Free Bird - Morgan Wallen

Eleven

Several weeks later, Daniella wakes up sick to her stomach. She rushes to the bathroom and kneels in front of the toilet, vomiting into it. "You okay?" Morgan calls in a sleepy voice from the bed.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Must've been somethin' I ate." She coughs, throwing up again.

"Let me get you some water." He yawns, standing to go to the kitchen.

Dani leans back against the wall, breathing heavily, her face is flushed. "Shit." She reaches over and grabs a pregnancy test out of the back of the bottom drawer. She takes it and lets it sit out flat on the counter.

Those couple minutes feel like hours.

Morgan knocks on the door before opening it. Dani slides the test behind the box of tissues on the counter. "Here." He hands her the glass. "You okay?" She nods, her face falling when her phone timer goes off. "What's that for?"

"Don't get mad." She says quietly. "I took a pregnancy test." Dani reaches over and grabs it, looking down at the two pink lines. "It's positive." She has tears in her eyes.

"What?" He takes it from her, looking at it. "Oh my..."

"I'm sorry, Morgan." She whispers, tears sliding down her red cheeks.

"I can't go on tour now, not when you're pregnant." He sits next to her.

"No. I'm not gonna to let you do that." She takes his hand. "It's just for a couple of months. You have to go." She will not be the reason why his music career ends. "You're going."

He sighs heavily, his eyes still trained on the test in his hands. "We're gonna be parents."

"But don't tell anyone yet, okay?" He nods. "Just to make sure nothin' bad happens to it." He nods again, leaning his head against the wall. "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah, no, I'm fine. I'm not the one with somethin' growin' inside me." She chuckles, wiping her face. "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too."

+++

"Alrighty, I'm all packed up." Morgan sighs heavily. "Ready to drive me to the airport?"

"Yeah I guess." She grabs her purse and keys. "Let's go, then."

The drive to the airport is silent, almost awkward. "I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow." He's kind of hurt that he can't go with her. "I'll let you know what happens." Morgan nods as he looks out the window.

They make it to the Knoxville airport, she pulls over off to the side to let him out. "Call me when you land, okay?" She whispers as he pulls his bags out of the back hatch. He nods in response, turning to walk away. "Hey." She snaps. "I know things are weird but do not ignore me. It takes two to tango, darlin."

"I know." He sighs. "Just a lot on my mind."

"I get that, I really do. But you can't just ignore me, I mean this is your baby-" he cuts her off with a soft kiss.

"I love you, I'll call you when I land. I gotta get going, okay?"

"I love you, too." Her voice shakes. He starts to walk into the building, waving back to her as the doors close behind him. She looks down as she walks back to her car and starts to drive home, calling Hardy on the way. "Hey."

"Hey what's up?"

"I dropped Morgan off at the airport for his first tour."

"He went without you?"

"Yeah, there wasn't room for me."

"I'm sorry, baby." He sighs. "Hey, now you can redecorate the house like you've been talking about."