Chapter six

Abbigail

Our families were sitting in our living room, waiting for our dinner to finish. Our sisters were taking turns drawing on Shawn's cast. Our fathers were off in a corner talking about their common liking in sports and cars. Our mothers were in the kitchen and I was relaxing in my big chair.

I was snuggling with my favorite teddy bear, trying to breathe passed the nausea. "Here sweetheart," Joyce says softly, placing a cup of tea in my hands. "It's an herbal tea, to help with the nausea."

"You're too good to me," I say in a wavering whisper and she laughs. I take a sip of the warm liquid and and feel the nausea die down. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she says softly  and sits next to me in my chair with my legs in her lap. "Shawn is sleeping. I think the pain killers are finally kicking in."

"Good, let her sleep," I say quietly. "I know she's worried about me. I may not be able to see, but I can hear it in her voice."

"She loves you Abbigail," Joyce says softly as I sip more tea. "I haven't seen her get like this with someone, not even someone in our family. I'm not saying she wouldn't protect us if we needed it, but she has this fire that burns in her eyes when it comes to you, since the day she brought you to meet us.

"I'm not going to lie, I never thought someone would accept her. Then she met you. My daughter loves with everything she is and she's giving it all to you," Joyce says softly, rubbing my leg in comfort. "I can also see that you love her. I know how scared you were when I showed up and not Shawn last week. I could see how devastated you were when I told you about her accident. I see how you two are when you're together and I've never seen such a strong connection between two people."

Silent tears rolled down my cheeks as she spoke, knowing the truth behind her words. I didn't need to see to know what she said was true, I could feel it, hear it. "Bring her over here, please," Shawn says in a choked whisper. She hated seeing me cry.

I feel someone take my tea and do nothing to stop them. I don't wait for someone to help me up, I get up and walk in the direction I heard her voice. I feel her reaching out from sitting on the couch and take the seat next to her.

She holds my head to her chest and I let out a calming breath. I slip my hand inside her shirt and trace the scar on her waist. She lets out a relaxed sigh and I feel as her body relaxs under my head. I could hear surprised gasps from everyone in the room at how we calmed each other down. 

"I've never seen my sister calm down like that," Annie chokes quietly. 

"Neither have I with Abbigail," Ashlee chokes in a whisper. 

"They make a beautiful couple," Joyce says softly and the other adults agree. "I'm glad they found each other."

"Shawn, did you still want to talk after dinner," my father asks softly. 

"Yes, I don't want to wait. Can we talk now," she asks in a calm tone. 

"Sure, dinner won't be ready for a bit yet."

She gives me a kiss and I let her up. I felt two people sit on either side of me and took either of my hands. It was our sisters. "How do you feel," Annie asks softly. 

"Depends if you're asking emotionally or physically," I say with a light smile. "Emotionally, I'm a mess. Physically, I get waves of nausea and dizziness throughout the day. I feel a little better now though."

"Abby, what's it like, being with Shawn. I mean, with a woman, not because you know," Ashlee asks embarrassed. 

I feel the smile before it spreads and giggle at my sister. "It's no different than with a man," I joke at her, nudging her side. Tears fill my eyes and I smile. "But all jokes aside, being with Shawn is amazing. The way she makes me feel is indescribable. I don't know what I'd do if the results of her accident were different. 

"After these last few months, I'm not sure if I can live without her or her vanilla and lavender scent," I choke in a whisper and rest my head on my sister's shoulder. I bring Annie's hand in my lap, lacing my fingers with hers. I feel as she hugs at my side and kisses my cheek. "Why do you ask?"

"I've fallen for someone recently  and I can't stop thinking about her," Ashlee says dreamily. 

"What heppened with Andy?"

"He cheated on me, a week after you met Shawn," she says quietly, unaffected by it.

"Men don't know how to treat women today," Annie says softly. "Some girls I dated weren't any better."

I didn't need sight to know my sister and Annie were looking in each other's eyes. "I think you guys would make a cute couple," I say with a smile and move from between them.

