Chasing Dragonflies Read online

  “Maddison Arnold.” A deep male voice called. Causing her to dart her head up. An older man, dressed in a suit and tie stood at an open door, with a clipboard in his hand.

  Dex rose to his feet first, pulling her with him to a standing position, before striding toward the open room.

  Taking a seat, the man introduced himself as Doctor Sinclair. He explained he would take care of her throughout her pregnancy. He knew of her story and had sent for her files to be sent over from the hospital.

  “Now do we want to have a look at this new addition?” The doctor asked, rising to his feet.

  Confused, she looked to Dex for reassurance. He had been through this whole process before. It was all knew to her. Judging by the beaming smile on his face, she figured it must be a good thing. She rose to her feet and followed the doctor over to the couch, which he reached out and patted with his hand.

  Tentatively she turned and sat down on the paper-covered couch. Whilst the doctor turned his back and tapped at a laptop.

  When he turned back around he had an odd looking wand in one hand and bottle of lotion in the other.

  “Now don't be scared,” he reassured her. “Lay back on the bed, we are just going to bring a picture up here on the screen and see if we can get some measurements of your baby.”

  She looked to Dex and he nodded. Laying down on the cold hard bed, Dex lovingly adjusted the pillow behind her head, to make sure she was comfortable.

  “Now I am just going to squirt some of this goo onto your tummy, it will be a little cold okay?”

  The doctor warned, before lifting her shirt and tugging her jeans lower on her hips. The lotion he called 'goo' was cold and clammy. When it hit her warm skin it gave her a little shiver. Then using the wand in his hand he was suddenly pressing into belly, hard. Making her feel like she might pee her pants.

  “Ah, there it is, can you see that?” he asked, turning the computer screen so she and Dex could get a clearer view.

  She was not sure what she was supposed to see, it was all greys and blacks. One small spot appeared to be flashing. The doctor continued tapping away at the computer, drawing lines within the picture displayed on the screen.

  “What is the little thing that keeps flashing?” she asked the doctor when he turned back to her.

  “That,” he said pointing to the spot in question on the screen. “That is your little baby’s heart beating away there. It is measuring eight to nine weeks and things look to be right on target.”

  Her baby’s heartbeat. She looked up at Dex, who was smiling down at her and her own heart skipped a beat. There inside her body was a tiny little heartbeat of a tiny little baby that they had created together. They were making their own little family.

  Suddenly, all those things she thought she was missing out on, didn't matter anymore. She had something that mattered more than climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and it had it's only little heartbeat, beating away inside of her body.

  ***

  On their way home from the doctor’s surgery, she could barely wipe the smile from her face. Dex reached across the seat and rubbed his hand gently along her leg, never taking his eyes off the road.

  “It's good to see you happy.”

  “We're having a baby,” she chirped. Overwhelmed with excitement at having seen her little baby’s heartbeat.

  “I know...pretty cool huh?”

  “What do you think Shyla will think?”

  “I think she will love it. Actually...I know now is not the right time to bring it up, but about Shyla.” His face turned from happy to serious.

  “What? What's happened?” A sudden pang of urgency struck her. His serious look had her concerned.

  “Nothing's happened. I ahh...I spoke to Melody, that's all. I told her if she does not start letting me see Shyla regularly, I am going to see a lawyer.”

  Relief washed over her, there was nothing wrong and Dex was finally making a stand against the woman who was raising his child.

  “Oh Dex, how did that go?”

  “She got shitty, as expected. Then I reminded her she was living in my house and I was paying all hers and Shyla's bills.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah really. After Issy died, I didn't really want to go back to the house anyway. I've kept up the mortgage repayments on it. At least my daughter was being provided for. Plus I give her money for everything Shy needs.”

  “Dex!”

  “I'm not going to take it away from her and I told her that. I also have no intentions of ripping Shyla away from the only home and mother she has ever had. But I want to start spending more time with my daughter and if she doesn't do the right thing, I will go see a lawyer and see what my options are.”

  He didn't look at her as he spoke, but she sat watching him closely. It was difficult to comprehend this was the same man she watched melt down only a couple of weeks previously. In such a short amount of time both their lives had been turned upside down and she couldn't be happier.

  “What are you looking at me like that for?” He asked finally turning to her.

  “Oh nothing, I'm just thinking that I love you.”

  Chapter 30

  “Here, it needs some more chocolate balls on the side,” she said poking the lollies into the frosting.

  “You're going to make the kid sick, with all that sugar.” Patrick laughed.

  He had baked a cake for Shyla's birthday and she was helping him decorate it with lots of lollies. Shyla couldn't see it, but Maddie wanted to make sure she could feel it, so it was going to be bumpy.

  Polly was coming. As were Asha and Xavier. Xavier was in charge of the barbecue. Dex was going to pick up Charlie and Shyla. Her actual birthday was not for a few days, but Sunday was the best day to get everyone there.

  Patrick even had a lady friend coming along, someone he had met at Aunty Polly's. Maddie was a bit dubious about that, but he seemed happy, so that was the important thing.

