Chapter Text
A harsh and wet sounding cough filled the bedroom, making Lily curl up on herself, shivering, and groaning as her body throbbed under the mound of blankets Sy had covered her up with, when her first round of coughs woke him, mid-morning.
“I'm here.” Sy called, coming into the room with a cup of steaming hot tea and a small saucer of dry toast for her. “Here.” He whispered, setting the cup and plate on the nightstand and fished Lily out of her blankets, then fluffed some pillows behind her back so she was comfortable, when she sat up.
“Thanks.” Lily replied, her voice weak and raspy.
“You're welcome.” He replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she nibbled on the toast. “Do you have any cold medicine?” He asked, going into the master bathroom, to open the medicine cabinet.
“I don't think so.” She answered, hoarsely.
Sy frowned into the open cabinet, drumming his fingers against the door and tapping his foot on the worn, black and white penny tile floor, trying to make a decision and calculation, before making up his mind and swung the cabinet door closed.
“All right, I'm gonna shoot over to store and pick up some cold medicine for you, maybe a bag of cough lozenges too. I know your throat must be killing you by how raspy your voice is.” He said, standing beside the bed and gently pressed his palm to her flushed and sweaty forehead. “Yeah.” He nodded, pressing his lips together.
“Do you need anything before I leave?” He asked, staring down at her, tenderly.
Shaking her head, Lily rubbed her goose-bumped and shivering arms. Frowning a bit more, Sy moved around to his side of the bed, nicking his hoodie off the back of a chair, and held it out to her with a gentle smile. Letting out a soft huff through her nose and smiling back, Lily took the black garment from him and slipped it on. Sy kissed the top of her head and went downstairs, grabbing his keys off the small table by the door in the entryway and left for the store, fifteen minutes away.
Lily nibbled on the last bland triangle of toast and was about to wash it down with the few remaining sips of her warm tea, when Aika started barking downstairs, making Lily sigh. It was a common occurrence, Aika loved lounging on the window seat in the living room and would go ballistic when she saw a squirrel, even more so, when the door was closed and she couldn't blow out of the screen door and chase after the poor, puff-tailed critter. She had told Sy, countless times, that he should just put a doggy door in either the front door or in both the front and the back doors for Aika, solving the issue of the German Shepherd barking and clawing at the door until it was opened for her.
But, even then, she would rush out onto the porch, scan for the squirrel, see it had disappeared and whine at her and Sy about it for the rest of the day, or until the next squirrel or chipmunk showed its plump face.
Throat far too sore and voice too weak, for Lily to yell out to Aika, she set her teacup aside and got out of bed, a strong shiver racing through her as her bare feet hit the cold floorboards. She had just made it out of her bedroom and into the hallway, when she heard distant whimper and Aika go eerily silent. Frowning, she slowly went down the stairs leading from the top floor into the kitchen, jumping in her skin and Sy's hoodie at a deafening slam that filled the otherwise quiet house.
The kitchen floor gently creaked under her feet as she slowly crossed it, to peek around the corner into the living room and entryway. Hugging herself against the wall, she didn't see anything. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the feel in the air was anything, but ordinary. Aika was nowhere in sight, and Lily didn't hear a peep from her. She knew it wasn't Sy either. He couldn't be back from the store yet, even if he was, Sy was a mountain of a man, his footfalls were always heavy as he bumped around the house, and he would have called out to her, announcing he was back home.
None of that was happening in the dead silent house.
Her hands started to shake and she felt lightheaded, gripping the wall to keep herself steady, tears blurring her eyes, as nausea filled her stomach. She knew what this silence was, it was a silence she had feared for almost ten years, a fear she had been slowly learning to forget, but had started to build around her again.
– –
Lily climbed the two flights of stairs up to her and Jak's second floor apartment, lugging her heavy shoulder bag with her. She was returning from an early afternoon class, already tired and wishing she didn't have one more class later that afternoon as she slipped her key into the deadbolt and opened the door. She froze in the open door, taking a moment to figure out what was wrong. When she realized that the tv she had left on when she left that morning for her first class was off.
A cold shiver raced down her back with a shuddered breath as the apartment door slowly closed behind her. The apartment was silent without the tv going in the living room, which was never a good sign. Usually, when Lily returned from her early afternoon classes, the tv was still on the news or whatever channel she had left it on when she left that morning.
On the days the tv was off, when she got home?
“Where've you been, Bunny?” Jak's voice asked as he entered the living room, arms crossed over his chest and looking cross.
– –
“Hey there, Bunny.” A familiar voice chuckled behind her.
Lily yelped and spun around, pressing her back against the wall. “Jak.” She whimpered, looking up at him.