I sway on my feet and bring a hand to my head. I feel as I'm sat back down between the girls and rest my head against the back of the couch. "Mom," Annie calls in a calm voice as she helps Ashlee lay me, propped up at the arm of the couch.

"Girls I'm fine, just a little dizzy spell," I say in a breathy tone. 

"What's going on," Shawn asks with worry in her tone and feel her sit on the edge of the couch next to me.

"Dizzy spell," I say in a reassuring tone, taking her hand. "I stood up and got a little lightheaded, I promise."

She leans down, giving me a kiss and then kisses my stomach. "Go easy on mommy," Shawn whispers against my stomach and lays another kiss on my exposed belly. 

I hear the sound of a photo being taken and tears fill my eyes. I run my hand through her hair and she gently lays her head on my stomach. Another photo is taken and dinner is announced that its ready. Shawn gives me a kiss and a moment later I can smell Joyce's perfume along with my mother's. 

They stand on either side of me, arms wrapped at my back and give me their hands. We took it slow to the kitchen being my head was still slightly spinning and I'm eased into a chair with armrests. The moment I'm seated, Shawn takes my hand and places a pill in my palm. 

I take it, remembering the vitamins she asked our sisters to pick up on their way here. "Have you two kissed and confessed your feelings for each other yet," I ask our sisters and hear them cough, choking on their food. "I'm a pregnant, blind woman, not stupid."

"We can all see it," Shawn says backing me up. "Annie is just like me Ashlee, just without the extra package."

Bursts of laughter roar throughout the kitchen. "Seriously though, she's been cheated on more times than I can count by women who thought they like women, but screwed around with men in my sister's bed," Shawn says in sympathy for her sister. "I know that so called boyfriend of yours, Andy. He's a rookie in my department and has been screwing other girls from the major crime squad months before we met at the bar that night. You deserve better and my sister."

It was quiet for a few mintes before I heard someone clear their throat. "Let me take you to dinner Friday night and if you like how the night goes, we can see about starting a relationship," Annie says softly. 

"I'd like that," Ashlee says shyly. 

Shawn

It was a few hours after dinner and we were all talking in the livingroom. Abbigail and I were snuggling in her big chair and it was comfortable enough to sleep in. I found out I was right when I look down at her on my chest to find her asleep.

I kiss her head and lift her naked left hand. I try to picture an engagement ring sitting there and smile at the thought to ask for her hand in marriage. I kiss the bare spot the ring would sit and she snuggles closer to me.

Our sisters were cuddling on the couch, planning their date while I continued talking with both sets of parents. I look between our mothers and ask, "Will you two help me pick out an engagement ring for Abbigail once things settle from the pregnancy and my car accident?"

They both smile and say, "Of course dear, she just needs a distraction from your absence."

"Leave that to us," Ashlee says with a smile, resting her head on my sister's shoulder. "We'll take her maternity shopping. By the time that cast comes off, she's goimg to start showing there's a bun in the oven."

I nod and spare a glance at my mother. She and I were the only ones who know she's having twins and wanting to wait to break it to her family. She gives me a knowing smile and I look down at Abbigail. She looked so peaceful in her sleep and I felt bad because I had to move her to bed.

"Mr. Grey, if you wouldn't mind helping me carry her to bed," I ask quietly and kissed her forehead. "I think Abbigail would be thrilled if you all stayed the night. I know she'd be upset if you all drove home this late and I don't want her to worry about anyone right now."

Everyone gave sympathetic smiles and agreed to stay for Abbigail's sake. Mr. Grey came over and helped carry Abbigail to bed and I followed on the crutches. I trip over the boot and collapse against the wall. I motion for him to keep going and my father comes to my side. He hands my crutches to my mother and helps support my weight so I can walk with the boot.

"Please don't tell her, I don't want her to worry about me," I say quietly. 

"Of course," my father says softly. 

We reach my room as Mr. Grey was leaving. He helps my father bring me the rest of the way to the bed. My father helps remove my boot and my pants. I slip into bed and my mother helps elevate my leg.

"Shawn," Abbigail murmurs in her sleep, rolling toward my side of the bed. I hold my arm up and she snuggles next to me with her head on my chest. "Mmm."

