Page 26 of Midnight and Mine

She leaves and closes the door behind her, and this is the first time I’m alone with my thoughts. I reach for the soft leather journal and run my hands over the texture’s pattern and finally take the pen from the loop and open it to the first page.

This journal belongs to:

I write my name on the line.Wynter Wilson

Then I turn to the first blank page and write my name over and over. How many times have I written Wynter Wilson? Since high school? Is that when I fell in love with Drake? Writing my name eases the chaos residing in my mind. I add scroll work and hearts to the page like I’m a teenager, but it feels therapeutic, so the first three pages are covered. Scott brought me colored felt pins, and I grab them one by one and shade in the different areas.

On the fourth page, I write, “I’m having a baby girl. I’m already in love just seeing her in black and white and feeling her body move inside me.”

My lids are heavy, and gravity wants them to close, so I put the pen in the loop, place the colored pens on the table, and tuck the journal under my leg that isn’t broken. And all I can think about is Scott’s hands on my neck and on my belly.

How good it felt.

How connected we felt.

Chapter Eleven

Scott

“What the fuck? I love you and our baby,” I shout at Drake as soon as we pass through the double doors to the lobby. He picks up his pace to get past me. “Don’t walk away from me.” I grab his elbow.

Major jumps up and gets between us. “Calm down. Let’s take this outside.” Our friends and Wynter’s parents stare in shock. I’m usually calm and collected, but this is not a normal situation, and I need to set Drake straight.

My brother and dad guide us out the automatic doors, leading us outside to a break area.

I clasp my hands together on top of my head with my elbows angled out as I pace.

“Of course not.”

“That’s not how it seems.”

An exasperated sigh escapes as I let my hands fall to my sides. I reach into my pocket and hand Wynter’s extra set of car keys to Major. “Can you and Maverick look for her car? I need her phone and purse too.”

“You got it,” Maverick calls out. “You okay?” His eyes dip in concern.

With mine and Drake’s relationship strained, neither of us know what to say. “Listen, I appreciate how much you love my wife. I understand that she’s your best friend. Maybe even more than I am at this point. But here’s what I need you to do for me and Wynter.”

“Anything,” he says, still not looking me in the eye.

“When Wynter wakes up, the nurse is going to tell her that you’ve caught the flu and can’t visit her for a few days.”

His gaze finally meets mine. “What? No.”

“You can sit in the waiting room with everyone else and wait but for now, I need to be the one with her.”

“But the doctor said not to pressure her or tell her about her life.”

“I know, and I won’t go against the doctors wishes, but if you value my friendship, and if you love Wynter as much as you say, you’ll do this for us.” I wait for him to acknowledge me.

His chin sinks to his collarbone with his gaze concentrated on a smooth landscaping pebble.

“Well?”

“She needs me, Scott. Obviously, she remembers me, and she needs to feel safe. You’re asking me to turn my back on her.”

His eyes travel up and finally meet mine. I attempt to read the emotions in his eyes, but they’re cloudy and flit around. There’s something he’s not telling me, so I ask him, “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Drake wrings his handstogether. “Yeah… when I came over that day, I told her…”

---