by Holly Jaymes
“I’m not sure. We were finishing dinner. Her brother was at the door. As I was letting him in, I heard her fall.”
“Does she have any medical conditions?” the paramedic asked.
“She’s pregnant,” I said.
“How far along is she?”
“About eight weeks. We just had a sonogram today. Everything was fine.” How could this happen when the doctor said she was okay?
“What’s her name?”
“Hope. Her name is Hope.” I looked over at Parker, wishing I was getting answers instead of having to answer questions.
“Hope,” the female paramedic said. “Can you hear me?”
The other one started to poke a needle in her arm.
“What are you doing?” I moved toward him, but Parker stopped me.
“Let them do their job, Mitch.”
“We’re giving her fluids,” the man said.
“Hope,” the woman said again.
Hope’s eyes finally opened. “What…” her eyes moved around. “Why am I on the floor?”
“You fainted, honey,” the woman said. “We’re going to take you to the hospital.”
Hope’s hand went right to her belly. “My baby.”
“Let’s get you to the hospital, and everything will be checked out.”
“Mitch?” Hope said as she looked for me.
“I’m here, Hope.” I moved so she could see me. “Parker is here too.”
He came to stand next to me.
“We need you to stand aside.” The lady paramedic said.
“I want to go with her,” Parker said.
I started to protest, but then realized he had more right than I did. Yes, she was carrying my child, but he was her family.
“I’ll meet you there,” I said to her.
She nodded, looking a little frightened. I wanted to reassure her, and I wanted to be there when the doctor checked her over. What the fuck would I do if something was wrong with her?
Book 3: Chapter 29—Family
Family
Hope
I lay in the hospital bed as nurses poked and prodded, and asked questions but didn’t give me many answers. Parker had come with me in the ambulance, but he was now in a waiting room. Was Mitch here too? I really wished he was in the room with me.
“Is my baby okay?” That's what I cared about most.
“We’re going to do a sonogram,” the doctor said. “So far, everything looks okay. Fainting isn’t that uncommon in pregnancy, but we want to make sure it’s not something else.”
I nodded. “Can my…” What was Mitch? “Can I see..”
“Let us get to the bottom of what’s going on, and then you can have family in,” the nurse said patting my hand. “Can you tell me what happened?”
“I just finished dinner. My brother was at the door and…” I didn’t want to tell them I was afraid he and Mitch might end up fighting, so I skipped that bit. “I stood up to go to them, and then, that’s it. I woke up on the floor.”
“She was out for about ten minutes,” another nurse said.
“I must have stood up too fast. My doctor said not to do that.” I started to cry.
“You okay. Does something hurt?” the nurse asked.
“No. It's just that my doctor warned me and I still messed up.”
“Oh, honey, it’s okay. You’re going to make many more mistakes as a mom, I promise you.”
“Uh-huh,” the other nurse nodded. “Just the other day, I sent my child to school in mismatched shoes.”
The nurse next to me laughed. “One of the pitfalls of working nights and then trying to get your kids to school in the morning.”
It seemed like forever, but finally, the sonogram person was there. This one didn’t say much. She simply took images and the left.
“Is my baby okay?” I asked again. Why was it so difficult to find out the condition of my baby?
“The doctor will review and be in shortly,” the nurse said.
Another eternity went by when the doctor came in, saying everything looked fine and that I could go home, after a reminder to not get up too fast.
As I waited for the discharge papers, Parker came in, followed by Mitch. They each took a spot on either side of me.
“I’m sorry, Mitch.” Guilt consumed me.
“For what? They say the baby is okay.” He squeezed my hand.
“I shouldn’t have stood up so quick. I was just afraid you two were going to fight.”
Mitch looked over at Parker. Parker glanced at him but then returned his attention to me. “No fighting, Hope.”
They didn’t look like friends again, but if they weren’t going to fight. That was good. “Did you call mom and dad?” I asked Parker.
“Not yet. I think maybe you can do that while I drive you home.”
Next to me, Mitch stiffened. “You okay with that?” He asked me.
I really wanted to be with Mitch. We’d been having such a lovely evening, and despite the danger of it, I wanted it to be the start of something more than just friends raising a child together. I gripped his hand. “Thank you for the groceries and dinner. I hope I didn’t scare you off.”
He smiled. “No, honey. I just hope you’re okay.”
I knew he meant the baby, not me. “Yes. I’m fine. And there aren’t two in there. I looked closer this time.”
He laughed. “I’d be okay with two, but one at a time is probably best.”
One at a time. Did that mean he wanted more? He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “I’ll check on you tomorrow. Parker and your family will want to be with you tonight.”
I wanted to ask him to stay too but knew it would be awkward for him with Parker. “Will you bring me more corn chips and ice cream?” I needed to know I’d see him again. Not a check-in, but to really see him.
“Whatever you want,” he said with a smile and a wave goodbye.
I watched as he left and then turned to Parker.
“You both are friggin idiots,” he said.
