Page 34 of Baby Bombshell for the Boss

“Oh my God. You really don’t need to do that,” she said, starting to stand up from the bed.

He put a hand on her shoulder and restrained her gently. “Aren’t you supposed to get a wheelchair ride out of the hospital? I thought that was always the policy.”

“I don’t need that. It was just heartburn.”

“Take the free ride. How often does the world offer you something like that?”

Ivy groaned. “This is humiliating.”

“And I think I will stay with you tonight,” he said. “We’ll go back to my place, if that’s all right with you. That way I can really look after you.”

“Elliot… why are you doing this?” Ivy asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Ever since I told you I was pregnant, it’s like you can’t even look at me. I’m not blind. I’ve noticed the distance you’re trying to put between the two of us. And it’s fine. But now, suddenly, you hear I’m in the hospital and you rush to my side? You want to take me home with you and make sure I’m all right? I mean, am I not supposed to get a bit of whiplash from this?”

“No, you’re right,” Elliot admitted. “I have been pulling away.”

“And that’s fine,” Ivy said quickly. “I never meant to make you get more involved with us — me and the baby, I mean — than you were comfortable with. I get it. You didn’t get into this planning to start a family.”

“Neither did you,” Elliot pointed out.

“No,” she agreed. “But I made my choice. You have the right to make yours.”

“I don’t know,” Elliot said. “I think… maybe the reason I haven’t been able to face you is that I know I’m not doing the right thing here. Every time I think about you and the baby, it feels like I’ve done something really wrong. I think I need to be more involved. With both of you.”

Ivy frowned. “I don’t want you doing that because you feel guilty,” she said. “I don’t want you doing it because you feel obligated, either. You aren’t. I really appreciate your financial support, don’t get me wrong, but I can manage the rest of this on my own. It’s a big thing, but I don’t need your help.”

Elliot tried not to flinch. The truth was that it did sting a little. He knew Ivy was strong and independent, and he had known that she didn’t need him. But was she saying she didn’t want his help?

He decided to try again. “I want to be involved,” he told her. “I don’t just want to be a source of money here. I’m sorry that I wasn’t sure right away, but the more I sit with it, the more I feel confident that this is the right move. That’s my baby too. I can’t just look the other way and pretend I don’t have a child in the world. I have to do more than I’ve done so far.”

Ivy hesitated. “I’m not sure about this,” she said.

“Not sure about what?”

“I appreciate what you’re saying. But… well, you change your mind a lot, Elliot, and I have to think of what’s best for my child. I can’t have you in our lives if there’s a chance you’re going to change your mind later. If you’re going to decide you don’t want to be a part of this after all and walk away, I want you to decide that now. Because once the baby’s born, you won’t just be walking away from me. You can push me away all you want, but I’m not going to let you do that to my child.”

Elliot took in the fierce expression on Ivy’s face. She was right to be concerned, he thought. He had changed his mind too many times about this. Of course she didn’t feel like she could count on him.

“I’m not going to change my mind,” he said. It was a surprise to him how easy it was to say that. But he knew it was the truth — he really meant it. What he was offering her now wasn’t something he ever intended to go back on.

“Then tell me what this looks like,” Ivy said. “You’re saying you want me to come home with you tonight. Okay, that’s fine. I can do that. But then what? You said you wanted to be more involved with the baby. Are you saying you want to be a father? Or are you just saying I should call you the next time I need to come to the hospital and you’ll give me a ride?”

It was a fair question. “Is it all right if I don’t know exactly what I want yet?” Elliot asked.

“I can’t wait forever for you to decide.”

“I know. I appreciate that. But I don’t think it’s fair to ask me to decide in a minute, either. You’re right that I should be sure about whatever my answer is, so I want to take some time to think it through. This isn’t a small decision.”

“You can have some time,” Ivy agreed. “But once the baby comes, you need to know. If you haven’t chosen by then, I’ll choose for you. I can’t have some quasi-father figure hanging around, unsure if he wants his own child or not.”

Elliot took a breath. “I want you to move in with me,” he said.

“Wait, what?” She shook her head. “We’re not in a relationship, Elliot. That’s not even on the table right now.”

“No, I know it isn’t. But I want to be there for you during this pregnancy. I want to take care of you and provide the things you need. And I think doing that will help me to see what I’m capable of — whether I’ll be able to be there for the child in that way. I’d like to think I will. But you’re right. I shouldn’t over-promise.”

---