“Do they treat you any different than before?” Jerry asked.
“Some do, some don’t. Some of them treat me like I’m contagious or something and won’t even look at me. I could understand that happening when I’m as big as a house, but I’m showing yet. My true friends don’t treat me all that much differently, but their afraid that I can’t do anything anymore. It’s frustrating, but I’ll survive.”
“Kids can be so cruel, but your true friends will be there for you, and by the amount of kids here it seems like you still have a lot of them,” Jerry said.
“Yeah I’m just afraid once the baby comes they’ll start drifting away. I’m just lonely all the time lately. I don’t want them to treat me differently, I don’t want them to tell me I can’t do this and I can’t do that. It’s really frustrating,” Lia sighed.
“Well you won’t be lonely anymore,” Seth came in and hugged her from behind.
“Seth! I didn’t think you were coming until tomorrow sometime,” Lia squealed.
“I had to get out, I couldn’t take it up there anymore. Of course, it was my fault that the team didn’t make it to the championships,” he said.
“What are you talking about?” Jerry asked.
“My wonderful father told me that maybe if my mind was on the game and not on Lia we would have won,” Seth replied.
“I was at that game and it was one of your better games,” Jerry said. “Yeah your team lost, but you played excellent.”
“I know it’s just his way of getting at me for moving back here,” he said as Lia placed a plate in front of him. “Thanks, Babe, I’m starved, did you leave anything for me?”
“Ha ha, real funny. There’s plenty of food left,” Lia said.
“Yeah since she barely ate anything,” Jerry said.
“Why’s that?” he asked.
“I don’t know wasn’t hungry,” she said.
“Yeah, since when are you not hungry? Ever since I’ve known you, you have eaten as much as Cris and I did.”
“Leave it be, Seth. I ate in fact I’m still eating,” she said.
“Looks like rabbit food to me,” Seth said.
“I’m hungry for salad, ok,” Lia said.
Jerry just looked at him, but he couldn’t get the meaning he was trying to convey to him. He knew it had something to do with her eating habit since he’s been away but wasn’t sure.
“Lia is there something going on I need to know about?” Seth asked.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m not sure that’s why I’m asking. Are you afraid of gaining weight during pregnancy?” Seth asked and Jerry nodded his head ever so slightly.
“Of course I am, according to the books I read I’m not to gain more than 25 pounds 30 tops,” Lia said.
“I read those books too and they didn’t say for you to starve yourself. Eat normal Lia. You packed the food in before like a trucker and your skinny as a rail. So now you’re eating for two you have to keep up the same amount as before at least,” Seth said.
“Thanks now you’re comparing me to a trucker,” Lia sighed.
“I am not, but that’s the way you always ate and you know it. Your weight is not the issue here, it never was. The issue is you have to eat to keep your strength up and to stay healthy. It doesn’t matter what you’re eating as long as you do,” Seth said.
“I am eating. I can’t eat like before, I get sick. So when I called the doctor’s office they told me to eat smaller meals just more of them,” Lia said.
“You called the doctor! What’s wrong?” Seth asked concerned.
“Nothing is wrong I had a question they answered it.”
“You didn’t tell me you called.”
“I just did and I didn’t tell you because I knew you would act like this and I didn’t want to screw up your concentration for the games, but it seems like I’m getting blamed for it anyway,” she said.
“I don’t blame you for it,” he replied.
“I know. It’s hard adjusting to all of this. I’m so glad you’re here now. Someone I can lean on when I get nervous, and as big as a house.”
“Babe I’ll always be here for you. Don’t ever forget it,” he said.
“Even if I grow to be as big as a house?”
“Yeah, especially then, then I know the baby is growing big and strong. He’ll be the next football player in the family.”
“Who said it was a boy?” she questioned.
Seth looked at her and grinned. “Ok if it’s a girl she’ll be the best base a cheerleading pyramid ever had.”
“Yeah real funny,” she said.
To change the subject Seth said, “The house looks great. You got a lot done in the past two weeks. You’re amazing.”
“I had a lot of help from our friends we had such a blast. I think Cris is going to make sure you repay him when he gets his first house. He said you’re painting the whole thing,” Lia laughed.
Seth smiled, “He wishes. Once were done here I’ll go up and start on my room. I have so much pent up energy, it killed me knowing you were down here getting everything ready and I was stuck up there.”
“We both had to do what we had to do, Seth. So don’t feel bad about not being here. For me it was a lot of fun having everyone here and now you’re here it makes it all better. You go up and start and I’ll do the dishes then I’ll be up.”
“You don’t have to do the dishes, “Jerry said. “I have a dish washer and I can just load it up and let it do its job.”
“It’s ok, we don’t want to make more work for you,” Lia said.
“Lia it’s not a big deal to load a dish washer. You go up with Seth and I’ll take care of it down here.”
“Ok I’ll go up for a few minutes then we’re watching TV. I’m a little tired tonight so I want to relax like we said,” she replied.
“Fine, go be with your young man and I’ll do up the dishes,” Jerry said.
