Caleb Being Caleb

Caleb

I pulled up in front of Joey’s house, irritated about the way everything was going down. I was pissed at Brennan for not coming to his senses. Every time I spoke to him, he said the same thing. He was fine. Eden was fine. No, he didn’t need anything. But it was all lies. I heard the exhaustion in his voice. I heard the sadness. He was depressed, and I knew that he wasn’t doing anything to make it better. To say the very least, I was worried about him. So was Ramira, but she couldn’t make the trip to Eden at the moment, which was why I was. I was leaving right after I checked on the other source of my irritation. Leah. I jogged up the stairs, using my code to enter the house. Joey came out of his office, frowning at me.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Yeah. Where is Leah?” I inquired.

“She’s in her room, where she has been for the last week. She won’t come out of it. All she does is lay in bed, cry, and vomit. Ramira is coming later to talk to her. I asked her to. I don’t know what else to do. She is so sad. I think she’s depressed.” He paused to glance down the hallway. “I think she’s making herself sick. I think she’s letting herself get so upset over this whole situation that she’s making herself physically sick. She won’t go to the doctor, so if this is physical, we won’t know, so we are forced to try to treat whatever mental stuff we can.”

“Why won’t she go to the doctor?”

“She said she is not running a fever, and when she eats, she’s holding it down. She said that when she has panic attacks, that is when she gets nauseous,” Joey told me.

“But you don’t believe her?” I asked slowly.

“No, I don’t, because sometimes she gets sick at night when she’s asleep. Actually, come to think of it, it always starts at night.”

“Hmm, interesting. Could she be pregnant?”

His eyes widened as he glanced down the hallway again. “Pregnant? You think she could be pregnant? I thought Brennan was using condoms. I saw them in his room when we were there last. Why would he have condoms if he wasn’t using them when he was having sex? Brennan is smarter than that. I do not think he would put her or himself through that. Not this soon after they met,” he told me, more unsure than he had been previously.

I shrugged. “Who knows? He’s a fool when around her. Maybe he slipped up, or maybe they talked about it and agreed to try for a baby. Hell, it seems like the Morgans’ reproductive organs work well. Kayla’s got a couple of kids, and you and Maddie keep popping them out. Maybe Brennan is still as fertile as he was before.”

“Maybe,” Joey mumbled, and I could tell he was thinking about what I said.

I tilted my head toward the hallway. “May I go talk to her?”

“Yeah, just don’t mention the possibility of being pregnant to her. I think we should let Ramira do that. Or Maddie. It would be weird coming from me or you,” he requested.

“Alright.”

I walked down the hallway to knock on her door. “Leah, may I come in?”

“Yes,” she called out.

I pushed the door open, nodding at Maddie, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Leah’s hand.

“Privately, Madison.”

She narrowed her eyes on me but didn’t move. “You want to have a private conversation with a single female in her room while she is scantily clad? Not in my house, Caleb! Whatever you have to say to her, you can say in front of me or not say it at all. It’s—”

“Maddie, it’s okay. I don’t think he means me any harm,” Leah told her with a weak voice.

She narrowed her eyes even more until her eyes almost crossed as she got up. “Caleb, I swear to God, if I hear that you overstepped, it won’t just be a throat punch…”

“I hear you, Madison. Now, get out.”

She rolled her eyes before turning back to me as soon as she exited the room. Before she could say anything, I shut the door in her face. After taking her place on the bed beside Leah, I smiled at her.

“Hey, honey. How are you feeling?”

“Like crap. I am tired all of the time and cry a lot, and I am always nauseous,” she replied.

I tilted my head as I studied her face. “Have you thought about going to the doctor?”

“The doctor? No, I don’t think this is something that I need to bother a doctor about. I’m just anxious,” she immediately said.

“But what if it is? I know that at Eden, Doc and Rosemary are medical personnel, but I think that maybe you should go in for a full workup. Blood work, physical exam, and maybe some other tests if needed.”

“Other tests? What kind of other tests do you think I might need?”

“I don’t know, Leah. I’m not a doctor. I’m an attorney.”

“I don’t want to go to the doctor. It’ll pass,” she huffed.

“If it doesn’t pass in a week, promise me that you will go to the doctor. Fever or not.”

“Fine! If it will get all of you off my back, I’ll go if it’s not passed in a week,” she grumbled angrily.

“Perfect! Now, I must go. I have something else to do. Feel better, okay?”

She nodded. “Where are you going?”

“To see Brennan.”

She sat up, eyeing me. “Are you?”

“I am.”

“Is he okay?”

“I’m not sure. He says he is, but I’m not so sure. I just wanted to check on him,” I admitted.

Alarm crossed over her face. “I should go with you.”
When she went to get up, I grabbed her wrist to keep her in the bed.

“No, Leah, you shouldn’t. I don’t know what I’m walking into, and I don’t want to put you in a bad situation, especially not feeling well. I promise you that as soon as I know how he’s doing, I will let you know.”

“But what if he needs me?” She whimpered.

“He’s always needed you, Leah, but right now, you need to focus on yourself. You need to get better before you can help him. I promise that if I feel like he needs a boost, I will have Joey bring you to Eden, okay?” I told her, praying that she accepts the compromise I offered her.

She sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine! But I swear if something happens to him, it won’t be Maddie that you will have to worry about!”

I couldn't help but laugh at her words. “You sound like you’re in love,” I teased.

“Shut up!”

“Leah and Brennan sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” I sang in a falsetto, making her giggle a little.

“Shut up, Caleb! Go see how my man is doing! I expect a full update when you get back,” she ordered.

“Will do, Mrs. Morgan,” I said, winking at her before standing up as her cheeks started to turn pink.

As I neared the door, she called my name, making me look over my shoulder at her. “Yeah, Leah?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Everything. You didn't have to welcome me into your life or your family, but you did. So, thank you,” she mumbled, clearly embarrassed.

“Don’t thank me, Leah. You are family, and once Brennan pulls his head out of his ass, he’ll make it official.” I glanced at the door before meeting her eyes. “Tell Maddie I was on my best behavior.”

“I will,” she giggled. “Be safe, Caleb.”

“I will. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

When I walked out of the room, Maddie immediately narrowed her eyes on me. “Caleb—”

I held my hand up, stopping her from talking. “Save it, Madison. I’m going to say this once, and you better hear me well. I am not attracted to Leah. I look at her like I look at you. She is my sister. I know I sleep around, but I am not going to even flirt with my brothers’ women. I get it that you’re protective over her. I understand why too, but come on now. You know me better than that. I would never force myself on a woman.”

“I know. It’s just that she’s been through a lot. And I worry about her being alone with another male. So many things could go wrong and—”

“Not with me. I promise you, she is as safe with me as she is with Joey. As she is with you and Ramira. I have never given you a reason to doubt me, so don’t doubt me now. Okay?”

She sighed before nodding. “Okay.”

“Now, Mrs. Morgan, go see the other Mrs. Morgan. I’m off to see the other Mr. Morgan that needs to wake up,” I told her.

“Are you coming back here after?” She inquired.

“Yeah. I promised to give Leah a 32-page report.”

“She gave you homework?”

“Yep. Just like a true female Morgan. Ramira’s always giving homework.”

“I know.” She hugged me. “I love you, Caleb.”

He flicked my nose. “Love you too, ya little throat puncher.”

I left her giggling behind me as I hurried out of the house. It was a long drive, and I wanted to reach Eden before it got too late. I just prayed that when I got there, Brennan truly was okay…