Please Don't Forgive Me

“No, Emma. No, Morgan. No. Garrett, stop! No, No!” I sighed. “Garrett! No, Emma, come back here. Morgan, I swear! Stop following him. Morgan, Emma, come back here! Garrett, what’s wrong with you?” I heard a laugh escape Garrett’s mouth. “Put Addison down! Garrett?” I sighed. This attempt was futile; he wasn’t stopping. “Fine,” I mumbled slipping on a sweater and a pair of Uggs.

“Decided to come with, huh?” he smirked. I rolled my eyes, mocking and mimicking him.

“Where are you going?” I asked quickly. I pulled at the hem of my shirt and fixed the clip in my hair. He looked over and smirked, his blue eyes lighting up like they always did when he had something up his sleeve. “Garrett!”

“Chill Anika, chill. Calm down alright?” he laughed. “We’re going to the beach; it’ll be fine.”

“But it’s cold! They’ll get sick and there’s no doctor for us to take them to. Garrett, this isn’t responsible.” He sighed loudly and pushed open the door to a diner.

“We’re going out for breakfast. Chill out,” he laughed loudly. “I was thinking of taking them down by the water after so I brought their sweatshirts. See?” he asked holding them up.

“Oh,” I replied embarrassed. The kids walked in ahead of him and he ruffled my hair as I ducked under his arm. “Sorry.” He rolled his eyes and got us a booth.

“No you’re not,” he laughed. “It isn’t a bad thing to worry about them, especially now, but I’m their father.” I sighed and thanked the waitress as she handed us the menus and brought over a high chair for Addison.

“Anything to drink?” she asked taking out her pad and paper.

“Coffee,” Garrett answered and turned to me.

“Two orange juices for them,” I gestured to the kids, “and a coffee for me,” I added.

“Make that a decaf,” he added sending a glare my way. The waitress smiled and added decaf next to the coffee.

“Another one on the way?” she asked happily. I nodded and Garrett smiled brightly. “How exciting,” she added walking away. I mumbled to myself and glared at Garrett.

“What?” he asked looking up at me. I put my elbows down on the table and used my palms to support my head.

“What do you mean what?”

“That. That look you gave me. It was like demonic. Have the zombies gotten to you?” he joked.

“Garrett, the waitress in the diner knows and I haven’t even told my friends. Our friends.” I sighed and opened the menu.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I just thought you’d want what’s best. I’m just looking out for our family.” I sighed and put the menu down.

“I know Garrett. I know, and that’s really sweet, but this is a rough time. I’m really, really stressed right now and I drink one cup of regular coffee a day. My doctor says it isn’t desirable, but it isn’t going to cause a problem.” He sighed and reached for my hand across the table. “Not to mention I have a killer headache right now.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, a half smile forming on his lips.

“No, you’re not,” I laughed. “And you shouldn’t be.” I smiled back and he squeezed my hand.

“Is this the part where you guys kiss?” Morgan asked with a disgusted face. “Because if it is I’ll just look away.” I laughed and nodded.

“Yes, it is.” I smirked and leaned across the table to kiss Garrett.

“I didn’t even know that,” Garrett laughed. I smiled and kicked off my shoes under the table to stretch my legs across and rest my feet in his lap. He looked down and let out a small laugh. “You never change do you?”

“Nope. Not at all.”

“Good. I’m glad,” he laughed.

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I ordered pancakes and bacon, Emma got waffles, Morgan got eggs, we got oatmeal for Addison and Garrett got French toast. Pretty much everyone had eaten and I was just pushing the food around my plate thoughtlessly. I wasn’t much in the mood to eat and the sweetness of the syrup wasn’t helping. “Hey,” Garrett called to snap me out of my fog, “you okay?” I put on a small smile and nodded. “Liar.” My smile fell and I looked back down at the plate.

“I’m just a little nauseous. It isn’t really a big deal. I just want to eat slowly. Keep the food and stomach acid where it belongs.” He nodded and smiled. He reached out and rubbed my arm. “I’m okay Garrett.”

“You’ve lost weight,” he remarked sipping his coffee. I nodded in acknowledgement.

“I know,” I hesitated. “I’ve been really stressed. I haven’t had much time to eat and what I did find time to eat didn’t stay down for long. The nausea and the headaches and work and the kids; it’s all been stressful. But I’m okay, I swear. I just went to the doctor and everything’s going fine.” He nodded and put his coffee cup down.

“You aren’t okay Anika. You’re getting worn down. You can’t let that happen.” I sighed and put a piece of pancake in my mouth.

“I’m okay Garrett. I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse too.”

“Anika, you’re almost three months pregnant and you’re starting to show, but overall you’ve lost weight. It isn’t healthy.” He was worried and I could tell. I sighed and placed one hand on my stomach.

“I promise you that I’ll be okay. Look, I’ve eaten and right now I’m okay. It’s starting to let up. You know me; as soon as the morning sickness stops, the weight gain begins.” He laughed and nodded.

“Just don’t run yourself ragged.”

“I won’t Gar. You’re here now,” I smiled.

--------------------♥--------------------

“So, this is what fall in Massachusetts is like?” I asked stepping on the rocks at the beach. Morgan and Emma were flying kites and Garrett and I were walking with Addison.

“Yup,” he answered wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Morgan, further away from the water,” he yelled. “Hey,” he asked lifting my chin, “are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind.” He gave me a look and I turned away. “It’s alright Garrett. I’m fine, everything is fine. I promise.”

“Swear on my life,” he added looking over at me.

“I can’t do that Garrett. Look,” I started, “I’m just worried about Dane being back, okay?”

“That isn’t something to worry yourself sick about though.” I walked us away from the water and sat down in the rocky sand.

“I know. I’m okay. I promise.” But truth be told, it was more to myself than to him. “I’ll be fine,” I smiled.

"I love you so much. Love will get us through this whole thing. Love will make it work," he stated simply and I believed him.

"I love you too," I smiled; really smiled. I leaned in to kiss him earning an 'eww' from Emma and a 'gross' from Morgan. "How do they think they got here?" I laughed whispering to Garrett.

"Adoption?" he joked letting out a low chuckle. I slapped him playfully and fell back in the sand. "What are you thinking about?" he smiled.

"How much I love you; how thankful I am for all of this. How much you make me feel like I'm still sixteen when you're around." We smiled at each other and the world was a happy place.