Skinny Love (Luke Hemmings)

Chapter 32

••2 months later••

Tessa's P.O.V

Sometimes I wonder what my life would be now if he had never moved in next door. I wonder if I'd still be believing my mother's lies, or thinking that all teenage boys want to do is rip your heart out and stomp on it.

I sat by the window in Luke's bedroom which we now shared, my hand placed on my stomach. We had told his parents about the baby when I started to show. When they found that we'd no longer be able to live in our apartment complex, they offered their home as ours and have been nothing but caring and concerned since we agreed to live here.

Some nights you can hear them arguing through the walls that give little privacy, but it seems to only keep me up. Luke is used to it. I guess growing up with one parent in the house spoiled me. Never any loud nights or 'Daddy's going to sleep on the couch tonight' type excuses.

We had gone in for another appointment and things seemed to be fine. There was a slight concern about late development, but it wasn't uncommon. It just meant that the baby, sex still undetermined, would be smaller or premature. I wasn't worried about it.

"Reina, sweetheart. Are you ok?" A knock on the door and Liz' sweet voice interrupted my thoughts. She opened the door with a pile of white towels in one arm. She set them on the bed for me to use.

"Yes, thank you. I'm feeling a bit peckish though. I'll just make something downstairs." I replied, smiling.

"Oh don't worry about that, dear. I can fix you something. Would you like toast or cereal, or I can make a sandwich. I have ham or turkey." she said, folding her arms.

I shook my head. "I can do it." I was already living in her house, eating her groceries, and she washed my clothes for me. She didn't have to do something that I could just as easily.

"Well, I suppose I'm just being a mother. My boys seemed to grow up too fast. Even Luke isn't my baby anymore." her eyes became watery as she smiled at me. I knew it was me that made Luke grow up so fast.

"I-I'm sorry." I don't know exactly why I was apologizing but I felt the need to.

"Oh don't be. I see things in him that I never would have noticed if it weren't for you. I can see it in his eyes every time he talks to me. He's not a boy anymore, but a man. You always worry about your children and who they'll grow up to be. There's a feeling of...contentment I get when I look at him now." by now, she is sitting on the bed. "I mean, I'm sure it's no secret that Luke's father and I haven't exactly had the perfect marriage. You wonder how much of the...well, the arguing, affects your children. I'm just glad that hasn't affected him the way I thought it would." she seems to be lost in thought as the silence falls over the room.

"I'm going to make you that sandwich now, dear. I brought some towels so you can take a shower." she gets up and goes to the door before turning around again. "You're good for him, Reina." I can't help but feel a little sting of guilt as she smiles. It's not a very happy smile, but more of a painful broken smile. I know she trusts me, but I feel like I robbed her of her baby boy. She only had him seventeen years before he moved out and is soon to be a father.

"Thank you. For everything." I say, simply. She nods and leaves me alone again.

I haven't told my mum yet. I'm not brave enough to, but I know that if I'm not the one to tell her, she'll think I was purposely hiding it from her. Well, I am.

I needed a good time. I think she suspected it when my stomach started getting bigger. I just told her that I haven't been eating healthily lately. I can't lie forever though. Sometimes I wanted Luke to be with me to help me through my mother's disappointing look, breaking me down, but then it might be best if I just told her. She may lash out at him or blame him for it.