Free A Long Time Coming by Heather Van Fleet Page B

the secret
written there on her face if she did. And she was in no way ready to tell her
baby’s aunt the news of its unexpected appearance, not before she got the
chance—and most definitely the courage—to tell its daddy. “Because a second ago
you were puking your brains out, and now you look like you were just lost in a
kick–ass daydream or something.” Abigail sighed, shrugging as she tossed her
towel in the garbage.
    Yeah…or something was right.
Because that was definitely not a daydream, more of a memory she’d like to both
forget, and relive over and over again for every single day of her existence.
Unfortunately though, she’d acquired a forever kind of souvenir from that night
too. And now there was no way she’d ever be able to forget it, even if
she wanted to.
    “I’m good. Like I said, I
just…have a bug or something.” She shrugged, lying through her teeth as she dug
through her bag for some breath mints. “Let’s go. I’m hungry now,” which wasn’t
a lie. Her stomach was suddenly ravenous. The spawn growing in her belly
apparently had its daddy’s appetite already.
    Abigail was still in shock
over the news, or denial maybe was the better emotional description for it. But
did she regret it? Did she regret the life growing inside of her, the baby
currently the size of a tiny chick pea in her stomach? Hell no she didn’t
regret it, she just wished the timing and circumstances were different. She was
nineteen years old for freak’s sake! Fresh out of high school, living under the
roof of two people who didn’t even like each other. Yeah, her parents wouldn’t
let her suffer, or her baby either. They’d give her the money she needed and
they’d shelter her and the bambino. They’d make sure they were taken care of
physically, even though she’d refuse it until the very end. But it wasn’t just
the physical aspect of the situation she was worried about—it was the emotional
craptasticness she was about ready to suffer through instead. Like, who would
hold her hand as she heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time? Who would
be there in the delivery room, holding out her puke bucket, or acting as her
punching bag?
    There was no denying that
there was an Anderson alien growing inside her stomach. Now she just had to
figure out what in the hell to do about it. But one thing was for sure. This
baby now gave her a reason to exist and to be a better person. It was already
so much a part of her that she couldn’t live without it. And she loved the ever
loving hell out of the little monster making her hurl ever morning.
    But then there was David. The
guy would ultimately freak the fuck out when he learned the truth, especially
since he was still so messed up as it was. All she could hope for in the end
was a little acceptance on his behalf. She’d deal with the rest as it went.

 
    Chapter Eight
     
    “I’m sorry David. You’ll just
have to call back in a few days. Abigail is actually in California, visiting
your sister.” Dammit. Fucking hell! She’d gone and left after he’d begged her
not to? Christ she was stubborn.
    He shook his head, wanting to
throw something—or possibly even cry. And he was not a crying little
pussy either. It’s not that he could have stopped her from going. He had zero
pull over that girl. Abigail Zane was the freest–ass spirit he’d ever met. She
was also a big girl, and when you told her not to do something, she always did
just the opposite, and she did it hard and she did it fast. The simple fact
though that she was on her way to California to hang with guys like Mason
Daniel, had his gut clenching in jealous, angry knots.
    “Oh, okay,” he responded,
leaning back in his chair as he squeezed his lids shut.
    “Yeah, she left at four this
morning. Didn’t even take her cell phone with her either, otherwise I’d tell
you to call that. I’m sorry, son.”
    David blinked his tired eyes
open, only to look down at the palms of his hands a second