Chapter 13
“Gary, say something… Please!” Isabella Stood up and looked at Gary’s trembling, shaken eyes.
“Belle, how far along are you?” Gary asked still in a shocked state, staring into the emptiness of the blank wall right above Isabella‘s head.
“I’m 16 weeks along, Gary, please don’t be mad at me.” Isabella could feel all of the blame and guilt upon worsening; she ran from the kitchen and into the nearest bathroom.
Why does everything have to be so complicated? Can’t I just tell him I’m having his child and have him be my knight in shining armor? Why can’t he save me from this? I’m so scared, Isabella thought as she swished around mouth wash and wiped her mouth with a piece of toilet paper.
She took one long look in the bathroom mirror and felt like vomiting all over again. Her hair was in a messy bun, no make-up was upon her face, and she looked like she had gotten her clothes off of the bum sitting on a corner street. She felt horrible, no wonder Gary is so shocked. He probably never thought he would have to make a commitment to this, and maybe he won’t, she thought as she walked out of the bathroom.
As Isabella walked away from the bathroom door, her head fixated on the carpet, she noticed Gary’s cowboy boots straight in her line of vision. She slowly looked up, and shivers went through her. She took her hand and caressed his cheek; she just wanted to cry.
“Belle, I’m certainly not mad at you. I’m very surprised, but not mad. I just want to know something, why did you wait so long to tell me?” Gary asked leading Isabella to the couch as they both sat down.
I can’t believe she’s pregnant. What is going through her mind? Was she ever going to tell me, or was she going to run away from me? I don’t think I could live with out her. She’s so special to me. Why wouldn’t she tell me? Man. I can’t believe I’m going to be a father. I thought we had always used protection. Gary’s thoughts rushed in one way and out the other. He took his rickety hand and pushed it through his hair. The sweat started to gather along his forehead.
After a long, deep breath Isabella said through a thick, raspy voice, and tears that trickled along her cheeks, “I was scared.”
“Oh. Isabella, I love you. I‘m sorry you felt like you couldn‘t tell me, but I… I guess scared is just about how to sum up what I‘m feeling as well.” Gary put one arm around her, and kissed her forehead, but she was resisting every little movement he made towards her.
“Yeah… where do we go from here?” Isabella asked turning to look at him; his eyes still held the same shakiness from before, still held uncertainty.
“I wanted this to wait until after Christmas, but I guess now is as good of a time as ever.” Gary got up and walked into the bed room.
He pulled out the box from beneath his sock drawer, and thought, I wonder if she’s ready for this. I wonder if I’m ready for this.
When he came by into the living, by the uncertain, yet happy look on his face, Isabella could tell what was about to happen. She wanted to stop him, but the moment was just too perfect. It was almost like a fairy tale you read as a child. He dropped to one knee, and held out a beautiful engagement ring. She so desperately wanted to say yes, the ring almost made her change her mind.
“Isabella Marie Hill, will you marry me?” Gary‘s voice was quiet and uneven. His hands barely held the box, they were cold and clammy, and were probably just about to drop the box when she answered.
I have waited for this for so long. The man of my dreams to whisk me away, for Gary to be my knight in shining armor, but it never looked like this in my dreams. It was never suppose to be like this. Maybe he’ll wait for me, Isabella thought as her knees buckled beneath her, and she sat back down on the couch.
“No, Gary, this is all wrong.” Isabella stormed out of the house.
Gary didn’t even try to stop her. The shock immobilized him, and as he stood there the diamond ring slipped out of his hand onto the floor. The tiny thud of the box shook him a little as he looked upon it, wondering why she said no.
That’s not fair. She said she loved me. Why would she leave me standing alone with an engagement ring with no finger to put it on. Gary slowly started to pace the floor.
Once the moment had passed he called Destiny to see if Isabella had wondered over that way. His fingers couldn‘t punch the number in fast enough, the three rings it took for Destiny to answer were eternities, and when Destiny had said she hadn‘t seen Isabella Gary‘s heart stopped.
“No, I really haven’t seen her. Gary, what happened?” Destiny asked.
Gary held a notion that Isabella had already told Destiny what had happened, but he didn‘t want to be the one to drop the bomb if she hadn‘t, so a long pause followed.
“Oh no, she told you about the baby,” Destiny said putting it all together in her head like a puzzle; it would have been the only reason she would run away from Gary.
