Time for Change (18 page)

Turning at the sitting room, he saw his woman collapsed on the floor.

“Fuck.” Dropping the food, he went to her side. There was a small amount
of blood on the edge of the coffee table. “Rachel, baby, what did you do?” He
pressed a hand to her neck checking for a pulse.

Her pulse was strong. “Rachel,” he said, shouting her name.

She started to moan, coming around. Shaking her, Chris lost his mind as
he stared down at his woman unconscious. He saw she’d hurt herself bad.

“Chris,” she said, moaning. Rachel reached for the cut on the front of
her head.

“No, don’t touch it. We’ve got to get you to the hospital,” he said.

There was no way he was risking Rachel’s life without someone checking
her over.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked.

“I just said your name. I know who you are.” She sat up, grunting as she
did.

He lifted her up, and he watched her hand cupping her stomach.

“Chris, what about the baby?” she asked.

Pausing, he stared down at her. “What are you talking about?”

Her lip wobbled as she looked at him. “I’m so sorry. I was going to tell
you, but there has never been a right time to tell you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m pregnant.”

Taking a deep breath, Chris picked her up. Pregnancies and falls could
lead to lots of other complications. “I’m not risking it, Rachel. You’re going
to the hospital.”

Walking out of the room, he started for the door.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t test me about this, Rachel. I’m not risking your life and the
life of my son or daughter.” He slammed the door, helping her back into the
car.

Getting to the hospital was a blur. The doctors were surprised to see
him again as he helped Rachel into the ER. Eric, one of the best doctors he
knew, took over the care of Rachel. From the sidelines he watched as blood was
drawn, her head examined, and the gynecologist came down to exam her.

All the time, he stared at Rachel wanting to wrap his arms around her
and never let go.

Four hours passed with tests coming back positive with the pregnancy and
everything looking fine. Only then did he hold her tightly. The doctors were
going to keep her in overnight for observation. Being a doctor, he found some
work to do.

“I’m sorry,” she said when the last doctor left the room.

Standing up from his chair, he walked to the bed. “What are you sorry
for?” he asked, taking her hand.

“I should have told you about the pregnancy.” Tears were running down
her cheeks. “David knows and his girlfriend. He was there when I took the test.
I mean, he was there with the result. He didn’t watch me pee on the stick or
anything. I’m going to shut up now.”

Chuckling, he reached out to stroke her head. “You should have told me
about the pregnancy. Why didn’t you?”

She let out a breath. “I don’t know. We’re new at this, and I was
worried because I didn’t know your thoughts about Talia or what it would all
mean. You’ve had a daughter before, and you lost her. I didn’t want to give you
any other cause for pain.” She ran a hand over her face.

Moving her hand out of the way, Chris sat down on the bed, looking at
her. “You kept it from me in case I didn’t want our child.”

Rachel shrugged. “I guess. We’ve never really talked about kids or
having a family. When we did talk about it, you said we were young and had all
the time to have a family.”

“I want to have a family, Rachel. I’ve not been using condoms at all. I
want us to get pregnant. I want us to have lots of children. Our house would be
perfect with lots of kids, don’t you think?”

She was biting her lip. Tears had glazed her eyes over.

“Honey, were you worried?” he asked, stroking her cheek.

“Talia was your daughter, and you lost her. I didn’t know if you wanted
another child. We’ve had so much loss.”

“I loved Claire. She was the most charming, beautiful woman, and the
fact I got a chance to be part of her world, makes me happy, but you, Rachel, you
brighten up
my
whole world.” He took
both of her hands in his, leaning forward to kiss her lips. “I’m not with you
for ease or anything like that. When I say I love you, I mean it. I love you as
if you were my wife.”

“I can never be Claire.”

“And Claire would have something to say to that. I don’t want you to be
Claire, and neither would she. Claire would want you to be yourself. I’m not
with you to be with someone else, baby. I’m with you to be with
you
.”

She looked down at the joined hands. “I never knew what to expect.”

“I’m not very good at explaining everything. I always thought you knew
how I felt.”

Rachel shook her head. “I know you love me. I didn’t know what else to
expect.”

Lifting her head with a finger underneath her chin, Chris stared into her
eyes. “I want a family with you, Rachel. I want to have the next fifty years
with you by my side. I love you with all my heart and soul, and I don’t want a
single moment to change.”

He cleared his throat as he felt the emotion well. Staring down at his hands,
he reached into his pocket where he’d stored it after collecting it that
afternoon.

“Claire will always be in my heart, and so will Talia. I believe they’re
in your heart as well.” He stopped to press his hand to her breast. “That
doesn’t change the fact you’re my future.” Chris presented the box to Rachel. “
Which is why I was going to ask you to marry me on Christmas
morning.
”

She gasped, staring down at the box.

“You don’t have to do this, Chris.”

“Our child needs my name. We’re getting married, and there’s no chance
I’m going to risk anything happening to you. We’re in this for life, remember?
We’re partners, and this child is going to have two loving parents to come home
to.” He opened the box, presenting the ring to her. “Rachel, will you do me the
honor of becoming my wife?”

Waiting for her to answer was the longest time Chris had waited for
anything. As he stared into her eyes, she never gave anything away. Biting his
lip, he tried to see what she was thinking. Nothing was happening. He felt
exposed unable to read what was happening.

“Yes,” she said. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she looked at
him. “I’d love to become your wife.”

