Pregnant By Luke Hemmings

Chapter 52

"MUMMY!!" The small (not as small as I remember) blonde haired blue eyed blur shoots through the cracked door like a missile landing square on my lap. I don't even get to cry and start smothering him in kisses before my room is filled to the max with crying faces suffocating me in hugs.

When everyone finally pulls away leaving only Cass and I on the bed I can barely see everyone lining the wall. I love them all but the only face I can focus on is the little one balling his eyes out in my hospital gown.

"You've got one smart, headstrong man coming up behind you." Ms. Crest dabs her running mascara with a tissue. I look up at her with-probably bloodshot-questioning eyes. "He never stopped worrying about you. You should've seen him. Everyday, even when we had to tell him you might not be coming home, he stayed strong and insisted you were coming. He wouldn't even leave the room if he heard your name."

I pull him closer than close and whisper in his ear, "Mummy's little hero." Then I brush the sweaty hair from his forehead and he looks up at me the way he did when I would breastfeed. The tables have done a 180. Back the hed look at me for protection but now it's me looking at him. "You're the reason I'm alright now." I admit.

"I-I am?" He hiccups.

"Of course. Thinking about you, back home and how you needed me, I shot straight up and told the staff, Bring my my Cass right now! And look at that, here you are." I lighten the mood by tickling his tummy. "Thank you all for taking care of him."

"You don't need to thank us, Emily. We know you would've dome the same." Dawn sits at mu foot and places a hand on my leg. I smile and scan the room at everyone here.

Dawn, Bailey, Charlene, Ashton, Michael, Calum, and...

"Where's Luke?" I ask confused. "Of all people I thought he'd be the first in the room. After Cass that is." I shrug. The room falls dead silent. Everyone exchanges nervous glances while Cass and I just stare. "What's going on? What are you not telling me?" I narrow my eyes.

"Em, Luke is outside w-" Ashton starts but is cut off by Dawn.
"With Mattie. Yeah, he offered to come in after the rest of us so he could spend some time with you while the lads take Cass for fish and chips." I notice that look she slips the treo but I disregard it for my own sake. I don't want to know anything they're up to for the next week.

"Fine." I shrug.

"Speaking of which, we should probably give the two their time." Charlene claps her hands twice before extending her arms to Cass. But instead of reaching back like he normally would he clings to my gown and buries his face in my chest.

"Awe love, what's wrong?" I ask him in a soft voice as everyone starts to file out.

"I not letting go! Last time you disappeared almost forever." He quivers in my grip. His sentences a coming together a lot better. Then again it is almost his birthday. My little man will be 4 soon.

"I understand. Will anyone be staying behind to look after him while you all go on the food run?" I ask and I see her cheeks pale under her thin layer of blush.

"Er... I don't... You know what? I'll sit with him." She smiles.

"That sit well with you, hun?" I ask and he looks up with his eyes wider than a puppy. He looks back as Charlene and nods. "Don't worry. When mummy and Mr. Luke are done she'll bring you right back." I kiss his forehead and she carries him out.

A couple minutes later Luke walks in. Oh my God, Luke. His beard's grown to thinly blanket his chin, his hair's pulled back into a curly man bun and his ocean blue eyes sport bags. He looks like he hasn't slept in weeks. He probably hasn't. "Luke?" I break the silence and his eyes light up when he sees me.

He runs to me and crashes his lips onto mine. I can taste the salt of his tears still lingering on his lips. His tongue slides is surprisingly gentle and it almost sways in sync with mine. This is new. This is weird. This is...

I don't even finish my thought before he pulls away and starts venting.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. For everything! You were right. It should be a scripture how right you were about me. All I did was bring trouble to you and our son. I tried to pull you into my life without even listening or asking what you wanted. I'm so..." I shut him up by kissing him. Just a peck and I have his attention.

"Don't blame yourself for this. This had nothing to do with us. It would've happened to me regardless. I'm just glad that it wasn't worse." I caress his cheek and he sighs.

"So am I. And getting the chance to be a fulltime dad to our son was wonderful. I just wish you could've seen it. How much we bonded, he taught me so much. I could see the love he has for you." He chuckles and I smile. "Really, Emily. I'm so glad you're alive. I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost you." He sighs.

"The same thing as when you thought you did. Take care of our son. And what a beautiful job you did." I smile.

"I had help." He flusters. "It took Dawn and Bailey weeks before they finally left me alone with him for more than a few hours."

"Remind me to thank them later."

"God there are so many things that happened while you were gone." He runs his hand over his updo.

"Like?" I urge.

"Well, the band took an early hiatus to support me, and we're practically brothers so I couldn't stop them. My family came up from Australia and Cass was able to meet his fathers family. My mother loves him, my dad still cant get over how much he looks like a little me." He chuckles and I join in.

"I bet." I compose myself. "Anything else?"

Before he can answer the door flies open reveling Charlene's back. "She's not ready for you! You can not just barge in unexpected!" She demands as a librarian bun composed of raven hair with grayish streaks peaks over her shoulder.

When Cass sees me he shimmies our of her grip and makes his way back to my lap between Luke and me.

"What's going on?" I whisper to Luke but he stays quiet placing a protective hand on Cass instead.

"Bull! I don't care who you are or who you call! You Can't Keep Us From Seeing her!" A woman hisses. I know that voice.

"Well you'll have to wait!" She insists again but is pushed further in.

"Yeah, sure. And you are?" A man bites back. I know that voice too. My heart slows almost to a stop and my blood flow as ice. Thank god they let me take off the heart monitor.

"The point is, I've seen half a dozen of you waltz your way in an out for the past hour and a half and you're all strangers to me. Now you get out of our way and let me see my..." The woman pushes past Charlene and I'm met with five faces I never thought I'd see again. "Emily!" Are her first words until she sees the full picture the other four are seeing. Her eyes drop to my son and the room falls silent again.
"Emily."