Jak was different from the last time she had seen him in Richmond, four years prior. He was still tall and lean, eight-ish centimeters shorter and nearly twenty kg lighter than Sy was. His ash blonde hair was pulled up into a bun and the sides of his head were shaved, his cheeks stubbly and his bottle-green eyes boring into her, like a power drill. The last time Lily had seen him, he had the traditional boy cut and his face was smooth, the camouflage of a good, church going boy.
But, there wasn't a trace of that boy now, that facade had broken away to the true monster residing inside the man, Jakson Abernathy, had turned into.
“I've missed you so much, Bunny.” He said soft, reaching out and gently brushed the knuckle of his forefinger against her flushed and feverish cheek, then brought it to his lips, licking off the tear he had collected.
Lily gulped, the agony of her sore throat forgotten in her panicked fright, facing him. “Please, Jak.” She pleaded with him, her voice a soft and raspy whine. “Just go. We don't have to do this. You don't have to do this.” She told him, hands twisting up in the pouch of Sy's hoodie.
“Move on.”
Jak snapped forward in a burst of rage, grabbing her by the throat and pinning her to the wall, the back of her head thumping against it with a hard smack. “Move on!” He roared, spittle flying from his lips and hitting her face. “Move on! I've been looking for your ungrateful ass for five years and the only thing you have to say to me is, move on.”
Lily's lips started to change color as the pressure of his hand around her throat increased, her arms shot out and gripped his arm, digging and scratching at his forearm and struggling against him, black and bright spots flashing in her eyes.
“I'll move on, when we get back home.” Jak told her, his thumb moving out to wipe across her lips.
“No, I'm n-not going w-with yo-u.” She choked, struggling to breath.
“Yes, you are.” He growled, nails breaking the skin of her neck. “You belong to me, since the day I met you, you've been mine. You think that fucking caveman loves you?” He taunted her. “You think him fucking your little cunt means he loves you, you're a fucking idiot. He's just fuckin' you for room and board, once he gets his fill and bored of you, he'll skip out.”
“But, me?” He brought his face closer to hers, their lips brushing. “I will always love you, Bunny. I will always come and find you, take you back home, where you belong. I'm the only one for you.”
Lily tried jerking her head sideways, away from his lips, but only earned a punch to the gut, knocking the teeny bit of air left in her body out.
“You always make shit so complicated.” Jak grunted, between gritted teeth. “Some things never change.” He berated her, shaking his head and about to strike her again, when the crackle and pop of tires on the driveway up to the house reached them.
“Fuck.” He hissed, hearing a car door slam, knowing Sy had returned from town.
– –
Sy searched the cold and flu aisle of the small Celina store, trying to figure out which one would be best for her. “Why do you need eighty products that do the same thing?” He mumbled to himself, looking between the liquid and the pill form of the medicines. “Liquid would be easier for her to swallow, though, with her sore throat.” He reasoned, finally picking a product, then grabbed a bag of cough lozenges, even stopping to grab a bottle of her favorite juice, before heading for the check out line.
He sighed, impatiently shifting foot to foot, as the long line slowly progressed. He glanced at the other two open cashier lines, but they were even longer than his, making him growl, wanting to get back home to Lily already, before he froze, realizing what he was feeling. Lily and her place had become home to him. A real home. More of a home to him than his apartment in Austin or the place where he grew up with his parents. He felt like he belonged there with her and Aika, as if the three of them had created their own little family on the rag-tag farm.
So, when he finally got through the line and paid for his items, he rushed back home to her.
– –
Quickly searching the kitchen, Jak grabbed a knife from the knife block on the kitchen counter beside them, then changed his hand from her throat to the back of her hair, turning her around and pressing her back against his chest. They stood in the kitchen, the tip of the knife pressed into Lily's throat, while they heard the screen door open and Sy's cautious footfalls step into the entryway.
“Lily?” Sy called out, his body tensing. “Aika!” He slowly set the grocery bag down on the floor, his nerve endings coming to life. “Hello?” He barked, his jaw tight, instinct telling him something was deeply off.
Jak pushed Lily forward, moving with her to stand in the entryway of the kitchen and living room, his and Sy's eyes meeting. Both men looked each other over, squaring each other off, trying to find their weaknesses and strengths, whether they could successfully take each other on; and win. Sy was purely confident he could take Jak out, but what he wasn't sure of, was if he could get to Jak before he hurt Lily with that knife he was gripping.
“So, you're him.” Sy said, his eyes hard and locked onto Jak, his blood was pumping and his hands were clenched into such tight fists, his knuckles were white.
“I am.”
Sy nodded, pressing his lips together. “If I were you, I'd let her go.”
“And if I were you, I would take yourself back out to your truck and leave this place.” Jak replied, motioning out the living room window to Sy's truck. “She's mine, caveman.”
Sy chuckled. “I don't think so, boy.” He grinned, taking a step forward.
