An Outsider's Call

56

LAURA

Well, three days have passed. Sawyer feels like she should know everything, but she's under so much pressure. I wish I could understand, but she isn't saying anything. I have no idea what it's like to be her.

I want to think about her, but something won't leave my mind. I'm in shock. I just found out hours ago, and I've been in a bubble ever since. I've been sitting out on the balcony, watching the pink and blue absent sunrise on the bench. I can't get my head straight... I can't tell if this is a miracle or not. Should I tell him?

"Hey," I suddenly hear from behind me, making me jump. I turn around, seeing Aaron walking over to me.

Oh my gosh he's here.

"Hi." I say surprised, from this perfect timing.

"How you doing?" he asks, in the tone of knowing how hard all of this is. I shrug.

"As well as I can..." I say. I need to tell him. "Um... Aaron?"

"Sawyer has been... hard. She's been stubborn. I haven't seen her lately. Is she okay?" says Aaron.

"Yeah, she's fine. But... Aaron, I... I need to tell you something." I say. He looks at me, nervously confused.

"Okay... is it about Sawyer?" he says uneasily.

"No, it's about us." I say. Something I haven't brought up in a while, but it's not what he thinks it means.

"Hey I... I understand if you don't want to do this. It doesn't have to be now, it doesn't have to be ever..." begins Aaron.

"Aaron." I say. He keeps talking.

"I just haven't felt like this in a while and I just acted out... We should be caring about the kids, not ourselves." he says. What is he saying? Oh my gosh this is not what I meant at all.

"No Aaron, it's not that. I'm..." I try to say. He faces away from me, looking disappointed.

"I'm just saying..."

"I'm pregnant." I blurt out. Aaron sits there in shock, blinking in confusion. He turns to me, his face in pure surprise.

"What?" he mutters. I sigh, closing my mouth. I look to the sunrise, sulking.

"I'm... a week pregnant." I say. In the corner of my eyes, he stares at me... until a giggle comes from him.

"Oh my God," he says. I turn to him, seeing him adorably smiling big. He turns fully to me, and grabs my hand. "Oh, oh my God Laura. Oh my God...!"

I try to smile, but I sit here with a face that doesn't look that happy. Aaron's smile fades and scrunches his eyebrows at me from my expression.

"You... you don't look happy..." he says. I stare at him, pursing my lips, feeling like I'm about to cry. "Are you... are you not happy?"

I sigh from his assumption, and immediately correct him.

"I am happy. I'm extremely happy. It's just..." I begin, taking a breath. I need to keep it together. "I wanted my life to be settled... I wanted to live with someone, maybe even have a job, maybe even married. And... and I don't have any of that right now."

I look down at my lap, Aaron putting his hand on my shoulder. I sigh, lifting my head up.

"But I'm happy. I like you, Aaron. A lot, and... jeez, this is kind of a miracle for me. Like I said, my doctor said I had a ten percent chance of ever getting pregnant. So ever since we slept together I just thought... maybe I am pregnant this time and I was," I say. Aaron looks at me, a soft smile managing to stay on his face. "But remember, I don't know how my body can manage a pregnancy, I've never been pregnant, I... I don't know how my body can work through this. And it's early, so... anything can happen you know."

"Hey," says Aaron, grabbing both my hands. I sigh. "Look at me."

I turn to him, hoping he can work through this.

"Laura... We're going through a lot. The kids are in danger, and we have to protect them. We're doing everything we can. You just operated on Lillette," says Aaron. I snicker from that comment. "You're such a strong guardian to Sawyer, and you're always gonna be there for the people you care about."

I listen to him even more.

"And so am I. Laura... I'm in love with you." he says.

"Aaron." I say smiling.

"And I'm gonna be here for you and that baby," he claims. I purse my lips. That's better than I've ever wanted to hear from him. "We're not being selfish. I know you want your life to be settled... But risking a choice to get what you need in life, even through what you're going through, doesn't sound terribly bad to me."

Whoa.

That hit different. I smile so much it hurts.

"We're having a baby." I say happily. Aaron smiles back.

"We are having a baby." he says. He pushes my hair back, puts his arm around me. I keep smiling, as we watch the sunrise.

No matter how much Aaron and I denied it, our love grew stronger. I guess it was so strong, we made another person to love. Never thought I would get a life like this, but now I do have it.