Tray's Sweetheart

by Angela Franklin

  “Ahhh…” Jessica screamed and pulled a gun out of her waist band. “I want you gone!”

  Molly felt fear for the first time since she woke up. This crazy woman now held a gun. Molly had only been stating facts, but now she wished she hadn’t. What if Jessica shot her and she never got to see Tray again? She heard a loud bang and assumed she had been shot. She fell to the ground and stayed there. She kept her eyes closed tight and thought of Tray. If she was going to die, she wanted him to be her last thought. Molly heard screaming but it wasn’t her. She focused on her body to see if she had any new injuries. Her head still hurt, but that was all.

  “Molly, are you okay?” Someone asked her.

  “I think so.” She said opening her eyes slowly. She looked up to see Cameron kneeling over her.

  “That cut on your head looks nasty, does anything else hurt?” Cameron pushed her hair out of her face so he could see it better.

  “No, only my head. Where is Tray?” Molly needed him.

  “I am going to call him now. The paramedics are going to check you out and take you to the hospital. I think that cut will need stitches.” Cameron stepped back so they could get to her.

  “We are going to patch you up so we can get you to the hospital. Have you been unconscious since you got that bump on your head?” One of them asked her.

  “Yes, I woke up not long ago. I’m really tired now.” She yawned as she spoke.

  “Just try to stay awake. You may have a concussion.” The medic told her and she nodded.

  *****

  “Did you find her?” Tray asked when a call came in from Cameron.

  “We did. You can meet her at the hospital.” Cameron informed him.

  “Is she okay?” Tray needed to know before he left.

  “She has a gash on her head and maybe a concussion, but other than that, she’s fine. I’ll call the others when I finish up here. You take care of your girl.” Cameron hung up.

  “Is my baby okay?” Tray’s mom asked him.

  “She will be.” Tray told her as he rounded up his keys.

  “Call me when you are on your way home and I will make dinner for y’all.” She called from the door way.

  “Thanks mom.” Tray jumped in his truck and sped away.

  When he got to the hospital, they took him straight to Molly. She was laying in a bed when he walked in. A section of her hair was red with blood and she had a bandage above her eye. She looked so pale sitting there. He thanked God she was okay.

  “Hello, Sunshine.” He tried to keep his voice from breaking as he walked to her.

  “Tray.” She started to cry.

  “It’s okay. I’m here.” He tried to sooth her.

  “I thought I would never see you again.” She sobbed into his shirt.

  “Has the doctor came in yet?” Tray asked hoping to distract her.

  “No. They took blood and said he would be in shortly.” She sniffed.

  “Are you okay?” He stepped back to look her over, but kept a tight grip on her hand.

  “It’s just a cut on my head, and a headache.” She told him.

  “Hello, Molly Mitchel. I’m Dr. Burns. Let’s have a look at that head shall we.” He removed the bandage and checked the cut. “Well, it’s not too bad. I want to clean it and put a couple stitches in to be safe. Don’t worry, the numbing medicine won’t hurt the baby, and I will only give you Tylenol for your headache.”

  “Um… Baby?” Molly asked confused.

  “I’m sorry, didn’t you know?” The doctor asked.

  “No sir. We didn’t know.” Tray’s smile could light up the whole world.

  “Is the baby okay?” Molly asked.

  “You need to set up an appointment to see how far along you are, but the baby should be fine. Now, let’s fix that cut.”

  Tray held her hand as the doctor worked. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face. Molly was going to have his baby. He was going to be a dad. He would help her find a doctor when they got home. He hadn’t even thought about her getting pregnant yet. Molly seemed frozen when he looked at her. He hoped she wasn’t upset about this.

  “Alright, let me go get the paper work so y’all can go home.” Dr. Burns left them alone.

  “You okay?” Tray was starting to worry about her.

  “A baby.” She whispered.

  “Our baby.” He placed his hand on her lower stomach. “Sunshine, talk to me.”

  “Are you okay with this?” She bit her lip.

  “I couldn’t be happier. You have given me the world, Sunshine.” Tray leaned down and kissed her gently. “Are you okay with it?”

  “Yeah.” She nodded.

  “You don’t seem okay with it.” He hedged. She looked up, locking eyes with him.

  “It seems so fast, but I’m happy and a little scared.” Molly confessed. “We have only been together a month and haven’t talked about us really.”

  “I told you that first night you were it for me, Sunshine. Maybe this will convince you.” He slid the ring out of his pocket and slid it on her finger. “I’m not asking, you are mine.”

  “Tray.” She gasped.

  “I was going to do this tonight anyway. Now you know where we stand.” Tray leaned over and kissed her. He pulled back quickly knowing this wasn’t the time or place.

  He texted his mom to start dinner while they waited for her to be released. They had talked about doctors and even found one that could see her tomorrow. He knew she couldn’t be far along, but he still wanted to know.

  “I don’t want to tell anyone yet.” She told him.

  “I’m not hiding our engagement.” Tray growled.

  “Not that. I don’t want to tell anyone about the baby till we know what we’re having.”

  “Okay.” He sighed. “I’ll leave that up to you.

  Epilogue

  Molly had been waiting for this moment for the last four months. They had been able to keep their secret. Tray had married her the Saturday after she got out of the hospital. He wanted to do it the next day, but there was a waiting period after they got the marriage license, and all their friends and his mom wanted to be there. Today they were all here for a cookout. The group had cookouts so much no one thought anything of it when they invited them over.

  “Ready, Sunshine.” Tray came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Absolutely.” She turned her head for a kiss.

  “Before we eat, we have an announcement.” Tray called out and everyone turned to them.

  “I’m pregnant!” Molly squealed.

  “And…” Tray said loudly before the group got out of control.

  “It’s a girl!” Molly continues.

  “I’m so happy for y’all.” Tray’s mom gushed.

  Sarah had been the first to congratulate them, but she wasn’t the last. That would be Cameron and Kara with their two-month-old son, Deacon. The group talked and ate happily as the kids were put on a huge blanket to play.

  “Oh hey, Trevor, I’m glad you could make it.” Tray called as the newest firefighter showed up.

  “Thanks for the invite.” Trevor nodded.

  “You’re always welcome. Let me introduce you to the group.” Tray introduced him around and Trevor slid seamlessly into the group.

  Later that night, Tray laid in bed holding Molly as he thought about how perfect his life was now. He had one hand on his daughter where she continued to grow and the other under his wife’s head. Life couldn’t get more perfect he thought, then his little girl kicked his hand for the first time and he thought, it just did.

  Sorry this book took so long. As some of you know, I was blessed with my own little miracle in January and that delayed me quiet a bit. Thanks to all of you who have sent well wishes and checked in on facebook. For those who want to know, there will be more from Cedar Springs. I have another in the works as I am finishing this one!

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