by Rye Hart
“Doctor. I appreciate you being a fan, but could you focus on the mother of my kid, please?”
“Yes Mr. Blackthorn. Sorry. Um—yes, your tests. Long story short, your baby’s fine, Miss Jakobson. Your hCG levels are steadily climbing into levels we always want to see this close to a second trimester.”
“Then what’s causing her pain?” Drake asked.
“Miss Jakobson is a thin woman. Her pelvis isn’t situated for childbirth yet, so her body’s doing a lot of expanding. She’ll experience pain like this on and off during her pregnancy. Her bones will be shifting and her tendons will be loosening as her body readies itself for labor. It’s normal but will be very uncomfortable.”
“So, she and the baby are gonna be okay,” Drake said. “Is there anything she can take for the pain?”
“Yes. We’ve got acetaminophen running through her I.V. right now. She can take Tylenol from here on out, as it is safe for pregnancy, but in the recommended doses only,” the doctor said.
“I’ll make sure that happens,” Drake said.
“You don’t need to babysit me Drake,” I said.
“Woman, you’re pregnant with my child. Now that I know that, I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“Would you like to see the baby?” the doctor asked.
I whipped my head over toward the doctor as Drake clamped down onto my hand.
“Like an ultrasound?” I asked.
“Mhm. We’ll need to do one anyway for our records. Might as well have Daddy present,” she said with a smile. “Don’t worry, we’ve got a mobile unit on a cart, so you don’t have to move an inch.”
I caught his gaze, his eyes sparkling with light and life as he nodded his head.
“Get that cart in here,” he said. “I wanna see my kid.”
CHAPTER 27
Drake
After the ultrasound, Delia had fallen asleep as the I.V. fluids ran through her system. The doctor wanted her rehydrated before she left and I still had to do damage control with the media. Some people had seen me rushing into the hospital, and throngs of fans had gathered in all areas trying to get a glimpse of me. I figured the only way to get them to leave was to give them what they wanted.
I signed autographs and took pictures with people while Delia slept. Hank was in the corner fielding a steady stream of phone calls, no doubt from media outlets who had caught wind of the fact that I’d dashed into a hospital. Nurses and parents were wheeling sick children up to me and I took the time to be with them. It took two hours to get Delia fully hydrated before the doctors would release her from the hospital. I tried to give her as much space to process everything as I could. Hank was putting out informal press releases to news outlets and magazines, popular blogs and radio stations. Everyone was speculating that I was back in the hospital due to my alcohol, but Hank was reassuring everyone that it was a family emergency and that everything was fine with me.
That was all we were telling the media until I could figure out what the fuck I was supposed to do now. I stared at the ultrasound picture in my hands and I couldn’t help but smile. Though tiny, and looking like nothing more than a lima bean, our baby was perfect. I thought back to the morning I’d buried Shannon and Ava, and I’d opened that damn pregnancy test. I thought then that I’d never have another chance at having a family. But now, looking at that little lima bean, I knew I did.
When Delia came shuffling out of her room, her cheeks were still stained with tears. I rushed over to her and wrapped my arms around her, walking alongside her as we walked down the hallway. I helped her to the parking deck out back so we could stay away from the cameras, then I loaded her into my truck and took off.
“Do you know the way to my place from here?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Well, you missed the left turn you were supposed to make?” she asked.
“Because you’re not going home.”
“Where am I going, then?”
“We’re going to my place so I can take care of you and we can talk about all of this.”
“Please, I don’t want to be a burden,” she said.
“Now look. All this time, you hid the fact that you are pregnant from me. And I get it—I understand your reasoning. But I meant what I said in that hospital. Now that I know, I’m not letting you out of my sight. I’m not dropping you off anywhere. You’re coming to my house, you’re sitting on my couch, and you’re letting me take care of you for a change.”
Delia nodded and settled into her seat.
As I drove, I turned the truck down every back route I could think of, just in case someone was tailing us. I pulled into my driveway and shut the truck. I walked around to the passenger door and helped Delia down.
I unlocked the door and threw it open, ushering her over to the couch. I went into the kitchen and got us both a glass of water, but she tried to shoo hers away.
“You were so dehydrated you needed three I.V. bags in the hospital. Drink the damn water,” I said.
She looked up at me with that cute little scrunched up nose before she took the water from my hands.
I sat down on the coffee table in front of her as she sank into the couch. She took mindless sips of the water I handed her, avoiding my gaze when possible. I raked my eyes up and down her body, taking stock of the way it was changing. Her hips did seem a little wider and her stomach was tighter than usual. Her breasts were definitely bigger. Practically spilling out of the bra she had on.
I took a deep breath to settle my desires for her as her eyes finally connected with mine.
“Explain something to me,” I said. “I wanna know how the hell you were gonna take care of this child on your own.”
“I have health insurance now and a salaried job. I don’t rake in millions like you do, but I don’t need millions to take care of a baby.”
“Were you gonna raise our baby in some studio apartment?” I asked.
