Murder was the Case they Gave Me

Chapter 9

my drawing of Emma

~~

"I feel like I'm getting really big," I said, putting a hand on my stomach. "I don't think my stomach has ever been this big before. Do I look big to you?"

"No, I think it's really pretty much normal," he said. "You look good, though. It's only poking a little bit, no more than it would after a big Thanksgiving feast."

"Dr. Kim said the babies starting to develop eyelids and tongues," I said.

"Tongues?" Adrianna asked. "As in plural? Multiple tongues?"

I laughed and shook my head. "Tongue. Just one, Singular. My baby is only going to have one tongue. At least, I hope it's only one. I can't believe how big I'm going to get, though. Do you think Eli will still like me when my stomach is big and I gain an extra thirty pounds?"

"Of course he will still love you, he will love you know matter what," he said.

"Not to mention the fact that you're seriously drop dead gorgeous," Adrianna said. "Seriously, you're so, so beautiful. And you're young so your body will be able to bounce back from the pregnancy pretty easily."

I really hoped that was true, thinking about the pictures I saw of very pregnant ladies with bulging stomachs that were all veiny. But I knew that was the reality of life. Pregnancy wasn't magical or beautiful. It was hard and long and difficult on both partners. If only my partner were still here.

"Don't you think you should tell mom that you're pregnant?" Henry asked. "she's been through two pregnancies, maybe she has some really good advice for you."

"Mom is more traditional, and she won't be happy that I got pregnant before I was married," I said. "But maybe you're right. I have no clue what we're doing. I don't know anything about pregnancies and about raising children. I don't know what I'm going to do. How do I tell her?"

"She'll understand," Adrianna reassured. "And she will love this baby, it's her grandchild. You're gonna be okay, I'll be there with you if you want me to."

She wrapped an arm around my shoulders, kissing my cheek. I giggled, resting my head on her shoulder.

"Have you talked to Steph or Mike yet?" Henry asked, referring to Eli's parents.

"Not since I first told them that Eli was missing," I said. "I've texted them a few times but that's it, I haven't talked to them in person before. It's just so hard because their heart broken faces are so upsetting to me. It makes me miss him even more. I mean, I lost my fiancé but they lost their only child."

"I'll call mom and invite her over so you can tell her," Henry said, leaving the room to make the call.

"God, I'm so nervous, what if she gets mad at me?" I asked.

"For carrying her grandchild?" She asked. "She'll be really happy to finally have her first grandchild."

When my mom arrived, she gave me a big hug.

"It has been too long," she said. "Your father and I have missed you a lot."

"Mom, I have to tell you something," I said before trailing off and she looked at me expectantly. "I love you."

"Oh, I love you, too, sweetheart," she said.

"But that's not all," Henry said.

"Have you heard anything about Eli?" my mom asked. "It is just so terrible what happened to him. How could someone do this?"

"Mom, I'm pregnant," I blurted.

"You're what?" She asked.

"Pregnant," I repeated. "I'm...I'm two and a half months pregnant. With Eli's baby, obviously. I didn't know how to tell you. I know we're not married yet but we're engaged and we're going to be married soon, as soon as he gets back home. It's going to be perfect when he gets back home. We don't know the gender or anything yet. And there's only one baby. A little singleton."