Thank you all! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Chapter 5

John had found a restaurant that had private seating right outside where they could watch as the waves crashed against the sand and settled back into the ocean. It was soothing. Anna found herself watching the waves over and over again for several minutes at a time. It was the only sound that filled the air. It was nice, peaceful.

"This is so lovely, John. I have never been here before," Anna told him, giving him her attention again. John gave a soft smile, before nodding.

"I believe it's a newer establishment. I found it online. I thought being able to eat outside might keep you from getting too nauseous."

"That's very kind of you to consider. It does help. The sounds of the waves help too. I like it here. I've actually been able to sleep. I'll be sad when we have to leave at the end of the week," Anna confessed.

"Me too," John agreed. Anna bit down on the edge of her lower lip and thought how this felt like a proper date. Even though she knew that it wasn't. It was just two friends eating out and getting away from the secrets at the condo.

Upon coming on this night out, John had made a promise to himself not to bring up how the baby came to be or who the father of the baby was. He knew that Anna needed to trust he wouldn't push her, but he did hope she would feel comfortable enough with him to share the truth with him soon.

"I….I do want to thank you for coming. We've made it one solid day. Four more to go and then a breakfast Saturday morning before we head back."

"I'm glad I came. I had been needing a holiday. I can't recall the last time I went on one," John honestly told her.

"You don't? When is the last one you can remember?"

"When I was at the university, I believe," John answered. "Some friends and I went to a beach to drink and shag women."

"University? That was ages ago! Do you never give yourself a break?"

"Robert insists I take days off now and then, but I usually spend them at the park with a good book," John answered. "I have just never had a good reason for a holiday."

"There's always a good reason. To see new things, spend time with people you care about, take a break," Anna listed off. "You should force yourself to go on one holiday a year. A real one."

"Who would I go with?" John countered. Anna's shoulders shrugged, but a playful smile was on her lips.

"I don't know. Robert? Another buddy of yours? A future girlfriend? The baby and me," she added with a giggle.

"Well, who could say no to that?" John replied, his lips curling up into a smile to match Anna's.

"We've always done this holiday. We've done it every single year since they adopted me. They were close to my parents and before they passed, we would all come here together actually. My parents, my biological parents, loved the beach. I think my mum and dad bring me here to honor them. Well, and because Mum and I love it here. Dad has tried to get us to change it up by going to the city every few years," Anna added with a chuckle.

"Do you remember your parents?" Anna nodded.

"I do. Not clearly, but I have some vivid memories of them. Mum and Dad have always tried to respect their place. It's why they didn't change my last name. When I was younger, I didn't understand why I was a Smith and they were Carsons, but now I am thankful for it."

"It's good you have fond memories and the Carsons seem like good people."

"They are; they're the best. I love them, very much," Anna sincerely stated. "They like you," Anna said, meeting John's eyes. "Which is a shame, because soon they'll hate you," Anna added, her face falling and a sigh passing through her lips.

"I was thinking…" John started, "What if they didn't have to hate me?"

"What….?" Anna breathed, "What do you mean by that?"

"We're good friends and maybe I could help you raise your little one, be a father type figure to it. Nothing official, of course, but I…." John paused, not sure how to explain what he meant.

"John, that's an awful lot to ask of you. What if you get married some day and have children of your own? You don't want to be locked down by a child that isn't even your own," Anna countered. "No, I think we should just keep things the way they are. We don't have to make you the bad guy, if you don't want to be. But I can't…" Anna let out a shuddering breath. "You can't play the father. Not only isn't it not fair to you; it isn't to the baby either. If you had more children and decided…..no, it just….."

"You're right," John said, reaching his hand across the table and taking Anna's into his own. Even though he knew he would never abandon Anna's child, it wasn't a role he could just step into without her permission and blessing. So he knew to drop it.

"Thank you," Anna murmured. Then she decided to change the subject, "What are you planning on getting to eat?"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Despite their awkward dinner the night before, they went on another the next day. And then they did it again the day after that. Afterwards, the two would always walk back to the condo with ice cream cones in their hands and talk about their pasts and their hopes for their futures.

"Same time, same place tomorrow?" John asked Anna, as the two stood right in front of the door to the condo.

"No," Anna replied. "Tomorrow night is game night. Dad gets really into it and Mum starts making up her own rules, so you should spend your day tomorrow prepping," Anna teased.

"Game night?"

"Yes, it's tradition," Anna added. John slowly reached out to touch her sun kissed cheek. Anna's breath hitched in her throat, but then his fingers ran up to tuck a small strand hair behind her ear.

"I was just trying…." John stuttered, as their eyes were locked on one another. Movement from the window caught John's attention and his eyes moved to see what it could be. Immediately, he chuckled. "Your dad is spying on us."

Anna turned to see John was right. Two blinds were being held apart by Charles' fingers and his eyes were starring right at them. As soon as he saw they had noticed him, his fingers dropped the blinds closed again.

Surprising John, Anna placed her hands on his shoulder and perched herself up onto her toes. Then she pressed her face forward and caught his lips within her own. It caught John off-guard, but only momentarily. His hands came up to her back and he melted against her lips.

The kiss was over nearly as soon as it began and soon, Anna was back on her feet and smiling up at John.

"Might as well give him a show," she teased. She then turned and went inside, leaving John reeling. His fingers ran over his lips and he thought about how long he had been wanting to do that.

A sigh left his lips, as he realized she would never be his. Then he followed her inside.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Anna awoke breathless. She sat up and quickly glanced around the room. She was at the condo. She was safe. It was just a dream; it was only a dream. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head into the crook of her knees. It was the first time she had that nightmare since she had come on this vacation. Here with her parents, with John, she felt safe. But still, somehow, he had slithered her way back to haunt her.