“Ah!” Jak barked, taking a step back and pressing the tip of the knife harder into Lily's neck, a bead of blood trickled down and disappeared into the neck of Sy's hoodie. “Unless you want both of us to lose her, you'll back off.”
“I'm no-”
“Just listen to him, Sy.” Lily cried, gulping and whimpering.
“Lily.” Sy shook his head at her, trying to keep a handle on himself, for her safety.
“Please, Austin.” She begged him, a wash of tears streaming down her face and neck. “Please, just go.”
“I'm not leaving you with this prick.” Sy barked, not believing the words coming out of her mouth.
“You are, so just leave.” Lily told him. “I love him.” She sniffled, reaching back to grab Jak's shirt.
“Lily.” He barked, shocked.
“Don't worry about him, Bunny.” Jak cooed into her ear, but was grinning victoriously at Sy. “We're leaving here.” He said, slowly backing them into the kitchen and out the door.
Sy stood in the entryway breathing heavily and rocking on his heels as rage and confusion coursed through his body, but his breathing quicken and his mind became laser focused, causing him to snap into action. Going into a drawer in the living room, he pulled out the safety case the gun was in, opened it, and ran out the back door after them. Sy made it out the back door in time to see Jak dragging Lily towards an abandoned field to the right side of her property.
Running in that direction, he hopped over the porch rail to cut down time on reach them.
Making it a couple yards behind them, Sy could see where Jak had been hiding out while he'd been tormenting Lily. There was an old barn in the field from a bygone farm on the property beside Lily's. So, he slowed down, watching as Jak dragged Lily towards the decapitated barn by the wrist, the kitchen knife was in his other hand. Biting his lip, Sy stopped and pulled back the slide on the Taurus, taking very careful aim, he took several deep breaths, calming and slowing his breathing and heart rate, before squeezing the trigger. A loud pop rang out in the air and the bullet clipped Jak in the thigh, causing him to let go of Lily and the knife and drop to the ground.
Surprised, Lily looked back and saw Sy standing there, dropping the arm he was holding the weapon with and motioned to her with the other. Without hesitation, Lily broke out into a run, sprinting straight towards Sy, all but colliding with him and knocking them both to the ground. Sy hugged her, pressing his lips to her forehead, then pushed her behind him, as Jak struggled on the ground, cursing and swearing.
“You son of a whore!” Jak spat, rolling over, and pressing a hand to the seeping red patch on his jeans. “I'll fucking kill both of you!”
Sy's body, tight as a piano wire, suddenly relaxed and he took a step forward, but Lily clutched at his shirt. He looked back at her, giving her a reassuring expression, before approaching Jak, who continued to writhe in pain.
“Listen carefully.” Sy growled at him.
“No!” Jak roared, pointing a bloody finger at Sy, his face pale and angry. “You fuckin' listen! I'm going to make your lives hell! I'm going to fucking—whoa!!” He shrieked as Sy let off another round into the dirt beside him, getting his full attention.
“As I was saying.” Sy barked, his body stiff again. “Listen carefully.” He hissed, teeth gritted together. “I have a lot of friends in very high places, that if I kill you, they will help me erase your weaselly little fucking existence off the face of this god damned planet.” He told him, heatedly.
“She's mine. My girl.” He said, pointing back at Lily.
“So, if you're don't to get your ass out of this town, out of this state, and if you ever look for her again, let alone think about her, I will hunt you down and finish you off.” Sy told him, towering above the other man, and lowering his head to keep his eyes on Jak's.
“Do we understand each other?”
Jak gulped, looking up at Sy, like a tiny mouse cornered by a Cougar, then glanced around him to Lily, who stood watching the two men, terrified and exhausted, unconsciously wiping her runny nose on the cuff of Sy's hoodie, but her eyes were on Sy. It was in that moment that Jak realized that as fearful as Lily was, it wouldn't override her knowledge that Sy would protect her with his life, making his use of it to manipulate her, null and void. His grip on her was gone, he was nothing but a ghost, fading and being replaced.
His eyes shifted back to Sy. “Yeah.”
“Good.” Sy snapped. “Now, I don't care if you have to crawl, hop or limp, but I want you gone.”
Struggling for a moment, Jak managed to pull himself up, carefully balancing on his feet for a moment, before turning on his good leg, then limping and shuffling away from them, towards the dilapidated barn, where his car was hidden. Sy didn't move from his spot or relax, even as the 2013 Honda left the structure, tires kicking up dirt and dust as he tore down the neglected drive, blowing out of the gateless driveway onto the road with a loud screech. It was only when the car and its sound disappeared that Sy relaxed, flicking on the gun's safety with his thumb and pushed it into the waistband of his jeans, then turned towards Lily. Taking two steps to close the gap between them and collecting her in his arms, Sy scooped Lily up and head back towards their house, only stopping once they were back inside the living room and dropped onto the couch, with her in his lap.