“You’re an asshole,” I told him.
“I know, but you love me.”
“Yes. I do.” I frowned. “Why are we idiots?”
He rolled his eyes. “You love him, he loves you, and yet you’re both too stupid to see it. Jesus, you’re having a baby and still can’t tell each other how you feel. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so fucking tragic.”
“Since when are you on the side of love, especially where Mitch and I are concerned.”
“Since I saw you passed out on the floor and realized I was being a jealous, petty asshole. And Mitch, I think he died right then and there.” Parker’s eyes turned serious. “I’ve always wanted both of you to be happy. I just didn’t think it would be together. It’s still weird, but I can see it now. The two of you make sense.”
I started to cry.
“Oh jeez, now what?”
“He doesn’t want me. He’ll be there for the baby, but that will be it. He doesn’t love me.”
Parker rolled his eyes again. “Yes, he does. He’s just afraid. Give him time, Hope. He’ll come around.”
I wanted Parker to be right, but I was afraid to believe it. If Mitch loved me, wouldn’t he have hung around? He would have insisted on taking me home despite Parker and my family?
On the way home in Parker’s car, I called my parents, and as predicted, they insisted on coming over. Parker put me on the couch while he cleaned up Mitch’s dishes.
“Do you need anything?” he asked when he was done.
“Corn chips and ice cream.”
“For real?” His face showed disgust.
“It’s good.”
“Alright.” He went to the kitchen and got the chips and ice cream. By the time I was settled in with the sweet and savory treat, my parents were at the door.
My mother rushed in and gave me a thorough look over.
“I’m fine now, mom. Really.”
“A parent’s worst nightmare is to get a ca
ll that something happened to your child,” she said. She looked at my snack and laughed. “I ate popcorn and jelly beans when I was pregnant with you two.”
That sounded disgusting.
“You really okay, pumpkin?” my father asked. He was trying to look stoic, but I could see that the call worried him too.
“I’m good, in fact, I have something to show you.” I started to get up, but Parker barked at me to stay seated. I told him to get me my purse.
“Mitch and I had a sonogram today, and we heard the baby’s heartbeat.” I handed my mother the sonogram picture. Mitch and I each got one.
“Oh, look…our first baby picture.” My mother’s eyes misted. “What a beautiful baby.”
“Will it grow into its head,” Parker asked.
“Parker!” my mother chastised. “Of course, it will. And even if it doesn’t, we’d love it all the same.”
It was nice to be with my family without all the tension that had been there over the last couple of weeks. My parents stayed in my guest room while Parker slept on the couch.
As I snuggled into my bed, my phone beeped with a notification. I looked at it. A text from Mitch.
Are you okay?
I typed out my response. Yes, the baby is fine.
A few seconds later, my phone beeped again. But are you okay?
God, I wanted that to mean something. Yes.
I was getting ready to put my phone down when it sounded again. Sleep well, Hope.
You too, Mitch.
There were no more texts after that, but that was okay. I still went to sleep with a smile on my face. My baby was fine, and Mitch and I were getting along. My family was here. Really, what more could I ask for?
I was sure my mother came into my room several times through the night to make sure I was okay. I’d probably do the same with my child over the next many years.
The next morning, my father was making pancakes, while my brother read the news on his phone, and my mother started doing my laundry.
“You don’t need to hover and baby me,” I said. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” I said to my brother.
“I took a day. Family time. Or I might play golf.”
I laughed. “Mom, you don’t need to do my laundry.”
“Your father wouldn’t let me make breakfast, and I had to do something.”
I rolled my eyes. “I love you guys, you know that, right?”
My mom grinned. “Yes, honey.”
“You love me most, right?” my father called from the stove.
“Are those chocolate chip pancakes?” I asked.
“You bet, nothing but the best for my baby girl.”
“Then, yes.”
“Who knew a few chocolate chips could buy your love,” my mother said.
“What about ice cream and corn chips?” Parker asked with a quirk of his brow.
“I think ice cream can buy anything.” My mother said. “It should be a new currency. It’s more valuable than gold.”
“Love. That’s more valuable than it all,” my father said, setting a platter filled with pancakes on the table. “But pancakes are the best thing.”
Book 3: Chapter 30—Building a Life
Building a Life
Mitch
I’d thought my world had shifted in the right direction when I heard my baby’s heartbeat, but when I saw Hope on the floor motionless, I felt like my world had ended. At that moment, the wall that I had up that stopped me from loving Hope shattered into crystal clear clarity. It was at that moment that I realized that Hope was my life.
I didn’t want to leave her side, and yet, I didn’t feel I had the right to usurp Parker and her family, not yet anyway. When I knew she and the baby were fine, I headed home.
It wasn’t late, and my mother was still up sitting in her living room reading a book, while Duke and George slept at her feet.
“I wasn’t expecting you home,” she said when she saw me.
“I told you I’d be home after dinner.”
She gave a look. “When are you going to finally admit you love Hope?”
“Now,” I said, sitting on the couch next to her chair.
