I'm back from my trip, so back to regularly scheduled updating. Thank you so much for the kind reviews! Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Elsie was staring straight at John, unrelentingly. Her back was stiff and her eyes bore into his skin. John had thought Charles was the scarier of the two, but he had been wrong. There was something absolutely frightening about the way Elsie was determined at this exact moment to pull the truth from him.

"I…I'm not sure what you mean," John finally stated. He kept his voice even and tried not to appear as though Elsie's questioning concerned him. At his words, her lips pursed tightly together and she brought her hands up to rest in her lap.

"You do," she countered. "What is wrong with Anna?"

John's head shook. "Nothing. Nothing, I am aware of, at least," he replied.

Elsie let out a loud sigh. "Don't lie to me, John. Anna is my daughter and something is wrong. You know what it is."

"I assure you that I don't," John answered, his heart pounding in his chest. Elsie wasn't going to drop this, but he couldn't tell Anna's secret. It wasn't his secret to tell. Even though he thought Anna should tell her parents the truth, it wasn't his decision to make for her.

"She's pregnant, isn't she?" Elsie asked, point blank. John's rapidly blinked a few times and swallowed hard.

"Wh..what?"

"Anna is pregnant. She's been getting sick. She's been sensitive to smells. I've been putting the pieces together all week. I assume you're the father?"

John couldn't lie, not about her being pregnant at least, anymore. But he could lie for Anna, so he just responded, "Yes, I am."

Elsie's head shook slightly and she clicked her fingers against her wrist. "I don't understand why it's this big secret. You're both adults. It's not like Anna is seventeen. Why not tell us? Why keep it a secret?"

"She didn't want to disappoint you," John honestly answered. He did know that was a part of the reason Anna hadn't wanted to tell them, although it wasn't the main one.

"No," Elsie countered. "No, that's not it. Something else is going on with Anna. You both are hiding something. You know what it is. Is she sick? Did something else happen?"

"No," John uneasily lied. His resolve was fading and he could see a flicker of doubt in Elsie's eyes as they narrowed in on him. "She just didn't want to upset you. She respects you and worried you would care she wasn't married. So, she wanted you to meet me first, get to know me, before telling you about the baby."

"I don't believe you," Elsie told him with the shake of his head.

"It's the truth," John stated, meeting Elsie's eyes.

"Do you swear it?" The question made John clinch his jaw and he shifted in his chair.

"Why should I swear it?"

"So I know you aren't lying to me. So I know my daughter isn't hiding something important from her father and me," Elsie said.

"Fine, I swear," John answered.

"On your mother's life?" Elsie asked. John felt as his stomach tightened. Elsie had to have an inkling that Anna was hiding something much bigger than a baby if she was this adamant to get the truth from John. He was half tempted to tell her. To let the secret fall from his lips so that Anna could have the support of her mother. But he couldn't do it. Anna had made him promise he wouldn't tell. At the end of the day, Anna's wants and needs would always come first.

"My mother is dead."

"On her grave then."

"Fine. I swear it on my mother's grave," John finally responded. He gathered up his belongings and stood. "Are we done?"

"I guess," Elsie said. She also stood up and walked past John to head back into the condo. John sighed and made his way down the beach.

His hand ran over his face and he worried about when Anna returned with her father. Would Elsie confront her right away? Would she insist Anna tell her what else she was hiding? Because it was obvious she was not going to drop it.

Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he decided to text Anna to give her a heads up of what had just gone down. He just hoped that she wouldn't be angry with him for confirming her pregnancy to her mother. But continuing to lie about that would have only made things worse.

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

Anna chuckled as her father brought over two large ice creams to the table. He sat the large bowl in front of Anna and she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Buying enough ice cream to give them a stomach ache was always their last day tradition.

"Don't tell your mother," Charles said with a wink. Anna was suddenly taken back to when she was six and they had come for the first time. She had asked for the largest bowl and Charles had obliged. He let her choose every single topping she wanted and loaded it. Then he had made a pinky promise with Anna about keeping it a secret from Elsie. She would have never allowed Anna to have so much ice cream to make her sick.

Anna reached out her hand and stuck out her pinky. Charles did the same, before they locked them together and both began to laugh.

"I still haven't told her to this day," Anna promised her father.

"I know," he replied with a smile.

Taking her spoon, Anna dug into the bowl and happily began to eat. Her phone dinged and she saw she had a message from John.

I am so sorry. Your mother confronted me when you left. She knew you were pregnant. She asked me to confirm. I told her I was the father. She knows you are hiding something else, but I insisted you were not.

Anna's hand dropped from her spoon and the smile fell from her lips.

"Anna?" Charles asked. "Are you alright?"

"Dad," Anna slowly started, her hand coming up to rest against her neck. Then she dropped it and attempted a small smile. "I…." She knew she needed to tell him. As soon as they got back to the condo, her mother would. She was not looking forward to the confrontation with Elsie when they got back.

"I….I'm pregnant," she finally got out. Her eyes fell to the sprinkles and whipped cream on top of her ice cream. She watched as a sprinkle slid down and into the bowl, afraid to look up and see the expression on her father's face.

"I know," Charles replied. At that, Anna's head jerked up and she met her father's eyes.

"What?"

"Anna, your mother and I figured that out days ago. We just don't understand why you wouldn't tell us." His voice was calm and loving. Anna felt tears building up behind her eyes and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she lied. "I just…I worried you would be disappointed in me." Charles' hand reached across the table and he placed his hand over hers.

