The luckiest

Chapter 13

When we arrive back in Portland, the weather is much cooler and with a day to go before school begins and I am back at work; everything is business as usual. 

Charlie is back in his study within minutes of us putting our bags down. 

Slightly irritable that he has just left everything in the entrance, I decide to share some sarcasm, “Oh, don’t worry about helping, honey! I’ll unpack everything and then fix your dinner.” 

No response. 

We’ve left the girls with his parents for a bit so we can take care for the week ahead. I head to the kitchen where I start prep on the girls’ meals for the next few days, followed by our weekly planner. Once completed, I stick the meals in the refrigerator and pop the planner up on the wall next to our pantry. I see Charlie has a meeting in CE with a local fish distributer just before I knock off for the day. I add a note that says ‘Lunch with Ginny’ just below it. 

Just a I finish, in walks the man of the hour and I wink at him. 

“What have you done?” he asks as he checks the board. 

“A girl can dream, can’t she?” 

“I make dreams come true. Have I ever told you that?” I laugh at the amount of cheese in his comment as he plops me up onto the counter and spreads my legs. 

He doesn’t waste time removing my underwear and kneels down in front of me. I thank God our neighbours don’t have a single window facing our kitchen just then. 

As Charlie flicks his tongue around and brings me to orgasm, I can’t help, but notice how dizzy I feel the closer I get. 

We end up in the living room, exhausted, but both satisfied and the irritation from earlier seems to have lifted. 

Charlie leaves to collect the girls later that day. I spend the time he is gone, in a tub filled with bubbles. The silence is divine while it lasts. 

I get a text from my Mom that evening, asking why I never told her about Jamie and Emma. They’re only about eight weeks along and David and Charlie couldn’t stop teasing them about it being a honeymoon baby. Jamie quickly shut David up bout him not having one honeymoon baby. Luckily, David’s developed a sense of humour since those years ago. I make a mental note to probe Holly again. It would be so much fun to plan a wedding. 

Being back at work had its perks; for half the day, I got to be among other adults. I even had a couple of visits from the kids to my office. One, a little girl caught in a custody battle and the other, a boy who had a panic attack in his homeroom. Aside from a bad headache, it had been a good first day back. I get a text from Charlie, who is meeting with David, regarding refurbishing of the pub’s outside area. He wants to meet for lunch. I text him back to meet at the main street bistro. Twice in one week; I’m a lucky girl. 

My husband is gorgeous as he waits at one of the outside tables. The weather is much cooler, but still nice enough to be outside. He kisses me like we haven’t seen each other in days. 

“You’re delectable, Mr King.” 

“And you cut quite the figure in that suit, Mrs King.” I blush and feel the heat creep up my face. 

How is it possible to still feel this way? I browse the menu and not having eaten since much earlier that morning, I settle on steak and wedges with a massive lemonade. Charlie makes small talk, while I wolf down my steak and merely nod and shake my head at him. 

“Hungry, huh?” he teases. 

“Famished. How was the meeting with David?” 

“Great. He’s showed me what your Dad actually had planned a couple of years back and it looks good. We just need to look at costings now.” 

Our waiter clears the table and drops off dessert menus. “Uh, we won’t be needing these.” Charlie says politely as he hands them back. 

“Perhaps not you, but you could leave me one.” I smile at the flushed teenage boy. 

The rest of the week takes some getting used to again as its just become ridiculously busy again. Holly has also asked me to help plan Liam’s first birthday. For the first time, I actually feel like just being on the sidelines when it comes to a party. I gently let her down and she understands, but I see the stress etched on her face and decide to call my Mom and her Mom and ask them to offer their services. Job done. 

With September halfway gone, I find myself exhausted and needing a break again. Charlie thinks I am faking it to get away to the lake again. With Mrs Cork asking if she can still keep her hours, it gives me enough time for a nap most afternoons and I beg her not to tell Charlie. I don’t want him thinking I’m lazy. 

One such afternoon, I find myself waking up to the smell of pumpkin spice cookies. Its divine and I dash down the stairs, almost completely missing the second floor landing and ending up twisting my ankle and tumbling for what feels like forever. 

The last thing I hear is Mrs C calling my name before everything goes hazy and my eyes close. 

“Charlie, ask Mrs C to keep me some of the cookies. I’ll be downstairs in a bit.” I can see my husband’s face next to mine and he’s still asleep too. When did he come home? 

“Ginny?” he wakes with a start and looks angry, no, wait, concerned? 

“Why are you home so soon?” I ask him. 

“Honey, no. You’re in hospital. You fell down the stairs earlier today.” He is stroking my face. I feel so confused. The last thing I remember is smelling those delicious cookies, but not being able to wake up. I explain this to Charlie, who shakes his head. 

“No, baby. You knocked your head pretty hard, so everything might still be a bit confusing.” 

“Where are Cara and Caitlin?” 

“Mrs Cork has them at home. She’s a saint. Your family is here too. Do you want to see them after I call the nurse?”

 “Sure.” Charlie looks a bit scared, but I don’t probe any further. I decide to wait to hear if anything is wrong from the doctor. 

The nurse comes in to check my vitals and looks at the chart on my bed. She smiles politely at me an then lets me know my doctor will be in shortly. Charlie comes back into the room with my parents and my mother is teary and ready to just bawl. Dad is as stoic as he can be, but can’t stop kissing my forehead like he used to when I was little.

 “Oh my God, Ginny!” my mother cries, “We were terrified.” 

“I feel OK, Mom. Dad. Don’t worry.” I smile hopefully at them. 

“OK, do you want to see your brothers too?” Charlie asks. Just then, my doctor walks in and my parents excuse themselves. Charlie shifts into the armchair next to me, clutching my hand. 

“Mrs King, I’m Dr Wade.” He is an older man, with a very warm disposition. I decide that I like him. 

“Hi Dr Wade.” 

“You have a concussion, but it isn’t anything too severe. I can only give you some paracetamol I’m afraid, but you’ll soon find its all you need even with the strongest headaches.” 

I don’t like him anymore, “Couldn’t I have something stronger?” 

“Ginny.” Charlie says quietly, “Listen to Dr Wade.” 

“Mrs King, paracetamol is the only thing you can safely take during pregnancy.” 

My head spins again, “What?” 

Charlie smiles his megawatt boyish grin, “Ginny, you’re pregnant. About four weeks.” 

I can’t believe my ears! Wait, the fall, “Is the baby OK?” 

“Yes, the baby is fine Mrs King.” 

“I can't believe it.  Tell me I'm not dreaming.” 

“Ginny, baby, you're not dreaming.” Charlie looks nervous, but excited. I feel very light-headed all of a sudden, but begin to laugh and cry. 

I throw my arms around Charlie’s neck, “Oh my God, Charlie.  I'm so happy.  Are you happy?” The feeling is surreal and the elation that bubbles inside, spills over into tears of joy. 

"Of course, baby!"

After we had just decided to try and forget we were trying to get pregnant, it happens. Dr Wade has left the room by then and I recover from the initial shock. “Does everyone else know?” I ask, wiping my tears. 

“Nope, no one else. We can tell them whenever you’re ready.” 

“Let’s try and keep this one under wraps for now. I think my Mom might faint if we drop this on them too.” I surprise even myself with my words. 

“I’m excited. Scared, but excited. Thank you for being my everything, Ginny.” 

“No, you’re my everything. I am so lucky to have you.” 

“If only you saw yourself through my eyes, baby.” He kisses me, deeply enough to warrant a moan from me and we lay there, Charlie gently tucking me into his arms as he squeezes himself onto the bed.