Dear Emmett

Chapter Twenty Two - [The Visit.]

"Did you see the look on that woman's face?"

Brooke's giggling exclamation came as we walked arm in arm in downtown Danbury. We'd just passed a woman who had made a scathing comment about my pregnancy. In return, Brooke had told the woman quite literally to fuck off.

The look on her face was priceless, her jaw dropping in shock. I couldn't help but laugh as we walked away. I was really having a very good day, and my arms were laden with shopping bags we'd gotten from various shops.

"This was a great idea," I said when my laughter wained off. We'd chosen a local ice cream shop to have a cold treat before heading back to Paris.

"I tend to have those," Brooke said, laughing. Then her face turned a little bit more serious as we sat down outside with our ice cream. "How have you been feeling?"

"I've been feeling pretty good, actually. The baby kicks a lot and is healthy."

"I don't mean physically, Charlotte."

I looked down at the ice cream, unsure how to answer the question. I swallowed hard for a moment and found the words.

"I'm scared."

"Scared of what?" She asked quietly, a tender look in her eyes.

"Of everything," I whispered. "What if I'm not good at being a mother? What if I don't have that motherly instinct that's supposed to kick in? I'm only seventeen. How can I do this with out failing?"

Brooke shook her head, smiling kindly at me. She reached over, placing her hand over my own.

"I can already tell that you're going to be a great mother. You've been eating very healthy and doing things that you should be doing and avoiding doing things that you shouldn't be doing. Don't you think that's a little bit of motherly instinct already? I saw the way you were with Kira. You're a natural, Charlotte. Wait until you have your own baby in your arms. And you have a great support system here. Between your aunt, Emmett and the entire Nash family, do you think we'd let you fail?"

I shook my head, realizing how right she was. She pulled her hand away.

"Emmett is a great guy, Charlotte. He may be a stubborn knuckle head most of the time, but he's got a good heart and he'd give the shirt off of his back if someone was in need. Just wait until he sees that baby. He's going to be in love. And I can already tell how taken he is with you."

"A few times, before we actually got together, I was worried if we did get together he would just want to be with me because of the baby."

"You do know that's not the case, right? He wants you for you."

I smiled warmly at her.

"I do know that."

"I knew he was enamored with you before I even met you. Before he knew you were pregnant. He talked about you all the time. He'd wished he'd gotten your number. Your e-mail. Something."

"I'm so glad I met him."

"Me too. You can call me anytime you need anything. I don't care what time it is. You call me."

"Of course," I said. "You too."

We finished our ice cream and went back to where our car was parked.

"Has that guy talked to you again? Your ex boyfriend. Brandon, that's it."

She shook her head.

"Nope. He's probably too scared, too. Emmett would wring his neck if he tried to contact me again."