"I'm here," I say in a soothing whisper. 

 

I woke the next morning and Abbigail was gone. I prop up on my elbows and try to see inside the bathroom in our room. "Babe, you in there," I ask softly, rubbing sleep from my eyes.

I got no answer, swing my legs out of bed and run a hand in my tousled hair. I grab my sweats slipping my legs in then strapping on my walking boot. I stand up,  pulling up my pants and limp to the bathroom without the crutches. She wasn't in there so I go to the bathroom and in the middle of going, her sister walks in on me.

She quickly leaves before seeing anything and says, "Abbigail is looking for you. She woke up an hour ago feeling sick and our mothers have been trying to calm her down."

I limp out and Ashlee averts my eye contact, embarrassed about walking in on me. "You didn't see anything,"I say softly and she looks up at me, shyly. "Help me walk out, please. I don't want to use those things right now."

She helps carry my weight on my left side, my arm over her shoulders and hers at my waist. We took slow, steady steps to the living room. I held onto the wall for extra support. Annie came looking for us and took my other side.

I leaned more of my weight on my sister knowing she could handle it. "How bad is she," I say looking at my sister. 

"You had a dream last night that you were back on tour and needed to get back to Abbigail before she went into labor. She said she had to talk to you a few minutes before you could calm down and go back to sleep," Annie says quietly.

We reach the living room and I limp as fast as I can to her in her chair. I take her in my arms and almost instantly she starts calming down. "I'm sorry," I say in a soothing whisper and rub her back. "Hospitals remind me of my tours and I dream about going back. You have nothing to worry about, I've been honorably discharged from services."

She lets out a relieved breath and feels for the scar on my waist. I kiss her forehead and she lays her head on my chest. "I didn't think I was going to get you calmed down, it was as if you couldn't hear me," she chokes in a whisper. "I was scared Shawn."

I gently move her to straddle my lap and she gasps in surprise. I take her hands, placing one over the beat of my chest and the other on my cheek. "I'm right here," I say in a soothing whisper.

I mirror her hands, feeling her heart beat against my palm. Her eyes close and her thumb sweeps at my chest, keeping rhythm with my heart beat. "They can't make me go back," I choke quietly. "I won't go back."

Tears roll down my cheeks and she gently pulls me in her arms, my head to her chest. "I can't go back, I won't have you there to keep me grounded," I choke in a scared whisper. 

Everyone in the room was quiet, not knowing what to say or do right now. My family knew they'd never get me calmed down and Abbigail's family have never seen me have a breakdown before. The only person known to calm me from an episode, was Abbigail. 

"I'm sorry, you sent our sisters to help you calm down and here I am making it worse for you," I choke in sobs and she starts massaging her fingers at my head.

"Shh, it's okay," she says in a soothing whisper. "I'm okay, we're okay."

I let out a calming breath and close my eyes, focusing on only her touch. I turn my face into her neck and breathe in her lingering rosy perfume. Her hands trail over my shoulders, down my arms and back up again. I let out a relaxed sigh and Abbigail lays a kiss on my forehead. "Are you still with me," she whispers in my ear and I nod. 

"Don't stop," I plead in a whisper, holding onto her.

Her hands caress my face and she gives me a slow passionate kiss. I sigh, leaning into the kiss and I hear my family's relieved sighs. "Hospitals trigger her PTSD," Ashlee asks, curious. 

"My sister survived six shots in Iraq, during an ambush, they captured her and two others, torturing them for months in their hospital before they were rescued and returned home," Annie chokes in wavering whisper. "We don't talk about it, but you're going to be joining our family and have a right to know."

"None of us can get her calmed down the way Abbigail can," my mother chokes quietly. 

Abbigail holds my head to her chest and sways side to side. I look at my mother and knew she could see the calm in my eyes. Abbigail's fingers scrunch at the back of my head and it felt soothing. Between her swaying and scrunching, it was putting me back to sleep.

"It's working Abbigail," my mother chokes with relief as my eyes drift closed for sleep. "Don't stop just yet."