“No, of course not, and quit being a snob. There is nothing wrong with my apartment. I have a financial plan on track to rent a two-bedroom apartment closer to where I work. I can save gas money by walking, and my yearly bonuses can go toward saving for childcare. I have it all laid out.”
“So you really had no plans to tell me, about any of this. Despite the fact that I helped you make this child,” I said.
I was still simmering with anger. Even though I was worried about her condition physically, I couldn’t believe she would keep something like this from me. I had my downfalls, sure, but I had the capacity to provide for my child.
“Do you know what that phone call did to me, Delia?” I asked.
“No,” she said, looking away.
“The moment told me you were pregnant with my baby, my world stopped.”
“I didn’t want you drinking again,” she said, breathlessly.
“Why the fuck would a kid make me drink? If anything, you make me wanna drink! With your stubborn-as-hell ways and wanting to always buck up against me.”
“I don’t want to make you drink,” she said with a whisper. “I don’t want your sobriety to be derailed because of me.”
I watched her face scrunch up as her gaze fell to her lap. I watched as a tear dripped into her water and I knew I’d done it. I’d made this woman cry, and if my momma was alive right now she’d slap the back of my head. I had better ways of communicating my anger to her than this, all I had to do was take the time to find them.
“Come here. I’m sorry. It’s okay,” I said.
I took the water from her hands and situated myself on the couch next to her. She was curling into herself, weakening in a way I’d never seen from her. Even though I’d only known her a short amount of time, I’d known her to be a spitfire. Strong and steadfast. And there she was, curling up onto my couch and crying into her knees because I was being an asshole.
Fuck.
I wiped her tears and cradled her against me as I thought about the child growing inside her.
Our child.
“I’m sorry, I just need you to explain to me what the hell you were thinking,” I said. “Because I don’t understand it.”
“Please don’t be mad,” she said.
“I can try my best. You waited until you thought you were losing this child to reach out to me. You shouldn’t have waited until catastrophe struck before you told me.”
“Look Drake, when I found out I was pregnant, you were still in rehab. What the hell was I supposed to do? Come tell you over lunch while you were in the midst of that struggle?” she asked.
“What about when I got out of rehab?” I asked. “You could’ve told me then. Delia, you only live like three fucking miles up the road.”
“I tried to read up on what you were going through in rehab without reaching out to you. Hank fired me so quickly, I figured the reason he did was because you asked him to. But I did want to know what you were going through. What you were experiencing. And one of the things I read up on was triggers. I’ve studied this, Drake.”
“Delia, you’re not a trigger. You tried to keep me from drinking. My band is a trigger. Stress is a trigger. You're not, you never could be.”
“But that’s exactly what I mean. Stress is a trigger. I knew how stressed I was and could only imagine what it would be for you.”
“I’m not stressed. Pissed, yeah. Confused, hell yeah. But stressed? Nah.”
“How are you not stressed by this? I am!” she said.
“Wanna know why I’m not stressed?” I asked.
“Because you’re suddenly a saint?”
“Hell no. Delia, I’ve always wanted kids. I wanted a large family, back when I was with Shannon. I thought I'd lost my chance at that, though.”
“What?” she asked.
“Yeah. I mean, I know I haven’t exactly acted like I want to be married with a family again, but I do. I always have. I’ve dreamt of having a ton kids since I was one myself. Look at what I do for Elsie. How could you not see that?”
I saw her jaw trembling again and quickly pulled her into my lap. I sat here, with her changing body against my chest as I sighed into her hair. She was scared. I knew she was. And I was, too. We’d though we were losing something precious today. Something that I didn’t even know to exist before a few hours ago. I was holding the mother of my unborn child in my arms, and the only thing I could feel was an overwhelming need to protect her. To care for her. To make sure she and this baby had everything they could possibly need to be healthy and succeed.
“I’ve got you now,” I said. “You’re gonna be taken care of.”
“I can’t ask that of you,” Delia said.
“Then it’s a good thing it don’t require askin’.”
I grinned at her as I pulled her back into me. I reached for my phone and pressed it into her hand, hoping she would go along with the plan I had for us. I felt her brow furrowing against my skin as I placed a kiss against her forehead, her eyes darting up at me curiously as I smiled.
“Call your boss. Tell him you’re okay, but that you’ll need until Monday off,” I said.
“I can’t do that. I have to work tomorrow,” Delia said.
“I shooed him away from the hospital once I got there. He’s waiting for an update. Tell him you need off until Monday. It’s just one day. He’ll give it to you. Seems nice enough,” I said.
“Then will you take me home?”
“We’ll talk about that.”
“No, we won’t. You want me to call out, that’s my condition. I don’t need a babysitter. I’m going back to my own place.”
I grinned as my eyes danced around her face. Her fire was back again. The feisty woman that had drawn me in from the beginning. I raked my eyes up and down her body as a chuckle fell from my lips, then I pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“Either way, you could use some time off,” I said.
She sighed and rolled her eyes, but did as I asked. Her boss was more than accommodating, and even asked her if she needed more time than that. I tried to get Delia to take it but she wasn’t having it. Then she handed my phone back to me and slid from my lap.