~~*~~
Seth would have an easier time of painting since nothing was in his room. The walls were in good shape so he didn’t have to spackle any holes or cracks. The midnight blue paint that he picked for his room was in there along with the paint brushes, rollers, and the paint pan.
When Seth walked into the room and started painting right away. Lia walked into the room and he turned towards her. He walked over and gave her a hug and she clung to him needing his strength more than she realized.
“You are amazing, Babe,” he whispered. “You got all the rooms painted and the only one I’m doing is mine.”
Walking away from him to the look out the window she replied, “I wish I could take the credit for it all, but it was Cris. He got a bunch of the guys to come and paint.”
Seth walked up behind her and hugged her. He ran his hands down her stomach and rubbed it. “Are you showing already?” he asked. He turned her, lifted her shirt and he saw a small bump where her flat stomach once was.
“My pants are getting a little tight, but I’m not showing where anyone else can see only I can and now you.”
He held her tight while continuing to feel the little bump. “Wow that’s our baby in there. I always thought we’d have kids, not this soon of course, but it’s so incredible to actually feel it growing inside of you. I want us to be the best parents any kid would be proud to call us their mom and dad. I don’t want him or her to grow up like I did, not knowing when the next explosion would be, or to worry about if there’s enough money for food, clothes, or anything he would want. This is so mind blowing for me to be able to watch our baby grow inside you.”
“I know every day I look in the mirror to see if I can see any changes, but to me it just looks the same,” Lia said.
“It definitely is not the same. Maybe it’s because I don’t see you every day that it’s different for me,” Seth said. “Now go back downstairs and relax, watch some TV, I’ll only be a little bit I want to tape off the room then
I’ll be down. It won’t take me long.”
Lia went down stairs to watch TV and before she knew it she was out cold, sleeping. When Seth finally did come down and saw her on the couch sleeping he picked her up and walked out to his car. He drove her half way home when she woke up.
“Where are we?” she asked.
“I’m taking you home so you can have a good night’s sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep I wanted to spend time with you and to thank you for keeping your promise to me.”
“I told you I would be back and now we have all the time in the world. I’m back home to stay,” he said.
THE END
About the Author
As a young child I was always reading. When kids were running around in the summer I would sit under a tree reading; after hours in the public library. My love for books never wavered; I lay in bed every night reading the next best seller. Some of my favorite authors are; JK Rowlings, Jude Deveraux, Stephenie Meyers, and Charlaine Harris just to name a few.
I live in Northampton, PA with my husband of ten years, and my daughter, the youngest of three daughters. The oldest daughter has two adorable daughters of her own. The middle child graduated college as a marine biologist.
I have spent many years traveling between, cheerleading practices, gymnastics classes, and marching band rehearsals and performances. I have been actively involved in all their activities through the years, giving me a great sense of young adults and the joys and troubles they go through.
CONNECT WITH ME:
Web page: https://sites.google.com/site/booksbytessgregory/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002249003513
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TessGregory1
Look for the continuing story of Lia and Seth coming in fall of 2012! Here’s the first chapter in MORE THAN A PROMISE: THE WEDDING
MORE THAN A PROMISE: THE WEDDING
Chapter 1
When Lia woke up this morning she was so happy and a huge weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Seth was home! Lying in her bed she reflected on the past few months. His moving to New York with his parents was the hardest thing either of them had to deal with. Thank God that was in their past, now the hardest thing they will face, is being parents.
They both had to work a lot. She was still working at the mall and Seth was working at Auto Parts store and a garage on weekends. They both tried to take the same night off a week so they could spend time together. It worked some weeks, but others it didn’t. This week they were both scheduled off for Thursday night for her doctor appointment.
At the appointment everything was fine the baby’s heart beat was strong and her weight gain was minimal. The doctor said she was doing fine. Seth went to every appointment and at this last one he asked about her working, “Is it okay for her to work as much as she is? With her going to school and working almost every night is it too much?”
“Not as long as she’s feeling fine and not extremely tired. She can work up till the end of her pregnancy,” the Dr. Claire said.
“See I told you,” Lia said sticking her tongue out at him.
“But you do need your rest also, so make sure it’s a healthy balance between rest and work,” the doctor continued.
After the appointment Seth drove her to the mall. They wouldn’t get the one night off together this week, since they called her into work. They stopped at the deli to get sandwiches before she had to be at work. Lia sat down at a table after ordering a ham and cheese hoagie with a salad.
When Seth brought the food over she grabbed the salad and started eating. “I’m starving,” she said with her mouth full of food.
Seth laughed, “I see your appetite is back.”
“Yeah since the morning sickness stopped. It’s weird when the fourth month came it all stopped.”
“I’m glad it stopped, I was worried you’d be sick the whole time like your Mom was,” Seth said.
“How do you know that?” she asked stopping the fork full of salad in mid-air.
“Your Dad told me when we first found out you were pregnant. He said she was sick the whole time with both you and Cris. I was afraid you would be the same way.”
