Page 51 of The Boss's Triplet Surprise

Brandy left, and Leah’s gaze fell to the newspaper in the cart. Surely, the mention of RMA in the paper couldn’t be what Brandy had been talking about, right? Still, curiosity got the better of her, and she moved aside a loaf of bread to find the paper. As she scanned the first page, her eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open.

CEO of RMA Pharmaceuticals, Dan Marley, has turned heads today with a groundbreaking decision. As of January 1st, the runaway success Forenal, a drug to help couples get pregnant faster, will be made available completely free of charge.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Adams,” Leah whispered out loud. “He could be doing this for lots of reasons.” She kept reading.

The move surprised financial analysts, but Marley commented that someone special helped him see why drugs like Forenal should be universally available. After an initial trial period, Marley hints that further drugs may be made more affordable to everyday consumers.

The article went on to talk about Forenal in more detail, but Leah’s eyes were too full of tears to read further. Dan had done this for her. Because of him, thousands of couples would have a better chance at having babies of their own. Dan must have remembered what she had said at the conference.

The full impact of this hit Leah. Dan had chosen her and her principles over profit. Dan had chosen her. Leah felt a tear roll down her cheek. This was the sign she’d needed, the one she hadn’t gotten from a simple apology. They still had a lot to talk about, but Leah was more than ready to talk now.

Suddenly, she knew she had to see Dan. At the very least, she needed to thank him for what he’d done for her. The groceries didn’t matter. She would walk to the office, right now, and find him.

Leah abandoned the cart and began shuffling towards the door. As she walked, though, another Braxton-Hicks contraction ripped through her and she had to stop, rest her hand on one of the shelves, and breathe until it passed. This had been stronger than the other Braxton-Hicks contractions she’d experienced. A lot stronger. Perhaps the babies sensed that things were changing between their parents.

Once the pain passed, Leah straightened up and continued towards the door. But as she walked, she experienced a very strange sensation and heard a loud splash. When she looked down, she was standing in a pool of liquid. As if this wasn’t enough to tip her off, another, much stronger, definitely real contraction gripped Leah.

She wasn’t going to Dan’s office. Not at all. Instead, she was having these babies. Right now. She was in labor.

An older woman hurried over.

“Miss, are you all right?”

“I think I’m in labor,” Leah said. A wave of disbelief washed over her. Surely it was too soon. Were her babies in danger?

“I think you’re right,” the woman said. “Let me call you an ambulance.”

Leah nodded. “Thank you.” Now that the contraction had passed, her pain was a lot less intense, but she still felt worried and uncomfortable. And she wished Dan were here.

The woman made the call. It seemed like barely a few moments passed before a team of paramedics were entering the store and helping Leah onto a stretcher. Leah gave them the name of her doctor and hospital and off they went. The hospital was close, so the ride was quick. Leah had another contraction in the ambulance, but this time she was better prepared and was able to breathe and stay calm through it.

When they arrived, a friendly nurse pushed Leah in a wheelchair to a private suite overlooking the city. Leah was momentarily surprised, then realized that Dan must have arranged this. He did know her doctor, after all. Another wave of affection seized her heart.

“Your doctor is on the way,” the nurse explained. “In the meantime, how about we get you cleaned up and into some dry clothes?”

“Yes, please.” Leah felt better once she was wearing a hospital gown and sitting on the bed. Then another stab of worry went through her. She’d come to the hospital so unexpectedly that she didn’t have her hospital bag or anything else with her. And her mother, who’d planned to drive down to be with her, was still in Madison.

Luckily, at that moment, Moira arrived. She looked as put-together and relaxed as ever as she crossed the room to Leah.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right.”

“Do you mind if I examine you?”

“No problem.”

As she lay back and Moira began checking her progress, Leah answered a few questions about how many contractions she’d had and how her water had broken. When Moira was finished, Leah sat back up.

“Well, I’m pleased to say that everything is looking great. We can go ahead with a C-section as we originally planned, but since you’re a little preterm and everyone is healthy, you may be able to deliver the babies instead. What do you think?”

Leah nodded. “I’d like to try.” This was all happening too fast, but Leah felt decisive. “If that’s safe for the babies.”

“Absolutely. We’ll get you hooked up to some monitoring to make sure, and you’ll have regular checks.” Moira met Leah’s eyes with a sympathetic gaze. “This must all be a lot to process. Is there anyone I can call?”

Many people would have been willing to come, from Leah’s friends to her parents, but only one person came to mind. There was one person Leah wanted — no, needed — by her side today, as she gave birth to the triplets. She just hoped that he wanted to be here.

“Will you please call the father? Dan Marley?”

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