Undercover ♡ Ride Along Sequel ✅

22. His Choice

The next morning I'm woken by arguing which is odd to say the least; from the day I was born and up until the day I turned seven, fighting was normal for me. Kermit and my mom would wake me up screaming at each other for reasons that went over my head back then, of course those fights turned out to be the result of my father's infidelity but I didn't know that until I turned fourteen. Until I met Shawn.

Shawn made my mom so incredibly happy, I think I could remember a handful of fights they've had in the few years they've been married but they were never over anything serious. And I never remembered being woken up by them before.

Before I climb out of bed to investigate, I grab my phone to check for updates but find that they've found nothing. Josh is still off the radar and thus my heart was still aching painfully in my chest.

I sigh, placing my phone back on the nightstand and finally climb out of bed, wincing at the pain in my back. Apparently I wasn't used to sleeping on a twin mattress anymore and my body didn't enjoy it one bit. I needed to be back home in my own bed.

"It's because of her!" A shout from the living room catches my attention and my blood runs cold when I finally, coherently place the voice. Amy. Josh's loving, doting mother who happens to loathe my existence.

This was going to be fun.

I stand up and pad across the floor, opening my bedroom door and heading down the hall where both my parent's and Josh's are standing, fighting over...something. I couldn't quite understand the basis of the argument based on the bits that I'd heard; only that I was to blame. "Morning." Four pairs of eyes land on me and while those of my parents are sympathetic, those of Amy and Alan are murderous.

"Good morning honey." My mom is the first to break, stepping towards me and placing her hand on my cheek. "Did you sleep well? Do you need anything?" Josh would be preferred but I know that's not on the table. So, I shake my head and look past her kind, gentle eyes to those of my future in-laws.

"What are you guys doing here?" I ask, skirting around my mother. I loved her but I didn't need her protection. I was a grown woman, the woman that Josh wanted to spend forever with and I wasn't going to back down from whatever they were going to try and throw my way.

"We came to make sure that you're staying far away from this" Amy seethes, stepping towards me. I know she won't hurt me but something about being the protector of the tiny humans inside me makes me take a step backwards.

"Away from what? The investigation?" I laugh, shaking my head. She couldn't be serious. No. No way in hell was I going to sit here in Greenwich while my fiancé was missing.

"You've done enough already. You convinced him to take this mission, just like you convinced him that throwing children into your lives was a good, sound decision. You've both been in over your heads since you started dating. Enough is enough."

I place my hand on my belly reflexively. Today I was fourteen weeks. I knew because the calendar flipped every Sunday. Josh probably would've woken me up with breakfast in bed but it would go uneaten because I'd be so taken with his thoughtfulness that I'd let him take me right there on the bed, food forgotten and getting cold.

The thought makes me want to cry.

No one understood us. It had been that way since we got together and nothing would ever change. But we weren't in over our heads, we just didn't always think logically. But I needed to be logical now if I were going to find Josh.

"I'm not staying here" I reply firmly, looking around the room at the faces of my family. "Josh never gave up on me and I won't give up on him." Amy looks about ready to open her mouth but I put my hand up to stop her, coincidentally the one that holds the engagement ring that her son put on my finger. "You've said enough. It's my turn." I step towards her, pointing my finger at myself. "I'm not the problem. You can blame me all that you want, and I know you will but the plan that was in place last night was your son's idea. He wanted the mission done and over with, and yes, perhaps my stubborn ass should've walked away from the mission when we realized we were in too deep but we didn't and now we're dealing with the consequences. Nevertheless, I'm going to find him and when I do we're going to live happily ever after with our white picket fenced house, our children and a loving marriage. And he'll be happy to exclude you from all of it if you don't start treating me with the respect I deserve."