Lily let out a weak breath into his chest, tears dripping down her face and arms locked around his neck. Sy pressed his cheek to her hair, his own chest tight with emotions, and squeezed his eyes shut, tears dripping from his dark lashes.
“Aika.” Lily whimpered, pulling back, wiping away her and Sy's tears.
“Oh shit.” Sy panted back, glancing side to side, alarmed, letting Lily get up and stood. “Aika!” He called out.
Both of them paused, listening quietly, then looked at each other, hearing pitiful whines and whimpers coming from the entryway. Having heard a door slam after Jak had entered the house and not seeing Aika, but clearly hearing her whines, Lily knew there could only be one place for the German Shepherd to be and rushed to the coat closet in the hallway, yanking the door open.
“Oh, good lord.” She gasped, finding the dog inside the closet, front and back paws were taped together, as was her muzzle. “My poor baby.” She cooed, dropping to her hands and knees, gingerly peeling the tape from around Aika's mouth.
“That fuck.” Sy barked, standing behind Lily, and seeing what Jak had done to his beloved Aika, hating him even more for hurting his girls. “Here.” He said, kneeling down beside Lily, and removing a small, folding knife that was clipped to his belt, then carefully cut the tape wrapped around Aika's legs.
Lily removed the tape from around her paws the best she could without causing Aika anymore discomfort and pain. “Oh, I know, such a sweet girl.” Lily murmured, as Aika got up, licking at her and Sy's faces, her shaggy tail beating against the walls of the closet. “I'll give you the entire container of treats, promise.”
Sy chuckled softly, gently petting Aika, relieved that both Lily and the German Shepherd were safe and sound again, and for the most part, unharmed. “Let me see your neck.” He said, cupping her chin between his fingers and turning her head to look at the nick and line of dry blood on her neck. “It's nothing too bad, but I should clean it up.” He told her, standing, then helped her up to her feet.
Grabbing the bag that had been discarded and forgotten on the entryway floor, Sy went upstairs with Lily, Aika close behind them. Setting the bag down on the bed and taking her into the bathroom, he easily moved about the small space. Sy had become familiar with the master bathroom in the few weeks he had started sleeping with Lily in her room, as she helped him combat his nightmares. He grabbed a bottle of antiseptic from the medicine cabinet and squeezed some of it on a fluffy, white cotton ball, then turned his careful attention onto her. Gently lifting her chin and dabbing at the cut, making Lily hiss and bite her lip, he gave her a sweet and sympathetic look, cleaning away the dry and flaky blood.
“There, all better.” He smiled, tossing the bloody cotton ball into the bin.
“Thank you.” Lily smiled, before subsiding into a coughing fit.
Sy snapped back into the reality before Jak rocked their usually peaceful life, recalling why he had left the house in the first place, going to grab the bag off the bed and brought it back to her, taking out the bottle of cold and flu medicine. Tearing the safety seal off, Sy poured the nasty looking green syrup into the clear, plastic measuring cup and held it out to her. Lily's face twisted with disgusted, shivering, but she took it from him and quickly downed it.
“Ew, that is so nasty.” She laughed, nervously, setting the cup down.
“As long as it works.” Sy replied, closing the bottle.
“I thought you were going to kill him.” Lily whispered as she sat down on the bed.
Sy stopped in the doorway of the bathroom, biting his lip and pushing his jaw forward, slowly nodding his head as he thought about it. He thought he was going to end up killing Jak too. He had thought a lot about what he would do if, and when, he met Jak in person, ever since he answered his call and Lily told him about their history, over a week ago. He had pictured beating him to a pulp, killing him and just giving him a good talking too; making a point that Lily was no longer his.
But, even Sy knew, you don't know how you'll react to a situation until it happens.
“I thought I would kill him too.” He admitted out loud, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed, beside her. “Part of me wanted too.” He added with a soft sigh.
“But, then he would have taken you from me.”
Sy reached out and took her hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb over her wrist. “My life would be an equal trade for your safety, Lily.”
“But, not for my happiness.” She countered, lifting a brow at him.
Their eyes met and Sy smiled at her, leaning forward to gently kiss her.
“Rest.” He whispered against her lips. “It's all over now.”
– –
Lily sighed softly, then chuckled, feeling Sy's heavy palm press down on her belly. “So vain.” She giggled, splaying her legs open and resting her ankles on his calves.
“Am I?” He chuckled back, feeling himself moving inside of her.
“You're always pressing your hand to my abdomen, when we have sex. Always enjoying the feel of that fat cock inside of me.” She told him, locking her dainty hand around his thick wrist as his hand stayed on her stomach. “I don't know who takes more pleasure in it, me or you.”
“Both of us.” Sy laughed, leaning over and gently kissed her.
