Chapter Ten

As promised, Warren made sure that Wendy was released from the hospital the very next day. The doctor wasn't too keen on it, considering his patient had nearly miscarried and had significant injuries, but Warren promised to care for her every single second until she was well. "I won't let her lift a finger," Warren promised the doctor. "I will be with her night and day, taking care of her and our baby."

Warren Carter was quite persuasive, so the doctor found himself unable to say 'no.' He signed Wendy's release papers and she was free to go. She had turned out to be a difficult patient, constantly complaining and trying to get up out of bed despite all of the warnings from the hospital staff. The nurses seemed relieved when they helped her into a wheelchair and pushed her toward the exit, so she could leave with Warren in his car.

Warren's car was his pride and joy, next to the club. It had cost him thousands. He was the owner of a BMW MI, one of the rarest BMW's on the planet. It was one of the most sought-after vehicles. No one in Henderson or any of the other nearby towns owned such a vehicle. Warren knew his car would bring in a lot of cash, if he should ever decide to sell it. He didn't want to part with it, but he would. If it meant supporting Wendy and their coming child, he would make the sacrifice.

On their drive back to the apartment Warren had shared with Suzie, he was silent as if deep in thought. Wendy didn't know what he had on his mind. "Warren, are you having regrets?" she asked quietly. "About... about us?"

"No," he said as he continued to drive. "I was just thinking about our future."

Wendy smiled. She couldn't help but beam with happiness, because it seemed she was getting everything she had always wanted. She was going home with Warren Carter, the man she loved ... AND she was carrying his child!

"Warren, you seem ... well, a little worried."

"I don't want to upset you, honey... but while you were in the hospital, a lot happened..."

"You and Suzie's impending divorce?"

"There's a lot more going on besides the divorce."

"You can tell me," she urged. "I need to know."

"The club - I don't own it anymore. I only own 1/4 of it. I have to make other financial arrangements. Money's going to be tight for us for awhile, until I can find a job. I might have to... " His voice trailed off as he thought of his precious car.

"Warren, you wouldn't think of selling this, would you?!" Wendy exclaimed, referring to the car. She knew how much it meant to Warren. He'd worked so hard for it and he had spent thousands! She had a fondness for the car as well. Wendy was fond of all the finer things.

"Wendy, I'll do what I have to do," he said. "I don't want you to worry."

"I don't want you to give up everything. You've already lost the club," Wendy said sadly.

"Ringo's looking for work, too. Something will come up. In the meantime, I'm going to get you settled in. I'll take care of you- you and our baby," Warren promised. "Everything is going to work out... just like it's supposed to."

"I could ask my mother for money. Maybe-."

"NO WAY!" Warren exclaimed. "I would sell the clothes off my back before I asked that witch..."

"Okay, you're right. That was a bad idea. It's just that I am worried too, Warren. What if we can't provide for our baby?"

"I promise that you, me, and the baby are going to be fine. You just need to get home and into bed. You need some rest."

"I like the thought of that," she said as her smile returned. "You and me in a bed, cuddling..."

"I got everything ready for you, Wendy. You're going to love it."

It was in that moment when she saw a rare smile overtake Warren Carter's face. He didn't smile much, but he was happy when he was with her. He was worried about their future and how they'd make ends meet, but just having her close and in his presence had lifted his spirits.

"I missed you so much," he said as he gazed over at her. "I am glad we are back together again."

"Me, too. My heart was broken without you."

"No more tears or broken hearts. We are a couple now; soon to be married. Just as soon as I get a divorce from Suzie, you can be Mrs. Warren Carter."

That was a dream come true for Wendy- to be Mrs. Warren Carter. That's all she had ever wanted, from the moment she had fallen head over heals in love with him. It didn't seem real though and Wendy was afraid. She was terrified that something was going to ruin it. She wasn't ready to believe it was entirely real yet. What if Warren suddenly changed his mind?! What if she lost the baby?! What if...?!

Seeing the despondent look on her face, Warren asked, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I'm just tired, Warren. I can't wait to go home and crawl into bed."

Warren knew she was lying. The haunted look in her deep amethyst eyes gave away all of her fears. He'd just have to prove to her that he was a changed man. Once he got her home, he would pamper her. He would reassure her of his love and devotion. Now his life would be all about Wendy and their coming baby. Everything else would have to wait, because he for once in his life, Warren Carter had all of his priorities straight.

~*~o~*~

Warren insisted on carrying Wendy inside. She rested in his arms on the elevator, pressing her cheek against his chest to take in the sound of his steady heartbeat. "I can walk, Warren. I am not that fragile."

"The doctor said you and the baby need to rest," Warren said as the elevator came to it's stop on the seventh floor. Warren stepped off, carrying his precious burden in his muscular arms. He only had to take a few more steps until they reached his apartment he had shared with Suzie.

"This is your home now. All of Suzie's belongings have been packed up and sent to her Aunt Jo's," Warren said as he carefully set Wendy on her feet and unlocked the door.

"It looks so different," Wendy said as they stepped inside. Warren had redecorated, giving the apartment his own special touch. He'd used a lot of his furniture from the club in which Wendy found very pleasing. It really did seem like their place.

