First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

me and my stuff. I can’t. I can’t be here.” She started to cry again.

“On my way.” Robert hung up before Lily could say anything.

Of course, Lily immediately called back on her own phone. Leah sent it to voicemail and texted her sister.

I can’t. Not now.

We got you.

Leah sent back a heart emoji and stuffed her phone in her back pocket.

Robert made amazing time. Leah did not want to think of him speeding but she was so glad he was here. Eric helped Robert carry things out. It was a hodge-podge of luggage, a couple boxes, a few totes and garbage bags. Packing on the fly was not easy.

When Leah went to lift a heavy box of books, Eric stopped her.

“Here, let me. You shouldn’t—” He eyed Robert and did not complete his sentence.

“Why shouldn’t she?” Robert sounded like he was spoiling for a fight.

“Does he know?” Eric asked her. She shook her head.

“Know what?” Robert demanded. He stood in front of Leah in full big-brother mode. He turned to her. “Leah, are you okay? Are you sick or hurt? Did he hurt you?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m okay. Just pregnant.” She was numb to the word and saying it did not make it feel more real.

Robert rounded on Eric but Eric held up his hands and backed off, “Hey, don’t look at me!” Eric probably would have been okay if he stopped there. But he smirked in his typical cocky fashion and Robert punched him in the face.

“Is that all your stuff?” Robert asked, flexing his hand.

Leah nodded, eyeing Eric rubbing his jaw. She could not believe that just happened.

“Okay, let’s go before I hit him again.”

For the first time in days, Leah laughed.

Eric followed them outside at a safe distance. He looked like he wanted one last word. Leah put down the window. She stared at her soon-to-be ex-husband. What could he say that hadn’t already been said?

“I’m sorry, babe. I really am.” He looked sincere.

“I am too.” She pushed the button and the window rose, closing him out of her life. Eric put his hand to the glass and she put hers against it for a few seconds before returning it to her lap.

And just like that, it was over.

Robert put the van in drive. In the side mirror, she watched Eric get smaller and smaller until he disappeared into the darkness. Robert drove in silence for several blocks before he spoke.

“Want to talk about it?”

“If I tell you, can you tell Lily for me so I don’t have to keep repeating it?”

“I’ll tell her. I can’t promise she won’t have questions.”

“Fair enough,” she laughed wryly. They both knew her sister well. “At least for tonight?”

“Deal,” Robert chuckled.

“You know how I decided to leave Eric? Well, I found out a couple days ago that I’m pregnant. I assumed I was stuck with him again. That’s pretty much why I went comatose for the last two days. I kind of shut down to avoid dealing. It didn’t work.”

She saw Robert nod. Leah liked telling Robert instead of Lily; he just listened.

“And tonight, we exchanged Christmas gifts tonight like we always do.” She caught herself and corrected her previous statement. “Like we always did. Past tense. Because we won’t anymore because he gave me a divorce for Christmas. ‘So we can both be happy,’ he said.” Leah scoffed and swiped at a tear. “I told him I was pregnant. He told me he’d had a vasectomy. We—oof!”

Robert slammed on the breaks and pulled over.

“He what? When?”

“Before he even married me. He really did not want kids.”

“Fuckin’ A.” Robert never swore. He also never punched people, yet his knuckles were still red.

“How’s your hand?”

Robert looked at his hand, then back to her. He smiled sheepishly.

“It’s fine. Kinda cool, right? Wish I’d known why I was hitting him. I’d have done it twice or nailed him in the balls instead. Not the sort of thing I’d normally do to another guy but seriously, a vasectomy? Lily told me about your infertility and all this time he knew? That selfish bastard.”

“Yup. I was so clueless. He poured thousands of dollars into fertility treatments he knew would never work. Let’s go back, now I want to kick him.” She kicked the van instead.

Robert laughed and headed back on the road. They were quiet for a while but Leah knew the question would come eventually.

“So . . .” Robert looked awkward. “How do I ask you this?”

Leah offered him no help.

“Are you seeing someone else?”

“Not exactly.”

“Do you know who the father is?”

“Robert, I don’t want you to think badly of me. I thought I was faithful to my husband, at least in this one regard. I know that probably doesn’t make sense but I honest to God believed this baby was Eric’s until a couple hours ago.”

“And he can prove that it’s not?”

“He says yes, medical proof. He said he offered me a generous divorce settlement because he felt guilty for lying to me all these years and it’s all mine so long as I don’t try to claim him as the father. ’Cause then he said he’ll fight and win.”

“And the real father?”

“I won’t talk about him. Please don’t ask again. And tell Lily that too. If I’m ever ready, I’ll come to you guys. Okay?”

“Okay by me. Lily, well . . .” he shrugged. “But regardless, we got you, Leah.”

Chapter 30

Three months later, Leah and Eric’s divorce was finalized. Being uncontested, it went through seamlessly. It still felt surreal.

Leah moved in with Lily and Robert. Her nieces loved having her around all the time. She kept her job and commuted to work, carrying on as normally as possible.

But nothing felt normal. She loved the baby growing inside her but it was also bittersweet. Watching her bump grow larger and larger boggled her mind. A tiny person was growing inside her. A tiny person conceived in a dream? That should not be possible.

There had been small signs along the way