Page 85 of Until I Find You

“I’ll pick it up.”

“Great.Great.”

We say our goodbyes, and I’m left with the phone in my hand and Camilla around my waist.

“Congratulations,” she says. “Big brother Jack.”

I place my arms over hers. “Yeah, I guess I haven’t really been thinking about it.”

“It’s exciting.”

“It is,” I say, though my voice is hollow.

Camilla tucks her chin against my arm. “Are you okay?”

“I am. I’m fine.”

Her eyes narrow. She knows me too well. “Jack…”

“I’m just nervous. I don’t know why I’m so nervous, but–” I laugh at myself, unfolding myself from her arms. “I’ll be fine. I just need to get going, I’ll feel better once I’m moving.”

I run my hand through my hair as I collect my things from around the conference room where we’ve been posted all day. I’m uneasy, light on my feet. I could fall over if I’m not careful.

What’s gotten into me?

“Do you want me to come with you?”

I look at Camilla wide-eyed. “What?”

She folds her hands in front of her. “I mean. I could just go with you and drop you off at the hospital. Or I could stay in the waiting room. If you didn’t want to be alone.”

I blink. “You’d do that?”

Camilla smiles. And the whole world is bathed in sunshine though it is late at night. “Of course, Jack.”

Of course.

My heart threatens to explode. “I’d like that.”

She goes to her phone on the table and taps for the call to end.

“Will you stay?”I ask.

I’ve had Camilla walk with me all the way to Sonia’s hospital room. Wanted to hold her hand but didn’t want to run into someone in the family and have to explain or lie that business partners just do this sort of thing when we all know so much better than that.

“Yes, of course,” she answers and nods toward a few seats along the wall. “I’ll be right over there.”

We share one last look. I capture a mental image of her eyes, warm and crinkled as they look at me. A safe place for me to land. Maybe.

I try to smile. Not sure if it looks like one, though.

With a final deep breath, I go into the room.

“Jack! Finally!” Sonia exclaims. Her warm reception is no doubt due to the hefty bag of sushi in my hand.

For a woman who just gave birth to not one but two babies, she looks remarkably awake and alive. Her effervescence is contagious. And in her arms, one of her little bundles of joy. A pink hat pokes out from the swaddled blanket.

Bridget swoops in and grabs the bag from me. “I’ll take this. You go meet your brother and sister.”

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