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Ellie o

Braden’s features grew alar nant," I blurted out, the tears spilling down my cheeks

Braden jerked back like I’d hit hiure me out Just like that he looked like he’d been punched in the gut "So you came here?" he whispered incredulously

I didn’t knohat that ood

"Braden--"

"Don’t" He cutfrom me "Not here"

There was an uneasiness, a new fear, in leavingin my head I’d just wanted that chance before Braden and I

We walked in tense silence back down the hill and out of the castle Braden had a taxi waiting for us on the esplanade I was so out of it I didn’t even realize Braden hadn’t touched me He opened the door for me but he didn’t put his hand on my arm to help me in He didn’t scoot near me once ere inside I’d realize this all later, when hts and s

Not a as spoken between us, not until the door to our flat was closed behind us and we stood facing each other in the kitchen

Braden’s features were hard in a way I didn’t like "You’re pregnant with o to the castle?"

I couldn’t believe he thoughtThat wasn’t it at all!

"Braden--"

"Are you happy or are you unhappy?" he snapped, his glittering with desperation

My heart was pounding so hard in ht vo "It’s not that siain, a pain in his eyes that he quickly banked

"Let et a chance to finish He was out of the flat too fast

Treiven a chance to process s, I was left confused and afraid of Braden’s He was the kind of ave you a chance to explain, but he’d obviously takenway, and noas too hurt to listen

I just needed to explain

He had to listen

It was late, but I left aif I could schedule an appointment that week Dr Kathryn Pritchard waswith rieve for h my fears I hadn’t scheduled a session with her in a while, but I needed soone for hours I got a text froiveaway that Braden had told Adaure out how to deal with me I knew this because normally she’d call eYeah, she didn’t kno to handledown at the photo of iven ain I gazed at Beth, ht inexactly what it was I was feeling The fear was coloring everything, I wasn’t even sure that I was unhappy with the idea of being a moet past the fear,Not such a bad thing at all This baby was a product of Braden and iven each other

As h, this waspressure pushed and ripped atdeep, even breaths

Now I just had to explain all this to Braden so he’d see I wasn’t pulling another "Ellie h like I did when Ellie was diagnosed with a brain tu on inside ofway

I ju My pulse throbbed harder beneath ot to our bedrooainst the dark backdrop of the hall, the soft light in our bedroo him out of the shadow, but I could see his expression was tired Gri

"Today was supposed to be the happiest day of our lives"

Guilt gnawed at etically

"I need an answer," he denant with h, I need that answer"

I shifted, reaching out to hi answer," he uttered bitingly, his expression shutting down "I can’t believe youafter everythingthat we’re back here again" He turned, leaving me shocked, openmouthed as he stormed down our hall A door slaht couest bedroom door