Laughing, he tugged the ring from the box and placed it on her finger.
Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her toward
him.

“You’ve given me the best gift of all,” he said.

She held him tightly. “I’ve given you nothing. Your present is under the
tree.”

He chuckled. “I’m not talking material gifts. You’ve given me you,
Rachel. It’s the best gift any man could have hoped for, and you chose me. I
love you so damn much and feel like the luckiest man in the world to be by your
side.”

Rachel didn’t let him go.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Eric asked, peering around the door.

“She’s just agreed to be my wife. You’re not interrupting anything.”

“Good. I wanted to say you can take her home. CTs are clean, and there’s
no problem at all.”

“I thought I had to stay here for checkups,” Rachel said.

“You’re living with a doctor. I doubt he’ll let anything happen to you.
Congratulations, I expect an invite to the wedding.” Eric winked at them and
walked away.

“I guess I get to take you home.” Chris helped her to dress, feeling
happier with every second that passed.

Wrapping his arms around her, Chris took her home. That night in bed, he
watched her sleep and sent up a prayer to Claire. If it wasn’t for her, he
would have never met Rachel and found happiness once again.
“Wherever
you are, Claire, thank you.
I know you’d want us both to be happy.” He
kissed Rachel’s temple, settling down. With her in his arms, Chris fell asleep
without any problems.

Epilogue

Five years later

Rachel rubbed at her swollen stomach as her two young daughters ran
around her feet. She’d baked four trays of mince tarts and was on her next
batch for the kids in the hospital. Chris was due home within the hour, and she
still needed to pack everything away and bathe the kids as well as herself to
be ready for him.

The last five years had been breathtaking.

“Mommy, Tilly’s being a pain,” Libby said.

Staring down at her oldest daughter, she stroked her cheek. “Why’s she
being a pain?”

“She keeps pumping. It’s gross and nothing a lady will do. Daddy’s going
to think she stinks.”

Trying to keep a straight face during Libby’s description was one of the
hardest things Rachel had done in her life.

“Am not, you’re mean.” Tilly blew a raspberry.

Her son made his presence known in the cot, squealing.

Rubbing her stomach, she made her way over to her son. “Come on, girls,
your father is going to be home soon, and you both stink of a day’s playing.”
She picked Paul up, carrying him upstairs. “Come on.
Bath
time for all of you.”

Bath time was strenuous, but she got through it. She’d wait until Chris
was home to have a bath. Dressing her daughters into their pajamas, she settled
them in front of the television as she fed Paul. When they were all settled,
she made her way back into the kitchen to pack everything away.

Half an hour later, Chris walked through the door. “How are my girls and
boy?” he asked.

While he was dealing with the kids, she finished cleaning away the
kitchen and warming up his food. Their newest son was kicking her stomach, and
every now and then, she stopped until he quieted down.

“Is junior giving you trouble?” Chris asked, walking up behind her. His
hands settled on her stomach, rubbing where her son was kicking.

“He’s got a good kick on him. I don’t envy the competition.” She noticed
Chris’s hands didn’t meet in the middle of her stomach anymore.

“You’re taking it easy, right?”

“I am. Libby’s not at school anymore, and she can be a handful at times.
Tilly’s
fine,
and Paul’s still taking his afternoon
naps.”

He kissed her neck. “You look so sexy right now.”

“With flour and tomato stains?”

“No, you look like my woman.” Chris turned her, kissing her passionately
on the lips. “You’re my wife, carrying my child, and taking care of the other
three.”

“I can’t wait until this one comes out, Chris. He’s exhausting me.”

“I know. Let me put the kids to bed, and you go for a bath.”
 
He kissed her passionately once again shoving
her in the direction of the bathroom.

She went without argument. Chris was an amazing father, and she couldn’t
have asked for anyone better.

“I love you,” Chris said. Turning around she saw him at the bottom of
the stairs.

“I love you, too.”

Rachel walked up the stairs, going through to the bathroom. She closed,
locked the door and started running a bath. Pouring some relaxant body wash
into the water, she stripped down and looked at her swollen stomach in the
mirror.

“Honey, you really need to come out. I know there’s three weeks and
you’re not due to be born until after Christmas, but I need you to listen to Mommy.
I’ve got a bet going with David that you’ll come out before Christmas,” she
said, talking to her stomach.

When nothing happened, she blew out a breath and climbed into the water.
She heard the chaos as Chris put them all to bed. He’d take Paul into Libby and
Tilly’s room to read a story before putting Paul to bed.

She’d really gotten lucky in life. Chris hadn’t been kidding when he
said he wanted a family. He sure loved working at getting her pregnant. Her
recent pregnancy had come only nine months after Paul was born. She hadn’t known
it was possible to conceive that early after another baby.

Taking her time in the water, she closed her eyes loving the pampering.

She jolted as hands stroked her breast. Opening her eyes, she stared up
into Chris’s face. There was a wicked glint in his eyes.

“You scared me,” she said.

“I couldn’t look and not touch you.” His fingers stroked from her breast
down over her stomach.

“I can’t wait for us to make love again.”

“I know.” They’d stopped as it started to get uncomfortable for her. She
really did miss the feel of him inside her.

He helped her out of the water once she’d soaked long enough. Chris
wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

The love she felt for him exploded out of her. “God, I love you.”

“I love you, too. All I could think about was getting home to you today.
Sometimes I just want to scream at the people I care for.” He shook his head,
and Rachel opened her eyes wide.