I wake up in the middle of the night because my bladder was screaming for attention and I noticed that Annabelle had made her way into my arms. Even though I felt so connected to her after everything we had been through, I have a moment of uncertainty. Was this was all happening way too fast? What exactly was going on between Wes and me? How could this change my relationship with Annabelle? When my bladder couldn’t wait another second, I managed to move her with little hardship and made my way to the bathroom. 

Instead of going back to bed, I found myself roaming the house and heading down to the Brown’s large kitchen. Like a good country lady, Betsy had a nice selection of tea and I thought maybe that would calm my mind and allow me to get some more rest. I plugged in the electric kettle and began to heat it up as I searched for the perfect flavor of the tea. Thankfully there were mugs sitting on the counter, so I didn’t have to make too much noise searching for one. 

My tea is steeping when I hear a door from down the hallway shut and Betsy appears in the kitchen in her housecoat and slippers. She doesn’t say a whole lot at first but also fills up a mug with water and grabs her own flavor from the selection of teas. She sits down across from me at the kitchen island and gives me a nice smile while bobbing the tea bag up and down in her mug.

“Couldn’t sleep?” She finally asked me.

I gave a small smile across the table, “Something like that.”

“I went to go check on Annabelle before I went to bed and saw Bobby’s door was open.” She looks up from her tea and I feel like she’s Kermit the frog right now, sipping her tea, asking for the gossip. The question is, how much do I give her?

“Annabelle asked if I would stay in the room with her and Wes. I just couldn’t say no.”

Betsy nods, “You two have bonded since the accident, yeah?”

“It feels that way. She’s a very sweet girl, hard to not become attached.”

“May I ask a question that is probably none of my business?”

I smirk up at her, “Are you going to ask even if I say no?”

“Probably,” she says with a huge grin on her face.

“Then I guess so ahead and ask.”

She gently places her mug down and places her hands together, “Where do you see you and Wes? Because I love that you are so close to Annabelle, but Annabelle and Wes are a package deal. If the two of you are friends and Annabelle gets another woman in her life that cares for her, that’s great. However, if you don’t think there is a future with Wes…” Her voice trails off.

“I know. Honestly, that is where I struggle.”

“Mmhmm.” She encourages me to continue.

“If there wasn’t an Annabelle, I think that Wes and I would probably be dating right now.”

“But with Annabelle?”

“I don’t know and it really sucks. Well, first there is all that lying business at the beginning. I know that was some time ago, but it is still there and was a really bad way to start a relationship.”

“My sons are not always the brightest,” she laughs.

I let out a little giggle of my own as a take a sip of my tea. ‘The truth is, I’m not sure if I’m ready to be the mother figure in Annabelle’s life. I’m not even sure that is what Wes wants. I know that I can’t have Wes without her and I’d be lying if I said the entire thing doesn’t scare the ever-living shit out of me.”

“I can understand how that can be confusing. Let me ask you this, do you want to be a mom?”

“In general? Yes, I have always wanted to get married and have a family.”

“So it isn’t that you don’t want kids?”

“Oh God, no not at all. And she’s so great. Wes and I had a rough start though. What if a year from now there is no Wes and me? I don’t know if I could handle not having her in my life any longer. At least if Wes and I stay friends, she’s there.”

Betsy smiles, putting her tea down once again. “Do you want my opinion?”

“Yes, please,” I ask, exhausted thinking about the same situation that goes through my mind all the time.

“I think the fact that you are thinking about this so much tells me exactly what I need to know. The way you just said that if you and Wes weren’t together that it would bother you more that she wouldn’t be in your life tells me that you’re thinking 100% about her.”

“I know these last couple of weeks have been hectic, but I saw you with her, Holly. You were not just a family friend, heck you weren’t even just an auntie. The way you held her hand, the way she fell asleep in your arms, everything about the time she spent with you. Honey, you are so much already in her life, I think you know that.”

I look down at my tea, knowing that she is right, but unable to put it into words, “I think that you are already past the point of no return and it scares the bejesus out of you.”

“This is just unlike any dating or relationship situation I have ever been in.’

“I may have never been in this situation, but Annabelle is my only grandbaby and I love her with all my heart, but I know that little girl needs a mommy, and the way she has attached to you, I think you already know that is you.”

“I don’t want to mess it up.”

“You won’t. I believe in you. I believe that you and Wes are really meant for each other.”

“Thank you, Betsy. That really means a lot coming from you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. How about I take care of these cups and you try to go back and get some rest?”

“Sounds like a good idea. Thank you.” When I stand up, Betsy pulls me in for a hug. Hugs with her make me miss my own mom a lot. I know that she’d probably be saying the same thing to me about Wes and Annabelle. When I head back upstairs to Wes’s bedroom. I open the door and try to sneak back in, but as I’m getting in bed he wakes up.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Wes tries to sit up, but Annabelle is pinning his arm down.

‘Yeah, I’m fine just go back to sleep.” 

“You sure?”

He tries to sit up again, but rather than disturbing Annabelle, he reaches his free arm out to me. I walk to his side and I take his hand. He pulls me onto the small sliver of the bed next to him, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close into his body. “I love feeling you next to me.”

“I know, Wes.” I reply to him as I run my fingers through his hair. “Wes….”

“Yeah?”

“I want you.” I glance over to Annabelle, “I want this.”

He smiles and squeezes his arm around my waist a little more. “Oh yeah?”

“I can’t stop thinking about it and going back and forth, but I want you. I want Annabelle. I think this is something worth trying, worth fighting for. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that I can’t see one without the two of you in it.”

Wes’s hand slides behind my neck and gently pulls me close to him and his lips press on mine. The same shocking feeling shoots through my body as it did on the very night we kissed. Our kiss stays sweet and innocent as are both well aware of the presence of the other being in the room. I pull away and look deep into his eyes.

“So I don’t have to pretend that you’re my girlfriend anymore?”

‘Please don’t,” I giggle.

He gives me another kiss and then he glances back at Annabelle, “I need to get you alone one of these days, but first, let’s go back to sleep before she wakes up.”

“That sounds like a perfect plan.”

I walk back over to the side of the bed that I was laying on. Wes puts his arm over both of us and rests his hand on my hip. I look over at him and smile as I close my eyes to fall back into a restful slumber now that my head is clearer than it has been in a while.