Page 64 of No Strings

“Blueberry?”

“That’s the size of a baby at seven weeks.”

He hums. “Did you go to the hospital?”

“No—” I chuckle dryly. “What were they going to do? Tell me what I already knew: that I was losing my baby. And then I would have had to tell him. And that scared me more than telling him about the baby in the first place. I try to forget it ever happened, but being around Molly, and seeing the photos of her as a newborn—that could have been me. I could have a toddler right now. But instead, I have this pain, this emptiness. I wanted my baby; I wanted to be their Mum.”

Rhys tightens his arms around me, somehow pulling me closer to him. “Just because your baby isn’t here, doesn’t mean you’re not a mum. They’ll return to you when you are ready.”

“You think so?” I lift my head off his chest to look at him, although those pesky tears are back.

He cups my cheek. I don’t hesitate to lean into the touch, his thumb trails under my eye, ridding the leftover tears. “I know so. You’ll make an awesome Mum.”

Rhys slowly removes his hand, and I rest my head back on his chest. And that’s how we stay until there’s a knock at his door.

“Um, well, I’ll let you get that.” I pat his chest and get off his lap, walking to my room.

He starts to follow me, but I close the door before he can get any closer. “Morgan.”

I don’t answer, I have shared enough tonight.

Chapter Nineteen

RHYS

Turning my back to the now closed door, I open my front door. No one is there. But there are two takeout containers and a note.

We have Esky, here’s some food. Make sure she eats and we’re here if she needs us.

-Brent and Molly.

It’s finished with the cutest drawing of Molly,Morgan, and Esky. Molly always did like to draw. But also, hey where am I?

This is what Brent and Shelly did with me. Just took me in. This is the family Morgan is missing. The family she deserves. The people who, without hesitation, accept you into the fold.

Dinner smells delicious. I didn’t even realise it was dark. Morgan has been through a lot for someone who is only twenty-three. And her ex, fuck if I ever see him, I’ll make sure it’s the last time.

I put dinner in the lounge room and approach her bedroom door. I knock, which she of course ignores. So, I open it.

“Rhys, just get out.” She’s curled up on her bed, giving me her back.

“You have to eat.”

“Not hungry.” But her stomach rumbles.

“I heard that from here.”

She flips over to look at me, “I have no appetite.”

“Good thing Cook made you your favourite.”

This gets her attention, “How do you know what’s my favourite?”

“Because you proclaimed to the whole dinner table that tacos are your favourite, and your proclamation was made with a mouth full of food.” The corners of her lips tip up into a smile. “Ha, you smiled, I win, you have to come eat now.”

Her smile vanishes. “I don’t want to move.”

I shrug, scoop her up, and walk her back to the couch. Tonight, dinner needs to be eaten from the comfort of the couch while a movie is playing.