Free Say Forever by Tara West

hurting?
    A thick fog settles over my brain, and it takes a few moments for me to remember I have to get ready for work. Ugh. Work. I've got three motorcycles and a flower delivery truck waiting on me at the shop. I wish I could turn them over to the new artist, but these customers specifically requested me. Honestly, the way I'm feeling right now, all I want to do is crawl back into bed and sleep the rest of the day.
    My senses perk up at the smell of freshly brewed coffee, so I take a quick shower, slip on my work jeans and T-shirt and trudge toward the kitchen.
    Andrés is laying out food on the table, so I come up behind him, snake my arms around his waist, lean up and kiss him on the back of the neck. I soak up his warmth and savor the feel of him. My bed was cold and lonely without him. I wish he didn't have to sleep on the sofa. I'm almost afraid to ask him if he had another nightmare last night, but I need to know. I thought about little else while I was getting ready. The thought of Andrés suffering through this weighs heavily on me.
    "Did you have any bad dreams last night?" The question comes out on a strained breath.
    Andrés turns around and shakes his head. "No."
    Relief washes over me. I know it's probably too soon to insist he come back to bed, but at least this is a good sign. Maybe the dream was just a result of the shock of finding out he's going to be a father. Maybe now that the shock has worn off, he won't have any more nightmares. Hopefully.
    He clasps my hands in his, looking down at me with a scowl. "Where do you think you're going?"
    I force a smile. "I'm better, Andrés." It's not a total lie. Even though I still have slight morning sickness.
    He arches a brow, eyeing me with a smirk. "Do you think I'm going to let you work around paint fumes?"
    "I'll stop if I feel sick." I walk to the counter, so he doesn't see I don't feel well right now. I belch into my fist. Yuk. It tastes like vomit. I grab my cup of coffee off the counter and take a sip. Mmmm. Hazelnut. The warm, sweet liquid masks the nasty taste in my mouth and soothes my parched throat.
    "And what about the baby? Those fumes aren't good for our child."
    I turn on my heel, nearly spilling coffee down my shirt in the process. The room tilts, and I lean one hand against the counter for support and then close my eyes. Okay, note to self: no sudden movements while pregnant.
    "Mija, you can't paint cars anymore."
    My eyes fly open. "But you need me." Even as I'm mentally berating myself for the emotion that slips into my voice, I realize he's right. Shit. The paint fumes. I had forgotten all about that. I recall all of the warning labels on the paint cans, something about "do not inhale" and "toxic to the developing fetus."
    Hopelessness washes over me as I slouch against the counter. I feel so bad letting him down. I know the new artists aren't dependable.
    My eyes water, and I can't help the tears that spill over.
    What the fuck, hormones? Leave me alone already!
    Andrés comes up to me and wipes my tears with the pad of his thumb. I read the pity in his soft gaze.
    This sucks.
    "What am I supposed to do all day?" I ask through a sniffle.
    "You've got a lot to do, mija. Start with calling your doctor."
    I check the microwave clock. It's already seven-thirty. Her office should be taking appointments in a half hour. Doctor Brewer has been my GYN for the past three years. She's the only doctor I trust. Unfortunately, she's also in high demand. I'll be lucky if I can see her this week.
    Andrés motions to the spread on the kitchen table. "I made you breakfast."
    He leads me by the elbow to the table and pulls out a seat. After I sit down, he puts my coffee and plate in front of me.
    I narrow my gaze at the meat strips that look more like processed cardboard than bacon. It doesn't smell like bacon, either. I fan my nose and push the plate away. Whatever this crap is, I think it's gone sour.
    "What is that?"
    "Turkey bacon. This is a healthy