Full Circle (Rockin' Country Book 3)

by Laramie Briscoe

  Chapter Sixteen

  * * *

  News out of Florida today is that Harmony Stewart was admitted to the hospital overnight while her husband, Reaper, was on stage with his band, Black Friday. Reports are sketchy, and inside sources say she might be having an eating disorder relapse.

  Keep it tuned here for your latest celebrity news.

  Hannah rolled her eyes as she turned off the TV in her room. For two days she’d lain here while the guys continued on with the tour. It had taken everything she had to convince Garrett to go on without her. He had dug his heels in and insisted he stay with her, no matter what. It had finally taken Jared to talk some sense into him, explaining that she would probably be at the hospital for a few days and this might not be the only time she would have to be hospitalized. Now the paparazzi had gotten hold of it.

  “I hate them.” She sighed as she looked over at Shell.

  Her best friend had been her rock, staying with her when no one else could, being quiet when Hannah needed it, and making her laugh when she wanted to cry. In the moments when Hannah was passed out from the anti-nausea medication, she worked on her school work or talked to Jared.

  “I know, honey, but they’re going to talk shit until you confirm why you’re here. I know you don’t want to do that, so let them talk.”

  She didn’t want to confirm. She was scared to death of miscarriage and didn’t want to announce too soon. Her mom and Garrett’s mom had called earlier today, both asking questions that lead her to believe they thought it was a pregnancy. Instead, she’d pushed them down the road of food poisoning and dehydration. “They are such vultures. It makes me nervous for when we do have the baby.”

  “I think you’ll be fine if you reveal what the baby looks like on your own time. Ya know, do it how you want to, don’t let them get into a bidding war about who’s going to have an exclusive. Give your own.”

  “You always have such great ideas, and I always feel so much better after I talk to you. I’m glad you’re back.” Hannah smiled over at her friend.

  “I’m glad to be back. These online classes are difficult, but I can do them at my own pace, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. Like this, I wouldn’t want to miss this for the world.”

  “Ha! You’ve sat in the hospital with me, doing nothing for two days.” Hannah bit her lip. “Do you think they’ll let me re-join the tour today?”

  “I hope so,” she admitted. “I kinda miss the guys, and I know you miss your husband.”

  Garrett missed her like crazy too if his texts were any indication. He texted her at least every hour, from the time he woke up until the time he want to sleep. It was cute, but she knew he needed to have her there, to know for sure that she was alright.

  “‘Miss him’ is an understatement. We haven’t been able to enjoy the pregnancy together yet.”

  “You haven’t gotten to enjoy any aspect of it yet,” Shell replied, her tone dry. “If anything, you’ve puked more now than you ever did in your whole life before.”

  That’s what worried Hannah. When she left the hospital and wasn’t on the constant flow of fluids and nausea medication, how would it be? Would she be sick again? Would she feel the way she had before? All that vomitting had scared her. Maybe now she would be better prepared for it, but no matter what, she wanted to be with Garrett.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Come in.”

  Dr. Willis ducked in, a smile on his face, carrying a folder full of papers. “How are you two ladies doing today?”

  “Ready to get out of here?” Hannah phrased it as a question.

  “I think we can make that happen,” he told her as he had a seat on the other side of her. “But first we need to talk about some things.”

  She laughed and situated herself further up on the bed. “That makes me nervous.”

  “No need to be nervous, but I have to tell you, I’m glad that Shell’s here. Because today, we’re talking about limitations.”

  He stopped talking and let that sink in for a minute. The lady in front of him was so used to going and going that she often didn’t listen to her body, judging by her medical history; she didn’t listen to warning signs. He had to make her understand.

  “When I say limitations, I’m serious. You’re going to feel weak, you’re going to feel tired, you’re going to feel sick. You have to listen to your body. Your health and the health of your child depend on that. If you’re tired, you take a nap. I’m serious. You can’t play with this stuff. Take your vitamins, stay hydrated, listen to your body. Those are your tools for being able to get through this right now. You have to eat, so I recommend bland food.”

  “Will I feel this way the whole pregnancy?”

  “Usually around week fourteen women start to feel better, so you’ve got a ways to go. On top of that, we have to make sure you don’t lose any more weight. In the few days you were nauseous and vomiting, you lost ten pounds. That’s huge. We need to get that back on you and have you gain more.”

  “I understand,” she told him truthfully. “I know how serious this is. I don’t want my baby to suffer.”

  “We don’t want you to suffer either, but your levels have come up enough that I feel okay sending you off. Just be aware that outside of here it’s not going to be a walk in the park. We’re keeping you hydrated.”

  She completely understood, and while it scared her, she wanted to see her husband and friends. The doctor placed some papers in front of her, and she signed them quickly, ready to leave.

  “This makes me nervous, Han,” Shell admitted as the doctor left. “What if this happens again?”

  Hannah shrugged. “There’s only so much I can do to prevent it. We just deal with it as it comes. Women have been living with this for years, and I’m no different.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  * * *

  June

  “I’m starving,” Hannah whispered to Garrett as the two of them and Chris stood in line for their turn at the fast food restaurant. She’d had a craving, and everyone in the bus was quick to listen to what she wanted. When she was hungry, she had to eat, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to.

