Desirable

Chapter 18

Lauren stared at the stick in her hand in shock, jumping slightly as arms wrap around her waist.

"Relax, it's just me." Dinah said softly, kissing Lauren's shoulder. "Y'know you've been really jumpy since Seth hit you with his toy, are you okay?"

Relaxing, Lauren leans back against Dinah and takes a deep breath. "My dad used to hit me." She whispered.

"What?" Shock washed over Dinah. She'd known Lauren since they were in kindergarten and had never known that.

"That's another reason why I was so hesitant when he kept asking to get back into my life." The older girl mumbled.

"It's okay. He's gone now. He can't hurt you anymore." Dinah rubbed Lauren's stomach softly to relax the older girl. "And if he ever comes back, Mani, Mila, and I will beat the crap out of him. Even Quinn will run him over with her wheelchair." She joked.

Laughing softly, Lauren puts the pregnancy test down and turns to face Dinah. "We're having a baby."

A smile crossed Dinah's face. "Really?" She asked, she lifted Lauren up and spun her around.

Giggling, Lauren wraps her arms around Dinah's neck. "Yes, I missed my period last month and again this month. I thought I would check."

Dinah's smile grew and she kissed Lauren's cheek. "I'm so happy,"

"Me too." Lauren breathed out, smiling widely.

"Mommy!" Raleigh yells from her crib.

Lauren sighed. "I guess I'm needed."

"Mama!" Seth cries out, it was going on midnight and the four year old had just woken up from another nightmare.

"I'm needed too." Dinah rolled her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Lauren heads into Raleigh's room to check on her while Dinah moves to check on Seth.

Seth was sitting up in his bed, covered in sweat and sobbing.

"Hey, Buddy, you're okay." Dinah said softly, sitting on the edge of Seth's bed.

Shaking his head, Seth points toward his window that's wide open, it had been shut when Dinah laid him down.

"Mama, bad man." He sobs out.

Dinah frowned and moved to close the window.

"Mama," Seth sobs out, holding his arms out for Dinah, "change."

Dinah locked Seth's window before moving back over to him.

The four year old continues sobbing, keeping his arms up and held out toward Dinah.

Dinah lifted Seth up and carried him over to the changing table. "You're okay." She said softly.

After she changes him, Dinah rocks him until he falls asleep, laying him back in his bed and kissing his forehead.

****

"Laur, do you want to get Seth up and bring him to breakfast?" Dinah asked from the kitchen stove.

"Um, sure." Lauren got up from the table and made her way into Seth's room, frowning when she didn't see Seth in his bed. His bedroom window was wide open and there was a note on his dresser.

Lauren walked slowly over to the dresser and picked up the note, leaving Seth's room. She went back into the kitchen.

"Where's Seth?" Dinah asked, turning and looking at Lauren.

Camila was sitting at the kitchen table, feeding Thomas mashed banana.

Lauren held the note out to Dinah, a confused look on her face. "He wasn't there, but this was."