This Is How I Disappear (Negan/OFC)

Chapter 57

Harlan had requested Chuck be on bedrest for the next few days. And Negan made sure it was strict bedrest. For two days, Negan did just about everything for Chuck, even escorting her to the bathroom when she needed to go. He also made sure to keep Chuck calm. Carson's death had hit Chuck hard. Mainly because she felt guilty for never thanking him for everything he did for her. But Negan knew just the right things to say to make her feel better, like he always did.

When Negan had to leave the apartment to tend to his duties, which he did so begrudgingly, he insisted that Laura or Arat sit with Chuck and tend to her. Chuck had apologized to them, assuming that the woman would resent the job, but they didn't seem to mind. In actuality, the three women had gotten to know one another quite well over the past several weeks and developed a friendly relationship between each other.

Today, Laura is on shift while Negan is out and she's sitting on the couch flipping through a book. When Chuck sees that it's The Soul of the Fearless Wave, she wonders how it made its way back into their bedroom. She thought that Negan had gotten rid of it long ago.

"Shit," Laura calls out as she turns the page. "This is a good book."

Chuck can't help but laugh. "It's... pretty entertaining, actually." She just keeps it to herself that she thought it was entertaining because of how bad it is.

Chuck shakes her head, her eyes flicking down to notice a wet spot on her chest. She initially thinks that maybe she spilled a little bit of water the last time she took a drink, but when she sees another spot on the other side of her chest, she realizes what it is. "Oh," she says aloud.

"You need somethin'?" Laura is already standing and coming forward before Chuck can stop her.

Chuck feels her cheeks turn bright red. "Uh..." She tries to cover her chest so Laura can't see. "N-No. I'm okay."

Laura pauses at the side of Chuck's bed and looks down at her. "You don't have to be embarrassed, Chuck. I have a kid, remember? I know what it's like to be pregnant."

Chuck nods and moves her hands from her chest, exposing the expanding wet spots on her cotton nightshirt. "I guess I started to leak."

"Is this the first time?"

"Yeah," Chuck answers quietly. She knew that this would happen at some point, but for some reason, she still feels a little embarrassed.

"Do you have any nursing bras up here?"

"Yeah." Chuck points to the closet. "The dresser on the left. Top drawer."

Laura follows Chuck's directions and comes back in with a nursing bra and a new nightshirt. "Before all this shit," she waves a hand around, "I was a bartender in this biker bar. That where I met Niko's father. And I worked through my entire pregnancy." Laura gently pulls Chuck's soiled shirt over her head and drops it on the ground. "I only took off one week when I had him. Worked up until the day they induced me." Laura slips the nursing bra onto Chuck's arms and fastens it behind her back.

Chuck adjusts the bra on her chest and inserts the reusable pads that Laura hands her.

"I remember the first day my boobs really started to leak," Laura continues. "It was fuckin' busy in the bar. And this guy was like, 'Hey! Your tits are leaking!" And I was like, "So?! You want a beer or not?!'" Laura gets the clean nightshirt over Chuck's head. "I didn't have time to deal with it, so I just rocked it."

Chuck laughs. Then she realizes that Laura had told that story to make Chuck less embarrassed about having her clean her up. "Thanks," she says quietly.