Page 45 of Prognosis Christmas Baby

‘I can’t eat anything these days.’

Nash shrugged. ‘So I’ll eat and you can watch.’ He fished in the pocket of his Levi’s. ‘I have more gum.’

Maggie was about to say no again, get in her car and drive off but then he looked at her with those eyes and said, ‘Please, Maggie,’ and she folded like a deck of cards.

‘Fine,’ she huffed.

She followed him to a nearby café precinct and sipped on water while he tucked into a full English breakfast.

Plenty of those where he was going.

The thought of him leaving, of him being on the other side of the world eating authentic English breakfasts while she was here, with his child, loving him, was depressing as hell.

Nash placed his knife and fork on his empty plate and wiped his mouth on a napkin. His full stomach gave him fortitude to face the conversation they needed to have.

‘So...Where do we go from here?’ he asked. ‘Have you given any more thought to coming to London with me?’

Had she?

She’d thought of little else. And had she been ten years younger and a baby wasn’t involved she’d have jumped at it. Thrown caution to the wind and taken the biggest gamble of her life, hoping he would come to love her while accepting that he never might. But this wasn’t just about her any more.

She had the baby to think about.

‘I’m not going to live in London, Nash. I’m sorry, that’s just not an option.’ She wasn’t going anywhere for anything less than love.

Nash nodded slowly. It had been a long shot — she’d been so adamant the other day. He sighed heavily. ‘I understand.’

‘We’re just going to have to compromise. I know you feel it’s your duty to support the baby, right?’

Maggie held her breath, waiting for him to deny it. To hear him refute that it was a duty. To hear him say it was an act of love.

‘I’m the father,’ he said testily. ‘Of course it’s my duty to support the baby. And you, Maggie.’

Maggie felt another crack splinter the surface of her heart. ‘Well, then, we’ll work it out. Maybe for those first couple of years, while you’re overseas, you can contribute financially. As far as the baby’s concerned, they’re probably the best years to be away. It won’t be aware of you as a father figure until it’s much older.’

Nash rubbed his chin, the rough stubble pricking his palm. ‘I could try and be here for the birth.’

Maggie swallowed. Now, that would be hard. How was she supposed to keep emotional distance from him during something as intimate as giving birth to his child?

‘I could probably come back every few months.’

Maggie could see he was thinking hard about the possibilities and was relieved. She picked up her train of thought. ‘Of course,’ she agreed. ‘And these days there’s so many ways that we can keep in touch.’

‘You could visit me. Maybe? It wouldn’t be much of a picnic, dragging a baby halfway round the world, but I’d pay for you to come business class. I know you’re not keen to come to London...’

Maggie was touched by his thoughtfulness and that he was really trying to meet her halfway. She was fully aware he could have turned nasty. But she guessed that was the difference between duty and love.

It was easy to be removed when feelings weren’t involved.

‘I could probably do a holiday,’ she replied. ‘Depends on the baby, I guess. If he’s—’

‘He?’ Nash interrupted.

Maggie blushed and placed her hand across her belly. ‘Oh, sorry. I just...have a feeling.’

A son.

Maggie could be carrying his son. Nash’s gaze flicked to her hand splayed against her tummy. ‘Will you find out?’

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