Lift

Chapter Forty- Hormone Queen

"Do you remember when you left me?"

The early morning July sun peeked through the curtains and gleamed onto Mackenzie's porcelain face. Her eyes were wide and mind full of thoughts, chin resting in her hands.

Roy stopped smoking inside the house and around MacKenzie since she became pregnant and had just returned to the bedroom to find her sitting up.

Damn, people were right about the pregnancy glow. She was seven months along now and looked as stunning as ever.

Roy had a sudden desire to rip her clothes off but that was out of the question; they stopped having the nearly savage intercourse MacKenzie almost always initiated about five months into the pregnancy...

Roy crossed his arms as he gazed at his glowing wife. He didn't answer the question. He smiled softly, downcast his eyes and mumbled something inaudible.

"It's just...the war." She beckoned Roy to lay back down next to her but he shook his head as he began to pull on a new shirt. "I'm glad you're not going to leave me again."

"I ain't gonna leave you," Roy whispered as he ran his fingers through his tousled hair. "Unless a miracle happens and I'm suddenly able-bodied again..." He kissed her forehead. "...you're stuck with me for quite a long while."

"If you could walk, would you leave me?"

Roy's brow furrowed. "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know, Roy. You're just...mmm. I don't know."

"Are you afraid I'm not going to need you some day? Is this about the new job? What's this about?"

"It's this pregnancy brain. I had some weird dreams last night. I'm overthinking."

"That's such a silly thing to worry about."

"No it's not. I'm overwhelmed. You left early in the morning and when you came back you stood up to ask me to lunch."

"Isn't that what you want? Don't you want me to stand?"

MacKenzie smiled, cupping Roy's hands in her own. "That's all I want. That's all I want in the world."

"Then what's threatenin' you."

"I'm not used to not being with you." MacKenzie wiped her nose, eyes watering with tears. "I'm not used to you leaving me home by myself. And if Dade and Whit are both leaving for the army in August, that means I won't have anyone to harass when you'll be at the paper, and what if you just walked out on me when the baby's here-"

"Darlin'."

Roy brushed away Mackenzie's tears as she inhaled, sniffed, and began sobbing.

"I'm serious," she shuddered, trying to catch her breath between sobs.

"God, you're so pregnant."

"J-just, promise me, ok-kay?" MacKenzie buried her head into Roy's embrace. He stroked her hair and held her until she composed herself a bit.

"I promise," he assured her. "Listen, if it's any consolation, even though you got me down the driveway with the braces, that's all you're gettin' from me. You remember when I tried to uh, prove something in front of my parents when they first met you...you've nothin to worry about..."

MacKenzie's eyes widened. "Wait no that's not what I meant, I want to take another walk down the driveway with you again." She rubbed her eyes and smiled. "Maybe we can take a walk down to your folk's house."

There she is. Hormone queen.

"Nice try, Kenz."

"Talk about it when you come back home?"

"There. See? You know I'll be back." He kissed her one last time before tucking her back into bed.

"I trust you."

"I know you trust me."

"I know you know I trust you."

"In that case, I'll see you tonight."