I nodded against his chest. “How do I know that it won’t?”
“Because I’ll listen to your gut if there’s ever a next time. I should have known that you know women, just like I know guys. And I’m filing a restraining order against Dana. I don’t want her anywhere near you, me, or our son. She steps anywhere near our house, or the gym, we will have her arrested. In fact, if she knew what was good for her, she would move out of town.”
“Do you really think a restraining order will keep her away?” I mumbled in his shirt.
“Yes, I do. I threatened her with it already and she kind of freaked and left the house. Kind of makes me wonder a bit more about her and her past. I got the feeling she’s done this before but to someone else.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
We stood there, wrapped in each other, trying to settle from everything that had happened. I know I may be forgiving him quickly and easily, but honestly it wasn’t worth the effort to keep it going. I know he knew better and he had learned a tough lesson. The pure worry on his face when he came here and saw me was enough to tell me that he wouldn’t be doing it again. I never questioned Dodger’s love for me. But he needed to understand that there were greater things at stake here. He essentially tested the strength of our relationship and my resolve. He ever tried to pull something like that again, I’d be gone and it wouldn’t be so easy finding me. Nor would I be handing out forgiveness.
“Can we go home?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“No?”
“No, we have baby things to get.”
He leaned back and cradled my face between his hands. “Yes, we do.” He kissed me gently on the lips, and then my nose. He bent down and kissed my belly, and placed his hand on it. “Sorry, little man. I didn’t mean to get your mommy all worked up.”
I brushed my fingers through his hair. “We forgive you. But can you feed us to?”
“Of course.”
“Sushi?”
He chuckled. “If that’s what you want.”
“It’s what your son wants.”
“Right . . . my son.” He smiled his crooked smile and it melted me. “Come on. We can leave your car here, and we will pick it up later.”
We left after I yelled to Keegan we were out of there. She hugged us goodbye and threatened Dodger’s life and body parts if he ever hurt me again. Camden drove it home when he socked his brother in the arm a little harder than a friendly punch. Yeah . . . pretty sure lessons had been learned here.
DODGER AND I WERE on our way home from our doctor’s appointment when I asked him to pull over at the yogurt shop. I was craving chocolate yogurt and gummy bears something fierce. Of course, he obliged even though he knew I’d probably take a couple bites of it and say I was full. It had been a week since the Dana incident and I think he was still trying to kiss my ass. He really didn’t need to, but I’d certainly let him if it made him happy. He could kiss my ass for the rest of my life and I’d be perfectly okay with that.
Last Monday, after Dana had decided to go bat shit crazy, we’d gone to the court house to get a restraining order. When we were there, we found out from an officer that she in fact did have another restraining order issued against her. She would be served before the end of the week and she would have to stay no less than one hundred feet away from both of us. Nor could she come to our place of business. If she did, she would be arrested on the spot. Part of me wished she would so I could make that call. But more than anything, I wanted to run into her somewhere so I could sufficiently make her pay for what she’d put me through.
The stress from the week was catching up to me. I’d officially put in my notice at work that I was ready to take my maternity leave. I wanted to do nothing more than sleep, take walks around the neighborhood to try and bring on labor, and sit on the couch watching TV. Dodger checked in with me a dozen times when he wasn’t with me. Today at the appointment, Doctor Carrie finally checked my cervix. I was dilated one centimeter, but the baby was still high. We both explained everything he told me, so that Dodger understood it all. Dr. Carrie actually had a 3D image to show him just how a woman’s cervix changes and opens so that my body could prepare itself for labor. Let’s just say Dodger’s face said, “mind blown.”
“Here you go, babe.” He hopped back in the car with a cup full of my favorite.
“Thank you.” I took a spoonful and shoved it in my mouth. God, this stuff was good.
“Anywhere else you need to go or want to do?”
“Nah, I’m pretty beat. I think heading home sounds like a good idea. I’m going to need a nap after doing so much work eating this delicious bowl of goodness.”
He laughed. “Okay, Babe.”
When we got home, we both sat on the couch and watched a movie. I’d let Dodger pick this time since he’d let me choose the last three. He went with a Marvel movie, which I couldn’t bitch about. I mean come on, Hugh Jackman in tight pants and a leather coat? I wasn’t going to complain. When it was over, Dodger flipped it on to Maury, which made me laugh and throw a pillow at him.
“I’m going to go mow the lawn. Do you need anything before I go outside?”
I looked at my glass of water, which was still full and I shook my head no. He nodded and went into the garage. Checking my cell phone, I saw I’d missed a call from Donna. I phoned her back and she picked up after the first ring.
“Have you had that baby yet?” was her greeting.
My god, why did people say that crap? I mean don’t you think I’d let you know if I was in labor, let alone had the baby? Little things like that had been driving me up the wall. My personal favorite had been “boy, you sure look like you could go any day now.” Most of the time I wanted to throw right back at them, “so do you.” Buuuuut, that would be rude, I mentally rolled my eyes.
“Nope, not yet. But we had our doctor’s appointment today. It went really well. Only a centimeter dilated.”
“Why don’t you have my son take you for a walk around the neighborhood, that should speed things up.”
“We went for a walk this morning, but maybe I’ll get up and do another lap.”
“How are you actually feeling?”
Did I answer this honestly, or politely? “I’m okay. My hips are feeling really uncomfortable, and I’m not sleeping very much at night, but that’s to be expected.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Everything going okay there?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“Oh sure. Paul was pestering me to call you and see how you were doing, so I figured I’d pacify the old coot.”
Right . . . Paul wanted to know. “Well, you can let him know I’m good.”
“You know, I was talking to the ladies at church this past Sunday and they said there’s supposed to be a good thunderstorm tonight. Maybe the baby will come tonight. You know what they say about babies being born when there are storms in the air.” She giggled a high pitched laugh that made me want to hang up the phone.
“Mhmm, I know.”