“There,” she said. “Called out until Monday. But if something important comes up, I can remotely access my files from my apartment.”
“You mean my guestroom,” I said.
“No. I mean my apartment.”
I'd already lost my wife and not one, but two, of my children. Delia didn't know that Shannon had been pregnant when she died, of course, but I did. It haunted me, and I could not lose anyone else. I could not lose another child.
Delia would have to work with me here.
CHAPTER 28
Delia
“Delia, you’re pregnant with my child. You're not leaving my side. I’m going to take care of you,” Drake said.
“Right now you need to be taking care of yourself,” I said.
“I’ve got it in check. You don’t see me pounding anything back right now, do ya?”
“You’ve also only been out, what? A few days? A week, maybe?”
“I’m okay. You gotta trust me on that,” he said.
“Drake, your sobriety is much too new to know that yet. In fact, they encourage you not to get involved with anyone during your entire first year.”
Drake was silent as anger flew behind his eyes.
“Oh honey, I think we’re past ‘involved’, don’t you?” he snapped.
I sighed. “That’s not what I mean. Yes, we are having a baby, but that doesn’t mean we are automatically together. And it doesn’t mean you need to take care of me like I’m an invalid. Let me do my part, and you do yours. Stay sober, do your meetings, do your counseling, do your tour if you feel up to it.”
“It sounds like you have more experience with this than just what you learned in school,” Drake said.
I carefully avoided his comment. “The point is, I don’t think you’re ready to do this. And I’m not staying here, so take me home,” I said.
“If you really want to go home, then that’s fine. But I’m packing a bag and coming with you.”
“No, you’re not. You can’t trap me here and you can’t trap me in my own home.”
“I’m not trapping you, Delia. But you’re pregnant and you’re weak. You just got out of the hospital and the only way the doctor let you leave was because she thought she was releasing you to someone. I’m not leaving you alone, even if it pisses you off.”
I closed my eyes as my body grew weak at his words. There was anger in his voice, but genuine concern in the things he was saying. He had points I couldn’t battle, even though I wanted to. I could still feel the aching in my hips and the pain that robbed me of my breath. My eyes were drooping, my body exhausted from the day’s activities.
“We can talk more tomorrow,” Drake said, as he led me to a bedroom with a large four poster bed. I was simply too exhausted in that moment to fight about it anymore.
I slipped in and out of sleep, waking up long enough to catch a few voices murmuring outside my door.
“Her car’s at work. Anything else?”
“Gotta run into town for some more feed. She need anything?”
“Can I watch the videos again? Of her graduating?”
I slept harder than I ever had in my life. As the bright sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the dust floating around in the air, I stretched my arms and sighed. My back popped, aligning itself after a twisted night of sleep. I had contorted myself into positions that had my arms and legs aching.
But when I rolled over, I was met with a pair of wide eyes and a crooked smile.
I jumped back in surprise as I screamed.
Elsie began screaming as well as my eyes raked over her body. She was terrified, her body rocking and her fingers fidgeting. I stopped my screaming and reached out for her, trying to comfort her and apologize for starling her.
But Tammy and Drake busted through my bedroom door before I could.
Tammy quickly went to Elsie who pressed dee
ply into her caretaker. Drake sat on the bed next to me, smoothing my hair back as I tried to get my bearings. Elsie was crying, and I felt terrible. Tears were streaming down my own face as Tammy tried to get the poor girl to redirect her focus.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scream,” I said.
“Are you all right?” Drake asked. “What happened? Are you having pain?”
“It’s okay. No. I just rolled over and Elsie was there, and it startled me. Tammy, please tell her I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. She knows. You scared her, too, but we’ve talked about this,” Tammy said. “She was very excited to see you again.”
“Elsie?” I asked.
The woman who seemed so small in the protection of her caretaker looked over at me as she sniffled.
“I’m excited to see you, too,” I said, with a smile.
I watched as Tammy calmed her down as Drake rubbed my back.
“You hungry?” he asked. “Ya slept through dinner last night.”
“Yeah. Yeah I uh—actually am,” I said.
“You usually not hungry?” he asked.
“I’m usually too tired to eat.”
“That go for drinking as well? Because you were pretty dehydrated in the hospital.”
I shot him a look as he nodded his head.
“Well, come on downstairs. No need to clean yourself up. I’ll get ya some breakfast, then we can continue whatever fight you wanna have.”
I threw another smile toward Elsie before they all left my room. I slid out of bed, making my way to the bathroom attached to the room I had slept in. I splashed some water in my face and used the hand soap to wash up a bit. I didn’t have the energy to take a shower just yet. I looked around the bathroom sink and saw a new toothbrush and a travel size container of toothpaste sitting there for me.
With a sigh, I picked them both up and began the daunting task of cleaning up.
I knew Drake was trying to do what he thought was right. He wanted to protect and care for me and our baby, but I knew what I was talking about, he just wasn’t ready for all of this. No matter how confident he had been in his ability to stay sober, it was just too new, which meant, I couldn’t stay here.