“Yea, and I… sort of… kind of… proposed. But, she said… no. Why would she say no?” He was tired and worn out, maybe Destiny could shed some light upon this mystery he just couldn‘t put together by himself.
“Oh, Gary I’m sorry. She never said anything about leaving you. She never hinted at such a thought, but I promise you that she does love you. I bet she‘ll be back before you know it. Just let her have some time to think.” Destiny felt his emotions of humiliation and sadness swirl through the phone line and smack her in her face. Maybe I should have told him, maybe he would have been better prepared, enough to know that Isabella didn’t want him to purpose, Destiny thought as she heard a rush of thing’s going on Gary’s side of the phone connection.
“She just came through the front door, talk to ya later.” Gary hung up the phone in a hast and rushed to Isabella’s side.
She pushed past him and all of his questioning, and laid down on the couch, down on her stomach. I wonder if the baby can feel me laying down. I wonder if it’ll hurt the baby for me to lay this way. I wonder what it would be like for us to not have to worry about a baby, Isabella thought as Gary slowly walked towards her, and kneeled on his knees.
After a few minutes of Isabella sobbing into the couch cushion, she turned her head towards Gary and hiccupped. He smiled as he wiped away her tears and sighed.
“I’m sorry,” they said simultaneously.
Gary let out a small chuckle and rubbed her back. I‘m glad you the father of my child, but our we ready, Isabella though as she sat up and let him sit next to her.
“What are we going to do?” She asked laying her head on Gary’s broad shoulder.
“We are going to love and take care of this baby no matter what happens.” Gary ran his fingers through her long, silky hair.
I guess he’s decided that we’re keeping this baby. I wonder if adoption is still out of the question? Isabella looked up into his blue, trustworthy eyes, and knew he would never give away one of his own. She knew just knew it. So maybe this is meant to be, and if it is we will get through it together. Like he said we will love this baby, and maybe it’ll make us stronger, she thought.
***
A week had gone by, and Gary was getting excited, still scared, but-none-the-less very happy to be a father. He was still unsure why Isabella declined his marriage proposal, but he knew she had her reasons; he didn’t’ want to provoke it, so they never talked about it. Isabella was less scared than before because now she wasn’t alone. She had support, and she knew she was carrying her lover’s child.
Gosh, he’s so perfect, too good to be true sometimes. I can’t believe it seems that all my dreams are starting to come true, maybe not in the right order, but who cares I still have a happy life, right. Not in my wildest dreams have I ever been in love so much with one person. Isabella’s thoughts gushed over as Gary caught her watching him paint the baby’s nursery a lemony yellow.
“What?” Gary asked as he walked towards and pulled her into a deep long kiss.
“You just look so darn cute.” She smiled and gave him another small peck.
“Not too bad yourself.” She blushed.
“When you finish up in here I need you to go with me to Babies R Us so we can pick out the baby furniture.” Isabella laughed at Gary’s blank expression; he never did like going shopping, “I promise it’ll be fun.
Gary walked straight back into the baby‘s room and picked the paint brush back up, blowing her a kiss. Isabella walked back into their room to finish getting ready. She had just started her second trimester, and her baby bump seemed to hide under most of her clothing. She didn’t know why, but she still felt as though she need to hide the fact that she was pregnant, hopefully the urge would go away, so she could enjoy such an incredible experience.
***
At the baby store something caught Isabella‘s eye. It wasn’t a piece of furniture, nor was it a piece of clothing, it was the cutest stuffed animal. The elephant had soft plush grey fur and a pink nose at the end of it‘s long trunk. She held it in her arms while they looked at cribs and changing tables, dressers and rockers.
At the check out counter she still held this darling stuff animal, and just couldn’t part with it. She declared, in her head, that her child wouldill cherish this stuffed animal and call it a precious toy that they would always carry with them. It was her motherly instinct, that was how she justified buying the grey stuffed animal.
When they got home Isabella went upstairs to take a nap as Gary went to work on setting the furniture up in the nursery. When she woke up she walked into the nursery. The oak wood that had been painted white was just ideal with the stunning yellow walls. It was almost perfect, just almost. She placed the little elephant in the circular crib that sat in the back corner adjacent to the white rocking chair that held yellow roses upon it, and stepped back to look at it. When she turned around to leave she bumped into Gary, who was silently smiling at her.
“Now it’s perfect,” Gary said, as Isabella turned to look at her unborn child’s nursery with Gary’s arms wrapped warmly around her waist.