– –
Sy wiped his sweaty forehead on the sleeve of his painting coveralls and took a step back, lowering the long handled paint roller into the roller pan, that was filled with moth gray paint that he and Lily had picked out to paint the house with, accented by slate blue shutters, dark stained porch support posts and a white door.
“It's looking good, Bear.” Lily said, stepping out onto the porch, carrying a glass of iced tea.
“Thanks, Angel.” Sy smiled, carefully setting the roller down and took the glass from her. “Hopefully, I'll be done soon, and I'll start putting up the roofing.” He told her, between sips. “Do you want to see it?” He asked her, setting the cool glass on the porch rail.
“Sure.” Lily nodded, pressing her lips together and gulping down a sudden nauseous ump in her throat, before following Sy around the other side of the house and off the porch, towards the barn, where the roofing material was stored.
Sy pushed open the barn door, smiling as it glided on its rollers, he had replaced and greased the track, so when the roofing material was delivered it would be easier for him and the delivery men to get in and out of the structure with the heavy boxes. Entering the barn, Sy opened one of the cardboard flaps to the roofing materials and showed Lily what was inside.
“I thought the black would accent well with all the other colors we have going with the house.” He started to explain to her.
“Is it metal?” She asked, reaching out and touching it, finding it cool under her fingertips.
“They are.” Sy nodded, smiling at her. “They last longer than asphalt shingles, you know, the shingles that normally go on houses. But, they're lighter than tile or slate. I also know you love the sound of the rain and hail on the barn's roof, and it's metal, so, I thought you'd enjoy it in the house too.” He told her, proud of his methods. “I'll insulate the roofing a bit. so it won't be so loud, when we get a really bad storm.”
Lily smiled, incredibly touched by Sy's thoughtfulness, as she often was. “Thank you.” She replied, moving over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tight for a moment, until the strong smell of the paint on his coveralls hit her nose and went straight to her stomach. “Oh god.” She gasped, whining, and tore away from him.
Racing out the barn door and skidding around the corner, Lily doubled over and spilled her guts, puking and wrenching into the tall grass and weeds growing alongside the barn wall. Sy's hot hand pressed to the small of her back, concerned, as she continued to dry heave for several more moments.
“You all right?” He asked, rubbing her back and making sure her hair wasn't in her face.
“Yeah.” She nodded, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and stood up. “I just think all the paint fumes are getting to me.”
Nodding and letting out a slow breath, Sy walked back into the house with her and brought the portable fan into the living room, hoping to reduce the strength of the paint smell in the room for her, seeing how pale she was.
“Are you going to be okay?” He asked, bringing her a glass of water.
“Yeah, I'll be fine, Bear.” She replied, slowly sipping the water.
“Okay.” Sy nodded, chewing on the corner of his lip. “I'm going to try and finish this side of the house by the end of the day. If you need anything, just call. All right?”
Lily smiled up at him. “All right, Sy.”
Smiling back at her, Sy kissed her temple and went back out onto the porch. Lily sat on the couch for a little while longer, pressing her hands to her face, tired and her stomach still acting up, the smell of paint wasn't as strong with the windows open and the fan blowing, but it was still lingering. So, she went upstairs to the master bedroom, where the air was clear. She dropped on the bed and picked up her phone, figuring the hormonal change from her upcoming period was causing her to be nauseous, and opened a period tracking app she used.
“Oh, fuck.” She gasped, seeing the date on the tracker, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, foot tapping with nervous and antsy energy. “Fuck it.” She snapped, jumping to her feet and went back downstairs, swiping her keys off their hook.
“Where's the fire?” Sy asked, as Lily breezed out the front door.
“I'm just going into town.” She replied, biting her lip.
“All right.” Sy answered, turning back to the section he was painting. “Wait.” He froze, just processing what she said to him. “What?” He squeaked, turning back towards her.
Lily's mouth worked for a moment, flustered. “I'm...going into town.” She repeated, slowly.
Sy set down the paint roller. “Do you want me to go with you?” He asked, eyes scanning her, he could tell something had her distressed, but couldn't put his paint covered finger on it.
“No.” She shook her head, and took a deep breath. “I know you want to finish this, and I think I can do it.” She told him, feeling a slow confidence wrap around her anxiety of going into town by herself for the first time since she came to Celina, nearly five years before.
“As long as you're sure.” Sy replied, regarding her, a soft light of pride in her glowing in his blue eyes.
“I am.” Lily nodded, smiling at him, even more fortified by his pride. “I'm no longer afraid of what's out there, like I used to be.”
“I'm proud of you, Angel.” Sy cooed, beaming at her.
“Thanks, Bear.” Lily blushed, shyly brushing her hair behind her ears.
“Hey, since you're heading out that way, could you get me another roller?” He asked, looking down at the one he had been using.
“Sure, do you need a specific kind?”
“Yeah, a roller with a three-fourths nap.”
“Three-fourths nap, noted.” Lily replied, committing it to memory. “Anything else?”
