I winced, feeling that somehow this was my fault again.
Paisley studied both of us. “And you somehow blame yourself for the fact that you’re not progressing as quickly as you wanted to? You’re doing great. I have an entire room of people here that want updates by the way, and since I won the coin toss to be able to come back here, I’m going to switch places with Luca.”
Panic settled in my chest. “What?”
“Go take a breather, I’ll stay here with soon-to-be Mom.”
Addison’s eyes widened. “Mom. Wow. That’s going to be soon. I’m going to be a mom.” She beamed as she looked towards me. “Right, Daddy?”
“Now I’m having another panic attack even though we’ve already talked about the fact that yes there’s a baby coming. I will go see the others.”
I cupped her face and kissed her softly, knowing that these would be some of the last moments with just the two of us. Even with Paisley in the room, it was just the two of us. Life was about to change forever, altered into a new reality that didn’t make any sense and yet made the best sense.
This was going to be amazing.
Even if it scared the hell out of me.
“I’ll be right back.”
“And maybe bring those ice chips.”
“Anything you need.”
Walking away was one of the hardest things I’d ever done, even though I knew I’d be right back. It was just so hard to leave her in pain, when all I wanted to do was ensure that she was safe and happy.
The doctors and nurses were constantly in and out, making sure that she was comfortable and her blood pressure was doing well.
Other than that first complication, she had been fine. She hadn’t passed out again, and we had followed the doctor’s orders implicitly. I knew she was tired of sitting in that damn room and dealing with my ugly face every day.
But I had moved in to take care of her, and that’s exactly what I had done.
The fact that she let me have animals in and out all the time because of my job, and was just always there for me no matter what? That meant something.
I just wasn’t sure what we were going to do once the baby came.
But that point was moot, because I wasn’t going anywhere.
She was it for me.
And this baby? It changed everything. For the better, and for the stress, but I couldn’t wait. Even as I panicked because I was about to be a dad.
I walked out into the waiting room and smiled as everyone looked up at me.
“Everything okay? Paisley went in there to relieve you for a bit.”
“And we have food for you,” Devney said as she waddled towards me.
She was heavily pregnant and due in one week. “I love you. But should you be standing?”
“I’m okay. I’m here for my new niece or nephew, and I brought you food to take care of you. And I knew if you ate it anywhere near Addison, she would murder you.”
“That is the truth,” I said as I took the bag from her.
I opened it up and smiled at the burrito and chips and queso.
“The smells delicious.”
“It should be, I picked it out,” August said, which made me grin.