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“No, it’s perfect,” she assured both of us with a friendly smile

I barely noticed her clean the gel off Teddy’s belly, and the conversation between them came out muddled like I was under water All of it suddenly becao She was no nant than she’d been then, but now the baby was real, even though Teddy was still as thin as she ever was We drove home in a daze, after one of the most stressful three hours of my life, second only to the first twenty-four hours in prison “Do you need any help?” I asked when I got her inside and back on the sofa

Teddy rolled her eyes but I saw the s to try and clean the hospital stink offback tothere for me We’ll talk over dinner?” She

I gave a short nod and disappeared into the kitchen,as much noise as possible so I wouldn’t hear the spray of the shower and think about the water droplets drip over the swell of her breast, down her long legs I tried to push those thoughts out ofabout the fact that she still hadn’t said anything about us I poured outheart and told her I loved her, but she kept her thoughts and feelings to herself

Patience wasn’tto be the man Teddy needed me to be The man she deserved That man would’ve understood her reluctance to talk until she knew the baby was safe Instead, I tried to push it while aited and she’d shut down completely

So noas in the kitchen,a healthy dinner for the mother of my child The only woman to ever hold my heart By the ti a s and the steaks sat in one?”

She laughed and shrugged “As et it done without a shower”

“Duh That’s right You can’t get that thing wet I could help, you know, and for once I don’t led my brows anyway, because I was a et dirty with her

“Careful, Golden Boy, I ht take you up on that offer”

“Please do,” I told her as I drained the potatoes and put the steaks in the oven before turning to her “It would be et clean” She sht one so quickly I couldn’t be sure

“It smells delicious in here”

“I figured after that scare

in the parking lot we could both use a good meal”

“I appreciate it, but you didn’t have to”

This was starting to piss me off “Teddy we both know I don’t do shit I don’t want to do, so cut it out” I brought all the food to the table and we sat across fro in silence “I didn’t knohat exactly was good for the baby, but I knew those stinky ass cheeses weren’t good and neither was shri with steak”