“Oh you didn’t want to have to deal with me being sick all the time?” she joked.
“No, that’s not it at all. You’re going through enough and it’s frustrating to see you so sick and there’s nothing I can do to help you,” he said seriously.
“Babe I was only joking. I know you felt helpless, but your being here helps so much. I just wish we could be together more than we are. I only have to work till nine so we can spend some time together tonight when I get off.”
“You should have said no that you couldn’t work.”
“I couldn’t refuse we need the money and with Christmas only a few weeks away I can get the extra hours now. Besides once the baby comes I can’t work for a few weeks.”
“I don’t want you to go back to work once the baby comes,” he said. “I want you to be able to be with the baby as much as possible.”
“I can’t do that Seth. We both have to work to afford all this. I’m not putting all the pressure on you to support us. That’s just way too much on you. I won’t work as much as I am now, but I will keep working. Diapers alone cost a fortune.”
“I know, but we’ll see how things go once he’s here,” Seth said.
“There you go again saying he. What are you going to do if it’s a girl?” she asked laughing.
“I’ll get my shot gun out and make sure no one gets near her until she’s thirty,” he said laughing.
“Yeah right,” Lia laughed. After finishing her food she stood up and asked, “Are you walking me to the store I have to be there soon?”
“Yeah, then I’ll be back to pick you up at nine,” he said.
They walked hand in hand through the mall and he gave her a kiss before she went in. When he turned he saw some of his friends on the other side of the mall and walked over. Tina and some of the cheerleaders were over there too and when Seth walked toward them they came over to him.
Tina asked, “How things going Seth? How was the doctor’s appointment today?”
“Great we heard the baby’s heartbeat and he’s doing fine, so is Lia. I just dropped her off at work,” he said.
“I missed hearing the heartbeat. Damn I wished I could have gone again, but I just got off work myself,” Tina said.
“Tina you been with her at every appointment so far. Which she really appreciates and we both know you can’t be at everyone.”
“I know, but I want to be there for her. By the way we are thinking of having a baby shower for her, do you know if she picked out any baby theme yet?”
“Not that I know of, but I’ll ask her.”
“No don’t, just tell her to go register at Wal-Mart or Baby’s R Us. Oh I’ll tell her tomorrow at school. I have to go, got to study for that chemistry test tomorrow,” Tina said running out of the mall.
“See ya later,” Seth murmured.
Seth hung out the rest of Lia’s shift at the mall with his friends. It was good to hang out with them. He didn’t see much of them since he worked all the time. They didn’t do much but walk around the mall looking at girls. Even though Seth wasn’t looking at the girls like his friends, it was funny to see some of them work so hard to impress a girl. Seth was leaning over the railing looking down at the bottom floor when someone stood next to him. He looked up and saw Courtney standing there, “What do you want?” he asked rudely.
“I just wanted to know, how you feel about Lia trapping you? She got pregnant on purpose so you wouldn’t dump her and come to me,” she said.
“Shut up Courtney? Lia didn’t trap me! I love the fact that she’s pregnant. I wouldn’t come to you even if Lia and I didn’t stay together. I don’t want anything to do with you! I should have never taken you to the movies that one time. I’m warning
you now! You better stay away from me and stay away from Lia!” Seth roared. “If I hear anything about you being near her, look out, Courtney, because I’ll be coming for you.”
“Yeah what are you going to do?” Courtney challenged.
“He might not be able to do anything, but I sure as hell can,” Steph said from behind and standing next to Cris. “You so much as go near Lia I’ll kick your ass so hard you won’t know what hit you. That’s not a threat, dear Courtney, that’s a promise.”
Courtney turned and looked at Steph and saw the look in her eye knowing that Steph said what she meant, “Well I was just showing my sympathy for him,” Courtney started.
“Shut up and get out of here,” Cris roared louder than Seth. “I don’t care if you’re a girl or not, leave Seth and Lia alone or I’ll punch you in the face myself.”
She turned and walked away in a huff. “Thanks guys I can’t stand to look at her. She’s such a bitch. Steph, do you know if she gives Lia any problems at school?” Seth asked.
“No not that I heard. I know she’s spreading rumors, but she always did that, but I don’t think she’s confronted Lia face to face. Didn’t Lia ever say anything?” Steph asked.
“No I don’t think she would either. You know Lia, she’d handle it herself, but I don’t want her to. Keep an ear out and let me know if you hear anything,” Seth said. Looking at his watch, “I have to go pick her up at work it’s almost nine.”
“You are taking her home then?” Cris asked.
“No going back to my place for a little and then taking her home. Why?”
“Just wondered,” Cris said. “She’s always so tired.”
“I know, I asked her doctor about her still working and she said she could up till the end of the pregnancy. I suggested that after the baby she shouldn’t go back, but she’s hearing nothing of it. She said she didn’t want all the burden on me.”
“Sounds like her. She’s right though, you can’t do it all. Let her work now and save up as much as you guys can. They’re having a baby shower from the kids at school for her so maybe you’ll get a lot of what you need,” Steph said.