raising hope | s.m

♡Thirty-Six♡

Maya

The store is empty when I walk in. All except for the clerk who waves at me. Waving back, I walk straight to the feminine products. Scanning the tests I decide on two. You never know when one can be a dud. Walking up to the check-out, the girl isn't there. As I wait, the door opens.

Faces I never want to see again walk through the door. The guys who attacked me glance through the isles. My back straightens as a hand comes in contact with my lower back. I freeze.

"Long time, no see," he whispers into my ear. A stray tear slips down my cheek. His hand slips further down my back. His friend goes into the back of the store.

"What is he doing?" I question softly.

"He's going to go find that clerk and do to her what we should have done to you." He chuckles darkly. "These. Do you really think you could take care of another child? Especially his."

"Yes," I croak.

"I mean, he already has people after him. I can't imagine you want to put a child through that danger."

"I-I don't." His hand moves to my stomach. He slips his hand up and under my shirt. When it makes contact, I flinch. Turning, I push him off of me. "Let me and everyone else be. Please." 

He chuckles.

"Come on, Henry!" He shouts. The guy comes out from the back. "See you later, Mama."

He slips something into my hand. When I look down, I see a box of pills. They leave and I throw them in the trash.

"Damn shame their father's condom broke," the clerk says. She's about my height with light brown hair, forest green eyes, tan skin, and a sweet smile.

"Where were you?" I ask.

"Someone I know taught me how to hide. I'm Sawyer," she says, reaching her hand out. Taking it, I allow her to scan the tests. She bags them and says the money is on her. I pay anyways. When I'm walking out, Shawn calls me.

"Hey, Mama," I flinch at the name.

"Shawn, please don't call me that," I whisper. Trying to hold back a flood of emotions is hard.

"Why? What happened?" he questions softly. As soon as I get into the car the damn breaks. Shawn coos through the phone. Probably to me and Hope. "Did something happen?"

"Yes. I saw them. The men who hurt me."

"Did they hurt you?" he questions. I can imagine him clenching his jaw. All I want is for him to hold me. All I want is to hold Hope. Shawn groans and curses under his breath.

"What happened?" I ask, worried.

"Hope threw up." My stomach churns.

"I'll be home soon."

"Please be safe. I need you," he mumbles the last part.

"I will be," I say. "I need you too."

We hang up and I drive home.

Hope is hot to the touch and she won't stop crying. I took the test as soon as I got home and it told me what I already knew.

"Hope, I'm sorry baby," I whisper, kissing her forehead. She's crying and I keep rocking her. Hoping, she'll fall asleep.

"Hey, baby girl," Shawn calls. Walking into our room, I see him on the computer.

"What is it?"

"I think Hope has pneumonia." Sighing, I sit on the bed and rock her. She slowly falls asleep. I lay her in her playpen and walk over to Shawn. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kiss his cheek. He quickly closes out a tab but I catch one word that makes my cheeks flush. Pregnancy.

"They were there." He looks back at me. I sit on his lap and he kisses my forehead.

"Did they hurt you?"

"No. Just taunted me."

"I want you to call me if they ever go near you again." He kisses my cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"You sure?" he questions. I don't know how to tell him. What if he leaves as Aiden did. There's no way I could take care of two children on my own. "Breathe, baby girl."

I cry into his shirt. The words of the guy echo in my mind. The pills. Sawyer. It all happened so fast.

When I wake up, Shawn and I are laying on the bed. His arms are wrapped around me and his head is nuzzled into my neck. He shifts before getting up. I get up as well. He walks into the bathroom and my heartbeats. 

"Baby girl?" he calls. He walks out with what I knew was coming. "You're pregnant."