Chapter 10

Anna woke up to find herself in John's bed. She turned to her back and glanced over to John's side. He was gone. Her hand reached out to touch his side of the bed and she closed her eyes, trying to remember how she had ended up with him the night before. Then it hit her. The nightmare.

Her hands flew over her face and she sighed. No matter how much she tried to suppress what had happened to her, it kept sneaking back.

Knowing that she shouldn't dwell on it, Anna slid out of the bed and crossed her arms across her chest. She listened out for John, trying to figure out where he had gone this early in the morning. He wasn't in his living room or kitchen. There was a small door near the front hallway and she could hear the quiet taps of typing on a keyboard.

She knocked against the door.

"Come in," John's voice rang.

As she stepped into the small room, she noticed it was a little office. There wasn't much to it, like most of the house. In one corner sat his desk with a computer and chair. Then in the other was a small table with a few pictures on it.

While John finished up his bit of work, Anna glanced over the pictures. The first was of a woman. She looked like John and Anna assumed it was his mother. Anna didn't know a lot about John's parents, other than they had died years before she met him. The second photo was of the same woman and man on their wedding day. Anna traced over the frame and thought wistfully about how happy they looked. Then the final picture made Anna chuckle lightly to herself. It was John's father and John, who appeared to be about five years old, standing proudly in front of an old, classic car.

"You were a cutie," Anna said to John, as she picked up the frame and smiled down at the picture.

John turned to see just what she was referencing.

"Ah," he replied. "Right."

"You and your dad look happy," Anna stated.

"We were, for a moment, as that picture was taken. He was actually giving me attention, for once."

At his words, Anna's smile faded.

"Did you both not have a good relationship?"

"No," John simply answered. He closed his laptop and stood, taking the photo from Anna's hand. "You see this car?" Anna nodded. "My father's whole life revolved around classic cars and drinking. He would spend all his money and time on cars. There were times we couldn't pay for our flat, because my father needed something new for one of his prize possessions."

"Oh John," Anna murmured. "I….I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," John responded. "This is a good memory. This was his favorite car. It's a 1964 Aston Martin. He had others, but this one was his baby. When times got rough for us financially, he had to sell some of the others. But this one he wouldn't let us sell. He didn't care if we were living off of beans and rice."

"John….."

"But before my father died, he…well, he had an epiphany, of sorts."

"And what was that?" Anna asked. She had moved next to him to look down at the picture with John.

"That he had focused on the wrong things in life. So one day, a few months before he died, he came to me and apologized. It was too late for us to make up for all the time we lost, but at least we had some time together. His amends to me was that car. He gave it to me as a gift. It's worth over 500,000 pounds now, but I could never sell it. It's too meaningful to me. It's a reminder of my father's apology, that in the end he really did love me and regretted his life choices."

Anna wrapped her hand around John's wrist and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Can we go see the car one day?" Anna asked. John bent over and kissed the top of her head. Then he placed the picture back on the table in its spot.

"Of course, maybe in a few weeks? It's in a storage garage a few hours away."

"Sure," Anna replied. A yawn escaped her lips.

"You should go back to bed," John stated. "You look tired." Anna glared at him briefly, before rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Thanks," she replied.

"I didn't mean it like that….I just…"

"I know," Anna said, shaking her head. "I…I think it's the nightmares plus being pregnant. But I need to shower and start getting ready for my lunch with Mary."

"I'm sure Mary would survive if you had to cancel," John stated. Anna chuckled.

"Have you met Mary?"

"I have," John replied with a laugh. "Well, don't overdo it." Anna brought her arms around John's neck and rested her head against his chest.

"I could just nap like this," she murmured against him. John wrapped his arms around her.

"I'd stand here for you, if that's what you wished."

Anna closed her eyes and nodded, "I know you would."

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

"Wait, what did you say?" Mary blinked rapidly and shifted baby George in her arms.

"I'm pregnant and the father is John." Anna decided just stating things like facts would be the best way to tell this information to Mary. Any emotion and Mary might catch on that she was being lied to.

"John, as in, John Bates?" Mary carefully asked.

"Yes," Anna answered. Mary's eyes remained on Anna's face and her lips narrowed into a tight line.

"Pregnant, as in, having a baby?"

"Yes," Anna answered again. "John and I are having a baby."

"When…" Mary paused and shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. You two aren't even dating."

"We….yes we are," Anna said, trying to keep her composure.

"Well, you didn't tell me. When did this happen, exactly? How far along are you?"

"Eleven weeks on Monday," Anna answered. Mary's sour expression grew.

"Eleven weeks pregnant? You're eleven weeks pregnant and didn't manage to let me know? I….Why didn't you tell me about John? Why is it this big secret?"

Anna took in a deep breath and sat up straighter. "I didn't intend on it being a secret. We had just been hanging out more and well, we hooked up out of the blue, and now I am pregnant."

"And when, exactly, did you hook up?"

"The night you went into labor," Anna replied. "I tried to call you afterwards to let you know, but you were at the hospital. I…."

Mary lifted her phone and glanced over her missed calls. Her eyes looked over the phone to Anna and she nodded.

"Ah, you did try to call," Mary said.

"Yes, but once you had George, I didn't want to steal your thunder. The pregnancy was a surprise and I needed some time to come to terms with it," Anna honestly answered.

