My mouth dropped. I knew enough to know Ruth didn’t play Jedi mind tricks. She had to have been telling the truth. I was stunned.
We’ll chat when I get home I shot back to her, still needing to finish exploring the mammoth apartment.
Hurry! I want to ride!
I sighed, feeling tightness in my chest. What in the world was going on? Then I made my way into the last room of the corridor. It was nearly three times the size of the previous two bedrooms and office. There was a short passageway beyond the door, making it clear that I was entering the master suite. Excitement bloomed in my chest at the ebony hardwood floors against the ivory walls. My eyes immediately went to the large wall mirror in some fancy design hanging above a long padded bench.
My eyes trailed to the large fireplace facing the bed. The bed! It was a poster bed, similar to the one I’d fallen in love with in the Cayman Islands. The bed Stenton fastened me to nearly every night and had his way with me. Beyond that was a massive picture window larger than Stenton’s in Philly. The view of the city was breathtaking and I’m sure that was by design.
When I finally came to my wits, I heard a familiar masculine tenor, almost whispering. I looked up and found Stenton in the corner on his cell. His coat was off and eyes were already glued to me in a preoccupied fashion.
I didn’t catch it all, but I was able to make out, “I wanted to show her the new place for her and the baby when she’s ready. Yes, sir. I understand. She may need a minute to take it all in. Yes, sir. I will have her home first thing in the morning. Yes, sir. I appreciate your understanding, sir. Uhn-hun. Goodnight, sir. Give Sarah my goodnight as well. Sorry to have disturbed you, sir.”
Did Stenton just inform my dad that I wouldn’t be coming home? What was this?
He tapped the phone off, dropped it into his back pocket, and gazed at me while posted against the wall.
“You bought me a truck?” I asked stoically, though I was on sensory overload internally.
He nodded his answer.
While it wasn’t the most pressing question in my head, neither was it one of priority between the two of us. I asked, “What about the BMW?”
“That’s up to you. You can keep it or sell it. Just tell Paul what you want to do with it.” He shrugged.
Stenton was inspecting me, concerned with my next move. My chest began to heave and my chin hiked to prevent the tears. My breathing was scattered as I fought to hold it together. I felt my face grimace into a cry, but refused to commence the tears. I didn’t want to cry. In that moment, I needed to understand. I needed to know if this nightmare was over.
Would I now feel a semblance of the jubilation we’d shared before this pregnancy?
Was he prepared to step up?
“The place is staged,” his voice was low, obviously unsure. His marble eyes bounced between mine nervously. “You know…the furniture was added for the appeal. They’ll be by in a day or two to pick up everything. Except for the bed.” With his chin, he gestured ahead of him to the massive, high four-poster bed against the wall. Stenton cleared his throat. “That’s yours. You can change the bedding or keep them. I didn’t know what your preference would be. I have an interior designer on standby if you’re not up to decorating all of this.” He was rambling, anxious.
As I stood there, visibly shaking, fighting to keep my well acquainted sobs at bay, I questioned him with my eyes. He didn’t speak to them for a while, wearing a contortion himself. Okay, let me try with words. I was cracking by the second. I could wait no longer.
“What does this mean?” I gritted through clenched teeth, my expression more angry than hurt.