  “I know, babe,” he told her, bending down to kiss her on the cheek. “We’ll get you two something to eat here in a few minutes.”

  She grinned, burying her head in his shoulder, her face burning bright. She loved when he said things like that to her. And things were getting easier. The symptoms that had plagued her for weeks were lessening. Instead of puking ten times a day now, she only did it twice, usually when she first woke up and then at lunch. Learning to listen to her body was key, and she thanked the doctor profusely for drilling that into her head. If she was tired, she took a nap; if she was hungry, she ate. It was as simple as that. Finally it was their turn.

  “What do you want?” he asked her, slipping his arm around her waist, cupping her hip.

  “Just a plain hamburger and a small fry,” she told the worker in front of her. “And a medium Sprite.”

  Sprite had been her lifesaver on more than one occasion. It was beginning to become her new favorite drink. Garrett ordered his food, a treat for Havock, and then they stepped to the side to allow Chris to order.

  “It’s two apple pies for a dollar,” Chris said to them. “You think Shell would want one? She likes sweets.”

  Hannah snickered. For some reason it struck her as funny that he was trying to be budget conscious over a dollar. “Sure, if not, someone else will eat it.”

  Garrett was on his phone, and she was enjoying standing with her head resting on his shoulder while they waited for their food when somebody yelled both their names.

  “Oh my God, it’s Reaper and Harmony,” a young guy yelled as he came over to where they stood.

  “Hey man,” Garrett greeted, placing himself between the guy and Hannah. He took notice that Chris got her on the other side. They weren’t sure whether this guy was friend or foe, and until they could figure it out, he didn’t wa
nt to take any chances.

  “I can’t believe she’s in a fast food joint.” He pointed to Hannah. “Are you one of those binge-and-purgers? My girlfriend is. I told her you were my idea of a perfect woman, and she starved herself to look just like you. I heard you were in the hospital back in May. My girl has been too, took it a little too seriously, ya know?”

  Hannah was shocked at the words coming out of this guy’s mouth. Was he serious? She glanced at Garrett and saw him grinding his back molars. She was worried for the guy’s health.

  “Are you a dickhead or what?” Garrett finally spoke, his voice low and calm. “How dare you think it’s something to brag about that you put your girl in the hospital because you had an unrealistic view of how she should look.”

  “You must like it too…”

  “I like the way my wife looks, and it doesn’t matter if she gained two hundred pounds, I would still love her. I’ve never asked her to be something she’s not, just like she’s never asked me to be something I’m not. You are an asshat, and I hope your girlfriend figures out what a pussy you are.”

  “I was going to ask for your autograph, bro.” He held a pen and a piece of paper out for the two of them to grab.

  “I’m not your fuckin’ bro, and I sure as shit am not signing a damn thing for you.”

  Finally the guy was starting to get irritated. “You think your shit don’t stink? You think just because you have a band and a hot wife you’re God? We normal people pay your salary.”

  “You’re right,” Garrett took off his sunglasses so he could look the guy in the eye. “Normal people do pay my salary, and I am extremely thankful for each and every one of those people. You, my friend, are a crazy fuck who needs to learn manners and how to treat a woman.”

  Hannah had yet to open her mouth, but she could see everyone in the place staring at the three of them and wanted to bury her head and leave, but then something amazing happened. When Garrett said the guy needed to learn manners and how to treat a woman, the crowd watching started clapping. It was a slow clap to begin with, but then they started screaming, yelling, and offering to buy her and Garrett’s lunch.

  “Thank you,” a woman yelled in the back of the building. “Men like him are why I’m single. They need to make more like you, Reaper!”

  By the time they left, they’d been given more food, taken pictures, and signed all kinds of things. As they opened the door to the parking lot, Hannah was tearing into her burger. “Oh my God, this is the best thing ever,” she groaned.

  Garrett looked around, making sure no one could hear them. “You know, since you got pregnant, every time you eat it’s like an orgasmic experience for you, and it gets me hard.”

  She laughed, the sound deep in her throat. “It’s almost an orgasmic experience. I can’t explain it, things just taste better, and I’m always excited when I can eat something and it doesn’t come right back up. My stomach gnaws at itself so often that it’s nice for it feel full. It reminds me of my eating disorder, and I hate that feeling, but I understand that these are two separate things.”

  He took a bite of his own burger as they slowly walked back to the bus. “Did what that guy said in there bother you?”

  “It did.” She took a drink of her Sprite and waited a minute so she could gather her thoughts. “I feel bad for his girlfriend; she’s never going to live up to what he wants her to be, and in turn, she’ll never be happy. A woman like that gets caught up in what the man in her life wants and isn’t happy unless she gives him what he wants. It’s going to be hard for her to come back from that and I truly hope that guy gets what’s coming to him.”

  “I hope so too. I’ve never been so offended for someone I don’t know.”

  They finished eating and then stopped at the bus, each leaning against it. “You know I’m gonna get fat, right? And I’m going to have issues with that.”

