Broken by Teona Bell

pricked Ciera’s eyes, and she looked at Nathan, who squeezed her hands lying in his.
    The doctor shifted the papers on her desk and smiled. “That’s because you’re already pregnant, Ciera.”
    “Wh-what?”
    Nathan whooped. “You’re kidding!”
    “I wouldn’t kid about something so important to you. You’re six weeks pregnant.”
    “I didn’t dare believe it,” Ciera said, and her voice went out completely. She covered her face and tried to pull her other hand away from Nathan so she could run out of the room. He dragged her to him and kissed her. His arms around her shoulders brought a small sob to her lips before she suppressed it.
    “We’re parents again, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “Wait till Melly hears.”
    Ciera’s heart constricted. She faced the doctor. “Are you sure? I mean six weeks is early, and there’s still danger, isn’t there?”
    The doctor agreed. She outlined the risks of Ciera miscarrying. “But we’re going through this one step at a time, and we’re going to be hopeful. Right?”
    “Right,” Nathan readily agreed.
    Ciera glared at him, but her caution didn’t dampen his excitement for a second. After they spoke with the doctor some more about prenatal care, they left the office with Ciera in a daze. She sat across from Nathan as he drove with all kinds of thoughts in her head. Meanwhile, her crazy lover practically vibrated in his joy.
    “I guess there’s only one thing to do,” he said.
    She glanced at him. “What?”
    “Get married.”
    “Are you crazy?”
    “We’re having a baby, Ciera. I know you’re happy about it. I’m thrilled.”
    “I couldn’t tell,” she snapped.
    He squeezed her knee, and she smacked his hand away. “I love you. You love me. It’s simple.”
    “I might lose it.”
    “Don’t say that,” he roared. She jumped. Nathan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, and he found a lot to pull into. When he had the car parked, he faced her. “Ciera, you and I have had a lot of loss. Don’t talk about more.”
    She refused to back down. “It’s a reality, and if I lose your baby, it will prove—”
    “It will prove how strong we are.”
    “How the hell did you come to that conclusion?”
    He grabbed her hand. “Because, damn it, I would come through it, fighting with everything in me, and I’ll drag your beautiful ass with me.”
    She couldn’t help a snort of laughter.
    “We’re already a family. I’m just waiting for you to tell me yes. When you do, then we’ll be perfect. I want another baby or two—”
    “Two?” she screeched.
    “But if we don’t have another, we have Melly.”
    “You’re impossible.” She climbed out of the car, and he followed her, walking around to her side. His arms encircled her, and she didn’t pull away because she needed to be held. Crippling fear trapped her in its grip, but with it came a niggling of hope. She was actually pregnant this time. Her , Ciera Treat. That hadn’t happened before. Ciera drew warmth and comfort from Nathan’s embrace, but then she pushed him away. “Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean we should get married.”
    “In my world it does. Besides, I’ve been asking you for weeks.”
    “And I’ve been telling you no.”
    “You’ve been not answering at all. Are you saying no now?”
    She hesitated. The truth was, she wanted to be his wife, but going through with it, giving in to hope for a great future seemed out of reach. “How can you have been hurt so badly too and just forge ahead, Nathan? Why aren’t you more afraid of los—of everything not working out?”
    He grinned. “Because of Melly and now because of you. I have two beautiful women in my life, and I’ll do anything to keep them safe. Anything . You seem to think you’ve only had loss, and there’s nothing left. Look at us, me and Melly. If not me, look at Melly. She adores you. Isn’t she worth doing what you can to keep her?”
    “She’s not mine.”
    “I offer her to