Pregnant By Luke Hemmings

Chapter 43

In fifteen minutes I'm pulling into her flat's carpark and spot her den lights on. Someone must be awake up there since it's one of the only lights still on throughout the entire complex, and I can see movement. I turn the car off and make my way straight up; skipping the lift and taking the stairs.

There are a couple people lingering in the hallway but they look too drunk to know where they are so I pay them no mind. When I get to Emily's door I don't even have to knock, Bailey from the meeting opens it wide with two pizza boxes in one hand and a small, white bin bag in the other. The glaze over his eyes tells me the people in the hall aren't the only ones blurring the night away.

"Oh my god, hi, Luke! What are you doing here so late?" He asks with a beaming smile. Before I can answer my name is repeated by another female's voice that I recognize as Dawn. She stands up with a smile but doesn't invite me in.

"Cass is fast asleep and Emily just got in the shower and will be going to bed when she's out. Is there something I can get for you?" She asks, her eyes just as glazed as his.

"No. I just want to make sure she's okay. I know today...well, yesterday was pretty stressful,"
"Damn straight it was." Baily mumbles under his breath walking past me and disappearing down the hall with the trash.

"Don't mind him. We all had a bit too much to drink." She waves him off finally inviting me inside. "Now you can't stay long but but if you want, I'm sure Emily won't mind if I let you upstairs to give Cass a quick cuddle." She offers and I take it without hesitation. "You already know which room it is." And she leaves to the kitchen.

I walk up the stairs and down the small hallway to the third door on my left, decorated with racecars, princess castles and Cass and Mattie's names written in pink and blue letters. There are voices coming from inside and the door is open wide enough for me to easily walk in. That's when I notice the shower isn't running.

"Do you hate daddy?" Cass asks and I lean my head in just enough to see Emily wrapped in a towel with her back facing the door sitting on Cass's bed. Her position blocking me from his view. Across the room is another small bed with a princess duvet, in it is a sleeping Mattie.

"No. Not at all. I why do you think I hate your dad, Pet?" She caresses his face.

"I heard you tell auntie Dawn that you want me to call him Mr. Luke and not daddy? How come I have to call him Mr. Luke? Isn't he my daddy?" My heart breaks at his little voice but my blood heats at the revelation.

"Of course he is! You even have his beautiful blue eyes and luscious curly, blonde hair." She gives his hair a ruffle. "But, Pet, sometimes... You see... Hmm. How can I put this." She ponders for a bit before pulling him into her lap. "Do you remember that story I told you? Of the Tortoise and the Hare?"

"Yes." He yawns. "The tortoise won the race because he was slow and steady."

"That's right. And daddy is like the hare, moving a bit too fast for... the forest he's in. What do you think would've happened if the tortoise tried to go super fast like that hare instead of slow and steady?"

"He would topple over with his big shell and get hurt." His answer sounds like a question but he knows he's right.

"Such a smart boy! So can mummy's little tortoise promise to run his race slow and steady for me?" She asks sliding him back under his racecar duvet to tuck him in. Before she can move into the dim light of the hall I duck back down the hall and into her bedroom.

"Mummy?" His voice rings through just before I close the door back-so she doesn't notice me. "Can I still call him daddy when no one's around?" He asks and my annoyance grows at her.

"Of course you can, Pet. Night night." When she enters the hall I slowly shut her door as she shuts his. I sit on the bed and let my mind roam for a sec.

*She doesn't want my son to call me daddy. How could she say that? Too fast for the forest I'm in- what does that even mean? Is she saying I'm gonna hurt him, because I would never! I don't even see how she could ever think I would. I thought I showed her that already. Does she even...* "Luke??"