“Nope.” He shook his head, giving her a quick kiss, before she stepped off the porch and got into her usually unused car.
Lily let out a deep breath as she pulled off her property, her heart thundered in her chest as she approached the small town, nervous about why she was going out there to start with and what the residences would say when they saw her out and about on her own, she knew they would whisper and talk, especially when they saw the items she bought. Lily contemplated going over to the next town of Prosper to get the items, not wanting the gossip to be running rampant around Celina by morning, but shrugged it off.
“Let them talk.” She said, pulling into the parking lot. “It won't change anything.”
Going into the hardware store first, Lily got the paint roller Sy had asked her to get and dropped it in the car, before going into the grocery store for what she had gone out for.
“Hey, Ms. Lily!”
“Hey, Travis.” Lily smiled at the teen.
“You're out and about!” He grinned at her, abandoning his spot at the end of a cash register, where he was supposed to be helping bag groceries, to walk with her.
“I am.” She chuckled at him, biting her lip and blushing.
“Are you trying to overcome your fear or something?” He inquired, tilting his head at her.
“Something like that.” She replied, offering him a sweet smile.
“I'm glad.” Travis smiled back at her, really looking proud of her. “You really deserve to live life to the fullest.” He told her, with a sweet earnest.
“Thank you, Travis.” Lily chuckled, gently touching his arm.
“Marlowe!” A voice barked, startling them both into looking behind them. “Bags.” A heavy set man in a creased pair of slacks and white polo shirt snapped, pointing at the checkout stand Travis had walked away from.
“Sorry, Mr. Gillis.” Travis replied, sheepishly. “I was just giving Ms. Lily aisle directions. The Tylenol is on aisle seven.” He said, looking back at Lily.
“Thanks, Travis. You're a lifesaver.” Lily replied, going along with it.
Travis winked at her and went back to his job and Lily went on her way, weaving around until she found the aisle she was looking for, finding three different types of the product she was looking for and was unsure which would be the best to use. So, she grabbed one of each and started for check out, but back tracked and grabbed a bottle of Tylenol, before going to pay for her items. Thankfully, Travis wasn't upfront, when she got up there, causing her heart to slow down, greatly, in her chest. Even though, the cashier gave her a knowing glance as she rang Lily up, but Lily pretended to not see it, staring at the headline of a magazine beside the register.
Returning home, Lily crammed the three boxes into her bag, before getting out of the car, and Sy was still working on the porch. He turned his attention to her, smiling as she stepped up onto the porch with him, holding out the new roller brush to him.
“Thanks.” He said, taking it from her. “How'd it go?” He asked.
“It went really well.” Lily smiled, her anxiety level starting to go down again, but was still anxious. “I ran into Travis.” She chuckled.
“Oh, how did that go?” Sy laughed back.
“He got in trouble with his boss, but he's a good kid.” She smiled, jiggling her bag of Tylenol.
“Is that what you went for?” Sy asked, lifting a brow at the bag.
“More or less.”
“Hm.” He hummed, pressing his lips together. “Well, I'm glad you did it, I knew you could.”
“Thanks, Bear.” Lily smiled, pushing up on her toes and kissed him on the lips. “I'll get dinner started soon.”
“Good, I'm starved.” He replied against her mouth.
“Always and forever.” Lily teased him, giggling, then went inside.
With Sy still distracted with the porch, Lily went upstairs and closed herself inside the master bathroom, dumping the three boxes onto the sink counter and letting out a shaky breath, glancing at herself in the mirror.
“Here goes nothing.” She sighed, tearing open the boxes and read their instructions. “Seems easy enough.” She talked to herself, trying to keep her nerves under control, pausing when she heard whining outside the bathroom door. “Come on, quick.” She whispered, opening the door for Aika, then closed it behind her.
“You wanna take this for me?” Lily quipped, holding up one of the test sticks. “I didn't think so.” She huffed, when Aika just stared up at her. “It was worth the ask.” She babbled, nervously, before working up the nerve to take two of them.
She nervously paced the bathroom, chewing on her lip or on her fingernails, trying to figure out a way to tell Sy if either of them came out positive. If they didn't, it was easy not to tell him, there wouldn't be a need to, it was just her own silly paranoia. Maybe her tracker was just off, she was bad at remembering to update the thing after her periods ended and things had been crazy around that time, dealing with Jak. But, what if her tracker was right, what if she was really a week late. Ever since their first time in the barn during the storm, Lily and Sy enjoyed having sex with each other every chance they got, for God's sake, they had sex up against the kitchen table the night before, while they were supposed to be making dinner, only to end up burning it and having to call out of pizza instead.
There were so many moments in the last month that could have ended up with Lily being at this point, that it was nearly impossible to say which one it was.
