With that thought in mind, I push the laptop lid closed, head into the bedroom and get dressed for the day. I have some baby shopping to do before my doctor’s appointment this afternoon. One that Jake will be meeting me at. He tried to get out of the meetings he had lined up for this week but couldn’t. I wasn’t upset with that, although Jake was. He was cussing up a storm and yelling at his assistant, as if it were Tina’s fault. I rolled my eyes and walked away while he was on the phone.
I grab a pair of leggings, oversized tee shirt, a bra, panties, and changed quickly, throwing my hair up in a messy bun. When you’re in a small town in Wyoming, finding maternity clothes was hard. Add in my size twelve curves with a growing stomach, it was harder. I learned to stick with extra stretchy clothes and sized up. Plus, now that I’m at the end of my pregnancy, I don’t see the sense in buying maternity clothes.
I grab my keys, cell phone, purse, and head for the nearest Target. I have supplies to get for our bundle of joy.
It doesn’t take me long to get to where I’m going. I aisle shop, and, seeing how I have a few hours to kill, I slowly meander up and down the baby section. I take a notepad and pen out of my purse and start writing down what we’ll need immediately and what we can wait on.
I’m pushing the shopping cart and stopping along the way to toss in diapers, wipes, burb cloth’s, and diaper rash cream. I stop myself at the bottles, wondering if I should get a breast pump so Jake can feed, if he’d like to when I hear someone say, “Larissa, honey, is that you?”
I turn around and come face to face with Jake’s mom, Katrina. She’s smiling and waving the whole time. The one thing Jake and I didn’t talk about was when we’d tell his parents, but, from the joy on her face, I have a feeling he already told them. I smile back at her and say, “Hi, Mrs. Price. How are you?”
“I can’t believe your home. I’m so happy to hear the news. I couldn’t be happier!” She’s basically dancing in front of me before she brings me close and hugs me. I erupt into tears. I can’t believe how unbelievably amazing Jake has been, but, now with his mom, too, I’m a blubbering mess.
“Oh dear,” she says as she pulls back and holds me by the shoulders. “Larissa, you know I’m always here for you. Why are you crying?” she questions.
“Because…because, I don’t deserve this. I did so many things wrong and here you are and even Jake. He should hate me. You should hate me. Hell, I hate myself for staying away for as long as I did,” I say with tears streaming down my eyes. It seems all I’ve been doing the past few days is cry. Sure, I did that when I was out west. So, I’m sure it has something to do with pregnancy hormones, but what it’s really from is guilt.
“Oh, you sweet, sweet girl. We could never hate you. Sometimes life pulls you in a very weird direction and we don’t know what to do. We get a little lost along the way, but the best thing you did was come back. Back to Jake and back to us. We’re here for you. Not just Jake either, but Mr. Price and I both are,” she says looking into my eyes.
“I’m not sure what I did to deserve you three in my life, but I promise I’m so thankful to have you,” I tell her.
“Well good, now let me be Grammie today and shop with you. We have loads to stock up on.” She grabs the shopping cart and we get everything we need and then some.
Chapter Eleven
Jake
I thought this meeting would never end. I’m rushing out of the office, knowing I only have thirty minutes to get to Larissa’s doctor’s appointment when my phone rings as I get in the car. I glance down at the dash and see it’s my mom.
“Hey, Mom,” I say into the Bluetooth that travels through my car.
“Don’t let Larissa get away. She’s the absolute best thing ever.” She doesn’t even say hello back.
“I know, Mom. I’m keeping her. I promise. I want a ring on her finger and my last name attached to her first name, but I’m trying to take it slow for right now. Well, at least until the baby comes,” I respond.
“Good, because I just spent the last two hours with her and I plan on coming over tomorrow to help get the baby’s room set up while you’re at work,” she states.