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“Chance Caldera?”
I stand on shaky legs, trying not to show how fucking nervous I am. Real talk, this shit is going to change the rest of my life, and it’s going to determine how I handle my relationship with my wife after this. Is there even going to be one? “That’s me.” I raise my hand to get her attention.
“C’mon back,” she waves toward the room.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Cam asks.
“No, I gotta do this on my own.”
The nurse is already waiting for me when I enter the room. “Have a seat.” she indicates the chair beside the desk.
I don’t want to sit down, but it’s what’s expected of me, so I do it anyway. “Do you have news for me?”
“I do,” she nods. “We have the results of the paternity test.”
“Okay…” I’m doing my best not to appear as nervous as I actually am.
“You are the father of the male child,” she says the words as carefully as she can.
“I am?”
“You are.”
“So what happens now?” I question her, looking for someone to give me answers to everything I’m wondering.
“I’m going to take you to him,” she stands up, obviously expecting me to follow her.
I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. All I know is this little kid needs someone who can advocate for him, and as his dad, I’m that person. She leads me to a room, and then steps back so I can enter.
Putting my hand on the door, I push it open and prepare myself as best as I can for what’s about to happen.
CHAPTERTHREE
Delia
Two and a HalfYears Earlier
My hands shake as I hold the pregnancy test between my thumb and middle finger. Tears spring to my eyes as the wordpregnantflashes in front of my vision.
Excitement jumps into my throat. This is what Chance and I have been praying for, hoping for, and planning on. Each month I take this test and it’s always saidnot pregnant. To say this is a surprise is an understatement. I’d made peace with the fact we might have to try harder than others to have a baby. We actually have appointments with a fertility doctor next week. I haven’t told him about it yet, but I know we’ll do anything it takes.
Reaching over, I grab my phone and take a shaky picture of the word pregnant. Forever, I want to remember this moment, and although Chance isn’t here with me, I can still share with him how I’m feeling. Heading to the bedroom, I relax against the pillows before putting the phone in front of my face.
“This is for later,” I grin at the camera. “Babe, we did it!” Tears are
evident in my eyes, a quivering in my voice. “After all this time trying to get pregnant, we’re here.”
I hold the pregnancy test up. “I would’ve waited for you, but I was so sure this time was going to be the same as all the others, and I wanted to save you from the misery of knowing we’d failed again.
“Well, failure isn’t exactly the correct word, because I don’t think that’s necessarily it. Luck is finally on our side, and you’re the only person I could do this with. I know that with every part of me. Chance, you’re going to make an amazing father. I can’t wait to see what the future holds, and how we grow old together.”
As I stop to take a breath, my phone rings. Recognizing the number from the station, I turn the video off, and answer it. “Hey, babe!”
The voice on the other end isn’t my husband. It’s someone else entirely. “Delia, this is Cameron. I’m calling to let you know Chance has been hurt.”
Immediately my hand goes to my stomach, where the product of our love is resting, protected and completely unaware of what’s going on. “Is he alive?” I whisper.
“He is. He’s in surgery.”
