One Hundred Heartbeats

by Kelly Collins

  The door closed behind them, and Bowie fell to his knees in front of Katie. “I’m so sorry.”

  Katie had only seen a man cry once. It was the day they wheeled her into the operating room. Her father had held her hand until the last minute. When she looked at him, his eyes couldn’t hold the tears anymore. She looked down at Bowie, and his eyes looked the same.

  “I can’t live without you.”

  Katie dropped to her knees in front of him. “You don’t have to live without me. Now go get our son, and let’s find out if you’re going to be a daddy.”

  “Katie, you can’t have this baby. Even you told me it wasn’t recommended. It isn’t safe. It isn’t right.”

  “Bowie Bishop, have we done anything the right way?”

  She leaned into his chest and breathed in his comforting scent. She’d never been so afraid, but it wasn’t for her life she feared. It was for the life of the unborn child that might live in her womb.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Walking into Doc’s was like walking in front of a firing squad. Bowie held Katie’s hand in his. Although she was the picture of calm on the outside, the way her body shook gave her away.

  “We’ll take care of this so we can take care of you.”

  She shot him a look as deadly as an on target bullet. “Haven’t you learned anything?” She pulled her hand from his. “I can take care of myself.”

  She marched through the doorway that led to the examination room. He was hot on her heels, followed closely behind by Tate and Sophia. The latter had been tossing verbal grenades his way since she’d barged into Sage’s room. No doubt Sophia had been standing there the whole time with an ear to the door.

  “I know you can, but is it a bad thing that I want to care for you?”

  “Care for me? No. Control me? Yes.” She hopped onto the table. “If you want to help, tell Doc we’re here.”

  Bowie nodded and walked out, but he heard Katie lay into her mom. With Doc’s shop empty, he didn’t miss a word she said.

  “You know why I left, Mama?”

  “Yes. You wanted independence.”

  “That means making decisions for myself. If you want to be a part of my life, you need to step back and let me live it.”

  Their voices faded as Bowie ran upstairs to Doc’s apartment. He had a setup similar to Katie’s, although hers was by far nicer.

  “You okay, son?”

  Bowie plastered his body against the wall so Doc could slide past him in the narrow stairwell. “No, not really. I finally opened my heart and found love, and I’ve planted a death sentence inside her.”

  “Don’t put the cart in front of the horse. Let’s go see what’s up. If she’s pregnant, we’ll concoct the best plan.”

  “She needs to get rid of that baby.”

  Doc expelled a heavy breath. “Have you learned nothing about women—that woman in particular? She doesn’t want to be controlled; she wants to be supported. The decision is not yours. It’s hers. If she’s pregnant and wants to have that baby, she will. I’ve never met a more determined woman in my life. She rivals Phyllis for stubbornness.” Doc sucked in a long breath and sighed out a loud exhale. “You love her?”

  Bowie followed Doc down the stairs. “More than anything.”

  “Then you support her, no matter what.”

  Bowie swallowed the lump caught in his throat. “I will.”

  Doc swiped a few pregnancy tests from the shelf and walked into the room, where Katie was still talking to her mom.

  “You had your life, Mama. Let me have mine, no matter how long it is.” She looked past her parents to Bowie. “I’m happy. I’m in love.”

  Bowie walked up to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “You okay?”

  A weak smile lifted the corners of her lips. “Yes, but can you help me clarify something?”

  “Anything for you, Duchess.”

  She put her hand to her heart. “Was Brandy healthy?”

  “Yes. She had no medical issues I knew about.”

  Katie reached her free hand to her mother’s. “She was healthy, Mom. She woke up that day healthy and happy and in love.”

  Her eyes turned toward Bowie. He could see the love in her brilliant blue eyes, but he also saw sadness. He wasn’t sure if it was because they were potentially facing a crisis or because she hated to bring up his wound. Knowing Katie, it was because she didn’t want to hurt him.

  “What’s your point?” Sophia asked.