She released her knees and brought her hand up to rest on her belly. With a fierceness she didn't know she had within her, she felt the need to protect the small life within her. It was part of the reason why she needed to lie. The baby was hers and hers alone. She would not, not ever, share it with the man who made her pregnant.

Her thoughts went back to the days before when John offered to help raise her child. It was nice, kind offer, but she couldn't take it. John still had time to find love, have children of his own. He might think he would stick around, but it wasn't a promise he could truly make. If he had his own child, what would keep him from leaving hers?

Anna placed her hand on top of her lips and thought about the brief kiss she had shared with John the evening before. She hoped he wasn't upset with her for it. While she had done it to prove to her father they were dating, there had also been a large part of her who had always wanted to do it so she took her chance.

A sudden urge of nausea hit her and she jumped out of bed, rushing to the bathroom to vomit. It took several minutes to empty her stomach and the force made tears shine in her eyes. As she finished, she fell back against the wall and pressed her hand into her forehead.

While she had had fun on this trip, there had been an uneasiness between her and her mother. Her father had dropped asking her about what was wrong and just focused on them having fun. But Elsie, she wouldn't let it go. Every chance she had, she asked Anna if she was alright. Anna had found herself avoiding her mother as often as possible and had barely spent any time with her because of it. She hated she was treating her like that. But she wasn't ready for them to know, for them to be disappointed in her, just yet.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The sound on the door made Anna quickly scramble off the floor and turn on the sink to splash water over her face.

"Anna?" It was Elsie's voice. "Are you alright? I thought I heard you getting sick."

Anna's body froze. Meeting her own eyes in the mirror, she could see her cheeks were flushed. Swallowing hard, she turned and walked to her bedroom door. Opening it, she gave her mother a weak smile.

"I was coughing, Mum. I think I swallowed my water down the wrong pipe," Anna lied. Elsie's eyes narrowed slightly and her lips twisted, as she reached her hand out and placed it on Anna's cheek.

"Perhaps, we should see about you going to a doctor."

"No!" Anna nearly yelled, before calming herself and saying a much gentler, "No, Mum. I'm feeling fine. I told you. I just swallowed water wrong."

A sigh passed through Elsie lips and she frowned. "I wish you felt you could trust me, Anna." And before Anna could reply, Elsie had already turned on her heels and headed down the hallway.

Tears welled up in Anna's eyes and she covered her face with her hands, turning so she couldn't be seen if her mother turned back around. She was hurting her mother, her confident. Her need to keep everything locked up inside of herself was beginning to weigh heavily on herself.

She fell into the bed and began to cry.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Elsie decided not to go to the beach that day and Charles decided to stay behind with her. She stayed at the condo under the guise that she was setting up for their game night that evening, but Anna knew it was because she had hurt her.

Anna didn't know why she couldn't just tell her mother the truth, at least part of it. At this point, it would make everything easier, maybe. But she couldn't. There was a fear deep within herself and she needed to protect the secret at all cost.

As she and John sat on the beach in their beach chairs, Anna found herself lost within her thoughts. John sat next to her reading a book, but he kept peering over the pages to glance at Anna with worry.

A scream came across the beach and Anna's entire body went ridged and she covered her ears with her hands, panic beginning to course through her body. John immediately noticed. He jumped up from his seat and rushed to her side, wrapping his arms protectively over her small frame.

"No!" Anna screamed, pushing him away. Her eyes jerked open and her lips parted, as her eyes jerked back and forth. "I….I'm sorry, John. I….I didn't mean." Carefully, John reached out his hand and rested hit on her chin.

"It's okay," he murmured. But at that, Anna broke.

"It's not. It's not," she fell against his chest and began to sob. John just held her close, allowing her to cry. Moments later, she finally sat up and pressed her fist against her mouth, glancing down at the ground.

"I don't know what to do anymore, John. I….I thought I could handle it all, but I can't. My mum is so upset with me and I just can't….." her breath hitched in her throat.

"Just take some breaths. Don't think about….."

But Anna shook her head and kept her eyes on the sand below before finally admitting to John, "It is Alex," she said just above a whisper. "He….he is the father."

"Anna…"

"He….after our second date, he walked me to my front door and I thought we were saying good-bye, but then he….he….he…." Anna's eyes moved to John's and he could see the complete terror within them.

"Shh," he soothed, feeling his heart sink into his stomach. All his fears had come true. "I know. You don't have to say it."

"I was so stupid," Anna cried. "I should have known he….If I had fought harder….if I hadn't let him walk me to my door….if…."

"Shh, nonsense. None of this is your fault," John stated strongly. "That man….he is to blame." Anna's lower lip began to tremble. "Have you…have you thought about going to the police?" At that, Anna's eyes jerked up and she sharply shook her head

"No! No one can know, John. No one," she said intensely.

"He can't just get away with it, Anna. He deserves…."

"He's already gotten away with it. I won't risk my child's future. They won't believe me anyway. It's a he said, she said case. But he'll know there is a baby and he can ask for custody. I won't let him do that. So no one can know he's the father. Do you understand, John?"

John's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "I'm sure your parents….."

"No, they can't know. The way they'll look at me," she whimpered. Her eyes met his again and his heart broke.

"Alright," he promised her. "I won't tell a soul. No one will know who this baby's father really is."

Anna wiped the tears off her face and gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you."

To be continued...

The truth is out, to John. Next update is game night. We'll see how that goes soon enough. :) Thank you so very much for reading!