"But you're happy with it now?" Mary questioned, a bit of concern laced within her voice.

"John and I are planning on raising this baby together," Anna answered. "So yes, I have come to terms with it." Anna couldn't lie and say she was happy about how everything turned out. Even though she already loved the baby growing within her, happy wasn't how she would describe herself right now.

"And you and John are good?"

"Yes, very good, actually," Anna said, a small smile gracing her lips. "He's really stepped up."

"Well, I should hope so. He's the father and should be helping you in every way possible," Mary stated.

Anna shifted slightly in her chair. She wished she could tell Mary just how wonderful John was being; how he had stepped up when he didn't have to. But she couldn't. Even though she was sure she could trust Mary, she knew that secrets were like viruses. The more people who knew, the greater chance of spreading it had. And she couldn't risk that chance. Her child's future depended on her secret remaining a secret.

"He is."

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

Two Weeks Later

The sun's rays were dropping back behind the horizon and soon it was going to be completely dark outside. Anna had grown accustomed to the way the lighting would change in John's flat as the sun set each day. Something about the way the colors changed had a way of settling her nerves and bringing her focus back to the things that were important.

Today John was working late. So Anna had made herself a bowl of cereal and sat on one of the stools next to the window to watch the sun go down. Her mind had been all over the place today. She hadn't been able to settle herself. This was helping.

The sound of the lock opening made Anna turn to look at John entering through the front door. He held a small white paper bag in one of his hands and walked straight over to Anna, handing it to her.

"What's this?" Anna asked with a smile.

"Oh, just a little treat," John answered, before pressing a quick kiss on her lips.

Anna happily opened the bag and squealed with delight. Inside was a chocolate cupcake.

"How did you know that I have been craving one of these all day?" Anna questioned him.

"Great minds," he replied, hitting his temple with his index finger. But then he chuckled, "You've only been mentioning wanting one for days. I had work over by the bakery today so I got you one."

Lifting the cupcake up out of the bag, she gleefully tore off the paper and took a large bite. The icing smeared over her nose and John chuckled.

"What?"

"You have icing on your nose," John informed her with a wink. Anna lifted up her hand to attempt to wipe it away, but instead it spread further and across her cheek.

"Did I get it?" John's head shook.

He bent over, kissed the tip of her nose, and gently sucked the icing off. Then his lips continued down the path of the icing, making Anna involuntarily moan. She quickly covered her mouth with her hand, embarrassed.

"That should do it," John said, bringing his hand up to pull her hand away from her lips. Anna's lips parted. She lifted herself up out of the stool and pressed her lips against John's.

Dropping the cupcake onto the counter, Anna brought her arms around John's neck and pulled him deeper into her kiss. She opened her lips and sought out the taste of John. He seemed to catch her cues and his tongue dipped out and brushed against her lips. Anna obliged, allowing his tongue to search deeper. She pushed him back, leading him into the living room, and pushing him onto the couch.

Her legs straddled him; his hands came up to rest on her hips. Anna brought her hands to the front of his suit jacket and began to pull it back. Keeping their lips locked, John scooted them both forward slightly so that he could slide his jacket off and throw it in the chair next to the couch. Then he placed his hands back on Anna's hips. Anna's fingers then twiddled over his top buttons. She undid the first two and as she did so, John's hands came up under her shirt to touch her skin.

It was electrifying. Anna could feel herself losing her sense of control. She wanted to push him down and make them connected as one. But as quickly as the feeling hit her, another stronger feeling, stopped her.

Suddenly, she jerked out of their kiss and shook her head. John's eyes went from lustful to concern.

"Are you alright? Did I…..?"

"You didn't do anything wrong," Anna assured him. "That was actually very nice," Anna added. "I….I just don't think I am ready for anything more right now."

"Right," John quickly replied. He dropped his hands from her skin and rested them on the couch. Anna grabbed them and placed them back on her hips.

"You can still touch me. I trust you, John. I just…..we have to stop here for now."

One of John's hands left Anna's hip and came up to rest on her cheek. "Whatever you wish, my darling."

Anna's eyes filled with tears.

"What did I say?" John asked, his eyes searching Anna's face to see what had made her cry. Anna's head shook and she placed her hand over John's.

"It….you've never called me that before. It….it's such…." Anna paused. "I'm sorry. I'm not making any sense."

"I don't have to say it again. I'm sorry if….."

"No, please do call me that again. It's…well, it's lovely," Anna told him with a bright smile.

"Of course, my darling," John said with a wink. "I'll do whatever you wish, my darling."

"Whatever I wish?" Anna playfully asked.

"Yes, my darling." Anna chuckled at him overdoing the pet name, but she loved it all the same.

"Go get my cupcake for me?"

"Absolutely, my darling," John replied, kissing her cheek and rushing to get the cupcake.

"Oh! And some milk!"

"On it, my darling!"

Anna laughed and soon she couldn't remember why her day had been so hard. John had a way of helping her worries to disappear.

To be continued...

While they haven't said I love you yet, we do have our first "my darling" :). Thanks for reading. If you're enjoying, don't forget to write me a little review to keep my muse motivated. Thanks in advance! I do hope you're enjoying this story as much as I am. It still has a long way to go. Elsie and Charles will be back soon. :)