  “My point is, no one is guaranteed anything. Brandy woke up to a normal day. She went about her business and climbed in a car to run an errand, and in the blink of an eye her life was gone.”

  Bowie lifted his hand to the scar on his face. It was a visual reminder of how fast things could change.

  “I have a donor heart. My life is risky, but no more at risk than any other life. So stop it.” She looked around the room at her parents and him. “Shall I take this test and see where the next chapter leads?”

  “I’m going to take blood and send it off to the lab, but let’s see if we can’t get a preliminary result with these.” Doc handed her two different pregnancy tests and pointed to the bathroom.

  Bowie dragged in several chairs from the hallway and lined them up against the wall for them to sit on. He took a seat and turned to Sophia.

  “I really do love your daughter, and no matter what the outcome is, I will support her and take care of her.”

  Bowie could see the moment of defeat and resignation claimed Katie’s mom. Her features softened, and the visual daggers she’d been slicing through him dulled.

  “I know you do. And she loves you. Not having a child of your own, you can’t understand how I feel. I’ve spent twenty-nine years protecting her.”

  Tate cleared his throat. “Maybe it’s time you spent the next phase of her life enjoying her. She’s right, you know. Life isn’t a guarantee. Live in the moment.”

  Katie emerged from the bathroom carrying two sticks. One in each hand. “What if we get mixed results?” She handed them to Doc, who set them on the counter and prepped to take her blood.

  “I’ve got a third one out there we can use as a tie breaker.” He tied a rubber strap to her arm and had her hold onto a rubber ball. After a few taps at the crook, the needle went in the vial and filled up. Doc put on a Snoopy Band-Aid and popped a Life Saver into her mouth before she could say a word.

  They waited. Katie and Bowie stared at the tests on the counter, while Doc, Tate, and Sophia had their eyes on the clock. When the recommended time had passed, Doc read the results.

  “It’s unanimous.” He raised the two tests, facing the group. One had two bright pink stripes, and the other clearly said pregnant 3+. “You can return your birthday gift for diapers since you won’t be needing what I gave you for a while.”

  Bowie didn’t know how to feel. A part of him wanted to crawl into a ball and die right there. Another part of him wanted to leap into the air with joy. His child was growing inside Katie, but could he risk ending one life in the hope of bringing another into the world? Then he remembered what she’d told them minutes before. Nothing in life was guaranteed.

  “Oh my God … I’m pregnant?” Gone was the weak smile, and in its place the sun that burst forth from within her. “I never thought to put that on my bucket list.” She reached for her bag and pulled out the journal where she recorded her dreams.

  Bowie watched as she penned have a baby on a blank line.

  Sophia stood and came over to her daughter. “Katie, are you—”

  “Mama, I know what you’re going to say. Don’t.”

  Sophia gave her a grunt of frustration. “You’re wrong. I was going to ask if you could clear a week next month so we can baby shop.”

  “Really?” Tears ran down Katie’s cheeks.

  “I’ll send the jet,” Tate said. He looked at Bowie. “Son, what are your intentions toward my daughter?”

  “I intend to love her and care for her for
the rest of my life.”

  “That sounds great, but will you marry her? We’re old-fashioned that way.”

  “Daddy,” Katie squeaked. “Bowie and I don’t do anything the traditional way.”

  She was right. They’d kissed before they’d held hands. They’d slept together before they’d dated. They’d created a baby before they’d considered marriage. It was unconventional, but it worked for them.

  “I’ll marry her today if she’ll have me.”

  “No way,” Katie said with a hint of humor. Everyone looked at her in surprise. “If you think I’m going to make it easy on you by having my birthday and anniversary the same day, you’re nuts. I’m not cheating myself out of an extra present or an extra day to celebrate.”

  Bowie cupped her face with his hands. “I love you. Every day is a day to celebrate, but I will marry you.” He lowered one hand to her stomach. “I will be the best father and husband I can be.”