  “So where's the party at?” she heard Xavier's voice ringing out from the front door.

  “We're in here Xave,” she called out to her brother, who came in and wrapped his arms around her in a huge hug.

  “Oh look, it's my favourite fly,” he joked, poking a finger in her ear.

  Giggling, she pushed him away. She had not told him yet she was pregnant, she hoped he would take it well. He had softened towards Dex, once he realised he was not such a bad guy. Patrick was taking a little longer. But thankfully it seemed he was finally moving on with his life.

  It was not long before everyone was there, the backyard was a hive of activity. Xavier was busy cooking sausages on the barbecue. Polly and Charlie were deep in conversation. Patrick's new friend, Ginger was sitting in his lap, playing with his dreadlocks. Shyla was sitting on Dex's lap, rabbiting on about her friends. Maddie was feeling amazing, apart from the smell of the sausages that was turning her stomach a little.

  After a fabulous lunch, Xavier stood and cleared his throat all very officially. Asha's cheeks were turning red, something was going on.

  “I have an announcement to make,” he beamed, looking around at their small gathering. “Asha and I are getting married. I asked her last night.”

  Jumping to her feet, she threw her arms around her brother’s neck, whispering a congratulations into his ear. She was truly happy for him. Next she hugged Asha, wishing her well also. Taking her seat she clutched her stomach as a wave of nausea washed over her again. Asha shot her a concerned look. This whole pregnancy thing sucked. She had read the nausea would subside around twelve weeks. So only a couple more weeks to go, she hoped they were right.

  Dex quickly came to sit beside her, draping an arm around her back.

  “Are you okay Sweetheart?”

  “Yeah, just a bit of nausea, it will pass in a minute or two.”

  Looking up, Xavier was staring hard at her, she had not told him yet and Patrick and Asha were both sworn to secrecy.

  “Are you okay Fly?” he asked catching
her eye.

  “Yeah, yeah I'm okay...”

  “What's going on?” he asked looking from her to Dex.

  Dex looked to her for reassurance. She nodded slightly. She guessed now was as good a time as any for everyone to know.

  “We have some news too...” he said, wringing his hands, obviously nervous as to everyone’s reaction. “Maddie and I are having a baby.”

  “Oh my goodness,” came a delighted shout from Aunty Polly as she flew at Maddie and pulled her into her arms. Charlie was not far behind. He hugged about as well as Aunty Polly did. Even Ginger, who she had just met gave her a hug.

  Finally Xavier approached her. “Far out Fly, I never saw that coming...” she searched his face, she could not read his emotion.

  “Are you okay with it?”

  His face finally broke into a big Xavier smile. “I'm going to be an uncle?”

  “Yes...yes you are.”

  “I love you Madd,” he said throwing his arms around her.

  She pulled away quickly as her stomach rolled, quickly bringing her hand to her mouth

  “Gotta...sorry Xave,” she managed to get out before running for the house. Gosh this vomiting thing was way overrated, why would anyone choose to get pregnant if they had to go through this.

  “Maddie, sweetie, are you okay?” Dex called from the open bathroom door.

  “Yeah I will be in sec,” she managed to call back as she wiped her mouth with a piece of toilet paper.

  Moving into the kitchen, Dex handed her a glass of water and she took a few sips, washing the hideous taste from her mouth.

  “Thanks Dex,” she smiled up at him. If she had to go through this, she was glad it was with this amazing man. “I love you.”

  “Love you to baby,” he replied placing a kiss on her forehead.

  There was a knock at the front door, at the same time as Shyla called out to him from the backyard.

  “You go to Shy, I'll get the door.”

  They both went in their separate directions. Dex out the back, Maddie toward the front door. Swinging it open, a woman stood on the porch steps a small baby in her arms.

  “Is Trick here?” The woman asked, hitching the baby over her shoulder.

  Maddie eyed her up and down. She had never seen this woman before.

  “Maybe, who wants to know?” she asked suspiciously.

  “I'm Hannah, his fiancé and this is his son.”

  THE END!

  Thank you for reading Chasing Dragonflies. If you enjoyed reading this book I would love for you to leave me a review on Amazon, Goodreads or wherever you see fit.

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  Acknowledgements

  A very special thank you goes out to Samantha, who is always happy to read my unedited work. She helps it all come together so that it all makes sense. You are amazing and you could never offend me. Some times I know what I mean, it just needs to be pointed out to me that others might not. You do this for me and I appreciate it more than you could know.

  To my Newbs. Girls you are such a source of inspiration, friendship and learning. Sometimes it feels as though we are just bumbling our way through, but there is always someone willing to reach out and help. I am so glad I have you all on my side.

  To my family as always, cheering me on. I love you guys.

  To my awesome editor Jen Burson. Thank you once again, you do such an amazing job and I love the little notes you leave me when editing.

  To Christa Holland from Paper and Sage. Once again thank you Christa for you patience in helping my vision for my covers to become a reality.

  To Alexandria Bishop, for not only formatting my work, but always happy to help guide and advise me along the way also.

  Finally, to my readers. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement as well as taking the time to leave a review.

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