Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 72 - Together

The days on the calendar counted down until it was the night before they left for Alaska. Their bags were packed and by the door. The house was cleaned and ready to be locked up tight. August and Robert had been commissioned to check in weekly and water the plants. October was looking forward to celebrating American Thanksgiving with the rest of Bam's family. She missed seeing them. It had been so long. She might even admit that she missed Matt a little.
Bam was jittery. He had a nervous energy about him that gave October pause for concern. It had started right around the time the tickets had been booked. It wasn't always apparent and she knew that he thought he had successfully hidden it from her but not quite as well as he had hoped. She finally found the courage to ask him about it while they shared a bubble bath in her ensuite.
She sat between his thighs and leaned against his naked chest. Bam's hands roamed over her growing baby bump, stopping every once in a while to feel a fluttering movement under his palm that forced him to emit an ever so slight giggle.
"Baby?" She broke the silence with a whisper.
Bam grazed the back of her neck with his nose and took a deep breath. Lavender scented bubbles. He made a mental note to remember that tiny detail when it came time to think about Christmas gifts. "Mmmm?" He murmured lazily in response.
She intertwined her fingers with his and held his hands still. "Are you going to tell me what's been bothering you or are you going to make me guess?"
Bam's eyes popped open and he tried to mask his shock. She sensed his body tense up at her question and she felt bad for effectively harshing his mellow but not bad enough to let her question go unanswered.
He was silent for a beat, then forced a calm response. "Nothing's been bothering me. What are you talking about?"
She turned her head to the side so he could see her expression, raised an eyebrow and gave him her best 'whachutalkinboutwillis' glare. Bam closed his eyes and turned his face skyward. She had him pinned. There was no use in lying to her or sidestepping the issue. In the back of his mind he wondered at even how much better she would be able to read him after a year of marriage, or ten, or forty. She sighed when he didn't volunteer an answer. "Do you -" she stuttered, not wanting to voice the fear in her mind. "Do you regret marrying me?"
Bam's eyes grew wider. "What?"
"Well, everything did kind of hit you all at once with the baby and everything. It was a rather quick decision for us to get married and I thought maybe you feel we were being too hasty." She bit her lip to stop herself from babbling and braced herself for his answer. Bam wrapped his arms around her body and pulled her closer into his chest. "No. I don't regret marrying you." His lips brushed against her temple as he murmured. "Don't you ever think that thought again." October's body relaxed against his at his reassurance. "Are you worried about travelling with ... me in this condition." Bam shook his head against her, then suddenly grew concerned. "Should I be?"
"No. No, everything is fine." She said, patting his hand. "Then tell me what's been bothering you. I know you haven't been sleeping."
Bam took a deep breath and dropped his forehead to her shoulder. His voice was muffled against her back. "I'm worried about going home."
"Worried about going home?" She repeated in surprise. "Whatever for?" She questioned. "Don't you miss your sisters? Don't you want to see your brothers?"
"Yes but," he sighed heavily. "I'm worried that Mom and Da are going to show up in Alaska for Thanksgiving." He let all the air out of his lungs in one breath.
October knew that although some of his siblings were still on speaking terms with Billy, Bam had not spoken to his parents in months.
"Surely Matt would have told you if they had said they were coming." She whispered apprehensively.
"They have not told him as such." Bam replied glumly. "But that doesn't mean they won't just show up. Thanksgiving has always been my mother's favourite holiday."
He had only been gone for two weeks but a lot can happen within that time frame. Case in point: in two weeks he had learned he was going to be a father and had become a married man! His parents certainly could have made plans to return to Browntown within that same time frame.
October laid a gentle hand on Bam's cheek. "Do you want to cancel our tickets?" She offered.
He thought for a moment then closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, I want to see Rainy and Bird and my brothers."
October nodded. "Then we go together."
"And if they show up?" He sighed.
"Then we cross that bridge when we get to it." She smiled gently. "Together."
Bam deliberately made his body relax. "I love you." He whispered.
"And I love you."