"We could never be disappointed in you, Anna. While we hate the circumstances that brought you to us, we are so very grateful to have you. We could never have children and you brought to much lightness and happiness into our lives. You're a good girl, Anna. And you'll be a wonderful mother."

That's when the tears fell. She wrapped her arms around her father's neck and held him tightly.

"I love you, Dad," Anna said into his neck. She wanted to admit it all to him right then and there. To tell him the truth about her baby's father and how she was scared all the time about him returning and taking her baby away. But she couldn't. She didn't want him to know what had happened to her. She wouldn't be able to take the way he would look at her after he found out.

Charles' hands wrapped around her and he murmured, "I love you too, Anna. We both love you so much. Know you can come to us about anything, alright?" Anna sat back and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Alright."

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

When they arrived back at the condo, both John and Elsie were not there. Anna told her father she was going to take a nap and she walked back to her bedroom. There was some relief that her parents knew she was pregnant. And she was so grateful that John had come to step in as the father, so at least there wouldn't be questions about that. While her mother, and possibly her father, still knew there was something else she was hiding. Anna was hopeful that they would focus on the baby and let the other questioning drop.

She sat on the edge of her bed and began to take off her shoes. A knock came at the door and she called out, "Come in."

The knob turned and the door opened. Elsie stepped into Anna's room and Anna began to chew anxiously on the inside of her cheek. Originally, she had been more afraid of her father's reaction to her pregnancy, but now she was more worried about Elsie's.

Elsie walked over and took a seat next to Anna. Before saying anything, she placed her hand on top of Anna's and gave her a soft smile.

"I wish you would have told me," Elsie started. "I don't understand why it was a secret. You're an adult, Anna, with a good job."

"I…." Anna breathed. "I don't know. I think I was caught off guard about being pregnant. I…it wasn't planned. And I didn't want you to think badly of me," Anna explained.

"We never would, Anna. We love you," Elsie's smile grew. "And I'm excited to be a grandma."

"Truly?"

"Truly, Anna. And John's a good one. I do hope you won't be too angry with him for confirming that you are pregnant. I forced him to tell me the truth," Elsie explained.

"I know," Anna said with a nod. "And he is. He's a good guy. The best guy."

As she had promised, Elsie didn't ask her any other questions. Anna could tell that it was there though. Elsie still knew that Anna was hiding something else from her, but she didn't say anything about it. She just brought Anna into a hug and told her that she loved her.

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

It was their last evening at the condo and Anna sat on the back porch, enjoying the beach air. The door slid open and she turned to see John walking through. She hadn't seen him all day.

"I'm sorry," he quickly said to her. Anna put out her hand and shook it, to say not to worry.

"It's not your fault. My mum can be insistent. Thank you for not telling her the truth about Alex. I just….I want that to be kept between us," Anna said. "I really want to forget about it all. Never talk about it again, if that's okay."

John took the seat next to Anna. His eyes searched her face and he could see the demons haunting her all over her features. If there was a way to take all of that pain away from her, he would.

"Okay."

Biting down on the corner of her lip, Anna maneuvered herself so that her back rested against John's chest. His arms then came to wrap around her and he pressed his head against hers. It felt almost normal, as though this was how they always were. John wasn't sure if they were doing this for show for her parents or not, but either way he was enjoying it.

Absentmindedly, his fingers began to run up and down her arm and she melted against him deeper.

"I don't ever want to leave here," Anna said a moment later. "It's so beautiful."

"You'll be here again next year," John reminded her. Anna's head nodded against his chest and she sighed.

"But with a baby. I doubt it'll be as peaceful." Anna shifted slightly to get more comfortable and she added, "Will you come with us again next year?"

John's fingers paused and he twisted his lips. "I thought we were going to say…." Anna sat up and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Did you really have a crush on me?" At her question, John could only nod. He had always cared for Anna, loved her. His fingers came out to brush against her blushed cheek and he felt her shudder against him.

"When you said you wanted to be the baby's father, did you mean it?"

"Absolutely, Anna," John replied in earnest.

"That's a lot to take on, John. If you say yes, you can't change your mind," Anna said.

"I know," John stated. "I never would."

"But what if….." John paused her words, by cupping both hands on her cheeks.

"I love you, Anna. I have always loved you," he sincerely said. "I was always afraid of my feelings because I was older, but I know now that I should have said something sooner."

Anna chuckled lightly and said, "Yes, you should have. I….I love you, too, but love doesn't make everything easier, John. A baby, a child that isn't even your own….I…..It's a lot to ask of you."

"You aren't asking me. I offered," John reminded her. Anna brought her hand up to cover John's and tears swelled in her eyes.

"And you'll love it as your own?" Anna asked, her eyes searching his. Staring back at her was full determination and love.

"Absolutely, Anna."

She placed her hands on his shoulders for leverage and bent forward to catch his lips with her own. For the first time, the two melted into one another as they kissed. John's hands brought Anna closer to him and soon she parted her lips and allowed his tongue entrance between them.

When they finished, Anna curled herself up into John's chest and continued to listen to the waves as they crashed against the shore.

"You can still change your mind," Anna told him. "I…I won't hold you to it until the baby is born. But then, you can't."

"I won't," John promised. "I plan on being there for your child forever, Anna. And I think I have known that from the moment I found out you were pregnant."

Anna's eyes slowly fluttered closed. The crash of the waves and with the weight of her one secret off her shoulders, she fell into a peaceful sleep. John decided not to wake her. He knew that despite her want to forget it all, that it wouldn't be that easy. She still had plenty of demons to face and if for right now she could escape them, he wasn't about to disrupt that.

To be continued..