  “Then I’m going to do my best to help you through those issues, Han.” He grasped her hand in his. “There’s no way for us to know how bad those issues are going to be, but I’m committed to letting you know you’re the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”

  “That’s why I love you.” She smiled as she stood on tiptoe and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “C’mon, lovebirds,” Jared yelled out of the window of the bus. “It’s time to go, and Havock wants his treat.”

  Garrett groaned. “Maybe when the baby comes we can get our own bus and leave his ass behind,” he joked.

  “If the baby is one of those who doesn’t sleep through the night, I have a feeling they’re going to want us to have our own bus.”

  He laughed as they got onto their home away from home. He watched as Hannah immediately walked to the lounge area, took off her shoes, and lay down on the couch, a blanket around her. Havock had been sitting patiently, waiting for her to get comfortable, before he hopped up there with her, resting his head on her stomach. It struck him then that most everything he cared about was on this bus and just how different his life was from one short year ago. There was no way he would give any of this up, no way he would change it, but he hoped like hell he didn’t fuck it up.

  Chapter Eighteen

  * * *

  Late June 2015

  “Ugh.” Hanna wrinkled her nose. Almost everything that required a button on her lower half no longer fit, and she wasn’t sure she liked it one bit.

  “What’s wrong?” Garrett asked as he walked into their hotel room, closing the door behind him.

  She shrugged, trying not to let it affect her. This was something she knew was coming. “Nothing fits my lower half. I haven’t gained much weight—only five pounds—after losing so much earlier, but it’s all gone to the same spot.”

  He could tell she tried hard not to let it bother her. She tried hard to be strong. “Han, you’re gorgeous right now. You have this glow about you that anyone who looks at you can see from a mile away. So what if you’ve gained a few pounds. You’re growing a human.” He came over and stood in front of her, spreading his legs so he was more at her eye level.

  “Every part of me knows that, and I mean, I know, I’m not sick all the time anymore, but there are other changes in my body. Like, ya know, not being able to button my pants and my bra is almost too small, but it’s so hard for me not to worry about it.”

  Enveloping her in his arms, he did his best to tell her without words that he believed in her and thought she was gorgeous no matter what, but he had an idea that in this moment actions would speak much louder than words.

  “I can’t worry about it right now though.” She threw up her hands as she pulled away from him. The strain of keeping their secret was beginning to weigh on her. She wanted to tell their parents, but they had both agreed it would be smart to wait until the first trimester was over—at least that’s what others kept telling them. The first trimester would be over around the first week of July, so they still had a few days to go.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. Garrett had grown used to her quick temper. Before her pregnancy she was easy-going, but now she became frustrated easily.

  She breathed deeply, feeling the hormones coursing through her body. “Yeah, I’m okay, sorry. I don’t know why I get so irritated.”

  He clasped his hands at the base of her back and pushed slightly to make her look up at him. “You have a lot going on, babe. Your body isn’t your own anymore. We have a different set of responsibilities than we had before, already. It’s going to take some getting used to, and if you have to get a little pissed, I’m fine with that.”

  She didn’t deserve him, not one bit, and she knew it, but she was thankful she had him. “I’m fine now, I promise.”

  Garrett looked at her, really looked at her, and decided she was telling the truth, but he knew they were both wound pretty tightly. “If you say so, but what do you say you stay here in the hotel and relax tonight. We’re not heading out until early in the morning anyway.”

  Tomorrow morning they would be head
ing to Nashville for a few days of relaxation with their families before heading overseas for a month tour of the summer festivals. She was tired thinking about it, but she couldn’t wait until they could get their families together and tell them their news. She was excited to get it out in the open. On more than one occasion she’d almost let it slip to her mom or her mother-in-law.

  “You’re right. I need to stay here and take myself to bed. Maybe a night by myself will be just what I need.”

  “C’mon, Havock.” He patted his thigh, motioning for the dog to follow him. He’d even keep him on the bus so that she could be truly and well alone. Grabbing his bag, he put it on his shoulder and he and their boy left.

  * * *

  “Where’s Hannah?” Shell asked as he met up with the rest of them in the hallway.

  “She’s kind of having one of those days, so I suggested she stay behind. She agreed.”

  Shell sighed. “I worried about that. Does she think she’s fat?”

  “I don’t think it’s necessarily that. I think it’s the fact that she couldn’t button her shorts tonight. I’m trying to give her some space. Those types of things will be harder for her.”

  She agreed, melting into Jared’s side as he slung an arm around her shoulders. “What are you going to do to help her?”

  Garrett smiled slowly. “I have a couple of ideas, but that’s between me and her.”

  The one thing Shell had tried to do since she’d joined the tour was leave the married couple alone when they needed to be left alone. She did her best to allow them the room to be their own little family, but she had to say something this time. “When she gets like this, she’s vulnerable, Garrett.”

  “I know my wife,” he told her softly. “I know what she needs, and I know what she wants. She’ll be fine, I promise you that. I’m not going to let her do something stupid because she feels like she has to. I got her.”