“Congratulations, your wife is two months pregnant,” the doctor said, and I stood there, stunned. Of all the things I expected, this wasn’t one of them.
Nadine was married-to Logan West, a powerful and ruthless billionaire. I’d heard about him.
The news was full of stories about a big auction she recently won, an entire island. But nothing explained why she left him and ended up here in Canada.
We run background checks on all our new employees. We have, to avoid hiring anyone with a questionable past.
So, being told that she is pregnant, it hit me-Logan West must be the father.
The thought overwhelmed me. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, jump up, or throw my fists in the air. The emotions were so intense, that I couldn’t even make sense of them.
But why didn’t she tell me? The question slipped out, directed at no one in particular. “Because you two aren’t there yet,” a voice in my head whispered.
My eyes stayed fixed on the floor, my mind racing. What if she thought I’d judge her? Or worse, what if she felt like it wasn’t my place to know? And maybe she was right. We were still figuring out what this thing between us was.
I cared about her, more than I’d expected to, but how was I supposed to deal with this? She was tied to Logan West in a way I could never compete with. No matter how much I wanted to be there for her, this was a reality I couldn’t ignore.
Yet, even with all these thoughts swirling in my head, a part of me refused to back down. I didn’t care who Logan West was or what power he had. Nadine was here, with me, and I wasn’t about to let her go without a fight.
My thoughts were interrupted when the doctor’s voice broke through the haze.
“You see, pregnancy can trigger allergies, and that’s what happened to your wife,” he explained, pulling me back to the present.
My heart skipped a beat when he said “Your wife.” I liked the way it sounded, even if I knew it wasn’t true. Get a grip, I told myself. She’s still married to Logan West.
What was the last food she ate before being rushed to the hospital?
Mason and I looked at each other, both remembering how I had told her to try the seafood pesto pasta with Parmesan cheese.
When the doctor asked about her last meal, I said, “She ate seafood pesto pasta with Parmesan cheese.” That’s when I realized: she must be allergic to seafood. Her pregnancy must have triggered the allergy.
I felt guilty. If only I had known, I never would have suggested it.
“Can I see her now?” I asked, noticing the doctor slowly walking away.
“Sure,” he said, “but she isn’t awake. She needs all the rest she can get, so please don’t stay longer than five minutes.”
I nodded and made my way to her room. Seeing her like this, with a tube connected to her lungs and the machines beeping softly, made my heart ache. Her eyes were closed, and she looked so fragile.
Up close, I noticed her long eyelashes and her pale, fair skin against her dark hair. Gently.
I moved a strand of hair behind her ear, letting my fingers brush against her soft skin.
How did I fall so deeply in love with someone who’s still married? And now, with her being pregnant, it doesn’t change what I feel for her.
A part of me wished I could just take her away from all of this, make everything easier for her, for us. But life doesn’t work that way.
I leaned down and whispered, “I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together.”
A voice behind me interrupted, “You must like her.” I turned around to see Sydney watching me while I held her hand.
I looked at Sydney, unable to find the right words. I just nodded.
“What are the chances? Do you think she feels the same about me?” I asked.
Sydney replied, “Seriously, Ethan, I don’t think I have the answers. She’s come to mean a lot to me in the six months I was in New York for training.”
“It’s hard to say. I can’t guess what she feels right now. All I know is that being here with her, seeing her like this, it just makes me want to be close to her even more.”
Then I looked at Sydney with hope in my eyes. “What’s her story?” I’m curious if there’s more to know than what I found out in the background check.
Sydney hesitated. “Don’t you think she should be the one to tell you her story?”
I was taken aback, I didn’t know how to respond. My thoughts were tangled, and I felt lost.
Slowly, I stood up and kissed her forehead. Tears were close, but I didn’t want Sydney to see them. I wanted to give her some time alone.
As I headed for the door, I felt Sydney’s hand on my shoulder. She gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, Ethan. She’ll be fine and come out stronger.”
I nodded, placing my hand over hers briefly before leaving the room. Outside, I saw Mason watching me with a look of pity.
“Oh, please don’t give me that look,” I said with a forced smile.
“Sorry, bro. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now with everything you’ve just learned.”
I tried to smile again. “I’ll be fine, Mason. Thanks for caring,” I said as I headed back out of the hospital.
*****
It’s been two days, and I’ve been coming in and out of the hospital to check on her. Her recovery is slow but steady, and every time I visit, she’s usually asleep. I wonder why she sleeps so much.
I’ve decided to do everything I can for her. She and the baby need me now more than ever, and I’m committed to being there for her. As I left the hospital that day.
I stopped by the supermarket to pick up a teddy bear and some flowers. I wasn’t sure what kind of flowers she liked, so I got a mix of different kinds.
With a hopeful smile, I made my way through the front desk, greeted the nurse, and headed to her room. But when I opened the door, I found that her bed was empty.
My heart sank as I stood there, staring at the empty bed. The room felt too quiet. Where could she be?
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
I turned and headed back to the front desk. The nurse who had greeted me was still there, and I approached her, trying to stay calm. “Excuse me, do you know where she might be?”
Her face lit up when she saw me. “Hi, Ethan,” she said in a flirty tone.
I wasn’t in the mood to respond to that, so I just said, “Hi. The patient in room 306?”
“Just a moment,” she replied, typing on her computer. After a few seconds, she looked up at me. “Oh, she’s checked out.”