The five minute timer on Lily's phone started to ring and she tapped it off, but still didn't have the courage to look at the two sticks balanced on the sink's edge. Pressing a hand over her eyes and stepping up to the counter, Lily counted to five under her breath, then yanked her hand away from her eyes, quickly looking down before her spur of the moment courage failed her again and felt her stomach drop.
“Oh fucking shit.” She snapped, despite the grin on her face.
Staring at the tests for a moment longer, Lily opened the bathroom door and walked down the hall, to the main staircase, that was closest to the front door, but froze. A chill of fright filling her, what if Sy wasn't happy about the results, what if he freaked out and left or worse.
“No.” Lily shook her head, pushing that fear down. “Not my Bear.” She said, gulping. “Austin.” She called down the stairs to him.
There was a quiet moment, before the screen door opened and slammed shut again.
“Yeah?” Sy called back up the stairs to her.
“I need you to come up here.” Lily replied, biting her lip and taking a calming breath.
Sy's heavy footsteps came up the stairs, then he appeared before her, brows lifted in question. “What's up, Sugar butt?”
Lily motioned down the hall with her head, then moved back into the bedroom. Sy smirked, his step picking up a bit, figuring she was in a mood, and was more than happy to oblige her. But, he frowned at her, when she stopped beside the bathroom door and pointed inside of it, her eyes meeting his. Blinking once at her, Sy stepped into the bathroom, figuring now, that something had broken and she needed him to fix it, but what he found wasn't anything that was broken.
Far from it.
Sy's eyes instantly found the two used pregnancy tests on the bathroom counter, one of them showing two noticeable blue lines and the other one with the clear word, pregnant, in their indication windows. His mouth fell open and his eyes grew wide with surprise and shock, his brain going blank for a moment, unable to compute anything more than those two positive tests, before looking at Lily.
“You're sure?”
“I took two for a reason.” She replied, stared back at him, just as wide eyed. “I have a third, but I didn't think there would be a need for it, if the first two were the same result.” She explained, licking her lips.
Sy turned on his heels and strode over Lily, who spooked slightly, taking a step back from him, unsure how he was reacting, despite trying to reassure herself he wouldn't be angry about it. But, Sy caught her up in his arms and picked her up clean off her feet, nearly crushing her in his thick arms and against his chest, spinning her in a circle and burying his face into her neck, smiling and laughing, overjoyed, beyond belief.
“So, you're not angry?” Lily asked, holding onto him.
“Are you kidding me?” Sy laughed, pulling back and looking her in the face, beaming with tears in his eyes. “How could I ever be angry?” He asked her, like it was the most absurd thing in the world. “I love you, Lily, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He said, setting her back down on her feet and brushed his fingers through her hair, tenderly.
“I, sure as hell, want to have kids with you.” He told her, sincerely, cupping her face in his hands.
“I do too.” She whispered back, overcome with relief and joy, and grasped his wrists.
– –
With the two pregnancy tests reading positive, Lily called the closest OBGYN in the area, which was twenty minutes away in the town of McKinney, and made an appointment with them for the earliest availability, which was three days later.
“I was thinking.” Sy said, drumming his thumbs on the steering wheel as he drove them to the appointment.
“Oh?” Lily replied, looking up from the ultra-soft, dove colored, yarn in her lap.
“I want to give up my apartment in Austin, and permanently stay out here with you and the baby.” He told her, glancing at her for a moment, smiling at the baby blanket she had started to crochet the night before.
“I already thought you were here permanently?” Lily chuckled, eyes sparkling at him. “Place in Austin or not.” She said, eyes turning back to her needlework.
Sy reached across the center console and gently took her hand in his. “You have no idea, how much you have made that farm a home for me. How much you've become home to me.”
Lily gripped his hand tighter, feeling the deep emotion of the moment. “I feel the same, Austin.” She whispered back, tears filling her eyes and spilling over, dripping onto the yarn. “So much, the same.”
They made it to the building Lily's new doctor worked out of and signed in for their appointment, filling out paperwork, while they waited for their turn to go back. Both of them were nervous and excited about the appointment, to find out more about the baby and what life would be like from here on out. Sy wanted to know what the gender was, but knew that wouldn’t happen for several more weeks, while Lily just hoped she wouldn't have any major complications during the pregnancy, her nausea was already starting to get more frequent, having been woken up early that morning to rush into the bathroom to throw up.
“Ms. Moore?” A nurse called out.
Lily and Sy stood up and the nurse showed them into the back, pausing for a moment to hold out a small urine sample cup to Lily.
“There's a bathroom two doors down, on the left, fill it to the line, and when you're done, leave it on the little counter in there, then I'll show you both to the exam room.” She explained to Lily.
“Okay.”
