who's here? I heard voices."

  "Your mom, your dad, and KK. They brought pizza." I brush my thumb under her eye. "You ready to come down or you want another minute?"

  She takes a slow breath. Her voice shakes a little. "I'm okay. I just... I hate that I got like that."

  "I don't," I say, keeping my voice steady. "You don't have to be anything but real with me."

  Her eyes fill fast. Not falling, just gathering. "You always say the right thing," she whispers.

  "I don't. I just love you."

  That's the one that makes the tears slip. She lets out a breath that breaks a little at the end and reaches for my hand. "I'm sorry I got emotional earlier," she says. "I didn't mean to make everything heavy."

  "You didn't make anything heavy," I say. "You're pregnant and tired and you've been carrying so much in your body and your head. You're allowed to fall apart with me."

  She nods. Another tear slips down her cheek. I wipe it away and kiss her forehead.

  "You want to come eat?" I ask.

  "Yeah." She clears her throat. "I don't want my mom worrying."

  "She already knows you're tired. She's just happy you're loved." That gets another small tear but Dani wipes it away quickly. She pushes herself up slowly and I help her stand, but she sways a little, still warm and heavy with sleep. I steady her hips and guide her toward the dresser.

  "Let me help," I say.

  She doesn't argue. She lifts her arms, trusting me without thinking. I pull one of my shirts over her head and she shivers from the cool air before it's all the way on. I grab the soft cotton lounge pants she likes, let her step into them and ease them up her legs. She watches me with that soft, tired look she gets when she is too worn down to hide anything.

  "You don't have to baby me," she murmurs.

  "I know," I say. "Still going to though. And I'm taking care of you, not babying you."

  Her lips twitch like she wants to smile but doesn't have the energy yet.

  "Thank you," she whispers as she gently kisses my lips.

  "Come on," I say quietly. "They're waiting."