Page 101 of Fake Dark Vows
“I’ll believe that when I hear it for myself.”
“Hmm, it might just happen sooner than you think.” Brandon stands up, and I instantly miss his body next to mine. He goes to the door, opens it, and stands back.
My dad walks in, concern etched across his forehead. “Hello, Rose.” He produces a bunch of flowers from behind his back.
“Dad!”
My dad hugs me, and I mouth “Thank you” to Brandon over his shoulder.
I’m still feeling cozy and warm inside from seeing my dad when the doctor comes around later to speak with me.
Dad said Brandon is everything he could’ve ever wanted for me, and it has nothing to do with the name Weiss, or the zeros on his bank balance, or the flashy New York City tower. It’s all about Brandon, the man he sees when he’s with me.
He sees a man who will do whatever it takes to protect me, to make me feel special, and loved, and wanted, and it would be the same whether we lived in a cave in the mountains or in an uber-expensive apartment on the Upper East Side.
“Although I’d prefer it if you didn’t move away,” Dad said, smiling. “I don’t know what I’d be without you, Rose. And besides, I want to see my grandkids grow up.”
“How are you feeling?” The doctor stands at the end of the bed in his white coat, his gaze drifting between me and Brandon. He has olive skin, brown eyes, and the kind of smile that lights up his face and sucks people in, and my immediate thought is that he should be on the big screen.
“A little more human.” I wriggle my fingers that are smothered by Brandon’s warm hand and tell myself that I can get used to this.
The doctor nods. “It will take time for you to build up your strength after the ordeal you’ve experienced, both mentally and physically.” He watches me for a reaction. “I’d like to refer you for trauma counseling. How do you feel about that?”
“Okay, I guess.” I shrug.
I’ve considered having counseling many times over the past few years, but I’ve never been able to afford the fees. I believe that it will help me better understand the survival guilt that I’ve carried around with me all my life as well as what has happened recently.
I glance at Brandon, see the concern in his eyes, and add, “Yes, I would like that. Thank you.” No secrets.
“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that there will be no lasting damage caused by the lack of oxygen to your brain. You were lucky, Rose. You both were.”
Brandon squeezes my hand and I smile at him.
“Oh, and one more thing. We carried out extensive tests when you were brought in. Were you aware that you’re pregnant?”
“Pregnant?” Brandon and I both blurt out together.
“You’re in the very early stages of pregnancy—we’re talking days rather than weeks—and the fetus is doing well.”
“What? I… No… How is that even possible?”
The doctor smiles, setting the room aglow—I bet he melts a lot of hearts that way, metaphorically speaking. “I’m sure I don’t need to explain the mechanics of how it happened. Well, I’ll leave you both alone. You need plenty of rest, Rose. Oh, and congratulations.”
We wait for the door to close behind him.
“Brandon, I don’t know what to say.” I’m scared that this is going to frighten him away and I’m just waiting for the moment when he releases my hand and walks to the door.
“It’s… Well, it’s not what I was expecting him to say.”
I chew my bottom lip. Here it comes, I tell myself. He’s going to tell me that he’s still coming to terms with being married, and he never factored a baby into the equation.
I never factored a baby into the equation, but I swear, now that I know about it, I can feel it growing inside me, and it feels like it was always meant to be this way. It’s as if all the jigsaw pieces are slotting into place, and all we have to do is sit back and enjoy them. I only hope that Brandon sees it that way too.
“Rose, I…” He swallows, avoids making eye contact, and I feel his hand trembling on mine. “You’ll be the best mom our child could ever want.”
The warm glow that started when Brandon flew my dad here to see me, fanned into a flame that lit me up from the inside out. It burned so brightly that I was certain it would keep Brandon warm too.
“You’re not angry?”