Her smile was wide. “Oh. Did something happen?”
“We saw the baby and heard the heartbeat,” I said, pulling the sonogram picture from my shirt’s breast pocket and handing it to her.
“Oh, Mitch. It’s beautiful.
It was a gray blob on a black background, but I agreed. “It was like nothing I ever experienced,” I told her. “I looked at it, and I was like, I created that.”
She reached over and took my hand. “So, you and Hope made up? You forgave her?”
I see-sawed my head. “Not exactly. I was moved by the baby, but mom, I—”
“I know honey. It requires a leap of faith to love.”
“I did buy her groceries and made her dinner, and it was going well until Parker showed up.”
“Oh, no. He didn’t hit you again, did he?”
“No, but he didn’t have a chance. All of a sudden, Hope was out cold on the floor.” The memory of it had me shaking again.
“Oh no, is she okay?”
“Yes. We got her to the hospital, and they said everything was fine. I guess fainting while pregnant isn’t that unusual. But when I saw her on the floor, everything inside went cold. It was like I died, you know?”
Tears formed in my mother’s eyes, and I realized I was probably bringing back the memory of her finding my father unresponsive.
“I’m sorry mom—”
“No. Don’t be sorry. Be happy that she’s fine.”
“I am.” I squeezed her hand. “I realized that I’d rather try to make it work with her than live my life trying to be safe.”
“Good. Oh, Mitch, I’m so happy to hear that.”
“I just hope she feels like I do.” I think she did. At least I thought she’d be open to a relationship.
“Oh pah,” my mother waved a hand. “Of course she does. So, what are you going to do?”
“First, I’m going to talk to Parker. Then I’m going to put everything right again.”
She smiled so brightly. “You’ve made me very happy. I’ve been so worried about you living your life of solitude.”
“Will will be disappointed.”
“Someday a woman will captivate him. It will be fun to watch,” my mother laughed.
I laughed with her. “You’re right.”
“You’ll bring Hope with you on Sunday?”
“If she’s free. I think she has a Sunday dinner with her family now.”
My mom frowned. “I’ll have to share.” Then she smiled. “I can live with that.”
The next day, I called Hope, who said she was stuffed with chocolate chip pancakes. She sounded happy and healthy.
“I have some things to take care of, but I’ll come by later,” I told her. “I’ll have more ice cream and corn chips.”
“Can you get root beer and French fries too?”
I laughed. “Yes. But you’ll need to eat extra vegetables.”
Then I called Parker and asked if he could meet. He suggested golf, which I took as a good sign. I agreed to nine holes because I had other things I needed to do.
He met me on the course. I studied him, trying to decide if he was still pissed off and if he was going to try and take a swing at me. Regardless of how he felt, I was going to move forward with Hope, and hope to hell she wanted to move forward with me too.
“I love Hope,” I said first thing. No sense in putting it off any longer.
“Yes, I know,” he said, putting his ball on the tee.
“How do you know?”
He looked at me. “I have two eyes. I can see.” He held his index and middle fingers up and motioned to his eyes. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“I’m going to tell her. I wanted to make things right with you first.”
“And what if that wasn’t possible?” He held his club to his side next to him
, leaning slightly on it.
“That will be a shame. If I have to choose, though, I’m going to choose her.”
He nodded. “Good.” He turned and moved to the tee again, giving his club a practice swing.
I’d really thought this would be harder. Was I missing something?
He pulled his club back and swung it. It made contact with the ball, heading up the fairway. “Well, it’s in the middle anyway.”
I watched him as I made my way to the tee. “So, you’re okay with Hope and me?”
“You just said I don’t have a choice.”
I realized that I wanted him to be happy for Hope and me. But this might be the best I’d get.
“I’ll take good care of her.”
He laughed. “Don’t let her hear that. She’ll tell you she can take care of herself.”
“True.” I put my ball on the tee. “The point is, I won’t hurt her.”
“Aren’t you worried about her hurting you?”
Yes, somewhat. “I’m more worried about missing out or of having regret over not following my heart.”
“You’re sappy, Sloane. Hit the ball.”
I cranked my club back and swung. I hit the ball, sending it up to the fairway, past Parker’s.
“You could let me win again if you’re trying to win me over.”
“Is that all it will take?” I asked, putting my club in my bag.
Parker looked at me. “As I told Hope last night, at first, the idea of you two was weird, but after seeing you with her, it makes sense.”
Relief flooded my body. “I’m glad you see it like that.”
I hurried us through the rest of the holes and then left to take care of business. Thank goodness that I not only had a lot of money, but I had easy access to a lot of it. Otherwise, my efforts might have failed.
That evening I showed up at Hope’s townhome. Nerves scattered all through me, but they were both nervous and happy at the same time.
“Mitch,” she said, her smile as bright as ever, telling me she was happy to see me.
I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She looked surprised, but not unhappy about it. “I want to take you out. Are you up to it?”
“Yes. Where are we going?”