FRACTURES (The Lake House #3) *REUPLOADED*

Chapter Eight

                   

Ana

I burst out laughing the second Justin came into my room and shared his ideas with me. "You want me to move to New York with you?" I laid a pile of folded shirts into my suitcase. "Not a chance."

"Not move there. Just spend the summer. That way we can get you through the first trimester and make sure everything's good." Justin replied. He was standing by the edge of my bed, helping me fold the clothes I hadn't gotten to yet. Or at least, attempting to

I nudged him. "I got it," I said, taking the stuff in his hands. "I can't just leave my life at home for three months. I have my dad, I have to watch out for my brother and Lisa. Plus, I have to figure out my job situation before school starts back up in September."

"So? I can set your dad up with the best medical team back home, make sure your family's set for however long they need. And you know if you say the word, you don't ever have to work again--"

"I'm gonna stop you right there." I put my hand up. "I'm not living off of your money, Justin."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not my husband, and I'm not your trophy wife. We don't have a shared income and we don't have a list of things that we share and a list of things that we don't. My problems aren't your problems."

"That's where you're wrong, Ana. Because you're carrying a pretty big problem that seems to be my problem as well."

"Don't call our baby a problem."

"That's not what I meant." Justin said, exasperated. "So you're really gonna let your pride get in the way of your father's health? Of putting a roof over your head for your mom and brother?"

"Don't you dare try to manipulate me, Justin. We've done this before; I won't do it again."

"That's not what I'm doing here, Ana." He threw his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry I want your dad to meet the baby; that want our child to know his grandpa, to know your family. I apologize for wanting to be there to do what I never had." He shook his head. "I'm trying here, Ana. And I really need your help because I don't know what the fuck I'm doing."

"I don't either." I whispered. 

"Then we have to help each other." Justin took a breath. "We gotta start looking for cribs. Not one of the shit ones that are always on the news. The safest, most expensive one we can find. Oh man, we gotta tell your family. Your dad's gonna lose his shit...what if he kills me? I mean, I bet he'll be excited but when he finds out its mine? And when I tell the guys at the gym? They're not gonna believe it. Oh my god, when the press gets ahold of this--"

"Justin," I cut him off. "We have to be careful. I wanna tell my dad but the rest of the world? The first trimester is risky. There's a higher possibility for things to go wrong. I don't want to jinx anything."

He let out a breath. "Don't even talk like that. I--okay...we'll wait." He nodded, smiling at me. "Say you'll come to New York."

I stared at him for a long time. "You know of good doctors?"

"The best. I'll be there for every appointment. The loft is comfortable. You'll have your own room. The kitchen is stocked. Anything you want at any time is yours. All you have to worry about is taking care of yourself and the baby."

"New York is so far away and your job is so demanding." I commented, then paused. "But I know what it's like to grow up barely having a father. And so do you. It's important the be there every step of the way. But you can't check out. I need you to promise me that you won't leave me again."