"I knew you'd love it," he said when he saw her reaction.

"I think we've done it on almost every single piece of furniture there is..." she said with a little giggle.

Warren shook his head. "There's always the kitchen counter top. It's new and exciting."

"You would say that."

He could only smirk. "Speaking of that, you need to see the bedroom."

He took her hand and eagerly drug her off toward the single bedroom. It was the perfect size. Wendy gasped, seeing the bed. It was covered in a soft, fuzzy purple bedspread she recognized from Warren's pull-out bed from the club. "Warren, I love it!" she exclaimed.

Next to the bed was a cradle. And inside the cradle was a little brown teddy bear. When she saw it, Wendy wept.

She picked up the bear as a sob tore from her throat. "Ohhh Warren, I almost - almost lost our baby."

Warren pulled her into his embrace to comfort her. "But by some miracle, the baby survived and so did you. And because of what happened, I realized I had made an awful mistake. Wendy, you and I are meant to be together... and this baby, the child that you carry, he or she was meant to be born."

"He," Wendy corrected. "We are having a boy,"

"If you say so," he said as a tiny smile played upon his lips. "But if our child turns out to be a girl, you're going to be so disappointed."

"It won't. It's a boy. Warren Carter Junior," Wendy said as she lay down on the bed, holding the cuddly bear.

Warren chuckled, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her, gazing into her eyes. He couldn't believe she was here, in his apartment with him and they were about to start their lives together.

"Warren," she said quietly. "There's something I have to ask you... something I just HAVE to know."

"What is it, honey?" he asked as he lightly brushed some stray tendrils of dark hair away from her bruised face.

"What happened between you and Suzie the other night, at her Aunt Jo's cabin? You didn't... you didn't have sex with her, did you?" Wendy questioned cautiously.

Warren tensed and let out a long, pent-up sigh. She could tell by his expression that his answer wasn't going to be good. "Wendy, I- I thought we were over. I thought I had lost you..."

"So you... slept with Suzie?" Wendy asked, dreading his reply.

"I did," he responded. "But it meant nothing. She wasn't... you."

Seeing the look of intense pain that settled in Wendy's eyes, Warren wondered if he should have lied. Wendy was supposed to be resting and relaxing. He shouldn't have upset her, not in her fragile state. He knew she had to be devastated by the thought of him having sex with Suzie. It made him sick to his stomach as he thought of that last intimate act he had shared with his soon to be ex-wife.

"I'm sorry, Wendy. I shouldn't have..."

"I was trying to get there... to stop you."

"I know, baby. You tried... and that's why you had that terrible accident. That's why you almost died. That was MY fault. That's on me... and sleeping with Suzie that night, that's on me, too. I have so much to make up to you. I know I don't deserve it, but I hope you can forgive me. When you were in the hospital, I asked you to forgive me, and you said you would try. Please, Wendy, I need you to try."

Wendy was exhausted. It had been such a long day and her emotions were crazy and out of whack. She hugged the teddy bear against her chest as she stared at Warren, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I need to sleep now. We'll talk later," she said softly.

Warren didn't argue. She needed to rest and heal, physically and emotionally. "I'll let you rest then... and go make us something to eat."

He lightly kissed her forehead, then carefully stood to dim the lights. Wendy let out a little sigh as she was drifting off to sleep on the soft coverlet where she had made love to Warren countless times. Their child had likely been conceived on that coverlet. It smelled of Warren and it was comforting. She fell asleep feeling soothed.

Warren stood in the doorway, watching her for a moment. Everything changed in his life drastically when he fell in love with Wendy. Everyone seemed to be against them and their love, but he vowed no one would tear them apart again... EVER. They belonged together and they were going to make a life together. All he wanted now was to make Wendy happy.

He entered the kitchen and began searching through the cupboards. He'd never made a meal in his life and all of the sudden, he had to come up with something fulfilling and nurturing for Wendy. He grimaced as he had no idea what he'd cook or even HOW to prepare it. He reached for the nearby telephone and called his sister. "How do you make a can of soup?"

Hearing his question, Kristin laughed her ass off. "Seriously, Warren, you don't know how to make soup?'

"I know how to run a club, not how to make soup!"

"Just follow the directions on the can. You'll figure it out," Kristin said, promptly ending the call.

After she hung up the phone, Brian asked, "Who was that? Warren?"

"Yeah," she said, still snickering. "He asked me how to cook a can of soup."

"Seriously?"

"He's brilliant with the IQ of a genius but he can't prepare a can of soup. Go figure."

"He and Wendy are in a hell of a lot of trouble then, because my sister has never set foot in a kitchen. At Mom's, the servants do all the cooking. She doesn't even know how to run the toaster."

"Are you telling me you can't cook soup, Brian?"

"I have other talents," Brian said as he grabbed Kristin in his arms and carried her off toward the bedroom. They hadn't been able to keep their hands off each other ever since the moment they'd renewed their relationship.

He was nibbling on her neck as he set her down on the bed. "Do you still love me, even though I can't cook soup?" he asked his beautiful Kristin.

"I can do the cooking," she replied. "And I'll always love you. Always."

"Good, because I was hoping I could move in."

"I thought you already had," she said as she pulled him down on top of her.