Andy's Nightmare

21. An Extra Toothbrush

“WOW! I understand now why you changed so drastically when I said that he should have a say. But don’t you have to legally tell him before the adoption can take place?” he said calmly.

“I’ve talked to my lawyer and unfortunately, he was made aware of the pregnancy, but because of the circumstances, his rights were terminated.” She started. She went on to say that his rights were terminated since the baby was conceived through an act of assault. It was her decision. "This baby is innocent, no matter how he or she was conceived. I don't think that I have it in me to love it, but I also feel that it deserves to be raised by loving parents."Andy said. "I could not agree to kill it either. My mom raised me to believe that every life matters. The only reason for an abortion is if the mother or baby's lives are in danger, so I couldn't do that. It's just not in me."

He said that he understood, but he still felt that the father had the right to know his child was being adopted, although he agreed that the father didn’t have rights to the child.

"Wait a minute... Did you just say you were a virgin when this happened?" he asked. "If it weren't for you being pregnant, I probably would have suspected that because of the way you blush so easily. You have an innocent soul. I saw that the first time we met."

"I enjoy your company, Andy." he said. "I haven't had any expectations beyond spending time with you. But I'm going to admit that, even before you opened up to me tonight, I was already starting to fall for you."

They talked for quite some time. She was getting tired, but she didn’t want him to leave. She felt at peace sitting on the couch in his arms even after her crying subsided.

They talked about their past dating experiences.

She told him that she was indeed a virgin when she was r***d. And told him that the one boy in high school that had tried to go up her shirt was slapped and broken up with that same night. And after that, she had the reputation of being frigid or an ice queen. She just wasn't interested in them romantically. They were all just friends to her.

He told her that he had only had one real relationship. Told her that the lady she saw him with at the diner was his sister-in-law. He had only been married 2 years when his wife was in an accident. It was a stormy night, and she lost control of the car.

He had never found anyone else that he wanted to go out with until meeting her.

As he was telling his story, Andy’s heart went out to him. She knew that he was special before this, but this made her respect and trust him.

They eventually fell into a comfortable silence, except that it was too quiet in the room. She asked him if he wanted to watch TV, which he agreed. Not much was on it besides news, but she curled up on the couch with his arm around her and her head on his shoulder.

After opening up to each other, neither of them wanted to say goodnight. They sat there watching the news with her head on his shoulder and him holding her close until she fell asleep.

He had noticed when she fell asleep on him because her head started falling and didn't look comfortable. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. She felt like it was a dream, but slightly woke up. When he bent down to kiss her on the forehead, she asked him to stay.

She was half asleep, but she knew she didn’t want him to leave. She was enjoying having him beside her. Being in his arms was comforting on a level that she had never felt before.

He was hesitant and didn't want to take advantage of her fragile state, but climbed into the bed beside her, but he kept the sheet between them even though they were both fully clothed..

She turned on her side and curled up with her back against him. He held her until she fell asleep again. She had never fallen asleep with anyone before this, except her mom, but there was something so comforting in his arms.

As she was falling asleep she thought that maybe Charlie was right.

She woke up early the next morning with the feeling of someone watching her and felt someone next to her. Before she had opened her eyes, she tensed up because she wasn’t used to being with anyone. When she opened her eyes and saw Linc there and remembered last night, she relaxed.

He reached over and wiped some of her hair out of her face.

She could not believe that he was still here, but was glad that he was.

She apologized for not having an extra toothbrush when she went into the bathroom to brush her teeth. He told her that he could make due with some toothpaste, his finger and some mouthwash.

He asked if she would like to go out to breakfast. She said that she wasn’t comfortable getting a shower or changing with him in the room even though she could shut the bathroom door, but she agreed to breakfast at the hotel restaurant.

He apologized and told her that he would have to leave as soon as they were done eating because he had to go home to change and shower before work, which Andy understood. After all, he was still in his clothes from their dinner last night.

He asked if he could see her tonight. She agreed with a smile.

After breakfast, Linc left right away from the lobby, giving her a kiss on the cheek again. Linc and his cheek kisses. Would he ever try for a real kiss? Was she ready for that yet?

She went back to her room, got a shower and put on a sundress. She looked at the messed-up bed and smiled as she remembered lying there in his arms. She couldn’t believe that she did that. But what was even more remarkable to her was that all he did was hold her. He never tried anything more.

She wondered if he even got any sleep or did he just watch her all night since he was awake before her.

She started to work on her next article for the magazine, when she got a call from Kim.

"We love that apartment for you. It is a good choice. You'll be close to us in case you need anything. Including a trip to the hospital," Kim said. "We can meet there on Thursday to sign the lease together, if that works for you."

Kim added that their lawyers weren’t able to get together until next week. Maybe they could combine the lawyer’s meeting with her next doctor’s appointment since it was also next week. Kim also said that they would pay for the hotel until she could get into the apartment.

Today Andy was going to try to write her column, but her mind kept drifting off to lying there in Linc’s arms. A knock on the door brought her back to the present.

It was only housekeeping, which she allowed into the room. She sat back down to write while they tidied up the room. The housekeeper tried to strike up a conversation, asking how long she would be staying.

At that time, Andy still wasn’t sure if it would only be until the end of the week or possibly next week. She talked briefly so she wouldn’t appear rude. As the housekeeper finished up, she asked if there was anything else that she needed. Andy laughed and said, “Maybe an extra toothbrush?”