  Her father turned to Doc Parker. “What do I owe you, Doc?” Tate pulled out his wallet and tried to hand him a big bill.

  Doc waved him away. “Nothing. Money isn’t the most valuable currency here in Aspen Cove. We take care of our own.”

  “Surely, I can pay you somehow?”

  Doc smiled. “Did I hear you have a jet?”

  Tate laughed. “At your disposal.”

  Katie’s parents stayed long enough to visit her new cardiologist, Dr. Holland in Copper Creek. After he gave her a full physical, he told everyone that although heart transplant recipients were at a high-risk for pregnancy, there was no reason to believe Katie wouldn’t deliver a healthy child.

  While he set up the ultrasound, he outlined the risks from infection to early delivery. He explained Katie’s fever and the need to adjust her anti-rejection medications. When he gelled her stomach and placed the wand over her belly, the room fell silent except for the fast thumping beat that floated through the air.

  All eyes went to the monitor, where a clearly defined baby snuggled inside Katie’s womb, its heartbeat a fast flicker on the screen.

  “Your baby looks perfect,” Doctor Holland said. “He or she is about eleven weeks along, weighs about an ounce and is the length of your little finger.”

  Sophia burst into tears, followed by a laugh. “I told you you’d gained weight.”

  Everyone smiled at her joke.

  “Can you tell what the sex is, Doctor Holland?” Tate asked.

  “With this machine, it’s too soon to say, but we should be able to see at your next appointment. That is, if you want to know.”

  Katie looked at Bowie. “You want to know?”

  “Of course he wants to know,” Sophia piped in. “It makes shopping easier.”

  “Let’s decide, then,” Bowie said.

  The doctor printed several copies of the baby photo and passed them out to everyone. Bowie folded his up and placed it in his wallet. Whereas he’d once kept a picture of Brandy to remember his past, this was a glimpse into his future.

  “Let’s go home,” Katie said. “I miss our fur baby.”

  Turned out Otis was a fine father figure to Bishop. He’d taken to the puppy like they were raised together. Mike, on the other hand, wasn’t a fan of the little fur ball, but that could be because Bishop was teething and decided Cannon’s one-eyed cat was a good chew toy.

  They dropped off Katie’s parents at the airport, with a promise to visit Dallas after the results of the next ultrasound.

  On the way home, Bowie reached for Katie’s hand. “This is all my fault.”

  “Are we back to that?”

  Bowie thought back to his friend Trig’s conversation about Sledge and his sand baby. “Yes, but not how you think. You got pregnant the first time I made love to you. I think I knew in my heart I loved you then, but I wasn’t ready to admit.”

  “My heart has always loved you.” There was a lot of truth to that statement. “What makes you think it happened on that night?”

  “I used a condom that had been in my wallet for a year. It had been through the heat of the desert and a dozen sandstorms. When you warned me about heat breaking down latex, you were already pregnant.”

  She laid her hand over her belly. “A desert baby, huh?”

  “Our desert baby,” he replied.

  Chapter 29

  Twenty-six weeks later…

  The frozen ground was unforgiving as the backhoe dug into the dirt.

  “Are you sure this is the best time of year to be doing this?” Bowie asked as he wrapped his arms around her stomach. Katie felt the ripple of her child’s swift kick move all the way to her back.

  They stood with Bishop in the middle of the old park and watched the construction crew break ground. Katie wanted to pass her good fortune forward. Rather than use her trust fund to build a house or buy things she didn’t need, she put a chunk of the money to community improvements like Hope Park.

  She turned to her husband and looked into his eyes. Eyes the color of a spring sky. “It has to be now. I want the children of Aspen Cove to have a place to play this summer.” She walked to his right and pointed. “That’s where the new baseball diamond is going.” She turned and pointed behind them. “They’re putting a jungle gym and swing sets over there.” She pivoted to the left. “Right there will be a pavilion where the town can hold events like picnics or a concert.”

  “How much money is in this trust of yours?”