Lily nodded, a slight shake in her hand as she took the cup from her and went down to the bathroom, doing as she was told. It took Lily a moment to get going, her excitement and nerves taking up so much of her attention. She squeezed her eyes shut, taking a shaky breath, her mind flashing back and forth between every conceivable scenario between her, Sy and the baby. Her belly growing rounder than a ripe watermelon in summer, Sy finished up the house and working on a nursery, while she crocheted the blanket. The patter of feet in the house, the sound of laughs and barks in the yard as the baby and Aika played together.
But, also the fear of Sy suddenly deciding he didn't want a life with her and going back to Austin, leaving her to raise the baby on her own, or the absolute worst, losing the baby all together.
“Not going to happen.” She chanted under her breath. “He loves me.”
Taking several deep breaths, Lily managed to fill the cup to the line, secured the lid on it and set it down on the small shelf screwed into the wall across from the toilet, before washing her hands and going back out into the hall to join Sy and the nurse.
The nurse smiled at her and showed her and Sy into a sweet little exam room, where Lily took a seat on the table, letting the nurse take her vitals.
“The doctor will be right with you, Ms. Moore.”
“Thanks.” Lily smiled at her, legs gently swinging and hands clasped in her lap.
Sy stood in front of Lily, untangling her hands and held them in his, squeezing them as he felt them shake. “It'll be all right, Angel.” He cooed at her, pressing their hands to his chest and stood between her legs. “You're doing so good, my sweet thang.” He chuckled, starting to tease her a little bit, knowing it would lighten her mood.
Sy tried to cover his own worry and fear, wanting to look and be strong for Lily, knowing she was just as terrified as he was. He had wanted a family, a kid, for a long time, but not just a kid to have a kid for the sake of it, to have someone to carry on the bloodline and legacy. He wanted to have a kid with someone he loved, to have a life. To be someone more than Captain Austin Syverson of the U.S Army. To be, Austin Syverson, Father, Dad and husband, maybe even grandpa one day.
That had been Austin's dream.
And here was Lily, his beautiful, sweet Angel, who had saved him. He loved Lily with his entire soul, he would live for her and he would die for her, and now, she was carrying his daughter or son, proving him wrong, when he thought he couldn't love her anymore. Giving Sy one more thing on his bucket list. She gave him a purpose, she gave him a place to belong, and she gave him unconditional love and support. Lily made Sy feel wanted and complete. He couldn't think of anything more he wanted, but he had a feeling that Lily might give him more than what he expected.
“Snookums.” He laughed aloud.
“Oh god.” Lily laughed back, shaking her head at him, starting to feel better. “Watch yourself, Pooh Bear.” She teased him back, pressing her palms to his chest.
Sy rolled his eyes at her, leaning slightly forward and gently rubbed noses with her, with a soft knock on the room door and it opened, a short lady with smooth caramel skin and a white doctor's coat stepped into the room, smiling sweetly at both Lily and Sy.
“Hello.” She greeted them, extending her hand. “I'm Dr. Evers.”
“Hi.” Lily greeted her back and shook her hand. “Lily.” She smiled.
“Sy.” He replied, shaking her hand next.
“So, you're expecting?” Dr. Evers beamed at Lily, genuinely happy for them.
“Yeah.” Lily grinned, excited and shy. “I've been nauseous, which usually happens on my period.” She began to explain. “So, I was checking when my period was due to start, on a tracker I have on my phone, only to realize, I was nearly a week late.” She said, glancing over at Sy.
“I took two pregnancy tests and they both came back positive.”
“Great.” Evers nodded. “The urine test you took came back positive as well, but I'll also want to take a UPT test as well, to be extra sure.” She explained to Lily, just as the door opened again and the nurse came back in, pushing a small metal cart with two plastic tubes with rubber caps and a needle inside a sterile package.
Lily's hand instantly shot out for Sy's hand, eyes wild, gulping and paling slightly. Sy let her squeeze his hand as hard she wanted, while rubbing her back with his free hand, leaning in and pressing his lips to her temple. Lily, reluctantly, held her arm out to the nurse, who gently sterilized the inside bend of her elbow and took out the needle, that had a thin tube and cap-like object attached to it, that she slotted one of the test tubes into, before skillfully inserting the needle into Lily's arm.
“See, not so bad.” Sy smiled at Lily's soft hiss, watching her rich blood fill up the tube, and gently pet her hair. “Proud of you.” He added, softly.
The nurse filled both tubes, removed the needle and covered the injection site, smiling sweetly at Lily, then left the room with the blood samples.
“So, the test results will take two to three days to come in.” Evers explained to them, once the door closed. “The office will give you a call with the results. Until then, I want you to rest and take it easy. I'll prescribe you a prenatal vitamin and something for your nausea. Once we get your results and they’re positive, we'll set up another appointment and go from there.”
“Sounds great, Doc.” Sy grinned, giddy as a school-boy about being a dad.
“That it does.” Lily agreed, ecstatic as well.