  Because the money never mattered to her, she never brought it up until now. She had remembered the scripture recited at Bea’s funeral that said something about money being used to do good. That people should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share what they have. Money in a trust didn’t help anyone, but this park would.

  “We’re rich.”

  “How rich?” he asked her.

  “We won’t make the world’s top ten, but we’re okay.”

  “You want to spend your money on a park?”

  She leaned in to him and breathed in his scent. “I want to invest in people. I want to pay the gifts given to me forward.”

  “You don’t want a better house? A nicer car?” He looked to her wedding ring. “A bigger diamond?”

  Though the diamond was small, the gesture was huge. She knew Bowie had spent every dime he had on this ring, and she’d wear it to her grave.

  “I’m the richest woman in the world, and it has nothing to do with money.”

  She rubbed at the ache in her lower back. She was certain it was the cold January day that caused the persistent discomfort.

  “Let’s go home, and I’ll make you your favorite tea.”

  “Home sounds good.”

  It was no longer the apartment above the bakery. Ben had taken that over and given them the lake house as a wedding gift. Most of Katie’s favorite moments happened there. It was the place they created the new life inside her.

  She had so many favorites with Bowie, but the day they stood on the end of the dock and said, “I do” topped her list. It was the same place where she threw an empty hook into the water and somehow caught the man of her dreams. Doc put on another hat that day and officiated over their vows.

  Since then, she’d marked off hundreds of items from her bucket list, from roller skating to making love under the stars. In her twenty-ninth year, she’d lived a lifetime.

  They walked together to the truck, and Bowie lifted her into the seat. Bishop curled up on the floorboard by her feet. He barely fit. The poor dog was convinced he was still a puppy.

  When Bowie climbed in, he turned up the heat. “Let’s get you defrosted.” He leaned over to help with her seat belt and stopped. “Duchess?” His eyes went to the space between her legs. “You’re melting.”

  Katie looked down just as a gush of warm water released. Bishop leaped from the floor onto the seat.

  “Uh oh.”

  Bowie grinned. “It’s time.”

  Doctor Holland expected the baby to come around week thirty-seven, but they
were turning the corner on week thirty-eight. All was right in the world except the incredible pain that gripped her middle.

  Bowie immediately went into military mode. He was trained for high-stress situations, which was a good thing because Katie wasn’t prepared at all. In that second, she felt completely unprepared to be a mother.

  “Oh my God, what if I suck as a parent?”

  She gripped the door handle and panted through the next contraction.

  “You’ll be an amazing mother. You already have the cookie-making down pat.” Bowie dialed Sage and Cannon and told them to meet him outside for the handoff. Cannon would get Katie’s suitcase, and Sage would take the dog.

  Next he called Sophia and Tate and told them to get the jet ready. Their grandchild was coming. Much to Sophia’s disappointment, they didn’t know the sex. The baby was a gift, and it didn’t matter if it were a boy or a girl. It’s not like they could send it back.

  The final call, which should have been the first call, was to Dr. Holland, who promised everything would be ready when they arrived.

  When they got to Copper Creek General Hospital, Dr. Holland was waiting with a wheelchair.

  “How are you doing there, Mom?” he asked Katie. Then he turned to Bowie. “What about you, Dad? Ready to meet your baby?”

  Bowie relayed pertinent information while Katie puffed through another contraction. Four hours that seemed like a lifetime later, her parents rushed into the delivery room. They stood by her head while Bowie coached her through the last phases of labor. Because she was a high-risk pregnancy, at least a half dozen specialists were standing nearby. Katie was grateful for their presence but confident she wouldn’t need them. She had Bowie, she had her parents, and she had the strongest, most loving heart in the world.

  When Dr. Holland told her to push, she felt an extra surge of strength. Ten minutes later, Sahara Brandelyn Bishop was born. When she grew old enough to understand, Bowie and Katie would tell her about all the people who made it possible for her to exist. How dreams can come true and how the only currency worth collecting is love.